Portuguese artist Vanessa Barragao has recently shared her latest work ‘Algarvensis’, which was invited by the Albufeira Public Library in her home country. ‘Algarvensis’ is a fibre artwork made from recycled and renewable wool to showcase a vibrant natural landscape.

When I saw her work, I was captivated by her innovative techniques and profound messages. The work expresses more than just stunning displays, as sustainability and the challenges of living are central to Vanessa’s purpose. She creates according to a feeling and starts from there, without guaranteeing the outcome, allowing full her work to be bold, colourful and different from the rest.

It took Vanessa Barragao and her team several months to create a large piece, from conception to completion and installation. 

Wool is an amazing material, soft and warm. After felted it becomes hard and resistant to deformation and is a material that I would love to try. However, the process of felting wool requires a lot of patience and dedication. I don’t have the time to complete a large piece at the moment, nor do I want my work to remain a half-finished piece until the project deadline.