Category: In the Studio series

August 24, 2021

Take time to smell the sunflower!

Will you be at Mountainair’s Sunflower Festival Saturday?

Dog with hooked sunflower wall hangings. — **Bowyn will be sad if he doesn’t get to meet you at Saturday’s Sunflower Festival.**

Unfortunately, last weekend’s textile art sale in Santa Fe was a bit of a logistical bust. But is it really a loss when you spend time hanging with a bunch of other talented fiber artists here in New Mexico or anywhere. NO! Fortunately, Cathy, my partner in crime, and I have the Sunflower Festival in just a few days. It’s always a fun time what with the arts, the music, the food… And Mountainair is a cool, little mountain town, very BIG sky country.

As you can see, I’m ready for the Sunflower Festival. Sunflowers are truly one of my favorite flowers, and if you’ve been following me for at least a year, you know that I like to hook some version of them annually. This year I went small, three wall hangings. And instead of keeping it all t-shirt all the time, I mixed it up. Each one has some amount of t-shirt, bed sheet, wool strips, and wool yarn. The variegated backgrounds were dyed by my own little hands during my “retreat week” back in June. Oh, and I included itty-bitty glass seed beads in the – what else? – sunflower seed heads!

Sunflower wall hanging. (Old t-shirts and bed sheets; wool strips and yarn; glass seed beads.)

It’s the end of summer here in New Mexico, and while the sunflowers are blooming and it’s still warm, you can see that fall’s on its way. Kids have been in school a couple of weeks. (Being from the East Coast, that’s still weird for me.) Already I’ve spied some turning leaves here and there. The Hatch chiles are roasting in the grocery store parking lots. That heavenly aroma!

Fall is a looking forward time for me. How to change up the house decor – pumpkins and candles, of course. The holidays! We just rented a house for a week’s vacation in Arizona (which lets us be self-sufficient in this unnecessarily continued time of Covid, but I digress). New rugs and other textile projects. Workshops.

On that workshop note, I want to remind everyone that In the Studio Workshop Week 3 will be here in two months. Less than that, actually. I’ll be teaching two sessions of Hooking with T-Shirts. The first will be Saturday, October 23. There are a few places still open in each class, so if you’re interested, email me at Laura@highonhooking.com. Some workshops are full but may have a waiting list available. Others still have room. Just contact the teacher of the class you’re interested in.

Lastly, a gentle reminder. The rug hooking week at Sauder Village just wrapped up. Trolling Facebook, I’ve seen wonderful photos of the gorgeous rugs that were on display. One thing, though, that I noticed about many of the posts was the lack of attribution. We need to remember that when we post pics of others’ artwork, we need to give the artists their due and provide their names. An easy way to get that info is to take a quick pic of the little card that’s invariably right next to or just below the rug, painting, quilt, or other piece of art you’re photographing. Then you’ll have everything together when you go to share the art porn.

As summer winds down here in the northern hemisphere, what plans are you making in order to really appreciate and enjoy the autumn? Maybe you’ll head out to Mountainair!

August 16, 2021

IN THE STUDIO – Sept. 22 with Deirdre Pinnock

Textile work by Deirdre Pinnock intersects with her advocacy for mental health and diversity.

Picture of Deirdre Pinnock yarn-bombing. Also one of her hooked rugs.

Deirdre Pinnock is a talented rug hooker, ardent mental health advocate, aspiring entrepreneur, and self-identified “woman of colour” based in Vancouver, BC. She is passionate about fusing different materials, vivid colors, and therapeutic qualities into her work along with a dash of playfulness.

She is best known for yarn-bombing positive and uplifting messages such as “be kind” and “you are enough” into public fences around the city. You can also find her performing stand-up comedy about being Black in Vancouver. Her work expands to hosting workshops, guest speaking on the issue of diversity through art, and creating memorial pieces known as Hearts of Honour, which act as living memories to allow families to grieve their loss. Courtesy of CTV, she is publicly known as the Vancouver Yarnbomber.

The purpose behind Deirdre’s art revolves around self-healing and empowering one to battle through grief, anxiety, and pain. She also weaves the current political climate into her fiber art, confronting issues in a whimsical and humorous way.

To learn more about Deirdre and her work you can find her on Facebook at Deirdre Pinnock Designs and on Instagram @deirdrepinnockdesigns. See her website HERE.

MPORTANT PLEASE READ:

The Zoom link for this presentation will be emailed to you the day before the talk (or after you purchase your ticket, if you purchase on the day of the event). If you don’t receive it, you can contact the organizer at info@karendmillerstudio.com.

Tickets will be on sale until 10:00 am Eastern the day of the event. After that time you will no longer be able to purchase tickets.

Please note that the time of the talk is 1:00 pm EASTERN.

Find tickets for this event at Ticketscene.

FAQ’s

* Will this talk be recorded for viewing later?

Unfortunately, no. Due to the logistics involved, we decided some time ago to keep these events live. Hopefully if you can’t make it to this talk, you’ll be able to make it to a future talk.

