Maria Filipe Castro
Toy Designer/ Character Designer / Fiber Artist
Manchester, United KingdomMaria Filipe Castro aka droolwool, is a Toy Artist and Character Designer from Portugal, currently based in the UK.
She designs characters in a deliciously cute style, that she sculpts using needles and wool, creating unique and one of a kind Art Toys and Soft Sculptures
Maria is currently teaching Needle Felting and her design aproach on an online course at Domestika, a technique that she's been developing for almost 10 years.
Using food and nature as an inspiration she likes to tell tiny stories with a touch of innocence and lots of humour, making her characters portray spontaneous human reactions, capturing moments of spontaneity that only children and specially toddlers are capable of demonstrating.
Maria Filipe was an invited speaker at 1st Pictoplasma in Isolation and most recently she was a Designer Toy Awards Finalist in the Best Non-Plastic category with the Art Toy “Happy Tears Cloud”, a cloud that rains tears of joy.
Droolwool's work can be found in selected Art Galleries where she exhibits regularly, but also on her online shop.
She designs characters in a deliciously cute style, that she sculpts using needles and wool, creating unique and one of a kind Art Toys and Soft Sculptures
Maria is currently teaching Needle Felting and her design aproach on an online course at Domestika, a technique that she's been developing for almost 10 years.
Using food and nature as an inspiration she likes to tell tiny stories with a touch of innocence and lots of humour, making her characters portray spontaneous human reactions, capturing moments of spontaneity that only children and specially toddlers are capable of demonstrating.
Maria Filipe was an invited speaker at 1st Pictoplasma in Isolation and most recently she was a Designer Toy Awards Finalist in the Best Non-Plastic category with the Art Toy “Happy Tears Cloud”, a cloud that rains tears of joy.
Droolwool's work can be found in selected Art Galleries where she exhibits regularly, but also on her online shop.
Work Experience
Droolwool
Toy Designer / Character Designer / Fiber Artist
Designer of kawaii inspired characters. Maker of Fiber Art Toys, Soft Sculptures and accessories made in felt wool.
February 2016
- Present
Portugal
Domestika
Teacher
Teaching how to create Art Toys using the Needle Felting Technique.
Course: "Toy Art Creation: Neeldle Felting Technique"
Link: www.domestika.org/pt/courses/1332-criacao-de-um-toy-art-tecnica-de-feltragem-com-agulha/droolwool
Course: "Toy Art Creation: Neeldle Felting Technique"
Link: www.domestika.org/pt/courses/1332-criacao-de-um-toy-art-tecnica-de-feltragem-com-agulha/droolwool
September 2021
-
Freelance
Toy Artist / Maker of Plush Jewelry
Designer and maker of sculptural / plush jewellery made in textile materials.
2007
- 2016
Freelance
Crafter
Maker of children's accessories in textile materials.
2002
- 2007
Portugal
Education
Languages
Portuguese (Native),
English (Fluent),
French (Fluent),
Awards
Skills
Beading,
Character Design,
Crochet,
Embroidery,
Needle Felting,
Sculpting,
Sewing,
Vector Illustration ,
Exhibitions
Exhibitions:
- " Crazy 4 Cult ", Group exhibition, Gallery 1988, Los Angeles, USA, August 2021
- " 50th Anniversary of Wonka ", Group exhibition, Gallery 1988, Los Angeles, USA, February 2021
- " Gift Wrapped 2020 ", Group exhibition, Clutter Gallery, NYC, USA, December 2020
- " The Familiar show ", Custom art group show, Horrible Adorables / Woot Bear Gallery, San Francisco, USA, August 2020
- " Food Fight ", Group exhibition, Mothership Toy Gallery, Philadelphia, USA, March 2020
- " Gift Wrapped 2019 " , Group exhibition, Clutter Gallery, NYC, USA, December 2019
- " Winter Salon IX ", Group exhibition, Stranger Factory Gallery , New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, December 2019
