Remaining Nimble in Art Business Decisions Birthed the Success of Sculptural Felt--Innovative 3-D Tactile Art by Brad + Sundie Ruppert

Lynne Kornecki

Mar 24

Part of the Ruppert's booth display at this year's CELEBRATION OF FINE ART held annually from January through March in Scottsdale, AZ. Scroll down to view more of their imaginative artwork...

In 2008, Brad and Sundie Ruppert left their graphic design careers behind to venture into art full time and never looked back. Establishing a successful art business was definitely a learning curve, but they’ve mastered it well.

First, they launched Vintage Sculpture using salvaged materials fashioned into trinket boxes or decorative angels, along with other popular items. After 15 years, when such vintage materials became harder to source, they had an “ah-ha” moment while touring Greeley Hat Works -- a cowboy hat manufacturer – to create a custom sign for them.

Brad noticed all the discarded felt trimmings left behind as each hat underwent the shaping process. When he learned that these remnants wouldn’t be used, he asked if he could take some home, and before long their business’s next iteration was born – Sculptural Felt.

“Felt has amazing properties,” Sundie observes. “It’s incredible to work with and responds well to shaping and keeping its shape. Buyers can pet it all day long and find it very therapeutic.”

By thinking out of the box and being nimble in their response to changing business conditions, they grew beyond their wildest dreams. It was all about keeping the faith in their abilities and applying perseverance. Their unique felt sculptures have now doubled in value over the last ten years! Not only is their work appealing to residential collectors, but it can also be found in a variety of commercial arenas such as corporate buildings or upscale hotels.

Working as a team, Brad and Sundie individually complete certain steps each have mastered toward the finished piece. They nail – never glue – for long-lasting pieces, as well as dye the material and build the sub-sculpture. They create incredible 3-D animals that beg to be touched and have also expanded their repertoire into enticingly tactile abstracts. Sundie noted that the birds they create are especially popular with patrons such as the blue heron or hummingbirds.

Brad and Sundie limit the amount of time they’re on the road appearing in art shows preferring to stay closer to their Iowa home when they can. However, from January to March, they can be found in Scottsdale, AZ at the juried CELEBRATION OF FINE ART show where their attractive exhibit features finished pieces and also explains the intricate process each creation undergoes before completion. Prices range from $450 to $22,000 with an average cost hovering in the $3,000 range. ###

For more information:

www.sculpturalfelt.com

IG: @sculpturalfelt

FB: Sculptural Felt & Custom Signage by Brad & Sundie Ruppert

sculpturalfelt@gmail.com