Lenart, Claudia Marie: - Claudia Marie Lenart is a fiber artist from northern Illinois. She experimented in the arts and handwork since childhood and while working as a journalist. While her son was in Waldorf school, she discovered needle felting and found her true passion. Her soft sculpture characters are created by repeatedly poking wool and other natural fibers, like alpaca, with a barbed needle. Claudia pioneered a distinct style of illustrating books using wool as the medium. She illustrated three books for the late children's author Jewel Kats. Claudia is a nature enthusiast and spent three summers working in national parks out west as a young adult. Daily walks in the woods with her dog inspire her wool paintings and wildlife sculptures. To see her work, visit www.ClaudiaMarieFelt.com