Who would’ve thunk that a t-shirt artist would be featured in a nearby gallery? Thanks to friend and guild-mate Nancy, I thunk thought it and was able to see the exhibit before it closes come March 23. Thanks so much, Nancy!
If you’re interested in fiber art at all and are near Santa Fe before March 23, I urge you to take an hour or so and head to form & concept, a gallery you can easily find on South Guadalupe Street in the Railyard District. Warning: You’re gonna love the gallery and will need more time.
The t-shirt artist in question is Nika Feldman. BTW, she not only considers herself to be a fiber artist, but a rag picker as well. Bless her heart; I know where she’s coming from. (Have you seen my rugs hooked out of recycled t-shirts? Bed sheets?) I had a great time looking at the various pieces, which are made of recycled t-shirts, pop tabs, and embroidery (which she’s very good at).
Here is an example of one of Feldman’s t-shirt pieces: “Hooded Cape.” (Photo courtesy of form & concept Gallery.) Yes, it’s comprised of nothing but old t-shirts, pull tabs, and stitchery!
While Feldman calls t-shirts the most ubiquitous – and cheapest – universal clothing made by Western culture, and that’s true, I’m not sure that I agree with her that the shirts are always recognizable even when cut up and taken apart. I know that I regularly have to tell folks that many of my rugs are hooked from old t-shirts. And the disbelief that they mouth. Granted, my strips are looped; some of hers hang free. Still, given what Feldman does with hers… The embellishments, especially when one sees her prowess with a needle and thread, are fantastic.
I fully concur with her message and only wish that I could state what I’m trying to do with my own art so succinctly:
The message…she said, has to do with modern North America’s mass production systems.
“It’s disposability, it’s like how we can make life more convenient, and more convenient, and more convenient?” she said of the narratives that this continent’s clothing conveys. “It comes at an unsustainable cost to the Earth.”
Fast fashion that often falls apart – have you ever wondered why that trendy tank top developed a hole after only one wash? – is a big part of the fashion industry’s unsustainability. That and our culture’s fickle fashion sense are why Feldman and I can both find so many t-shirts to use in our artwork. Savers, Goodwill, friends and relatives can supply us with all we need.
The pieces in the exhibit are “garment-like” rather than actual garments. This, according to Feldman, allows us to look deeper at them and to see them as art rather than just wearable fashion to be purchased and then put on. (For how long?) Indeed, she spent time in the fashion industry earlier in her career(s). I find that an interesting idea especially since my own goal when hooking a rug with t-shirts and other recycled materials is that it also be usable – as a rug, a table runner, or what-have-you. Regardless, I very much enjoyed looking at Feldman’s art, and I encourage you to make a run to Santa Fe before it disappears.
The exhibit by Nike Feldman is called Spirits in the Material World. It’s at form & concept on South Guadalupe in Santa Fe till March 23.
“I was so into fiber, because of its comforting and protective qualities, but at the same time it is a medium associated with struggle and women’s work,” she says. “Then I got into the whole concept of felt, because it’s incredibly strong but it presents in this soft, vulnerable way.” The artist’s mastery of the medium and her emotional language-building express the deeply personal in a way that holds broader relevance to humanity, voicing ideas about growth, human connection and personhood.
I have no idea who the artist is. Maybe you know? But isn’t it beautiful? Okay, wine is beautiful too.
Rug love in the wine store?
I’ll explain. I’m having a busy week. Big surprise, I know. But I was trying to figure out something new and exciting (and quick) to write about when Tom and I headed out to the liquor store. A snowstorm was taking aim at Albuquerque, and we were running low. Before you scoff, I’m from New England and lived through the Blizzard of ’78; snow forecasts = a run to the grocery store. By the way, we got almost an inch and a half today. I know, wow.
So, we’re in Total Wine, and I remember how I’ve gotten rug ideas from wine labels. Some of them are so creative, even beautiful. Then I thought that maybe you need rug ideas right about now. Especially for those of you back east and in the midwest who will live through your own winter storm tonight and tomorrow. Enjoy!
Don’t the colorful flowers draw you in? The birds. What would it be like to share a bottle with this graceful lady? (I’m not particularly graceful.) But zoom over to the left, to the name of the wine. “Dirt Diva”! Love it! No problem drinking with this chick after all.I fear that this is more my speed, not so much the beautiful Dirt Diva. At least he looks happy. Or drunk.
This – or something similar – is one of the first wine bottle labels that jumped out at me to inspire a rug. And yet I don’t think we ever tried the wine. Bummer.
