Category: recycled fiber art

October 26, 2020

IN THE STUDIO – Nov. 4 with Nadine Flagel

Nadine Flagel – Slow art vs. Fast fashion

Poster for Nadine Flage's In the Studio talk — IN THE STUDIO WITH NADINE FLAGEL – WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2020; 1-2 PM EASTERN (11-NOON MOUNTAIN)

Join Nadine Flagel as she talks about works-in-progress that explore the implications of fast fashion by restaging and reusing post-consumer textiles. Specifically, her works explore the rag yard as a source of crisis and creativity. Learn about moving between ideas and patterns, between technical problem-solving and more abstract concepts. The central concept will be the snag: the emergence of the unexpected, the jolting sensation when your sweater catches on a rusty nail. Whereas others might see snags as imperfections, difficulties, or dangers, we can see moments that require presence, that require the rug hooker’s celebration of discarded, damaged fabric and fibres.

Find tickets for this event here: https://www.ticketscene.ca/events/33806/

About Nadine Flagel:
Nadine is a self-taught textile and fibre artist whose mission is making art out of “making do.” She holds a Ph.D. in English Literature from Dalhousie University and teaches literature. Early next year Flagel will hold a solo exhibition at the BC Craft Council. She has written about textile art, created textile art for public art commission, and received grants to make art with youth. She is also a member of the Vancouver Guild of Fibre Artists and CARFAC. As a settler, Nadine lives and works on unceded land of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) peoples.

Learn more about Nadine and her work at https://pretextstudio.com and on Instagram @pretextstudio.

IMPORTANT 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 10am the day of the event. After that time you will no longer be able to purchase tickets.

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 12:30pm Eastern 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.

October 20, 2020

“Holes” in “A Vision of Hope and Healing” art show

Hooked art, Holes, to be in A Vision of Hope and Healingart show — **“Holes” hand-hooked art**, approximately 68″ tall x 33″ wide. Materials: used children’s clothing and bedding, wool yarn, silk sari yarn, velvet strips, and crepe fabric strips. “…make no mistake, genetic programming all but ensures love and duty toward offspring. That love is patch-worked over our leaking selves, especially over pulse points where we feel the beating of our own hearts.”

“A Vision of Hope and Healing,” 2020’s art show at the Santa Maria de la Vid Abbey in Albuquerque opens Friday evening. It’s a perfect theme for this year, no? Most happily, like last year, I have a piece, “Holes,” that was juried into the show.

“Holes” was last year’s secret project; it’s to be included in Karen Miller‘s motherhood art book coming out in 2022. (More info on that later.) I finally finished it in February. I was also hoping to jury it into another show, but that didn’t work out. Nonetheless, it was accepted into “Hope and Healing” which pleases me inordinately. The Abbey is a beautiful, little place in southern Albuquerque. It’s quiet, even as it looks out onto the city, peaceful, even as you watch planes readying to land at the Sunport.

The Norbertines are committed to art; you can see it in the church they built. It leads you in, invites you to pray or at least reflect. Their mission and inspiration say it all:

Art at the Abbey gathers people of diverse stories, circumstances, beliefs, and perspectives together in community. We foster an encounter with the human experience and seek dialogue as the Holy Spirit inspires through art, a universal way of expression. By this, we hope to uphold themes of human dignity and openness in relation to overlying realities and movements in our world today to encourage resilience and hope.

In the spirit of Galatians 3:28 – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus,” the Norbertine Community of Santa Maria de la Vid Abbey stands by the position that all are welcome to bear witness to and participate in their life as community, regardless of religious or spiritual background. They embrace their call to extend the grace and love of Christ unreservedly and appreciate the opportunity to do so through the universal language of art. As a sacred place and home to artworks by various artists of a shared inspiration, they are blessed by Santa Maria de la Vid Abbey to host art exhibitions, a work of art in itself.

“Holes” is a motherhood rug. Perhaps not the one you might expect. While the media, both traditional and social, proclaim the “nobleness” of motherhood, practically sainting mothers, it’s not that way in real life. Sure, it has its moments, more of them, if you’re lucky, but that’s not every mother’s experience. Certainly, it hasn’t been mine. Tom can attest, and he probably needs his own “holey” rug, but he’ll have to hook it himself.

Motherhood, parenthood – I won’t lie, it’s been a mixed bag – love and damage – and I wish a lot of it could’ve been different. But we only have the lives we’re dealt – the kids’ and our own. They’re what shape us.

“Official” Description of “Holes”:

Motherhood leaves behind holes, real, often un-patchable, irreversible. Damage is physical and deeply emotional no matter the child. Children leave holes just by leaving, from the womb or home.

