The First Coast Cultural Center (FCCC) will showcase the world of fiber art this summer with I Felt So Many Things, a new exhibition by Flagler Beach artist Liz Canali. The exhibit opens with a public reception on Friday, June 26, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at FCCC, located in Ponte Vedra Beach. The exhibition runs through Aug. 13 and features Canali’s handcrafted felt sculptures, textured wall art, and illuminated pieces inspired by Florida’s coastal landscapes, moonlit skies, and space launches.
According to FCCC Executive Director Silvia Romero, the exhibition offers visitors an immersive artistic experience that celebrates texture, color, and light while encouraging hands-on creativity. “This exhibition invites visitors into Canali’s richly textured world, where color, light, and handmade felt combine to create immersive works,” Romero said. In addition to the gallery display, Canali created an interactive art center where children attending FCCC summer camps and other guests can explore felt-making through tactile, imaginative activities.
Canali produces each artwork by hand, transforming loose wool roving into richly layered felt using water, soap, and repeated agitation. The labor-intensive process allows her to create sculptural vessels, dimensional wall pieces, and illuminated installations that blur the line between fine art and functional design. The exhibition’s title reflects both the physical medium and the emotional journey behind her creative process.
“When I’m not sure what I want to do, I start with samples and small pieces, and something grows from that,” Canali said. “The felt and the feeling all kind of go together.”
Before becoming a full-time artist, Canali taught art and developed expertise in painting and jewelry-making. She now co-owns a graphic arts studio with her husband while continuing to expand her practice in contemporary fiber art. Gallery attendees can also meet the artist during a live felt-making demonstration on Saturday, July 18, from 11 a.m. to noon. The $10 program will provide an inside look at Canali’s wet felting and needle felting techniques while demonstrating how soft wool fibers become expressive sculptural works.
For more information about I Felt So Many Things, upcoming programs, or to register for the July demonstration, click here.
