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Greeting! I am felt artist Ellu Bondar

"If something is done, it has to be done properly!"

The Gifts of Your Life to Numerous Dreams

I founded ELLUNHUOPA in 2011. Today, I make products to order and hold felting courses. It’s exciting to see how my courses change people’s lives, increase positive experiences, and increase their self-confidence. In 2021, I have become even closer to my dream, focusing on painting with my style of “magical realism”. I keep my focus in this direction and am developing many plans for it. I am glad to see how the felting of my career has had a positive impact on the lives of many.

Now I tell you about me:

I was born in Russia into a craft family in the Ural Mountains. My grandmother spun, embroidered, crocheted, and sewed superbly.

I have learned all this over time, attended art school and courses at the Academy of Architecture. Active sports have been a part of my life for 10 years.

As a race navigator, I toured both the World and European Championships, where I did well. In 2009, my life changed completely - I moved to Finland. Now I live in Palonurme, Kuopio.

How did I get to know the felt?

I first got the idea to try felting in 2009 when my son brought a small, felted, red heart out of school.

I became interested in this strange material so I started looking for information about it online. Then my mother came to visit and brought me a book on felting as a welcome gift. And that's where it started… This material completely engulfed my soul. Felting became my main hobby. I was pregnant, so I had a lot of time to experiment. I study all forms of this material, as well as different felting techniques. I got to know as well as I could to know more. I wasted thousands of hours on felting, as well as learning it. Little by little, I found different uses for the felt: I made paintings, slippers, and hats. I then made miniatures of the animals and paintings according to the photographs. This felt awesome, as felting seemed to have no boundaries. Everything can be done about it. On the way to becoming a master, I read all possible information about the felt, and tried all sorts of whims. My teacher training helped me get an information system. Later, I bought online courses from other felting masters to get answers to my questions and to learn from the experiences of others. In recent years, I have done commissioned work and run felting courses. Now I would like to share with others what I have learned over the years. I would like to teach you all that can be done with this wonderful material.

Development

I got my first order from a client in 2009. That’s when I couldn’t wait for it and I was scared, but my will to do something new and great for another person was stronger, so it overcame my fears. That order was a sauna hat. Its client was very pleased, which provided the motivation to continue my felting career. Then I made a lot of hats, bags and phone cases. I wanted to try the felting of clothes, but I didn't get any thin fabric felt. I practiced and researched for years, but it wasn’t until 2014 that I was happy with my results. Felt, a vest I still wear.
Then I happened to order a miniature dog and from then on I started with a dog theme. The making of children's blankets was familiar to me, but in 2015 I made shoes for adults as well. At the end of 2015, I started using active leather, after which I started composing felt with it.
A lot of different things to do, which only further enriches the scope of what I do, which is only good because I don’t like to do just one thing. The brain stops thinking creatively, but that’s how they always have something to do.

In the summer of 2016, I opened my online store because I love working to order. It is great to meet a satisfied customer who has been able to make a felt product according to their wishes.

In my own work, I want to emphasize nature, from which I get a huge amount of energy as well as inspiration. I like a lot of old woods, as well as small lakes. The smell of moss pleases me, not to mention the scents of wild berries. Menninkäinen and the Forest Fairy Dress up style are to my liking so I often dress like that. I like to use some unusual decorations. I want to help those who would like to wear them but never dare. Everyone has the right to be himself.

I have already achieved quite a lot. I developed my own style and make a living from what I love to do. It took me over ten years to get to this and now I can help others who have chosen the same direction. Felting course online >>

READ ALSO “THE STORY OF A LIFE FELT COMPANY”

“I write an email to those people who are interested in felt art and my work. I am constantly trying something new and developing my techniques, so I often have something new and useful to tell you too. I will send you messages once a month, but if I find something really interesting I can also put an extra message. ”

All newsletter subscribers will receive a free felting instructional video completely free of charge!

Training:

• SCHOOL OF MUSIC, Novouralsk / 1988-1996.
• SCHOOL OF ART, Novouralsk / 1993-1997.
• HIGH SCHOOL PREPARATION FOR THE OLYMPICS, Ekaterinburg / Teacher of Exercise and Sports / 1999-2002
• RUSSIAN STATE UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, Ekaterinburg / Physical Education Teacher / 2002-2007.
• PIIPPOLA VOCATIONAL AND CULTURAL COLLEGE, Piippola / Bachelor of Arts and Crafts, Artesan / 2015 - 2017.

Life blanket in the media:

• Hunting channel KORPIMACASINI 2/2020, 37:07
• Newspaper "FUTURE OF RURAL AREAS", 27.3.2020
• Rural Future Magazine "COUNTRY", 16.05.2020 (three page story)
• Egenland travel destinations Top felting in Nilsiä, 3/26/2021 (8min)
• Lammas & Vuohi -lehti 4/2022, ”Huopataulu kuin valokuva” 9.2022
• Kotiliesi 14.10.2022
• Yle.fi ”Ihmisen kokoinen” jouluseimi avautui Kuopiossa… 25.11.2022
• Kuopion Seurakunnat ”Vanhassa Pappilassa näyteikkuna joulun sanomaan” 11.2022
• Savon Sanomat ”Louhosareenan isäntä tempaisee jälleen – Aku-koira saa ”näköispatsaan” Kuopioon paraatipaikalle” 10.1.2023
• I love Kuopio ”Aku was here” 26.1.2023
• Viikko Savo ”Vuoden kuopiolainen 2022 -äänestyksen voittanut Aku-koira sai näköispatsaan Kuopion keskustaan” 26.1.2023
• Savon sanomat ”Vuoden kuopiolaisen karvainen näköispatsas paljastui – ”Patsas on siinä toistaiseksi” 26.1.2023

Solo-näyttely:

• 2019, Between the roots, Boutique Hotel Sawohouse, Kuopio, Finland

Group show:

• 2017, “Wool in Nature”, Gallery Frøya, Kalvåg, Norway
• June 2022, virtual group exhibition ”DISCONNECT”, The Holy Art, London, United Kingdom
• 7.22 virtual Exhibition ‘UNITY’, The Holy Art Gallery, London, United Kingdom
• 2-8 SEPT 2022, exhibition ”ELSEWHERE”, The Holy Art Gallery, London, United Kingdom

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