



I have a new studio! Please visit me in my new studio at DRV Gallery, 5401 Gulfport Blvd. S, Gulfport, FL. Call or text me to be sure I'm there. 804.837.3296
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Think sugar coated bundles of detail and slight oddness combined to make unpainted paintings that are arresting and uncanny.
I'm Dawn Waters and I paint with fiber. In 2014, a friend taught me the basics of wet felting and I began making wearables. Soon after, I was introduced to the felting needle. I wondered if I could make a fiber portrait with one of these barbed needles. I had never seen a fiber painting, and had not created a portrait in any medium. Needle felting is relatively new, unlike wet felting - it’s like tattooing, but with wool. I kept at it, and finally the likenesses were recognizable and the intended emotions emerged.
I often include an unexpected element like James Brown’s face as Edvard Munch’s The Scream; my political slant, as in Ruth Bader Ginsburg as Wonder Woman; or a poignant subject, such as the iconic National Geographic Afghan Girl. I used to communicate as a writer, but now I do this through these paintings, making statements or eliciting emotions, whether it’s evoking comments about a political statement, a discussion or mere reflection from an emotive piece, or simply a good laugh. When I started creating these paintings, I made famous faces, but am progressing into a more emotionally-focused direction and creating pieces that combine methods and materials. Much of my work incorporates 3-D wet felted objects such as flowers, a nod to where I began.
I relish the challenge of bringing a subject to life through fiber and creating work that begs to be touched. I have recently begun painting with paint and mixed media and it’s clear that each medium is informing the other, and I see the possibilities are endless.
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Please contact me for commission and exhibition inquiries. My CV can be found here. dawnwatersart@gmail.com 804.837.3296
This is the Famous Faces page. To view other fiber paintings, click here.
![]() Simply the best. Tina Turner. 16"x20" | ![]() 'Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run. Bruce Springsteen 36x36 |
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![]() Ziggy Stardust/David Bowie, a commission. SOLD. | ![]() This One Goes Out to the One I Love. Michael Stipe of REM with my favorite lyrics surrounding him. Felted on painted canvas. 24x30 |
![]() Anthony Bourdain, 1956-2018, 18x24, part of We Thought We Knew Them series | ![]() Michael K. Williams, 1966-2021, 18x24, part of We Thought We Knew Them series |
![]() Kate Spade, 1962-2018, 18x24, part of We Thought We Knew Them series | ![]() Robin Williams, 1951-2014, 18x24, part of We Thought We Knew Them series |
![]() Philip Seymour Hoffman, 1967-2014, 18x24, part of We Thought We Knew Them series | ![]() Jerry Garcia of The Grateful Dead, a commission. SOLD. |
![]() Petty in Pink. Needle felted Tom Petty portrait and lots of pink fabric. 24"x28". SOLD. | ![]() A grayscale commissioned Frida Kahlo. SOLD. |
![]() Artist With Distracting Mustache. Dali is all needle felted, mounted on fabric. SOLD. | ![]() Wool is wrapped around wire to produce a bendable mustache. |
![]() All fiber, no paint. David Bowie, with his incredible eyes. Original photo by Brian Aris. SOLD. | ![]() That's me holding the beautiful David Bowie so you can see the scale of this one. |
![]() Well, I Just Love Everybody. Dolly Parton, with wet-felted floral crown. SOLD. | ![]() She's huge. My felted Frida Kahlo features felted flowers and a shawl, and real earrings! First place winner. SOLD. |
![]() A very large needle-felted portrait of the inspirational artist, Frida Kahlo. | ![]() Hello, bebeh. The incomparable Moira Rose. 11"x14.5. SOLD |
![]() Madam Freaking Vice President. Kamala Harris. SOLD. | ![]() Neil Young has been a favorite of mine since childhood. Here's how he looked then & how he looks now. All fiber. |
![]() He peacefully knelt to bring awareness to police brutality. He risked everything. Colin Kaepernick. 3rd place, Florida CraftArt, Members' Show, 2022. SOLD. | ![]() Willie Nelson, felted with wool and there's hemp in those braids. 18"w x 24"h SOLD. |
![]() Flora Kahlo, needle and wet felted on silk fabric. 24"x30" | ![]() Two Songbirds - John Prine & Muse. 22"w x 23"h. Auctioned to benefit COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. |
![]() My fiber reproduction of the iconic National Geographic cover...The Afghan Girl. Original photo: Steve McCurry, 1984. Cover, 1985. 15" x 15". SOLD. | ![]() Stephen Colbert Loves Me. Needle-felted with wet-felted rose, that he's obviously giving to me. 21" x 21". |
![]() From beginning to end. | ![]() Friend Goals. Tina Fey & Amy Poehler on fabric background with tee-shirts. 40"w x 32"h |
![]() Keith Richards with his favorite flowers. 21" x 21". SOLD. | ![]() American Gossip - A Rumor is Born. Gaga & Cooper in Grant Wood's American Gothic. 18"w x 21"h |
![]() Ingrid Bergman from Casablanca. My first black & white portrait. 15" x 15" | ![]() Wonder Justice! Notorious RBG as Wonder Woman. 15" x 16". SOLD. |
![]() My fiber interpretation of Steve McCurry's powerful photograph. 20"w x 30"h. SOLD. | ![]() Felted on left, photo on right. |
![]() The James Brown Scream 17"w x 22"h N/A | ![]() My first reproduction. David Hockney's version sold for $90 million. 23"w x 17"h. SOLD. |
![]() Cash 'n kitty. The man in black and his friend. 21" x 21". | ![]() My first truly mixed media piece. Beyonce with bling. 20"w x 30"h. |
![]() Split screen. Beyonce photo on left. | ![]() The beautiful Elizabeth Taylor dons a broken heart. 25"w x 31"h. |
![]() Word is that Barron gave her the shirt for her birthday. Portrait in fiber on fabric. 15" x 15". SOLD. | ![]() Obama wears Notorious RBG. 23.5"w x 31.5" h. SOLD. |
![]() I love Lucy. And I love working on curly haired people. SOLD | ![]() Can you see this face without saying, "more cowbell!?" 17.5"w x 21"h. SOLD. |
![]() Powerhouse voice Cat Power. | ![]() Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. I'm felted. SOLD. |
![]() The Princess Bride characters. Inconceivable! | ![]() Wonder Michelle! SOLD. |
![]() Benicio del Toro is one ominous looking dude | ![]() The beautiful and hilarious Maya Rudolph. Felted. 21"w x 17.5 h. |
![]() Felted on the left, photo on the right. | ![]() Paul Newman felted portrait. Foxy much? |
![]() Prince. Felted on the left. Photo on the right. SOLD. | ![]() Frances McDormand as Marge from Fargo. Felted. |
![]() Bill Murray made of fiber. SOLD | ![]() Carrie Brownstein, woman of many talents. Now she has her face in wool! |
![]() HGTV's The Property Brothers in wool. |
This is the Famous Faces page. To view other fiber paintings, click here.