Sarah Mandell's Blog

It was such a pleasure to spend the last week as Artist-in-Residence at Myrtle Beach State Park. My days revolved around the sunrises and sunsets. I was sure to be on the beach when the sky started to change color so I could watch the sun appear and disappear. It seems so slow at first but then you realize once it’s happening, it’s happening so fast. The light changes dramatically in just a minute or two and if you look away, you will miss something good. I really enjoyed matching up my wool fiber colors to those vibrant sunrises and sunsets!

During the daytime I I explored the maritime forests, salt marshes, nearby towns, took a variety of tours and created lots of fiber art inspired by my surroundings and the creatures I met along the way. My favorite animal sightings included at least 50 dolphins on a boat tour in North Myrtle Beach, a pair of roseate spoonbills in Murrells Inlet, and getting unexpectedly close to 7 very calm deer while on a hike.

Because I lucked out with perfect weather (the first residency of my 7 with SC State Parks where it didn’t rain once the entire week!), I produced slightly less work than in the past, but I enjoyed my time at the coast even more so because I was outside the majority of the day, soaking up the beautiful scenery and taking nearly 500 reference photos to work from later. No joke!

During my week at Myrtle Beach State Park, I created 14 needle felted landscapes and 3 bird portraits, but I know more pieces inspired by my time at the beach will certainly be in my future.

All pieces are now available at www.onceagainsam.com

I hope you will enjoy this recap video!

This was my 7th residency with SC State Parks. See recaps from past residencies here.

In the summer of 1992, my family visited the Lofoten Islands in Norway, and the location left a lasting impression on me. I was in the middle of my troll era, so the mossy hills and craggy rocks made the perfect environment for all my ugly little troll dolls. I remember fishing from a bridge with hot dogs in the midnight sun, and actually catching something, much to my surprise. I remember exploring the little hills near where we stayed along the water, and discovering a cave. I remember the charming red fishing cabins and dramatic mountains, and looking for moose but never seeing any. I have been dreaming of returning to Lofoten ever since.

Just a few weeks ago, I was finally able to return to his magical place above the arctic circle with my husband Josh, and he too was instantly mesmerized by the landscape that captured my imagination some 33 years prior. This place just doesn’t look real. The mountains are way too pointy, and it’s hard to name their color - is it purple, brown, a deep cool blue? The water way too turquoise, water can’t actually be that vibrant in real life, can it? The moss entirely too bright, a mix of neon yellows, greens, and even orange tones. It looks like something out of a movie, a painting, a dream.

Getting to Lofoten takes effort. In addition to the transatlantic flight, we still had quite a ways to go after landing in Oslo. Lofoten is nowhere near the capital, so more regional flights, a ferry, and a car ride were soon to follow, but it was all worth it. We stayed in Nusfjord, a historic fishing village with speculator views in every direction. The colorful “rørbu” cabins were just as charming as I remembered.

The views were so beautiful, I couldn’t help but be inspired to create a felted landscape series upon returning home, using photos from our hikes, drives, and fjord explorations. Every piece in the series was inspired by a specific location in Lofoten, using my own photography from the trip. I hope I was able to capture the beauty of this place in my favorite medium, needle felted wool fiber. Enjoy the collection!

Some of my favorite memories, in no particular order include: watching the black legged kittiwakes (a kind of gull) nesting on the steep rocks just outside out cabin, exploring the troll fjord by boat while drinking hot chocolate, spending the afternoon in Høv riding Icelandic ponies on the white sand beach then running back and forth from the wood fired sauna to the freezing turquoise ocean , stopping to see all the adorable lambs roaming free on the winding roads, trying multiple versions of the local fish soup and trying to rank them, hiking Flakstad (and getting my butt kicked by the steep trail), and seeing two moose crossing the road just a few feet away from the moose crossing sign.

I had the honor of spending the last week in Leland, Michigan, creating work for Two Fish Gallery, a fabulous store near historic Fishtown in the northern part of the state on Lake Michigan in Leelanau County. I’ve worked with Jennifer & Michael at Two Fish for many years, but it was such an incredible opportunity to go see this little lake town in person, explore, and create work on-site. I flew up to Traverse City on May 14th and spent the next 7 days hiking, needle felting, and sharing my love of this medium in a state I had never been to before. What an amazing week!

