Needle-felted works on display at MacDowell Gallery through September

Richmond artist Lori Pennington layers wool and silk into richly textured landscapes and floral scenes in a new exhibition, "Study of Texture," on display through September in the MacDowell Gallery at Reid Health.

Art has been a lifelong passion that has evolved through several creative disciplines for Pennington.

“I started in hair design, followed by interior design,” Pennington said. “I began watercolor painting, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Then I discovered oils – so much easier to control – and the blending of colors was unsurpassed.”

Pennington earned an associate of fine arts degree in 1990 from Madison Area Technical College (MATC). Later, she studied under Richmond artists including watercolor with W. Ray Stevens in 2000 and oil painting in 2001 with Thom Thomas. In 2002, she received the Art Award at the Richmond Art Museum's annual Regional Art Show. Her work has also been featured in donated collections for Art to Heart.

In 2020, Pennington discovered needle-felted art, a medium that immediately inspired her.

“The first time I saw needle-felted art, I was more than captivated,” she said. “I would have to describe it as joy. I was overcome.”

Drawing on her background in oil painting, Pennington creates landscapes and floral scenes by blending layers of wool and silk fibers, using techniques that build depth, contrast, and dimension while capturing the beauty of nature.

“Color vibrancy is amplified through the texture, which has a tactile urgency,” Pennington said. “I’ve witnessed patrons experience this through my art. They’re overcome with what they are seeing and feeling. I felt precisely the same way when experiencing felted art for the first time.”

Sustainability is also an important part of Pennington's creative process. She creates many of her pieces using recycled felted wool and cashmere sweaters and displays them in vintage wooden frames sourced from thrift stores, giving new life to reclaimed materials.

Pennington is currently working on a series of fiber art designs that explores colors and textures that evoke a feeling of peacefulness.

The MacDowell Gallery is located on the second floor of the Reid Health Outpatient Care Center at 1100 Reid Parkway in Richmond. The gallery is named after Barry MacDowell, who served as Reid President and CEO from 1988 to 2008. Visitors can use the Grand Staircase or the outpatient elevators to reach the exhibit.