- " Toy Makers of Planet Earth II ", Group exhibition, Stranger Factory Gallery, New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, June 2019
- " Play with your FOOD ", Group exhibition, Mothership Toy Gallery, Philadelphia, USA, March 2019
- " Love Bug ", Group exhibition, Mothership Toy Gallery, Philadelphia, USA, February 2019
- " Gift Wrapped 2018 " , Group exhibition, Clutter Gallery, NYC, USA, December 2018
- " Winter Salon VIII ", Group exhibition, Stranger Factory Gallery , New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, December 2018
- " Bewitching VIII " , Group exhibition, Stranger Factory Gallery, New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, October 2018
- " Plush the Limits", Group exhibition, Mothership Art Gallery, Philadelphia, USA, September 2018
- " Toy Makers of Planet Earth " - Group exhibition, Stranger Factory Gallery , New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, June 2018
- " Gift Wrapped 2017 " , Group exhibition, Clutter Gallery, NYC, USA, December 2017
- " Stitched 2 ", Group exhibition, Clutter Gallery, NYC, USA, May 2017
- " Kute As Fuh " , Group exhibition, PIQ, NYC. USA, July 2015
- " Crazy 4 Cult ", Group exhibition, Gallery 1988, Los Angeles, USA, August 2021
- " 50th Anniversary of Wonka ", Group exhibition, Gallery 1988, Los Angeles, USA, February 2021
- " Gift Wrapped 2020 ", Group exhibition, Clutter Gallery, NYC, USA, December 2020
- " The Familiar show ", Custom art group show, Horrible Adorables / Woot Bear Gallery, San Francisco, USA, August 2020
- " Food Fight ", Group exhibition, Mothership Toy Gallery, Philadelphia, USA, March 2020
- " Gift Wrapped 2019 " , Group exhibition, Clutter Gallery, NYC, USA, December 2019
- " Winter Salon IX ", Group exhibition, Stranger Factory Gallery , New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, December 2019
- " Toy Makers of Planet Earth II ", Group exhibition, Stranger Factory Gallery, New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, June 2019
- " Play with your FOOD ", Group exhibition, Mothership Toy Gallery, Philadelphia, USA, March 2019
- " Love Bug ", Group exhibition, Mothership Toy Gallery, Philadelphia, USA, February 2019
- " Gift Wrapped 2018 " , Group exhibition, Clutter Gallery, NYC, USA, December 2018
- " Winter Salon VIII ", Group exhibition, Stranger Factory Gallery , New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, December 2018
- " Bewitching VIII " , Group exhibition, Stranger Factory Gallery, New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, October 2018
- " Plush the Limits", Group exhibition, Mothership Art Gallery, Philadelphia, USA, September 2018
- " Toy Makers of Planet Earth " - Group exhibition, Stranger Factory Gallery , New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, June 2018
- " Gift Wrapped 2017 " , Group exhibition, Clutter Gallery, NYC, USA, December 2017
- " Stitched 2 ", Group exhibition, Clutter Gallery, NYC, USA, May 2017
- " Kute As Fuh " , Group exhibition, PIQ, NYC. USA, July 2015
Editorial Feature
- Make & Sew Toys, Issue 12, February 2022
- Felt Matters, International Felt Makers Association Magazine, Issue 145, December 2021
- Pictoplasma, Magazine for Character Design and Art #1 Face Value, Spring 2021
- Frankie Magazine Australia, Issue 77, 2017
- TEXWORLD Paris, Messe Frankfurt, Inspiration book, Spring / Summer 2018 (2017)
- ELLE STIJLBIJBEL Netherlands 2014
- Felt Matters, International Felt Makers Association Magazine, Issue 145, December 2021
- Pictoplasma, Magazine for Character Design and Art #1 Face Value, Spring 2021
- Frankie Magazine Australia, Issue 77, 2017
- TEXWORLD Paris, Messe Frankfurt, Inspiration book, Spring / Summer 2018 (2017)
- ELLE STIJLBIJBEL Netherlands 2014
Events
- Speaker at Pictoplasma in Isolation, Berlin Conference, 2020
- Toy Con UK, 2018
- New York Comic Con, 2017
- Toy Con UK, 2018
- New York Comic Con, 2017