TWIGS, WIGS and HUTS by artist  RIITTA TUULIA BEATTIE 

Wet and needle felted, silk, wire armature, recycled barn wood frame, 12 3/4" x 10 1/2". Frame opening, 9 1/8" x 7 1/4"

I grew up "in the middle of nowhere," in a humble house surrounded by a forest. In the forest there were a small brushwood hut made out of spruce twigs by my dad and a graveyard for found dead small critters.

The forest was a truly magical playground for daily adventures with my imaginary animals since my parents refused to get me a pet. Luckily my dad, who worked as a guard in a army post, introduced me a German Shepherd guard dog. I was "over the moon" and sometimes my dad found me asleep next to this magnificent animal in the dog house.

My other hut was my mom's large loom which she made beautiful, striped rag rugs. I used to play under it and create my own little things. Since I always wanted to have long hair, one day I decided to make a wig out of mom's precious wool yarn. Well, she wasn't amused!