Johnstone, Bonnie. Interview about felting and heritage in Witless Bay.

• Main Author: Barrett, Terra
• Other Authors: Johnstone, Bonnie
• Format: Audio
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: Migration/settlement; Towns; Communities; Johnstone; Bonnie; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/ich_avalon/id/5561

Interview with Bonnie Johnstone in her home in Gallows Cove, Witless Bay. First half of the interview is done by Sharna Bryzcki on felting and the second half is on heritage and is done by Terra Barrett. The interview shifts at 28:44. Introductions; 0:33 - Bonnie Johnstone was born in Montreal in 1946; Upbringing in Quebec; 1:14 - How her and her husband ended up moving to Witless Bay; 2:08-Felting as an ancient textile art, the appeal of felting; 3:05 -Introduced to felting through weaving; information on felting became more accessible in 1980’s; took courses in USA; 4:47 - Beginning of felting as a hobby; experimental time; 5:15 - Two main felters in Witless Bay; learned at Devonhouse in early 1990’s; 5:56 - Teaching at “Arts Smarts” program in Torbay; teaches piano: taught school in England before moving to Witless Bay; 7:18 - Other artistic interests; using driftwood for art; knitting; keeping goats and now sheep; 8:18 - How the first felting techniques were created in ancient times; felted garments and saddles dug up in prehistoric sites; 9:27 - Explains the process of turning prepared fleece into felt (“wet felting” process); the array of colors in the fleece from her sheep Bobbi; 11:18 - Buys colored fleece; dislikes using harsh chemicals to dye wool; 12:53 - The process of needle felting; different needles used for it; 14:27 -Another felting process of knitting wool and washing it, thus shrinking it down into felt; 15:15 - Discusses first needling piece she did; 16:48 - How she prepares fleece from her sheep to use for felting; 18:21 - Different types of things she makes by felting; 19:59 – The patterns she can make with her sheep Bobbi’s fleece; 21:33 - Discusses a felt and found mixed media art piece that was made to show human/animal equality; a felt hanging she made for her daughter; felt piece she created about a Tibetan monk who lived off nettles; 24:19 - The process of “scrapping” (or starting over) with already used felt; 26:02 - Acquiring wool from the sheep of Beatrix Potter; Potter saved ...