Inna Richards,
Artist

My name’s Inna Richards. 
I’m a designer and art creatures master. I inspire people to surround themselves with things that reflect their character and personality.
I can make cool things from different improvised and sometimes unexpected materials: wire, paper, empty cans and bottles, gypsum, mounting foam, yarn, pieces of fabrics and so on.
But recently I have mainly been working with pure wool. A cozy, natural, warm material.
There is a wire frame inside my woollen sculptures that makes them flexible and plastic. In the TikTok app, everyone can revive my creation with the stop motion button. On Facebook and Instagram I show what it might look like.
It’s so much fun for kids and adults!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CN9fm4JnYiG/?igsh=MXF6bGlrdmJkbDZ3cg==

Various visual images started forming in my head when I was a child. I graduated from the Belarusian State Academy of Arts as a puppet theater actress, but my favourite lesson at the Academy was the technology of making puppets and scenery and I quickly realized that my calling was not to play in the theater, but to create stuff! Nevertheless my acting education was also useful: while a student I was asked to observe people, notice and show their characteristic features. So, I try to capture such  features and then display them in my work. 
And people who see my creatures at the markets often come to me and say: oh, this is my husband, my sister, my friend.. 
This effect is achieved not by some ability to convey portrait similarity, but by some plastic metaphor.

It takes me from three to five hours to create even a small woollen sculpture when I use one hand needle for felting. That is why every embodiment of this laborious work radiates amazing energy and physically palpable warmth. Once having taken one of my felted creature into your hands you no longer want to let it go. 

My customers appreciate things with character. They are mature, successful, active, curious, thinking people with a good sense of humor.

I also make different types of unique clothes and accessories. I really like to remake old things that no one needs and give them a second chance, new life and unique style. 

My  buyers really appreciate this eco-friendly approach to making new fancy things! 

In the three years I've been living in America, I've already done a lot of things: I created costumes and sets for three theater shows, took part in a big exhibition and made my own giant installation on the theme of climate change. 
This exhibition was held for a whole month in the Parallax Art Centre. I also designed and decorated the hall for the final costume ball. That evening I heard a lot of good reviews about my work and I was very encouraged to do more for this city. 

I also knitted hats, scarfs and other things for my children and friends and now everyone is asking them where to buy it.

That's why I decided that now is the right time to start taking big and confident steps in this direction.