I bet I’m not the only one who’s hooked a rug with this element in it.Has no one realized that “The Fugitive” is just the Invisible Man? They are never gonna catch him. I mean…all of them. BTW, here’s how the manufacturer describes this wine: “Not just any wine – the wine that you drink when you know if may just be your last.” Alrighty.Here’s where they start getting scary. Or weird. Or both. Why name it “Juggernaut”? Okay, maybe it’s a huge and powerful force. But am I going to turn into a Robby Benson Beast, only more frightening, when I drink this stuff? I mean, look at the grass under his feet. It’s blood red. Imagine your new boyfriend ordering this stuff on a date…
Or 19 Crimes Hard Chard. Really? What’s the wine trying to say here? Maybe Jane’s husband tried to get her drunk on the Juggernaut and got more than he bargained for? For her crime she’s banished off to Botany Bay. At least she didn’t have to take him.
Two of my favorites. And I think it’s fair to say that I became distracted from my original intention. I am NOT hooking a rug of a framed French convict on Devil’s Island or a skeletal Pope. Who comes up with this stuff?
I DO know who came up this one and the next one. Albuquerque artist Sean Wells is a kick-ass Albuquerque artist whose artwork has been featured on La Catrina Vino, Cerveza de los Muertos, and New Mexico lottery tickets. She also happens to vend at many of the same events I vend at.
Another of Sean’s gorgeous and fun wine bottles.
Okay, I’ll end with a pic of the elusive jackalopegracing this bottle of whiskey. Now something like this could make it onto a rug. And don’t lecture me about the pesky copyright laws. I know all about them. Have a great week. Maybe I’ll pour myself a bottle glass of wine now…
Hey, it’s me, EVFAC’s Miss February, AKA, their artist of the month for February. I hope to see you Saturday in Española. Feel free to send a representative if you can’t make it.
Miss February here, but come Saturday I’ll be up in Españolaat the Española Valley Fiber Arts Center (EVFAC). Why? you ask. Actually, there are two good reasons, two very good reasons you might want to join me:
1. I’m teaching a class!
Chances are, if you read this blog, you’re already a rug hooker. Or you’ve developed an interest in hooked rugs, thought that you might even want to try hooking one yourself. This is your chance! Don’t wait, carpe hook! I’ll be running an introductory workshop, 10-2, this Saturday, February 16. It’s called: Hook a rug – Save the planet. You are very welcome to join us. No experience necessary; you don’t even need to bring anything (though some scissors would be helpful). Click for details on EVFAC’s website.
2. I’m giving a little presentation on what rug hooking’s like today.
When I’m out and about vending, folks stop by regularly to tell me how once upon a time they watched their mother or grandfather hooking rugs. Some even cut wool strips or pulled a loop or two. Like all things, rug hooking’s evolved since then. Mostly. Come on by EVFAC at 2:30, Saturday (yes, after the class lets out), and we can chat about the changes I’ve seen in the 15 or so years that I’ve been hooking. After that you can shop and see what other opportunities EVFAC has for the fiber-inclined.
This week’s sneak peak at “What’s on the frame.” Of course, it’s the “Big Boucherouite.” Last week’s guild retreat gave me a chance to get a lot of the center done. But the March 1 deadline looms large. If you come Saturday, you can see the “Big Boucherouite” in the flesh!
Can’t we ever just walk by weird things? Of course, not. (I remind you of the Uranus Fudge Factory she made us stop at in Missouri.) Notice she’s holding my head so that I’ll look at the camera. Anyway, this is Hatch,across the street from the famous Sparky’s Restaurant with its aromatic smoke.
Tynan the traveling dog back for a third week! Woof! Unfortunately, the idiots have no plans for us to go anywhere anytime soon. Bummer. But, as promised, I thought I’d catch you up on our Arizona trip, show you how I added a state to my repertoire, as it were.
If you’re not all caught up, check last week’s post, a quick summary of the trip, then sit back in your armchair while I drive for a change.
We left Albuquerque on Thursday, January 2, by about 10:00. The time was more tailored to ensure lunch at Sparky’s in Hatch, the chile capitol of the world. He’d never eaten there. Me, I got to sit in the car while the smoke coming from all those burgers and pork wafted in through the cracked car windows strangling me with its perfect aroma. It was not an auspicious start for the trip. In retaliation, when they waddled walked me around later, I peed on Sparky’s. Not my finest moment, I admit, but peeing on my people really wouldn’t have worked. Then they made pose for pictures in front of the kitschy stuff near the restaurant. Whatever.
