Love for Early American Craft work
Inspired by my environments
An admirer of craft work by early American homemakers, I keep the rug hooking tradition vital with my interpretations of places and things observed during my years living in Grand Marais, MN on the north shore of Lake Superior, St. Paul, MN and in Stockholm, Sweden. While my predecessors made use of a variety of sacking, clothing that was beyond repair and other fabrics at hand; my designs are constructed chiefly from wool, both repurposed and new, as-is or dyed by me in my home studio in Richmond, Virginia. I have a particular affinity for plaids as I use them to create texture, excitement and even mystery when pulled loop after loop through the linen backing.
In its 19th Century beginnings, rug hooking evolved from necessity. American homemakers with limited means made needed rugs and wall hangings and added color to their homes, using what they had plenty of at hand. This was used sacking and much repaired and finally worn-out clothing. Their themes were dreams, local scenes, geometric patterns, flowers and animals both real and imaginary, and whatever their imaginations created. Their creations served form, function and pleasure.
Traditional hand hooking requires many hours of preparation before I begin hooking a piece such as collecting wool, washing and then dyeing, over-dyeing or deciding to use the wool “as is”. I enjoy this time as it gives me the opportunity to get to know the wool and think about where I will use it in future projects.
Where I have shown And you can find my Rugs
I have exhibited work at the Phipps Center for the Arts in Hudson, WI; the University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis campus; Augsburg College, Minneapolis, the University of St Catharine, St Paul, the Grand Marais Art Colony, the Textile Center in Minneapolis and The Grand Hand Gallery in St. Paul, the Uptown Gallery in Richmond among other venues.. My pieces warm the homes of numerous private collectors throughout the country.
I am a certified McGowen rug hooking teacher and have taught at numerous rug hooking workshops.
When a viewer looks at my work with wonder and says, “How did she do that?” and wants to touch and does, I feel that I have invited someone to enter my art world.