Jorie Johnson, Kyoto, shows her felt-creations at the Museum Sursilvan, Trun

Jorie Johnson shows her felt-creations at the exhibition "Shades of Memory" in Trun form July 28th to Sept. 9, 2018.

Born into a New England wool merchant family, Jorie Johnson studied Textile Design in the USA and Finland. Residing in Kyoto for the last thirty years, she established her studio, JoiRae Textiles, which focuses on the expression of felt-making in our modern nomadic times. She is the author of two books and articles on the subject, her work has appeared in various textile magazines including Surface Design Association Journal (US), Fiber Art Now (US), and FELT Matters (UK). She travels worldwide to research the history and teach the genius of the medium. She is a researcher for The Nara Imperial Household Agency analyzing the 8th century Tang felt carpets in their collection.
Selected for such exhibitions as “Artwear, Fashion and Anti-fashion”, Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, “HATS: an Anthology by Stephen Jones”, Victoria & Albert Museum, “Fashioning Felt”, The Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, NYC, “Celestial Threads”, The Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, among other institutions which include her work in their collections.

Picture: Sunset Over Uji River Ensemble, 2014, Cape (Detail), felted, Swiss Walliser Wool, silk floss
The concept image is taken from the intense amber glow of the setting sun on the flowing Uji River behind my studio in southern Kyoto.

The traditional Turkish shepherd’s Kepenek felt cloak is dramatized in the hopes it will appear on a “Contemporary Nomad” on the Hollywood Red Carpet (which I do believe the origin of historically was red felt from Asia).