Meet Barbara Poole of B. Felt in Lowell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Barbara Poole.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Barbara. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I began my artistic adventure as a painter. One Christmas, my children gave me a felted scarf making kit. Of course, I thanked them but I put it aside as I was getting ready for a show of my paintings at the Bromfield Gallery. Little did realize that that would be my last painting show.

When the show ended, as successful as it was, I was left with a feeling of malaise that I couldn’t shake. I doubted all my decisions and was second-guessing myself. Alone in my studio on one of these very dissatisfying days, I picked up the kit my children gave me.

The minute I opened it I was intrigued. “ How could these little bits of fluff turn into the scarf that was pictured on the front of the kit” I wondered. I found the whole process magical. It was the first media I had ever tried that engaged all my senses. The tactile quality of the soft merino wool, the lush colors of the wool, lured me into the world of felting. I discovered that wool is an amazing fiber; it can become 2D or 3D depending on the techniques used. I found myself using my training as a painter in very different ways.

I was now painting with wool. I began to research on wool and the more, I learned the more excited I became about the possibilities. Wool has historic ties to the body and it has metaphorical similarities and connections to the skin. Historically, felt has provided insulation from the natural elements and the nomadic tribes use it for housing. The combining of wool with other textiles was another magical discovery.

During the felting process, the wool fibers migrate through the weave of the chosen textile and entangle, pulling the textile and any other embellishments along with them as they shrink. This results in an incredibly lightweight garment that drapes the body beautifully. In discussing my newfound love for other members of my extended family I made another connection. This connection leads me to feel that in some small way, I am carrying on a family tradition of working in wool. I learned that my grandfather emigrated from Armenia to Watertown, Massachusetts.

In Armenia he made wool rugs but was unable to bring his trade to the United States, instead he owned a small convenience store in Watertown, but would always talk nostalgically about his work in Armenia. He was only able to bring two small rugs with him when he left Armenia and as a child, I remember delighting in the colors, patterns and the stories my grandfather would weave about Armenia.

So, now when I am working alone in my studio, surrounded by beautiful wools and textiles I hear the voice of my grandfather telling me stories and I imagine he is smiling and nodding approvingly about my work.

Has it been a smooth road?
I was a full-time painter up until 2007 when the market crashed and I saw my sales disappear. At the same time my husband lost his job, my kids were entering college and we were about to lose our house. I have always been a person who loves to make things and I was experimenting and making my Nuno felted scarves and people were buying them off my body.

In order to go full time making felted garments and accessories I needed to raise money and build inventory and at the same time support my household. I decided to take a day job. I needed to find one that would give me full-time wages in a shortened work week so I could go to my studio and work.

I have always loved history, especially early American history. I saw an ad in the paper seeking employees for the Old Town Trolley Co., they would train you for a class B license and you could work 40 hours over a 4 day weekend. I passed my audition and went to work driving in circles all day taking history. The tips were good enough for me to pay for my studio, part-time help and my supplies to build my inventory and brand. My salary went into the household accounts.

I worked for them for 4 years before I was able to launch my business. I was very fortunate, I was accepted into the small business incubator that was established by the Obama administration to help small business. I was given a mentor and classes to help me create my business plan. These are skills that are not necessarily taught in art school but are needed if you want to have a creative business. They also provided with a matching grant so I could buy equipment to increase my productivity.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with B. Felt – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I make seamless, one of a kind, hand felted garments and accessories. My work is known for color. It is my first love. I joke, that I make the garments that go with black. You would be surprised at how many people ask me that question.

There are other artists who make felted garments and accessories, what distinguishes mine is that I make clothing that Looks like clothing but with a decidedly bohemian edge. My work is also fitted which is also a departure from the other felt makers I have encountered.

What I love the most is because my garments are made seamlessly, they are completely reversible and I deliberately make both sides different. I travel the country selling at large contemporary Art Shows to the public. I also sell wholesale to a handful of accounts, that is the part of my business I am trying to grow.

I have won a number of awards for my work across the country, but what really makes me happy and proud is when I get a personal note from a client telling me how much my work makes them feel pretty and happy.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Lowell is a city on the cusp. It is just 28 miles north of Boston and was once the textile capital of the United States. It is one of the first industrialized cities and the power came from the canals. Lowell’s nickname used to be the Venice of America. I live right on one of those canals in a converted textile building with fifty other artists. The canal I live on is Pawtucket Canal, during the summer months, with my windows open I can hear the tour boats go by. It is part of the National Parks.

The city is very supportive of artists. The city motto is “Art is the Handmaid of Human Good.”! This a city where the individual can make a difference and obstacles are few. It is also home to the states larges outdoor music festival that is free to the public, the Lowell Folk Fest, an amazing event that fills the streets of Lowell with music from around the world.

Lowell is also very diverse and I love that fact that there are so many good food choices, from Greek, Brazilian, Cambodian, Soul, Japanese, Indian, the list is endless. It is also home to Mill no 5 a very unique destination, with incubator retail businesses, an independent movie theater and a wonderful coffee shop.

The only drawback I have found living here is the physical infrastructure because the city is punctuated with the canals and railroads it makes it difficult to go directly anywhere.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bfelt.com
• Email: barbip@yahoo.com
• Instagram: @barbiepoole
• Facebook: facebook.com/b.felting/

Image Credit:
Bernstein photography

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