If you have a dog, you know that they are the best companions. Canines celebrate our happiest moments and also are by our side during the most difficult ones. Artist Anneli Kirby, aka AnneliFelts, commemorates beloved pups in her custom 3D dog portraits created using the needle felting technique. The portraits feature a front-on view of the subject done in a style that combines realism with Kirby’s own artistic flair. Set into picture frames, the sculptures stick out past their edges to appear as though they are about to jump into real life.
Kirby began needle felting in order to create portraits of her own two dogs. “I started off trying to make the little handheld sculptures that are popular with most felt artists and they didn’t come out how I wanted,” she tells My Modern Met, “and I wasn’t sure what to do with them.” Wanting to add “something fun” to her gallery wall, she framed the pieces and liked the result. The combination of the dimensionality and anchored surface allow for an easy way to display the pet portrait while still allowing a rich view of the canine and the artist’s handiwork.
Kirby has cultivated her own style by not trying to capture every detail of a dog. “There are some incredibly realistic pieces created by some amazing felt artists and my pieces are more of a caricature,” she explains. “Some artists create wire frames to build on and it helps their sculpture exactly match the photo reference. I freehand my portraits so they are not as precise.”
Instead, her aim is to highlight the intangible. “My goal is to capture the personality of the dog while keeping my own style. I think I have developed the art so it is unique to me and I hope my customers appreciate that.”
To get one of Kirby’s custom portraits for yourself, check out her online shop.
Artist Anneli Kirby commemorates beloved pups in her custom 3D dog portraits created using the needle felting technique.
The portraits feature a front-on view of the subject done in a style that combines realism with Kirby’s own artistic flair.
Set into picture frames, the sculptures stick out past their edges to appear as though they are about to jump into real life.
Kirby began needle felting in order to create portraits of her own two dogs.
“There are some incredibly realistic pieces created by some amazing felt artists and my pieces are more of a caricature,” she explains to My Modern Met.
“I freehand my portraits so they are not as precise.”
AnneliFelts: Website | Instagram | TikTok
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Anneli Kirby.
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