Claudy Jongstra, textile designer

Claudy Jongstra keeps flocks of Gotland Pels and Drenthe Heath sheep at her property in Spannum, in the north of the Netherlands. This statement about her commitment to preserving heirloom breeds carries the additional benefit of providing her with fine-quality fleece. A passionate animal activist, Jongstra associates the quality of her wool with the high level of care that her flocks receive. Her work highlights the inherent beauty of the materials with which she works, affording a reverence to the shorn locks of wool that often hang from the surface of her felt “pelts.” Jongstra now works only with vegetable dyes, much in the tradition of William Morris.