Greetings
Welcome to EmBee Art, where natural fibers are transformed into one-of-a-kind works of art filled with color, texture, and dimension.
My name is Mary Beth, but I sign each piece EmBee—a tribute to the nickname my parents gave me and a reminder that when someone believes in us, we can accomplish extraordinary things.
As an artist and shepherdess, I am deeply inspired by the natural world and by the animals who provide the materials for my work. I use wool from the sheep on our historic farm in Avon, Connecticut, along with alpaca fleece gathered during the years we raised alpacas on Martha’s Vineyard. When a piece calls for a particular color, curl, or texture, I also source fiber from other small farms.
These beautiful natural fibers become my palette.
Through needle felting, wet felting, rug hooking, punch needle, stitching, and other techniques, I carefully blend and layer the fibers to create expressive landscapes, florals, animals, and quiet moments drawn from nature. The result is vibrant, tactile artwork with a richness and depth that cannot be achieved with traditional paint alone.
I invite you to explore my online gallery, discover the stories behind the artwork, and experience the remarkable world of fiber art.
You can also sign up for the EmBee Art newsletter to learn more about felting, new collections, upcoming shows, and future workshops in my Avon barn studio.
Thank you for visiting. I look forward to sharing this creative journey with you.
With love from the farm,
EmBee
About Me...
Artist, Animal Companion, Counselor, and Healer. I have been passionate about building connections and honoring creation throughout my life. In my younger years, I explored painting in oils, watercolors, and acrylics, and dabbled in tole and folk art. It was not until I stumbled into wool painting at a street fair that I found my ideal medium for expression.
This discovery perfectly coincided with a major change in my life as a former corporate marketing executive in New York. I traded in my hectic schedule, arduous commute, and demanding deadlines for a small farm on the island of Martha's Vineyard. It was not long after that the pastures were filled with alpacas, sheep, goats, donkeys, and ducks. My fiber journey had truly begun.
For me, creating art is a deeply spiritual process. Connecting to the land, to nature, to my animals, and the overwhelming beauty of creation and the created is what makes my heart smile. Engaging in felt and making fiber paintings is how I can express the language of my soul.
In addition to colorful art, I make space for working with clients as a spiritual counselor, Reiki practitioner, and interspiritual minister. My life is full, and I am truly blessed.
About the Farm...
Our story has moved from the island landscape of Martha’s Vineyard to the rolling hills of Farmington Valley, but animals, fiber, and creativity remain at the heart of everything I do.
Today, we live in Avon, Connecticut, in a home built in 1860. The property was originally part of a 150-acre sheep farm. Although the farm is much smaller now, it feels wonderfully fitting that sheep have once again returned to the land. Six sheep currently share our home, each with a distinct personality and an important place in the life and work of EmBee Art.
Our barn is also beginning a new chapter. It is being transformed into my gallery and studio—a welcoming space where visitors can experience my fiber artwork, learn about the materials and techniques behind each piece, and discover the craft of needle felting through workshops and classes.
The fibers I use carry stories of their own. In addition to fleece from our sheep, I have a lifetime collection of beautiful alpaca fiber from the farm we once owned on Martha’s Vineyard. Those years spent surrounded by alpacas, sheep, goats, donkeys, dogs, ducks, and the island’s extraordinary agricultural community profoundly shaped both my life and my art.
Animals have always been far more than a source of fiber to me. They are companions, teachers, and gentle reminders to slow down, pay attention, and remain connected to the natural world. Their fleece provides the color, texture, movement, and depth within my landscapes, but their influence reaches well beyond the materials themselves.
About the Fiber...
Every EmBee Art creation begins with respect for the animals and natural fibers that make the work possible. From the sheep now living on our historic farm in Avon to the alpaca fleece gathered during our years on Martha’s Vineyard, each piece carries a part of our continuing story—one rooted in place, tradition, creativity, and a deep appreciation for the animals who inspire my work.
Our flock includes Babydoll Southdown and Finn sheep, along with our newest addition, a Bluefaced Leicester, commonly known as a BFL. Bluefaced Leicesters are prized for their lustrous fleece and beautiful natural curls, which can add wonderful texture and movement to a fiber landscape.
Our sheep are shorn once a year. Their fleece is then carefully sorted, washed, carded, and, depending on the project, dyed or spun. These natural fibers become the palette I use to “paint” my landscapes—allowing me to build color, texture, shadow, and dimension one layer at a time.
I also continue to work with a treasured collection of alpaca fleece from the farm we once owned on Martha’s Vineyard. When a piece calls for a particular texture or effect, I supplement our own fleece with responsibly sourced fibers from other small farms and fiber producers. These may include mohair, silk, nepps, Wensleydale, Border Leicester, Teeswater locks, and wool from other sheep breeds.
Each fiber behaves differently. Some are soft and cloudlike, while others are curly, lustrous, coarse, or full of movement. Combining them allows me to create the depth, richness, and tactile quality that distinguish my work. There are always new materials, techniques, and possibilities to explore.
Wet Felting and Needle Felting
There are two primary forms of felting: wet felting and needle felting. Some artists specialize in one method, while others—myself included—often combine the two.
Wet felting is an ancient textile art practiced for thousands of years. Layers of fiber are arranged in alternating directions and worked with warm, soapy water and friction. As the fibers are agitated, they begin to bind together, forming a durable piece of felt. Wet-felted material can become the foundation for a fiber painting or be shaped into functional and sculptural objects such as bowls, hats, slippers, and vessels.
Needle felting, sometimes called dry felting, uses a specialized barbed needle to push, pull, and interlock fibers. With thousands of carefully placed needle insertions, colors and textures can be blended to create detailed two-dimensional images or sculptural three-dimensional forms.
I love experimenting, so my work may also incorporate elements of rug hooking, punch needle, embroidery, or hand stitching. Each technique introduces a different texture and gives me another way to bring a landscape, flower, animal, or quiet moment to life.
Caring for Fiber Art
Because texture and dimension are essential parts of my fiber paintings, I never place glass over the finished artwork. This allows the viewer to fully appreciate the natural character of the fleece and the sculptural surface of each piece.
The fiber is treated with lavender as a natural method of discouraging moths. To remove occasional dust, gently use a feather duster or a light burst of compressed air held at a safe distance. As with any original artwork or dyed textile, fiber art should be displayed away from prolonged direct sunlight.
Felting is an ancient, expressive, and endlessly fascinating art form. I continue to discover something new every time I work with these remarkable natural materials.
To learn more about fiber, felting, upcoming artwork, and future classes in our Avon barn studio, please sign up for the EmBee Art newsletter.
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I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect.
+1 (917) 886-6020