* It’s the day of the talk and I’m having trouble finding or using the link for the talk. How can I find help?

It is very advisable to LOG INTO THE EVENT A FEW MINUTES EARLY to be sure that you have no trouble with the link, and if you are having trouble the organizer can help you out. You can email or message the event organizer up until one hour before the talk on the day of the talk for help. ONCE THE EVENT STARTS, however, messages and emails are not able to be monitored.

* I’m finding it distracting during the talk seeing all of the other participants on my screen. What can I do?

During the event the organizer will put the screen setting on “spotlight view” so that the presenter is the focus on your screen. Depending on your device, you may still see audience members on your screen and changing your setting from “gallery view” to “speaker view” should help with that.

* What Time Zone is the time of the talk in?

The time indicated on all ‘In the Studio’ talks is the EASTERN (EST) time zone. If you live in a different time zone, be sure to check what time you should tune in to ensure you don’t miss the talk.

*I can no longer make it to the talk. Or, I missed the talk. Can I get a refund?

Unfortunately no- the price of the ticket is so low that it is not cost-effective to refund those amounts. If you are unable to make it to the talk and you already have a ticket, or you forget to attend, please do contact me at info@karendmillerstudio.com. I always offer a ticket to the next talk to make up for it. All of the artist speakers receive a portion of the ticket proceeds so we very much appreciate your contribution to supporting artists!

June 28, 2021

Retreat week

Supplies for being on retreat. — Retreat supplies: journal; pen; colored pencils; *String Felt Thread* by Elissa Auther; watercolor brush pens; iced tea; and great weather.

I’m officially on retreat.

As mentioned last week, my workshop up north at Ghost Ranch was postponed which was a pretty big bummer for me. But then I realized I had a whole week of days I’d kept unscheduled, thinking I’d be away. What to do with that time??? Given how distracted I’ve found myself these last few months (okay, really the last year+), I find that I need to step back and redefine what it is I want and need out of life. Sure, I’m hooking and teaching, but my attention has…wandered. My daily routine isn’t working, and productivity has been affected.

It’s not at all helped by so many local, national, and even global crises. The collapsed Maimi condo, race and gender issues, folks refusing to get vaccinated thereby prolonging the whole Covid thing, some family health difficulties, climate change which really hits home here in the desert Southwest… I seem to be catching my kid’s anxieties. That we spent over a week with temps in the 100s certainly didn’t enhance my mood. But you – I – can’t live like that, in dread all the time.

Last week after deciding on a couple of new projects – not hooking!!! – I grabbed my coupons and started out for Jo-Ann Fabrics to get supplies. It occurred again to me that it’s summer. A time for lighter things, as I also said last week. But this time I really heard myself. Remember how we used to feel in summer? Even when bad things were happening around the world? (The reality is that good and bad things are always happening.) I put some Jimmy Buffett on the Fit’s stereo and off we went.

Hooked rug — ABUNDANCE (15″ x 48″) is finished! As part of my retreat efforts to shake things up, I sewed yesterday morning rather than during the evening, my usual MO. She’s the newest in 2021’s #happyrugseries and was hooked with all kinds of fibers. And, yes, those are holes in her. Life takes from us, but we still have so much to share.

Friday evening Tom and I had a lovely time sipping wine at a local winery, Casa Rodeña here in Albuquerque. They have a pond. It was cool and calming. I realized that I could take the next week to change up my routine, get some things done that I’ve been planning but been too paralyzed to do. In short, get myself out of this funk.

I started yesterday by learning a new “trick.” Okay, a new fiber art medium. I’m very excited and will share down the road. I even used YouTube to learn how to do it. Generally, I prefer to learn in person, not via a video. Again, it’s about getting out of the comfort zone, something I used to do without thinking too much about it.

An article about the Ribbon Rug Journal is on the retreat’s to-do list. Planning my next rug for when I’ll be on the road in a couple of weeks. More sketching and journaling. Reading for pleasure and “work.” Getting back to morning yoga for my arthritis. Not on the list: vacuuming, cleaning the kitchen, meetings, a lot of social media, worrying…

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But life does still go on. To that effect – note that In the Studio’s Workshop Week 3 classes are filling. Sure, it’s not till October, and we have more events and teachers than ever, but folks want in. Also, my own workshop, Hooking with T-Shirts, on October 30, had enough interest that I opened a second session for Saturday, October 23, also at 1:00 PM Eastern. Email me if you’re interested.

Dogs, hooked rug — Both boys bring you WHAT’S ON THE FRAME today. No title for it yet, but it’s the #ecohooking rug in recycled plastic bags. I should’ve added Static Guard to my list of retreat supplies!

Is it just me or do I sense many stepping back a bit to reevaluate as we move back into a post-pandemic world?

June 9, 2021

Time to register for Workshop Week 3!

Workshop Week 3 classes announced; registration is open!

