Woohoo! “Memory of Water” is off to another show. Not a fiber arts show, but an exhibit of all kinds of media. Last month I saw that the Fuller Lodge Art Center (FLAC) up in Los Alamos (New Mexico) had a call for artists for “Making Waves,” their August exhibit.
A single stone thrown into the water can create a ripple that will affect the entire pond. Water is a sacred and often misused blessing, especially in the desert landscape of New Mexico. Take on water and all that it means to us personally. Don’t shy away from the controversy water issues can create! We want to see artwork that makes the biggest splash!
It appears that after spending a year on my hallway wall, “Memory of Water” made another splash with FLAC’s jurists. (You might remember that it was in Albuquerque’s Open Space Visitor Center’s “WATER” exhibit last year.) The show runs August 2-31, so we’re off to Los Alamos this week to deliver the piece. Tynan and new puppy Bowyn will get to take a ride!
Tynan presents “What’s on the frame” this week. He wants everyone to remember that he, not Junior (i.e., Bowyn, his new little brother) is the High on Hooking dog. Bowyn would not respect the rug; he’d just eat it. Those are his toys in the background, however. He’s a slob.
Truthfully, we’ll be making three trips up north to Los Alamos this coming month. We’ll have to retrieve the piece after the show. And mid month…we’re back up there for FLAC’s Summer Arts and Crafts Fair! First time High on Hooking’s vended this show. Here’s hoping for a beautifully sunny mountain day. No monsoon rains.
Maybe you’ll show at one of these events, particularly if you’re in the greater northern New Mexican area. If you’re at the Arts and Crafts Fair, mention the blog and get 10% off a rug!
If you’re a rug hooker on Instagram, you’ve seen the crazy increase in punch needle rug hooking posts. Like me, you probably marveled that, hey, some are calling the back the front and the front the back! Which is just fine as long as they’re having fun – the real point of this whole art/craft.
If you get Rug Hooking Magazine, you’ve seen that there are now regular articles on the punch needle universe and its concomitant projects. You’re no longer a second class hooker if you punch!
And if you’re at all familiar with punch needle goddess Amy Oxford, you know that her business sky-rocketed a couple of years ago:
Her business chugged along quite nicely, growing slowly and steadily. Then textile artist Arounna Khounnoraj, co-founder of Bookhou studio in Toronto, became a fan. “I like that her tool is ergonomic and that it’s quick and easy to thread,” says Khounnoraj. “Also, you can use both yarn and cut wool strips in the needles.”
Amy Oxford de-fuzzing a punched rug with…sheep shears! (2008)
When Khounnoraj posted an Instagram video demonstrating a project using an Oxford
Punch Needle, things exploded. The video went viral and Oxford began getting orders from all over the world.
“Sales were up 644%. This was thrilling and incredibly exciting. We sold out instantly. We made thousands more and sold out in 48 hours. Did the same and sold out a third time in 24 hours. I was in shock. I knew I was supposed to be happy but honestly, it was terrifying. Overwhelming is an understatement… We didn’t see this coming. When our punch went viral I promised myself that no matter how many orders we got, I wouldn’t skimp on quality to create more quantity.”
To celebrate punch needle rug hooking and to further spread the rug hooking gospel, High on Hooking will be teaching an INTRODUCTION TO PUNCH NEEDLE RUG HOOKING workshopTHIS SATURDAY at Española Valley Fiber Arts Center. Contact EVFAC to get in on the fun. (Just don’t call today, Monday, as they’re closed till tomorrow morning.)
During the class, students will:
transfer a pattern onto a monk’s cloth backing;
prepare materials; and
begin punching a mug rug, table “mat,” or wall-hanging.
We’ll use Oxford punch needles as several years ago, after teaching myself to punch using her tool (before she even owned her current rug hooking school), I was lucky enough to attend a workshop with Amy. Lastly, we’ll discuss various ways you might want to finish your rug after all the hooking is done. No experience is necessary; just come prepared to play!
This rug was based on a child’s design and punched using recycled t-shirt strips. Imagine how your child or grandchild would feel if you hooked a wall hanging or table-topper using one of their drawings. And think of how much linger it’ll last than paper!
For those unable to join us in Española Saturday, I offer rug hooking and punch needle rug hooking classes in my home in Albuquerque. If you live beyond ourbeautiful Sandia Mountains, please check out Amy’s excellent tutorial videoson her website. Most of all, have fun!
High on Hooking’s booth at the Fiber Crawl last week. All ready to meet new friends and to spread the gospel of rug hooking.
So, Fiber Crawl was a bit of a bust but only from a sales standpoint. Okay, that’s the most important standpoint when you’re vending, but you know, there are other things that go into it. For instance, unfortunately, it wasn’t publicized that there were vendors at the Open Space where Cathy and I were hanging. And some of the vendors didn’t even show. In the end, there were only four booths of fiberific goods. So, we had plenty of time to take in the “Earth Threads”exhibit and hook and…meet new friends!
Yes, new friends. I’d had a brief back-and-forth with a gal from the Los Angeles area who was in the area. She’s brand new to hooking and hasn’t yet met like-minded peeps in California. She read the blog here regarding Fiber Crawl, and guess who wanted to come and meet other hookers? Debra! And she brought along David her husband who’s about to start hooking his own rugs. Woohoo! I guess that means that the gospel is indeed being spread from my fingers to others’ ears. Or rather, eyes.
New friends made at the Fiber Crawl last week! From left to right is Catherine (an AWAG member), Cathy, me, and then David and Deb.
Both Debra and David were great fun, and since we weren’t selling or even entertaining too many potential customers Sunday, we had plenty of time to chat. Debra had brought the rug she’s working on, her very first. Designed and drew it herself. Cows! She’ll have to send a pic to me when she’s done so that we can share it here. She’s going great guns on it. And come July when Cathy teaches her workshop at the Wool Poppies – Hooker Hill Rug Retreat, Debra may be meeting other Bay Area hookers. Lucky lady!
In the meantime, there’s lots of hustle and bustle going on in our final lead-up to the Albuquerque Fiber Arts Fiesta 2019. Remember, if you’re in the area next Thursday-Saturday, come on over to Expoand say hi to us – we’re always looking to make new friends! – in the Adobe Wool Arts Guild Rug Hooking booth. We have 27 rugs to hang and 9 friendship rugs making up the 9×9 special exhibit. Almost every fiber art imaginable is on display, and there are over 50 vendors! Hope to see you there!
Lastly, please have a wonderful beginning to summer. Have fun and be safe out there. And don’t forget the reason for this long Memorial Day Weekend.
Fiber Crawl is happening this weekend. (We’ve mentioned it before.) If you’re in New Mexico anywhere from Albuquerque to points north and enjoy fibers – themselves, the animals they come from, and what you can do with them – get thee to the websiteand its map. High on Hooking and Cathy Kelly will be spending Saturday and Sunday at the Open Space Visitors’ Center on ABQ’s West Side (conveniently close to home!). Please stop by to see: 1) our wares and how we hook them and 2) the fiberific “Earth Threads” exhibit. The Visitors’ Center is no slouch itself; it’s a very cool place if you haven’t been there. We hope to see you!
More info on this weekend’s Fiber Crawl. Note that website stuff. Here’s to the folks at the Española Valley Fiber Arts Center who puts the whole event on. You might want to sign up for their newsletter.
Lastly, is there anything more New Mexican than our chile? (This is a rhetorical question. Of course there is.) Come see the finished chile “off the frame” at the Open Space Visitors’ Center on Coors Boulevard Saturday and Sunday! (BTW, this one’s hooked using recycled t-shirts.)
