In recognition of CANADA DAY –July 1, 2015 — the TIGHR Board members send greetings to our global membership and all exploring rugmaking techniques.
Historical note: 2015 is the 50th anniversary for the Canadian flag design.
Tag: hooked rugs
TIGHR members’ work were reviewed to create the new gallery theme PORTRAITS at TIGHR.net/gallery Countries represented include Australia, Canada, Spain, the United Kingdom and United States. Juror Lori LaBerge describes the process in her statement:
“The jurying process can be an intimidating one. The reason I enjoyed jurying the TIGHR Gallery page is that it was a different procedure than usual. Whereas artists usually apply to have their work juried and shown, this procedure was based on my looking at all art photos on the TIGHR site. The process did away with artists having to worry about entry procedures, professional photo costs, jurying fees, and possible letters of refusal, yet allows their work to be part of the jurying process.
In choosing work for “The Portrait” I looked at skill, composition, creativity and how the artist communicated a sense of emotion for the viewer to experience. A further goal was to include a variety of work. I wanted to include artists who portrayed the portrait both traditionally and in a non-traditional fashion. The reason for this was to show the public the various ways the portrait can be presented as well as inspire artists to think differently about how they could portray the portrait in their own work.
I looked at whether a piece drew my eye to it or not. A clear intention for the creation of the work was taken into consideration. Did the work lead me to think about what the artist was trying to say? In creating a portrait, the eyes are everything. Are they expressing or hiding emotion? Could an abstract piece still convey expression? Could I look into the eyes and feel something?
Thank you to all of the artists who display their work on the TIGHR members site. There is a vast amount of talent within the group. We all learn from each other. TIGHR is a great venue to allow rug hooking artists to interact with and learn from others while introducing rug hooking as art to the public. “
Thank you,
Lori LaBerge
Lori has juried work for entry to gallery sales and shows. She has had her own work juried and chosen by university professors and curators of The Textile Museum, The Racine Art Museum, The American Folk Art Museum, The Turchin Center and the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art. Her work and process can be viewed at LoriLaBerge.com
Exhibitors (names highlighted, link to websites) Anne Boissinot, Canada; Diane Louise Cox, UK; Susan L. Feller, USA; Val Flannigan, Canada; Peg Irish, USA; Diane Learmonth, USA; Rachelle LeBlanc, Canada; Laura Pierce, USA; Heather Ritchie, UK; Amanda Rosser, Spain; Sunny Runnels, Canada; Judi Tompkins, Australia; Dianne Warren, Canada; Molly White, Canada;
By searching through our members’ work on the private site we curated a new selection featuring original pieces from around the world. Visit GALLERY and enjoy the variety.
Enjoy a gallery of work by some of our Canadian members works representing nature in honor of CANADA DAY on July 1, 2014, the 147th anniversary of the British North American Act joining the Province of Canada with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick as CANADA
These images were curated from our private site’s*** Gallery of members’ works.
***The site is a unique membership benefit which allows members to post images, participate in specialty groups, list events and send messages to other members. All of our newsletters are available online along with our constitution and educational handouts. See Membership Form for more reasons to join.
Udderly Canadian by Susan Sutherland, ON
St. Martins Covered Bridges by Lucy Richard, NB
Impressionistic Poppies by Sheila Stewart, BC
Blue Fish by Lynne Hunt, BC
Puffins by Marilyn Moore, NL
Northern Lights Bunny by Janice York, BC
The Spring 2014 issue of Fiber Art Now features “rug hooking artists who are making strides on the trek toward gaining respect” in the world of contemporary art, according to author Trudi Van Dyke. Editor, Marcia Young has provided the full article for this post. Click Fiber Art Now p40-45- rug hooking spring ’14
Congratulations to TIGHR members, Liz Alpert Fay and Michelle Sirois-Silver who are represented in the interviews with examples of their diverse work.
Liz creates spontaneous original works with such unusual things as shoelaces hooked onto a wire frame. Her technique is what carries on the rug hooking tradition.
Michelle’s work has been impacted by her awareness of reclaiming and repurposing, using, in the Recovery Method series, hosiery seconds from Katherine Soucie’s clothing line.
Celebrating rughooking by spreading the traditions around the world, individuals share their passions. Twenty years ago in December 1994 friends gathered outside of London and formed The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers. Joined as friends with a mutual interest; the differences in techniques, materials and styles have been shared at Tri-Ennials, first by post and now using Social Media, Internet options and even electronic phone conferencing.
The images following represent friends from Canada and the United States who gather during January in Bermuda with rughooking enthusiasts;
a member from Spain sharing rughooking skills with Cambodian children as they also learn English for employment; and
a monthly group of ladies in New South Wales, Australia gathering at the home of mentor and author, Miriam Miller.
In Tokyo, Japan for over twenty years an exhibit of hooked pieces has been coordinated by Fumiyo Hachisuka. Across Australia, the United States, the provinces of Canada, the United Kingdom, in Africa, Mexico, Guatemala, Israel and wherever someone holds a hook, fibers are manipulated into new works.
Celebrate rughooking in 2014 with THE INTERNATIONAL GUILD OF HANDHOOKING RUGMAKERS. On December 4, 2014 invite a fellow fiber artist to discuss your mutual interests over a meal, the phone, internet or by posting a note.
The beauty of finecut rughooking is most evident in Oriental, Persian, and floral designs. Long time member Berith Myrvold, formerly of Toronto, Canada passed away on December 8, 2013 in her home country of Norway. Her passion lives on in the detailed rugs she created and distributed lovingly to her family.
Berith attended the Toronto Tri-Ennial in 2003 and was represented on Collector’s Card #5 with a quote many of her fellow rughookers can identify with:
” Hooking is nice and well in Norway. I feel that when you have first gotten into this beautiful hobby, you can never put it away. There is one thing to complain about – there are not enough hours in the day.”
Enjoy the collection of rug patterns and hours of pleasure below. Note copyrights on images owned by Mrs. Myrvold’s estate.
In the March/April/May 2012 issue of Rug Hooking Magazine, Jo Franco, editor and web administrator for TIGHR wrote about pulling together a continent of rugmakers with Judith Stephens and forming the Australian Rugmakers Guild AND bringing the International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers to OZ for three years (2009-2012).
The variety of art portrayed with the images and journeys the artists have travelled to congregate, and educate is fascinating. Expect to hear more about the Australian experiences in print and online.
The Farnsworth Museum, Rockland, Maine, USA has opened their second exhibition focusing on the traditional techniques used in making rugs. The approach in Beyond Rugs! was to introduce the contemporary direction this craftform is being lead.
Log onto http://www.FarnsworthMuseum.orgclick Beyond Rugs! for details and to view an online catalog. Several TIGHR members are included in the collection.
Liz Alpert Fay, of Conneticut delivered a talk and slide presentation featuring international fiber artists active today who are incorporating the traditonal techniques with uncommon materials and innovative designs. RUGS ARE NOT JUST FOR THE FLOOR.