Jocelyn Krodman shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Jocelyn, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: When was the last time you felt true joy?
I did an in person show recently (a rarity for me these days) and I was reminded of how delightful it is to be out in the world, sharing my work. As much as I love the daily process of creating things, sometimes I don’t realize the toll that the isolation takes on me. When I get to see joyful and sometimes hilarious reactions from people of all ages to my work, it brings me a feeling of contentedness and warmth that’s hard to describe.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I studied Metals & Jewelry at the Savannah College of Art and Design in the early 2000’s, but my life took a transformative turn when about a year after graduating, I discovered the art of needle felting. In 2011, I made a big move to a small town in the Northeast after living in Georgia for many years and it’s there that I got deep into felting and started my business, PetitFelts. For nearly 15 years, I’ve continued to strive to produce work infused with love, distinct personality and humor. Over the years, I’ve branched out into the world of ceramics, started a fair trade line of ornaments and have taught countless workshops both online and in person (I find few things more gratifying than watching people fall in love with the craft of felting for the first time). Felting has remained at the core of my business and is still my greatest passion.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
For a long time, there was a part of me that worked from a very narrow place. I was too afraid to try to new things, explore new materials and I stood in my own way. It feels strange to say this ever served me, but I do feel that in some ways, it gave me focus and kept me from spreading myself thin. Because of my self-imposed parameters, I ended up working really hard at one thing for many years and evolving within that craft. Now I feel it’s time to loosen up and broaden my creativity.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
It’s fine to be weird!
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Whose ideas do you rely on most that aren’t your own?
My partner, Andrew Molluer, is my guiding light in many ways. He started his ceramics business around the same time I started PetitFelts and it’s invaluable to have such a creative force in my life. Together, we’ve been able to shape our lives around making things and his opinions and ideas mean everything to me.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I would try to stop being so hard on myself. I was hoping I’d have grown out of doing that by now, but I’m still waiting…
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.petitfelts.com
- Instagram: @petitfelts
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