Fishtown is a very unique place, it’s famous for its “shanty” buildings right on beautiful Lake Michigan. These shanties and the famous tug boats, Joy and Janice Sue, have been featured heavily in my work for Two Fish Gallery in the past, but it was so special to finally see them in person. Fishtown also has a small marina, several beaches, a variety of little shops and boutiques, and some delicious restaurants. My favorite meal of the trip was the halibut at Riverside Inn, just down the street from Two Fish! I also enjoyed a cheese sub from the famous and highly recommended Cheese Shanty (even the guy at the rental car place recommended it when I told him I was heading to Leland).

During my time in Leland I did 2 in-person needle felting demos inside Two Fish Gallery, creating work for those interested in my process and answering questions while working in realtime. On Sunday May 18th, I got to teach 2 workshops at Dune Bird Winery to 44 students, most of who had never felted before. They did such a great job! Everyone was able to complete the 6” felted landscape featuring a scene inspired by the local dunes and beaches. The winery was a beautiful location for this event and I’m thankful for the space to teach the local crafty community.

I hiked every single day, sometimes in 80 degree sunshine, sometimes in 40 degree wind and rain, and my favorite treks were Empire Bluff Trail and Pyramid Point, in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The lake really is that blue, the sand dunes really are that bright, it’s almost too beautiful to be real and I even took small tufts of wool roving on my hikes to match them up to what I saw, to be sure my work was correctly reflecting the world around me. I loved hiking through cedar forests, seeing birch trees and a bald eagle. Hiking through the sand tunes was physically tough but worth it. There were several trails in Leelanau State Park near Grand Traverse Lighthouse that I also enjoyed, thanks to the rocky beach views.

There’s quite a few little towns within less than an hour’s drive from Leland, so I made time to explore them as well: Northport, Cedar, Port Oneida, Empire, Maple City, Glen Arbor, and my favorite, Sutton’s Bay, which is just 10 minutes east from Leland. If you visit Sutton’s Bay, I highly recommend eating at Martha’s Leelanau Table and shopping at Silver Slag and Stone. The artist behind the store uses unique rocks found the local beaches, particularly the Leland Bluestone and Petosky Stones. It was hard to choose just one!

I also spent time in Traverse City exploring the parks, trying some local cuisine, and shopping on Front Street. Although, as much as the downtown shopping area had to offer and I could have easily spent all day there (and eaten ALL the tacos at Mama Lu’s Taco Shop) I was really blown away by The Village at Grand Traverse Commons, which is a historic preservation project that has turned an old asylum into a mixed use property featuring shopping, restaurants, offices, and apartments. Plus, you can take a tour of the building and see the cool/creepy tunnel underneath!

I’m so grateful for the opportunity to travel to a new place, take a week to explore and create, teach others meet others, and get to know the owners of Two Fish a little bit better. Thank you again for hosting me and for this incredible opportunity, Jenn and Michael!

I hope you’ll enjoy this little recap video of my time in Leland. It’s such a beautiful place! All pieces are now available for your viewing and purchasing plesure exclusively at Two Fish.

Also, a huge thank you to SCAC for helping me get there:

This project is funded in part by the South Carolina Arts Commission which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts. This project is also funded in part by a generous award from the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of The Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina.

Table Rock State Park is in the upstate of South Carolina, only about an hour northwest of where I live, but it’s another world out there - the tall mountains and windy roads, the pitch black sky at night, the never ending hiking trails - there’s no shortage of inspiration.

I recently spent a week as Artist-in-Residence at Table Rock State Park, my 6th residency with the South Carolina State Parks Program. Each time I participate in a residency, the experience changes me. Sometimes in major ways, like becoming confident hiking alone, and sometimes it’s little things, like learning the difference between various woodpecker calls. I explore and create all week, and it fills my soul. Part of me wishes I could do this every day, but then it probably wouldn’t be so special. I get to slow down and sit still if I choose, but most of the time I get out and see as much as possible. The residency is a true gift!

This particular residency included over 30 miles hiked (both inside and outside of the park), it included 27 needle felted pieces, 1 painting, 6 towns visited, 2 nights out in the cold watching the meteor shower, and several exciting creatures sightings including an armadillo, wild turkeys, and a huge black bear on my very last hike of the week.