The piece is hand-hooked using mostly recycled textiles. As children wear down their clothes, they can leave their mother in tatters as well.

But there is deep love for our children despite the wounds they inflict. We never lose love for our kids.

Swirls suggest the intertwining of life, blood, spirit. Life and love are dynamic, always flowing between mother and child. Life constructs life, but it also destroys. Some of that dysfunction can heal or at least be patched so that the life and love go on.

Poster for A Vision of Holiness art show — Note that there will be Covid-19 protocols in place. Visit the **website** for more information.

If you’re in the ABQ area, please visit “A Vision of Hope and Healing,” if only to experience the Abbey, its stillness, and its magnificent views.

October 6, 2020

October events: Are you going?

OCTOBER EVENTS

Hooked rug — October’s here, the pumpkin time of year! This little guy was hooked using wool strips and yarn and recycled t-shirts. The background is primarily cotton batik.

October started at a run right out of the gate. Not sure how that can be in these days of Covid, but I suppose it shows that we’re all adapting to our new reality. And, hey, it’s not all bad. Because of Zoom, many of us are seeing each other on a pretty regular basis, which would NOT have been the case if we had to travel any distance to get together.

So, exactly what’s up in October?

Photo for one of the October events — IN THE STUDIO WITH JUDI MILLER – wEDNESDAY, 2020; 1-2 PM EASTERN (11-NOON MOUNTAIN

Wednesday, October 7:
IN THE STUDIO WITH JUDI MILLER

Canadian artist Judi Miller joins moderator Karen Miller of Karen D. Miller Studios to discuss artist residencies. Maybe you’ve considered one? There’s still time to purchase a ticket today to get the scoop. Info can be found here. Starts at 1:00 PM Eastern.

Wednesday, October 14: ALT FIBERS HOOK-IN

This is a chance to just sit and hook together – okay, on Zoom – for an evening. If you’ve been wondering about hooking with something other than wool, this is the place to come and discuss. Grab a beverage and a project and join us. More info can be found here. Starts at 5:00 PM Eastern. And, yes, wool’s invited as well.

Wednesday, October 21: ADOBE WOOL ARTS GUILD MEETING

If you’re a fiber artist in New Mexico and interested in joining AWAG, the only rug hooking guild in the state, please give a yell to attend. We’re not officially meeting in person yet, but Zoom has let folks meet and talk to one another. Please contact moi at Laura@highonhooking.com for more info. (That’s because I’m the guild president.) Starts at 1:00 PM Mountain time.

Monday-Friday, October 26-30: IN THE STUDIO’S FIRST WORKSHOP WEEK

Who says we can’t have classes during Covid? Not only can we, but people from all over Canada and the US and even beyond can participate!

Teachers include: Karen Miller, Susan Feller, Meryl Cook, Beth Miller, and moi. Workshops by Susan and myself are full, but, if you hurry, you might grab a place in the others. (There are waiting lists.) BTW, not only are there classes, but bonus evening sessions include a hook-in and a panel discussion. More info here.

With all these October events, I don’t want to hear that you’re bored or you have nothing to do. You are cordially invited to pretty much…everything! Until we get a Coronacootie vaccine in place and working, this is how we’ll be getting together. But I suspect we’ll keep Zooming at least part of the time because, you know, it works! Hope to see you online!

Dogs present "What's on the frame" this today. — Aren’t they playing nice? Tynan and Bowyn both bring you “What’s on the frame” today. It’s a Boucherouite-inspired rug hooked with t-shirts. I started it on vacation last week. Right now it’s got kind of an October vibe going with those Halloweenish colors.

September 24, 2020

New season, new rugs, new scenery!

It’s a new season. Finally! Fall officially started Tuesday when the autumnal equinox happened. For those of us who can’t wait to give 2020 the boot, it couldn’t have come sooner.

Tynan in Bosque/woods in the new season. — A fall picture of Tynan running in the **Bosque** in a fall past. Sadly, he’s a little slower these days, but he enjoys his sniffing time there.

Fall is like the New Year to me; it’s a time of new beginnings. Sadly this year, that also necessitates endings. Right now I’m thinking about Friday’s death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I like to think that she’ll have even more influence up there in heaven than what she had here on earth which is and was FREAKING AWESOME. Women, teach your daughters well. I was reading an article today about how much more house- and child-work women have to do at home during this time of the Coronacootie. It’s often been at the expense of their jobs and careers. If, like me, you’re not out in the world-at-large working, perhaps you can offer a helping hand to a working mom you know. She shouldn’t have to lose her career footing just because she can multitask better than a man, just because kids ~~are~~ have to be on her mind more than her partner’s.