Thanks to Covid, a new type of “camp” was born last year, one that lets folks from all over come together without worrying about the high costs (in money and germs!) of travel and hotels. Those of us involved in In the Studio – brought together by Karen Miller – had such success and fun, that we did it all over again in February and even invited a couple of other artists to join us. We’ve come full circle and are now planning WW3 for the last week of October, 2021. But this time we’ve got FOUR NEW TEACHERS!

Artists participating this time include the usual suspects: Karen; Elizabeth (Beth) Miller; Meryl Cook; Susan Feller, and myself. Guest teachers are: Charlie Dalton (you might know him by his Instagram handle @thehookingcolonel); Lisa Meecham (@woolly_good_hooking); Carmen Bohn (@intheply); and Anastasia Tiller (@frozenpartridgeberry).

Again, all Workshop Week 3 classes will be conducted on Zoom. I know, I know, it’s not the same as being there in person, but how else could you be part of this fabulous line-up? And we’ll have the two bonus sessions again during the week – an evening gathering and a panel discussion.

There’s a wide array of workshops available; some having to do with just rug hooking, others not so much. Scroll through the document below to find your favorite(s). Feel free to take more than one. Email individual instructors for registration and more info. Don’t tarry, as classes filled up pretty quickly last time.

BTW: If you see a workshop that you’d love to take with your guild or other social group, most of us are happy to run our classes again.

WORKSHOP WEEK 3 – Enlarge image by clicking on bottom right symbol.

June 1, 2021

June is already a WHIRLWIND!

Orange whirlwind — Whirlwind pic courtesy of Author: PixelAnarchy / pixabay.com.

WHIRLWIND: a small rotating windstorm of limited extent. At least according to the Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary.

Welcome the whirlwind that is June. So much is going on! But it will be of a limited extent for the most part. In July, we’ll pack up the CR-V and head back east for a couple of weeks. Till then, though…

Unfortunately, Cathy Kelly and I won’t be heading to our first show to vend as expected this coming weekend. When Covid numbers weren’t quite as low as they are now, the Spring & Fiber Festival at El Rancho de las Golondrinas near Santa Fe was canceled for 2021. Bummer, I know. But we subsequently applied for the Harvest Festival in October (during the big Balloon Fiesta here in Albuquerque); hopefully, that will pan out. The weather will be cooler then too!

CREATE DIY
Thursday, June 11, will find me back on Zoom to lead a Introduction to Rug Hooking – Not so Traditional. This workshop is part of CREATE DIY, an online textile festival from Quiltfest. Would-be students have until June 3 to register! More info can be found by following either of the links above.

Adobe Wool Arts Guild members holding hooked rugs. — Ah, the good. olde days when AWAG could hold our retreats and workshops 3 or 4 times per year. In this pic you’ll find, Liz, myself, Melinda, and Mary R. with our works in progress a few years back.

ADOBE WOOL ARTS GUILD
AWAG, New Mexico’s only rug hooking guild, will hold its first meeting since March of last year this month on June 16! One of our members has graciously offered her lovely backyard (complete with shade and breezes). If you’re a hooker or puncher in the Albuquerque area who’s been looking for company, please contact me at Laura@highonhooking.com. As the President of the group, I can get you in. Really. Plus, we’re a fun group.

GHOST RANCH
June 27-July 2, I’ll be up at Ghost Ranch north of Santa Fe to teach Hook a Rug, Save the Planet. I especially can’t wait because it appears that cell and Internet coverage are lacking up that way. Bummer…NOT! This promises to be a real get-away! We’ll be hooking and punching during this multi day workshop. And, no worries, there will be plenty of time to explore the ranch. My hiking shoes and camera are ready! There are several art-type classes running in June; find them here. (BTW, if you even think about heading to Ghost Ranch, I have one word: SUNSCREEN.)

Clearly, I’ve got a lot of workshop prepping to do! Meanwhile, for those who follow In the Studio and our Workshop Weeks, very soon we’ll be opening up registration for all workshops running during October’s Workshop Week 3. (Make sure you pen – not pencil – October 24-30 into your calendars!) We have more classes this time around -10! – and four new teachers. And, no, not every class is about rug hooking. Keep an eye out for more information! If you’re wondering what the hell I’m talking about, email me. We’ll chat. You’re definitely missing something good.

Backside of a hooked rug. — “Abundance” (aka the “automatic hooked rug“) freshly steamed. Yes, she’s upside down. She’s the latest in my HAPPY RUG series. “Whimsy,” there on the wall, was one of the first happy rugs. 2021 can’t get enough HAPPY

The boys and I would love to show you “What’s on the frame” this first week of June, but it’s a surprise till it’s pretty much finished. Saturday, though, I steamed “Abundance,” and am hoping to get to finishing her off today. Or at least starting to. She’s pretty big, and she’s got three holes! Summertime and the sewing will NOT be easy. My arthritic hands ache just thinking about it. But she’s well worth it.

SUMMERTIME AND COVID’S ON THE WANE. What are you planning this June that you couldn’t do last June? Tell us in the comments. And stay safe!