At last we were off again. It’s a long ride to Tucson, and I snoozed through most of it. Finally, we arrived at our destination, the Best Western-Tucson Foothills. Apparently, she and my lady friends from the Adobe Wool Arts Guild (AWAG) prefer this place when they make their annual pilgrimage to the Old Pueblo Rug Hookers Hook-In. (Hook-in, yes they really call it that.) There is a reason for their fealty to this particular hotel: free booze! Yep, the place provides a gratis happy hour (more like three hours), and you know they aren’t passing by that. Wouldn’t you know it, we arrived during sed happy hour. So off to the “cafe” we go thinking the idiots will pick up a glass of quaffable, free wine and sit outside or, more realistically as the sun was already going down, head back to the room to drink then argue over who would go back to get the next round.
Best Western-Tucson Foothills: Four paws up for the comfy bed. Pity the master kicked me off every single night once his World of Warcraft character bit the big one (over and over).
But then the beautiful bartendress sees me, and she says these magical words: “Oh, he’s so cute, Of course, he can stay.” She caresses my chin and whispers, “Would you like to go home with me? I can give you your own downy hotel bed, barbecue on demand…” Sorry, I digress there, maybe fantasize a bit. The point is I was invited in to happy hour all weekend. Nice touch, Best Western-Tucson Foothills. Oh, especially, that popcorn machine. Loved the popcorn machine!
Drinks drunk, we head back to the room so the idiots can rest. (Wow, tough day: eating, driving, and drinking.) Anyway, he takes over the desk with his laptop; she and I claim the bed. This traveling dog is really starting to love human hotel beds. They’re lower than the one back home, and they’re BIG! She doesn’t care if I take 2/3s of it. Very comfy.
On the way up to Mount Lemmon in the Coronado National Forest. Check out all the crazy saguaro cacti! Have you ever seen so many in one place? They even constitute a cactus forest!
Next day, we’re off to Mount Lemmon, Tucson’s tallest mountain. Back maybe 16 summers ago, they were vacationing in Tucson, checking it out for possible future residence. They tried to drive up but were turned back by officials. The mountain was on fire. Not this time! Of course, we had to drive in stops and starts since she had to take all her freaking pictures. Fortunately, there was some pretty spectacular scenery. And I got to get out of the car!
A saguaro close-up.
The topography changed on our way up to Mount Lemmon. The cacti gave way to juniper bushes and then pines. There were interesting rock formations on the way up. You could climb on them!
She captured this old tree for her friend Karen Miller of Karen D. Miller Studio in Ontario. I know why I’m fascinated with trees, but them????
This is the view looking over Tucson from near the tree. Quite…expansive.This is what a skiing area looks like in…Tucson. We saw three people ski across that hill. Three. Can you say “ice”? Unfortunately, the rest of the road to the top was blocked here with snow. No telescopes for us. But we got pretty close.The master after a fine lunch at the Iron Door Restaurant across the street from Mount Lemmon Ski Valley. Notice that I am not in the photograph. Perhaps someone should alert the authorities regarding how often they leave me in a vehicle while they stuff their faces.After lunch on the mountain, the pudgy ones decided to work some of it off with a hike. I’m always good with that. And unlike them, I miss snow, so this was a fine activity.
That night, my AWAG ladies finally showed up at the hotel. At happy hour, of course. Mary R. brought me gifts, and…the popcorn machine was working! Nan watched me while the idiots went for food. She let me on her bed. I love Nan. Plus, she brings toys for me when she comes to our house.
Saturday morning, we drop the mistress off at the La Paloma Country Club for the hook-in. Looked like a swanky place for something with such a stupid name. He tells her not to spend so much at the silent auction this year. Right. (Later she called not breaking $100 a win. He did not.)
Back to that day, he decides to take us to some park; he’s already forgotten the name. (At least she wouldn’t have done that.) We get out of the car. Something is not right. He wonders why I don’t want to do the usual who-peed-here sniffs, but something smells really bad at this park. “Come on, ” he tells me not particularly patiently. He calls me squirrely, mocks me with that word. But I’m trying to tell him, I think there are f-ing rattlesnakes here! They paid for me to have that hateful training, but it did work. I smell their dirty asses (not that I’m exactly sure where a snake keeps its ass). Finally, he’s fed up with me; we turn around. There is a god! We head back to my favorite Best Western. Frankly, I think he just wanted to get back to his stupid laptop and World of Warcraft. Whatever, I got the bed to myself.
