Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristin Roadhouse.
Hi Kristin, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story as a creative started very young. My mom is immensely talented and instilled art as a daily practice in me from as early as I can remember. So much of my journey as an artist can be attributed to her, and I am eternally grateful for that and for her!
My story as a needle-felt artist in particular, started with a trip to Kinokuniya. My partner Greg and I were shopping for Christmas presents in 2022, and I picked up a cute book called “Little Felted Dogs” by Saori Yamazaki. I thought it was so cute, but we weren’t shopping for me, so I set it back down. My partner noticed this and took a photo of the book to come back for it later. He got the book, had his mom help him get the appropriate craft supplies for this new hobby. They surprised me with all of it for Christmas that year & I was instantly hooked!
Since then, I have been felting nonstop. I still dabble in a variety of creative mediums, but this is definitely the one that has spoken to me on the deepest level. I started attending local craft fairs and markets just over a year ago and love the sense of community and the inspiration I derive from the other incredibly talented vendors in Austin. I also teach needle felting at Make @ Rosie, as well as coffee shops and breweries around town, to spread the knowledge and joy I have found through this art form.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Honestly, I have been very blessed in my journey. I have an insanely supportive partner, family and friends, I have a great full-time job that has been flexible and supportive if I ever need to take time off for events. Other than a few markets that didn’t quite go the way I expected, I really have never had to struggle in this endeavor. I’m definitely missing the “tortured artist” story arc here, but I am not going to complain 🙂
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My main products are needle-felted plants and custom pets. For the pets, I do keychains, mini full-body renderings and wall hangings. I also do a variety of other custom products as requested – a fun one I am working on now is a pink monarch butterfly. I also create needle-felting kits. These are for the plants mostly, though I have done some fun seasonal kits and can create custom kits and tutorials as requested.
I am most proud of the growth I’ve seen in myself as an artist and as a human. When I started selling my products, I found it way too easy to undervalue my work, and by extension, myself. I have really worked to learn the value of my time and skills.
It’s so hard to say what sets me apart from other needle-felt artists because everyone has such a fun, unique way of expressing themselves through this art form! I think, for me, it’s really just about bringing joy and whimsy to each day and each product, but I would be remiss to say I am alone there in this community! I think it’s really just about personal style. We all bring our own twist to what we create, and that is equally valuable and different for each artist.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Something people might be surprised to know is that I don’t actually use any of the (many) needle-felting tools available when I felt. I prefer to use an individual needle (36 gauge triangle for those who are curious). This is definitely not the most efficient method, but it feels the most natural to me. I think there is something really special about the slow, repetitive nature of the process. It gives me time to connect with each piece and slowly watch it take shape.
Pricing:
- Custom Pet Keychain $50
- Custom Pet – Mini Full-Body $100 base rate
- Custom Pet Portrait – Framed – Starts at $75
- Other custom requests quoted on a per item basis
Contact Info:
- Website: https://roadhousecreatives.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roadhousecreatives
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Roadhouse-Creatives-61578914585152/
