(828) 526-0173 | [email protected] | Copyright 2024 – All Rights Reserved.
She Felt Inspired
Written By: Donna Rhodes | Issue: 2015/05 - May
When you enter Cedar Chan’s realm, you cross the threshold into a magical land of fantastical figures. There you might see a backpacking raccoon with a toothy grin, a Mama opossum with clinging babies, or mischievous mice scurrying about vintage alphabet blocks. Cedar creates a dreamland of needle-felted beasties rich with primal familiarity.
Though inspired by the wild creatures of the forest, there is something of us in all of her beings. Inter-species relationships fascinate Cedar. She loves humanizing animals. Her hand-felted beasties and soft sculptured figures are her way of acknowledging Nature. . . and what nature could be. There is a queue of critter-characters a mile long jostling around in her exceptionally creative mind, just waiting to be released, if only she had the time to sculpt, felt and stitch them.
Cedar is immersed in Nature’s inspiration, surrounded by 3.5 acres of flora and fauna. In her inner sanctum is an Eric Banks quote – Imagination is evidence of the Divine. According to her collectors, Cedar has already risen to goddess status, though she respectfully clarifies, “That quote is more a reference about the source of my inspiration…a gift…so to speak.”
Many of you may know Cedar as an accomplished massage therapist. Her talented hands knead knotted muscles by day. They needle-felt and sew by night. She is a self-taught artist, although heavily influenced by two mentors, Akira Blount, renowned figurative doll maker, and Sharon Costello, prominent needle-felter.
Cedar loves the process. She thrives on being stirred up by the activity of creation, problem-solving things in her head.
“I am currently building a fox armature, wrapping it in batting,” she says. “I am sewing old tee shirt fabric on it. I don’t know where it’s going. That is the wonder of it. I enjoy not knowing what is coming next. That keeps me very interested.”
Cedar Chan is the featured artist at Smitten for the month of May. Please come and meet this inspired artist at Smitten’s popular Third Thursday event, May 21, 5:30 P.M. until… Please R.S.V.P. to Smitten at: (828) 526-9300 or e-mail Katherine Evans at [email protected]. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday 11:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.; Sundays, 1:00 to 5:00 P.M. Extended hours on Third Thursdays.