This is a quick journal-entry style list of the places I visited each day and the trails I hiked. I would recommend all of these trails and towns, if you’re looking for an upstate getaway!

Sunday, October 20th

Checked into the park, moved into a 90+ year old log cabin. Hiked Pinnacle Lake Loop (Table Rock State Park). Stayed up late working and went back out after midnight to watch for the Orionids Meteor shower.

Monday October 21st

Tea drinking & birding on the front porch of the cabin. Hiked Carrick Creek Loop (Table Rock State Park). Hiked Wildcat Wayside Trail. Visited Pumpkintown Opry for ice cream. Bald Rock for sunset. Had a fire and stayed up late again and left the park in search of a better place to view the meteor shower (ended up staying at Grant Meadow Overlook several hours).

Tuesday October 22nd

Hiked short trail at Tall Pines Wildlife Area. Hiked Bald Rock Heritage Preserve. Drove to Caesar’s Head Overlook, then onto Brevard, NC for shopping and lunch at Square Root. Sassafras Mountain for sunset

Wednesday October 23rd

Bargain Exchange flea market in Pickens, massage, Coyote Coffee for lunch. Hiked Glassy Mountain Trail in Pumpkin town. Strolled and shopped in Pickens. Hiked Longshoals Wayside Park. Dinner at Restaurant 17 in Traveler’s Rest.

Thursday October 24th

Hiked to Coyote Falls then Silver Run Falls. Checked out Cashiers, NC, then drove on to Highlands, NC for lunch and shopping. Hiked Whiteside Mountain, and visited Bridal Veil Falls and Dry Falls.

Friday October 25th

Hiked Raven Rock Loop (Keowee-Toxaway State Park). Victoria Valley Vineyards for lunch and wine tasting. Petals & Pumpkins floral arranging workshop at Thompson Family Farms in Campobello.

Saturday Ocotber 26th

Toured Table Rock Tea Company, had lunch at Aunt Sue’s, and checked out Market at the Mill in Pickens. Hike Carrick Creek again (Table Rock State Park)

Sunday October 27th

Packed up and cleaned cabin. Visited Grant Meadow Overlook one more time. Hiked Mountain Laurel Trail (Table Rock State Park) and saw a bear!

I've been away from the studio for the past week for a good reason. I had the privilege of being one of the artists-in-residence at Wildacres Retreat in Little Switzerland, NC and I enjoyed every minute of my time away. Here's a look at what I did, where I went, and of course, what I made. 

Unlike with past residencies, I had a project plan this time, and it helped me get into the swing of things right away. I knew in advance there were certain trails I wanted to hike, views I wanted to seek out, and even a few specific pieces I wanted to make. However, I was unprepared for the inspiration that found me during my week of exploration and reflection. Even though I created 25 pieces in 6 days, I ran out of time for all of the ideas that flooded my mind. It was exactly what I needed, I’d been feeling very stuck with my work lately, like I’m making the same things over and over (because that’s what sells, not because that’s what I want to make). This time alone, in a new surrounding, opened up my eyes.

I truly enjoyed staying in the remote cabin, surrounded by mountain laurel and pine trees (and deafening cicadas at night!). No AC, no TV, not much internet connection, and I even used a pot holder to block the clock on the stove all week, because I didn’t want to know what time of day it was. I ate when I was hungry, slept when I was tired, hiked all morning, created all afternoon, and went joy riding every evening. Time flew by, but it also stood still.

Wildacres Retreat is a magical place, if you ever have the opportunity to visit (either with a group to the conference center or on your own as an artist-in-residence). The location is off the Blueridge Parkway in Little Switzerland, NC and it’s hidden in the woods, with a beautiful mountain view and a friendly atmosphere that encourages creativity and the betterment of humanity.

