Heartfelt dogs.
I’ve always been creative; my mum had me down as a Blue Peter presenter due to my ability to produce something out of nothing even when I was a kid. Those of you of my generation might remember the Blue Peter Book of Teddy Clothes with an extensive range of costumes you could make, including a pirate, a cowboy and a pilot’s outfit; I made them all. Growing up, I was a little obsessed with puppets and stop frame animation; Hector’s House, Pogles Wood, Noggin The Nog and Topo Gigio were all very real for me.
I’ve worked in the arts since graduating from Huddersfield University in 1984, in both the performing and visual arts fields. Paper became my thing for a while and I even went back to college to qualify as a Bookbinder but not until I found the splendid art of needle felting did I feel truly at home. Now I needle felt my own characters inspired by my dog Barney and his ability to change personality according to what he thinks it might get him.
All dogs are individual and unique one-offs. They are needle felted from 100% wool with glass eyes. Their minute clothes are painstakingly made by hand, (even the tiny little knitted jumpers) and supplemented with carefully selected additions from the likes of Paul, Ken and Sindy dolls.
Von Allen
All enquiries via email to: dogs@vonallen.co.uk
