A felted hat and a small-sized tapestry featuring a piece of ceramic and a wine cap on display at artist Ni Lingling's current exhibition in Beijing. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Ni's passion for felt comes from her childhood living in a village in Anhui province with her grandparents. She learned jewelry design and obtained her bachelor's degree at the Shanghai Art and Design Academy. But working on cold, sharp, pointed gems did not fulfill Ni's desire to shape warm things by hand. She wanted to feel the satisfaction of making something from start to finish.

For around four years following her graduation, Ni taught herself felt techniques. To learn more about the history and technique of felt, Ni visited a village in Dali, Yunnan province, in 2016, where she became an apprentice to an old craftsman whose family has used traditional techniques to produce the fabric for generations.

"Their techniques are very simple and traditional, only involving power of one's limbs, not machines. The craft filled me with awe," says Ni, who stayed at the village for a month, making felt products by hand every day.

She was told that all the villagers used to be felters, but only two families were still making felt products when she visited the village earlier this year.

"I want to revive the craft, which dates back hundreds of years, in China," says Ni, adding that many craftsmen quit the job because their felt products were seen as outdated.

Last year, Ni won a prize to visit Paris and enjoy a three-month stay there to learn and communicate with young artists from across the world. The prize was co-funded by Prix YISHU 8, a nonprofit art organization, and the Golden Phoenix Art Fund. It was established last year to support young craftsmen like Ni to take part in exchange projects in other countries.

Ni Min, who works with Prix YISHU 8, says they awarded Ni Lingling because the judging panel was moved by her genuine passion and love for the craft.

"It's rare for a young person to take it upon themselves to visit different villages just to better learn and understand an old craft," he says.

Lei Geye, co-founder of Golden Phoenix Art Fund, says Ni Lingling's works are creative and warm. She adds that the young felter is good at making fashionable and beautiful things that can be used in daily life.