TAMPA FRESH FOODS A FELT ART INSTALLATION BY LUCY SPARROW

Hey y’all, Beth here from Creatively Beth. I recently had the awesome opportunity to visit the Tampa Fresh Foods grocery store installation created by world renowned felt artist, Lucy Sparrow. Being able to have Lucy there for a short interview and some photos was the highlight of my trip. Join me as I stroll down the aisles and marvel at the amazingly realistic food items created with Kunin® Brand Felt.

Lucy was so warm and inviting that it was a pleasure to chat with her for a few minutes, but it wasn’t just me that she spoke to but everyone that came through the doors. She thanked folks for coming, posed for photos and was so charming and gracious.

I have followed Lucy’s career for a while now through her social media account @sewyoursoul on Instagram and have always been in awe of her ability to recreate everyday items that we all love into hand stitched, stuffed, and painted works of art.

Here are a few of the questions that I asked Lucy during our time together, but the entire interview can be found on the @kuninfeltbrand Instagram account.

BETH: What was your overall inspiration for the Tampa Fresh Foods installation?

LUCY: I used to work at food markets when I was growing up, so I spent a lot of time around supermarkets. I have been making things out of felt since I was 5 or 6 years old, so I merged those two things together. This is number ten of my installations, so they did start off much smaller.

BETH: What is the one piece in this installation that is the nearest and dearest to your heart?

LUCY: The spiney lobster that I made specifically for this installation here in Florida. I believe that it has over 65 different individual pieces, so constructing that was the most difficult.

BETH: Do the supermarket brands that you create your felt art pieces of mind that you are using their branding?

LUCY: Well, it is a free advertisement, so the brands love what I do!

BETH: What is your favorite color of Kunin® Brand Felt?

LUCY: I am not sure of the actual name, but I call it squeaky blue. It is not available in the UK, so I have purchase it when I am in the US and have it shipped home.

BETH: The official name is Neon Blue, and it is one of my favorites as well.

As we walked the aisles of Tampa Fresh Foods it was such an immersive experience that my niece and I almost forgot that it was an art installation. There was a felt ATM Machine with actual felt money, a felt Bakery section with a basket of baguettes as well as the most adorable rainbow cookies, and a full Delicatessen counter complete with the cutest little cheeses ever.

The attention to detail that Lucy gives all her pieces is astounding. Meticulously selecting colors of felt and embroidery floss, cutting and stitching items together in their perfect shapes, and then adding all the finishing elements with fabric paint. Here are a few of our family favorites.

Lucy created Meat and Seafood counters stocked with a full variety, a bank of refrigerated beverage coolers featuring all the favorite brands of soft drinks, beer, and wine, plus a fabulous collection of candies, gummies, and chocolates.

And the felt creations don’t stop at the end of the aisle but continue to the checkout counters. Complete with impulse purchases, a register, and those cute little dividers. My niece and I grabbed a grocery basket and filled it with all out favorites! Each item in the Tampa Fresh Foods installation is available for purchase and signed by Lucy Sparrow. It was a magical and inspiring afternoon that I won’t forget anytime soon!

You can now find an expanded color line of Kunin® Classicfelt and Kunin® Premiumfelt  non-wovens fabrics in cut by the yard at your local Walmart; please inquire as to what is available in your area. Also widely available online at fabric.com and Amazon.

Follow Kunin® Felt Brand on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for daily creative inspiration and crafty projects! Make sure to tag Kunin® on social media with the hashtags #createwithkunin #kuninfeltcrafts #makewithkuninfelt

Thanks for stopping by!

Creatively, Beth
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