Angel Ruth, pray for us!

So, new season, new scenery. Tom and I are finally getting out of Dodge! Our 2020 vacation plans have dwindled throughout the spring and summer from a driving trip to Oregon (we were calling it the pinot noir tour, alas) to a wedding in Rhode Island (no to planes and too many motels on the road) to northern Colorado (couldn’t find a place to rent) to farther south in New Mexico (too expensive to rent a house and the town was filled with Texans escaping germs and heat) to…thankfully…kind of in the middle of nowhere northern New Mexico. (But there is internet access, speed unknown.)

So, we’ll be off soon to visit mountains other than our own Sandias here in Albuquerque. Somewhere cooler! The plan is to veg: read, hike a little, walk, hook, read, write, read.

Did I mention reading? I have a novel written by a good friend (see below)* queued up, a backlog of New Yorkers, and String Felt Thread: The Hierarchy of Art and Craft in American Art (by Elissa Auther) as recommended reading by Susan Feller of ArtWools.

Book and magazines — Some of my reading materials for vacation. Kerry’s novel *Heat Stroke* is on my tablet.

I’m in the midst of sewing rug tape onto a new rug that will entertain me up there. It’s Boucherouite-esque. All recycled t-shirt. Colorful – much like the new season – but not taxing to hook. Like you want on vacation.

Below Tynan brings you part of the rug currently on the frame, though the hooking will be done tonight. You can only see a portion of it now because it’s a commission due next month. It’s hooked almost completely in wool strips and yarn. I know, I know, that doesn’t happen too often in this house. And that will continue as I found out that my wool dust allergy is worse, now extending to some loose, bulky yarns. Bummer, but I won’t give them up completely. Love them too much.

A reminder! My Alt Fibers Hook-In is taking place Wednesday, October 14, at 7:00 PM Eastern. For those in the Mountain time zone like me, that’s 5:00, cocktail time. Perfect! You can learn more about the event in the link above, but it’s a time for:

sharing experiences hooking with materials other than wool;
experimenting;
Tynan presents “Whats on the frame” today.
drinking cocktails;
chatting as if we were in a room together (the cocktails will help with that);
and whatever other topics and questions we come up with.

Please know that this is a hook-in, NOT a class. And wool, you’re welcome to come. I know that you play nice with other fibers in my rugs. Email me at Laura@highonhooking.com if you’re interested. (Know that may take awhile for me to get back to you.)

I pray to God that you manage(d) to get away from your everyday view for at least a little while. It’s good to get out. I’m hoping to avoid the news as much as possible and forget…what I’ll have to come home to. At least my mind and my soul will be rested.

Angel Ruth, pray for us in this new season!

*Heat Stroke is by Kerry Radloff

September 8, 2020

Come to the Alt Fibers Hook-In October 14!

Been hoping to attend a hook-in?

Between my workshop last month and social media chatter, it appears that many are interested in hooking fibers other than (or at least as well as) wool. Again, there’s nothing wrong with wool; in fact, the current rug on my frame is hooked with wool strips and yarn. I will say that the latter allows for easier breathing given my wool dust allergy.

All this being so and seeing how everyone is missing HOOKING TOGETHER, I’m offering an Alt Fibers Hook-In on Wednesday, October 14, at 7:00 PM Eastern, which makes it 5:00 Mountain time, my time. Evening should be a little more relaxing, though, unfortunately, the event must be BYOB.

What you’ll need to bring to the Alt Fibers Hook-In:

A hook;
A hooking project;
Your “fun” fibers – and wool can come too;
Your beverage and snacks of choice; and
Enthusiasm, questions, tales (tall or not).

This is not a class, but a time for give and take with one another. A time to share what might have worked for you. A time to ask if anyone has experience with ______. A time to have some fun.

DETAILS

Hook-In will run WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 7:00-9:00 PM Eastern.

Tynan invites you to the Alt Hook-In. He also presents this week’s “What’s on the Frame?” It’s a commission being done in wool strips and wool yarn. He apologizes for his summer absence from the blog. (As he calls me dirty names.)

Hook-in will be held online through Zoom. Upon registration and payment, the Zoom link and password will be sent via email.

There is a COST of $10 to help defray my Zoom account costs.

Hook-In will be limited to 20 people.

For more information or to register, please email me at Laura@highonhooking.com.

Both Tynan and I hope that you can come. (But don’t tell Bowyn!)