In addition to thoroughly exploring the Wildacres property, which boasts miles and miles of trails, I also ventured out each day in a different direction to see what I could see. I checked out nearby towns including Spruce Pine, Little Switzerland, Marion, Old Fort, and Chimney Rock. I hiked multiple trails each day (outside of the Wildacres property) and those took me to mountain tops, dense forests, and waterfalls. Some of my favorite spots include the top of Hawksbill Mountain (pictured above) where I was completely alone at the top of the world, letting the wind whirl around me. I loved my hike to Yellow Fork Falls (pictured below), racing the radar one morning, where I not only got there in record time because I was moving so darn fast to beat the rain, I also managed to not get my Mini Cooper stuck on what was very much an off-roading experience that in hindsight was probably a bad idea. We made it out alive!

Other favorite moments:

Driving all the way to the top of Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi, only to be surrounded by dense fog (or were they clouds?) and not minding one bit. I’m sure the view is great on a clear day, but I loved that somber moody feel and plan to felt a piece inspired by what I saw / what I didn’t see.

Getting rained in one afternoon. The remnants of Storm Debby made their way to the North Carolina Highlands midweek and pounded the cabin roof for hours. I loved it. It gave me an excuse to take a break from hiking, take a nap, and do a little painting, something I never seem to make time for.

Cruising the ever-curving Blueridge Parkway and happily breaking for more fully grown bucks than I’ve ever seen in my life alive, not mounted on a wall, and at least 30 wild turkeys, including a swarm of baby “turklets,” as I like to call them. Everybody saw bears except me.

Having the last dinner on campus with the other two artist-in-residence Emma van Halsema, a talented plein air painter who works in animation, and Kathy Schwille, author of What Luck, This Life. We shared a bottle of wine, we shared about how impactful the week had been, and it was just wonderful connecting with these two women, even though we had mostly spent the week in solitude.

Watching the sun set every night from a different overlook on the parkway. The sky never looks the same. The mountains never look the same.

Artist residencies have become a big part of my life. To date I’ve been honored to do 8 residencies, and each time, that gift of space to explore and create changes me. Sometimes it’s a mental change - I learn to relax, I dream again, I get inspired. Sometimes it’s a skill change - I get really good at felting gradients, or I attempt to paint something way more detailed that I would normally attempt. And sometimes it’s a physical change - I take on a hike that’s probably beyond my abilities, but I enjoy it, even the soreness the next day, because I earned it. I never know what’s in store as artist-in-residence, or who I’ll meet, but I arrive with an open mind, a need for time away from my design job, my commission list, my never-ending to-do’s around the house. I’m so grateful to Wildacres Retreat for this gift of time and space. I will never forget the experience.

I hope you will enjoy this video recap of my week in the woods, and enjoy browsing the full Blueridge collection on my website.

It’s lavender season and I’ve been truly inspired by this colorful warm weather herb in both my fiber art and handmade jewelry. The lavender field inspiration lead to a mini collection of needle felted wool landscapes, a new colorway in my splatter painted acrylic jewelry series, plus a new landscape painting pendant scene.

I’m lucky enough to live in proximity to a lavender farm, so of course I made this new series my excuse for a field trip to Twin Creeks Lavender in Williamston, SC. The farm is only open for a few weeks each summer but it’s a fun excursion where you can learn about the different varieties, cut your own bundles, eat lavender honey ice cream, and shop all kinds of local goods.

Shop the fiber art and jewelry collection online and enjoy this peek at the process time-lapse video!

I recently returned to the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC, my third visit so far. This time around, I tried out yet another new medium: basketry. Not just any basketry, baskets woven with antlers! As an aspiring naturalist with an ever-growing collection of bones, this seemed like the perfect course for me.

Although I work in many types of fiber mediums, I have no previous experience with basketry, but thanks to my talented instructor Mark Hendry and his assistant Scarlette Rouse, I had a wonderful week learning this new craft. During my week at the Folk School, I created 4 pieces (2 baskets, one tray, plus one sculptural “thingy”), and tried out all sorts of weaving materials such as reed, seagrass, grapevine, and yarn.

There’s something truly magical about the Folk School and if you’ve never been, I highly encourage you to check it out at least once. Don’t wait until you retire, go now! Getting out of my usual routine and 100% absorbed in something new does really good things for my mental health. These “art-cations” are a great way to spend a week in a non-competitive learning environment, getting an intense and in depth crash course in your chosen medium (most of which are rooted in Appalachian culture) and I always lose track of time. It feels like I was there a year, and I mean that in the best possible way.

