About

Maarja Paris is a felt and fiber artist with a Master of Arts degree in French language and literature. Her work is influenced by her Estonian heritage with its love of vivid and unexpected use of color and intricately decorated textiles.She learned to sew at an early age and garment making was a primary activity until 2004. At that time, after 27 years of teaching French language and culture, Maarja attended a workshop in felting which fortuitously brought a new dimension to her artistic endeavors, that of wet felting.She has studied with various textile and felt artists in the United States, Canada and in Europe. Returning frequently to Estonia and to France gives her the opportunity to research new fiber techniques and genres among these the use of plants for natural dyes which she incorporates in her felt work.