Donna Brander is an artist of a unique sort, using needles and wool instead of brushes and paints to create her special brand of masterpieces.

By day, Brander is a caseworker/office manager with the United Methodist Disaster Response Ministry; after hours she fashions one-of-a-kind works of art.

A self-described sculptural needle felt artist, Brander uses raw wool “straight from the sheep” that has been carded, washed and dyed. Her extra sharp felting needles are notched with barbs that pick up bits of wool. She works the needles into the wool repeatedly, “like a sewing machine,” she explained.

Brander uses the process to meticulously make dolls, soft sculpture animals and three-dimensional pictures. She even transferred her art onto a vest made from an old army blanket, decorating the garment with lambs, elephants, flowers and trees.

“I wear it all the time,” she said with pride.

While the vest is not for sale, other pieces that spring like magic from Brander’s needles can be found at Riverwalk Gallery. She’s been a member of the downtown Washington gallery for a year.

The Long Island, N.Y., native moved to Washington in 1992; her 28-year career as a draftsman and illustrator has served her well in the art field.

Her pieces are created from 100-percent wool. “So they’re safe for babies,” she said. “I’ve made things for all my children and my grandchildren.”

In fact, her young grandson was the inspiration for one of the pieces displayed at Riverwalk. She was attempting to do a caricature of the youngster, but as the piece progressed she decided it looked more like a fierce pirate than her sweet-faced grandson.

“I promise you my grandson looks nothing like that pirate,” she said with a laugh.

Some projects evolve that way, Brander explained.

“I let it talk to me; I let it bend my path,” she said.

One of her more labor intensive projects has been a character doll in the image of Charles Dickens’ Scrooge, familiar to readers through the pages of “A Christmas Carol.” The face alone took Brander more than 60 hours to create. Others, such as her small acorns and pincushions, can be completed in four or five hours.

“I’m not able to do as much as I’d like to do,” Brander said of her pieces. “Most of my art has to happen on the weekends.”

*For more information about Brander’s needle felt art, visit Riverwalk Gallery or contact her via email at secondstarontherightstudios@gmail.com.