That night we do happy hour with the girls again. Folks fawn over me especially when they hear what he did to me. I appreciate that. Sunday morning we’re off for home. She gets an idea that she wants to take a different route, not the one we came on. He’s skeptical, but of course, she wins. We turn the car to the north. At first it’s nice, sleep-inducing. We stop at McDonald’s for their “quality” brunch, then get into some more remote country. I’ll let the pictures (she took soooo many) tell the story.
Excuse me for waxing poetic, but you have to drive around this great country of ours to really appreciate how big and beautiful it is. This is El Capitan Pass in Arizona. Things were getting pretty desolate out here, and no, there was absolutely no cell service to call AAA. (We were in another rental; he didn’t dare risk driving his ancient Honda Accord on this trip. She wouldn’t have let him forget it if the damn thing broke down.)Okay, this killed about an hour, but she insisted it was worth taking all the photos then hanging at the visitor center. While they’ve been to and even hiked down the Grand Canyon farther north and west, they didn’t know crap about the Salt River Canyon. It and the many switch-backs it took to get down to the river were admittedly impressive.A view of the Snake River down at the Visitor Center.
A view of us practically under the old and the new bridges where Route 60 crosses the Snake River. How many of pictures can one person take of the same thing?
Of course, can’t live without a shot of the river on the other side of the bridges.
And yet another one of the Canyon after we’d crossed the bridge and started to climb out of the Salt River Canyon.Finally! We get to something in New Mexico! And it was suitably impressive. These cliffs and rock formations were in the El Malpais National Monument. (They didn’t know anything about that either.) Driving through there was even more desolate than going through Arizona. Again, thank God for the rental car!Incredible as La Ventana Arch is, she didn’t spend a ton of time outside, though she still took way too many shots. It was cold and windy; she was dressed for Tucson. Ha! It’s always good to wear just one outfit your entire life. Me, I’m ready for anything in my naturally red and white fur coat.
At least we made it home before dark, and now I’m coming to terms with my lack of hotel beds and popcorn machines.
She’s still not letting me sit on her current rug, the “Big Boucherouite,” and get a treat for sharing it with you, but she’s got this tiny photo for you. Looks like all the others if you ask me
Tynan the traveling dog
I hope she’ll let me come back again sooner than later. I enjoy sharing my travels with you. And you make good witnesses as to how the idiots treat me.
Española Valley Fiber Arts Center in…Española, New Mexico. A place filled with fiber. Visit and you’re sure to have a fiberific time. My rugs will spend February in the window on the left.
Good news! How often do we get to yell that? Actually, it’s news I wasn’t ready to share last week, but after hanging out at the Española Valley Fiber Arts Center (EVFAC) for awhile today (and shopping, of course), I can reveal: I’m the center’s “Artist of the Month” in February. Yes, really!
The “Artist” will have their fiber creations filling up one of the big windows at the front of the building. And available for sale. EVFAC’s just starting the new program this year. They announced it in the January newsletter and asked members to apply. On a lark, I did just that. I mentioned though, because I vend during much of the year, a winter month would be good. They got back to me right quick and offered February. Woohoo!
Yes, I accepted.
Need colorful wool yarns? EVFAC’s your place.
Today the High on Hooking helpers – Tom and Tynan – and I took the hour-and-a-half drive up to Española (a half-hour north of Santa Fe) so that I could talk logistics. Then…they asked me to teach an introductory class during the month. And give a little talk. Alrighty! It actually won’t be the first class I’ve taught there. A talk though…
So, that’s my good news. If you’re local and have thought that maybe you’d like to give rug hooking a whirl, this is a great opportunity. The class will be Saturday, February 16, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. We’ll lunch at the table while we hook. After that, we’ll talk more hooking. We’ll have plenty to chat about as it’s still not that well known in these parts – the Southwest – where weaving traditionally dominates. But we’re making great strides, people!
Do you have any good news? 2019 is starting strong here at High on Hooking, and I already have a l-o-n-g queue of rugs just waiting to be hooked. (Truthfully, this is somewhat daunting…) It will be the year of many rugs. And many rug events. Share yours here!
Tynan’s providing your last look at the ENTIRE “Big Boucherouite” until it’s done. No worries, I’ll still share bits and pieces each week and on Instagram/Facebook. Let me tell you how heavy it’s getting! BTW, isn’t Tynan looking handsome with his new haircut?
EVFAC’s just starting the new program this year. They announced it in the 
