Gera Klára

I went to Gödöllő, to learn basketwork and rush matting. The place had a seducing spirit. Mari Nagy and István Vidák learned by watching then passed the tricks of the old masters working by traditions. Instead of the urban life and the use of ready-made factory stuff, the goal was to preserve the handicrafts. These young people were later named as ‘nomad generation’ “

Mari encouraged me to felt, but initially I did not want to make flat sheets. I saw first at an international exhibition, what can be made of felt. Rushed home, I made a bear, first of my life. Nowadays I am not nearly proud of it, as before. My favourite teddybear, Barnaby, was born later, the unique object of mine what I labelled.

My father was a painter, working a lot. I liked to watch him, even I liked the smell of the paints. I also wanted to be a painter; I frequented the drawing circle of Huba Bálványos, from him I received much encouragement, but I ceased to learn, becoming self-taught.

I worked as a retoucher in a printing office; in addition I made wool-spinning and weaving. I made coats from my products. I graduated in a study circle management course, and I taught weaving and felting in kindergartens, in schools, and in community centers. Around the 90s, I abruptly ceased to weave, and since then I am solely felting.

I have had three individual exhibitions. At one event I set up a glass pane. Ducks swam above, fish below, I made a spider-catcher first time. I was totally amused as a woman stopped and listed: bee-eater, green woodpecker, common tern, spider-catcher.

I have a considerable collection of books on birds. Once I wanted to make the all of birds, living in this country or crossing Hungary as migratory ones. In this case the originals would not be paraded by taxidermy. Why are these birds next to my heart? Because they are beautiful, flying free. This is my vulture; it is always with me when I go to fairs.

You could move these puppets. I had a lot of work making the „Hedgehoog Mother”, but I highly enjoyed when forming it by kneading. I hardly start to create a thick, hard-bodied puppet, because it completely exhaust my powers.

I am known from my “White Duck”. It is clearly not a goose, having a short neck. You need to distribute the wool fibers evenly and neatly, to achieve retentivity.

The wool is shrinking because of hot water, and you need to knead it to put together the fibers. Not everyone understands why I love „dabbling” and the plenty of soap. It is simple. It is a lot of pleasure for me that objects, birds are formed by my hands from the wool.

At the fairs those women buying my mousseline silk scarves want to be special, and appreciate the natural materials. I have many stories on celebrities, but I do not like to brag about it. Well, I will tell you one.

Before Christmas I was invited to a TV studio. While waiting my turn after the interviews of a ceramist and a cake-maker, Iván Fischer, the famous music conductor arrived, and saw my Firebird. “I need it” – he said, but I might not give it to him, because I needed it for the interview. “You can come for it in the Christmas Fair at the Vörösmarty Square, if you want”, I replied. It was a very good feeling when he appeared at the fair together with his son. He just asked the little one: “Will it be good?” The little fellow nodded: “Good!!”