I’m not sure yet how I will incorporate my newly-learned basketry skills into my current work but I’m excited to find out!

Past posts about the John C. Campbell Folk School:
2019: Rug Hooking

2016: Metal Working

Inspired by snowy scenes once again this winter, this small series of needle felted landscapes was a joy to make, even though we have yet to see our first snowflakes here in South Carolina. When (if) we do, believe me, it’ll be a disaster!

The new series of snowscapes ranges from 3x3 to 8x8, so they’re the perfect small size to squeeze into your gallery wall. Or, if you change your artwork out seasonally, they make a great addition for the winter months. From white pastures to icy rivers and snow covered trees, this limited series is made with dyed wool fiber was created with a longing for a cozy snow day here in the south.

Shop the collection on the website and use coupon code SNOWDAY for 10% off now through the end of February.

Every year in my studio, I change out the protective plywood covering on my workbench where I have painted hundreds if not thousands of pieces of art and jewelry over the course of 12 months. The piece of painted 1/8" plywood is an accidental work art. It's every color I've used all year, layered, splattered, and pooled in random patterns. Once the surface is cut up into 4 smaller pieces (so it fits in the laser cutter), these authentic layers of paint from my work surface become little jewels of abstract art. Everything is one-of-a-kind.

The time-lapse video shows my process, and gives a glimpse of just how colorful and unexpected each piece will be once it’s cutout. No two pieces are exactly alike, but if you have a certain color you’d like to be included, just let me know when you order (choose one of the color swatches at checkout) and I’ll find a spot on the plywood that includes that particular color.

This New Year’s tradition is something I always look forward to. The change in my plywood to a fresh unmarked piece, and looking back at the previous year’s colorful mess. It’s a new series where the recipient gets a little surprise, not knowing exactly what the finished piece will look like. It’s abstract art, but it’s also mistakes and overpainting marks.

But really, the reason I love this series so much and continue to make these year after year is that it’s a fun way to repurpose and use something old, ONCE AGAIN, in a whole new way. And that, my friends, is why I started this business.

It's been well over 6 months since I picked up my tufting guns, but I'm so glad I did this summer. While this particular fiber art medium is still very new to me, I'm starting to get the hang of it and slowly developing my own style. 3 sets of tufted diptychs are ready to ship & hang in your home, and here's a time-lapse video showing a peek at the process. 

While learning to work in any new medium or figure out the nuances of using a new tool can take time (and lot of trial and error), it’s what keeps me going. I need to learn new things, always. Tufting seemed like the next logical step for me once I started expanding on my needle felting work and doing mixed media fiber art a few years back, but tufting has been a rocky road so far. I love that I can work larger and faster, but I am having a hard time accepting that the detail level that I’m able to achieve with punch needle, needle felting, and rug hooking, is just not going to be possible with a tufting gun (or at least not at my current skill level). I had to rethink my ideas and adjust accordingly.

Some of my other struggles when it comes to tufting are purely comfort-related. It’s a very physical art form - you are on your feet for hours and hours, the tufting guns are heavy and they take a toll on hands and wrists in a way hand-work doesn’t seem to effect me. Plus, it’s loud and messy, and I like to keep my studio neat, even though the whole point of a studio is to have a workspace where it’s totally acceptable to have a mess. It seems silly that these drawbacks are part of what’s kept me from tufting for half a year, but I’m just being honest.

I was considering selling my tufting guns and frame, I hadn’t used them in months, they were new and in good condition (and too expensive to just sit here and not be used). I wasn’t looking forward to setting up the frame and having whatever project take over my studio for days on end. Although I may eventually eliminate tufting from my studio I needed to give it another chance, a REAL chance, a chance to be it’s own thing and lead the way to a new style, a chance to change my expectations. It can’t do what I want it to do but it can do a lot of other very cool things. I need to embrace those things.

All 3 of these diptychs have a completely different style, though the subject matter is very similar. One is focused on two-tone gradients, one it’s very abstract and blocky, and the last has a bit of a stained glass or paint-by-number feel. I like all of them for different reasons, and it’s enough to push me to keep trying and keep tufting. I hope to add more tufted pieces to the website later this summer, but for now shop the small collection online.