Category: rug hooking

October 3, 2017

The power of community

Drafted Monday

Community involvement — *High in Hooking all set up and raring to go at the OFFCenter Folk Art Festival Sunday.*

Today was a bad day. For the victims in Las Vegas, for their families, and for all of the United States. How to write a blog about rug hooking or art or anything that seems frivolous in comparison? I decided not to bother. Instead I decided that I should concentrate on “community.”

Yesterday I was a vendor at the OFFCenter Folk Art Festival here in Albuquerque. Frankly, as far as selling goes, the day sucked. I didn’t even sell a mug rug set. The folks around me didn’t do too well either. In my case, I’d been afraid that my price point was too high for the event. Was I right? I’m not completely sure, but I suspect that had a lot to do with it. Was I disappointed even though I knew I might have a problem? Of course, but, you know, packing up, I told myself and Tom that it could’ve been worse.

Yesterday was a gorgeous day here. There was bright sun, and it was about 75 degrees tops. Sure, Albuquerque typically enjoys about 310 days of sun annually, but last week wasn’t at all typical. It rained for a number of days in a row. I needed waterproof shoes to set up in the grass, but I was able to change into canvas sneakers right after that. My point: it was much better to be out and about with others than to be sitting in the house listening to the Patriots lose.

The OFFCenter Folk Art Festivval is most definitely a family affair. Everyone and anyone can get in on the action.

The OFFCenter Community Arts Project’s mission is:

To promote positive self identity and resilience through art making by providing a safe environment for creative social interaction with an emphasis to enhance the lives of those most marginalized in our community.

They have a studio and shop across from Robinson Park where yesterday’s festival was held. It’s not just an event whereby selling artists pay a fee that raises monies to support the project. There are grants and donors and volunteers to do that. No, this festival is a CELEBRATION OF THE ARTS AND THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO LIKE TO MAKE ART. And I’m not only talking about the artists like me who were selling. It’s very family-friendly. There were tents and tables set up for kids and adults alike to make art. They didn’t have to buy it from me or the toy-maker or the illustrator or the painter. And while they drew and

crocheted and linked beads, there was music to dance to. There were giant puppets! See their pics!

The Project serves anyone and everyone in Albuquerque who chooses to go there. They, you, I, we all can make art for free. This is part of the Center’s vision statement:

…to provide a working model of a non-institutional community art setting that sustains and improves community mental health and social capital.

My aunt was an art therapist so I know the value that creative pursuits offer to those with mental illnesses let alone to those of us who are “normal.” I’m not lying when I talk to people in my booth who say, “That obviously takes so much time and patience.” My response: “It’s my therapy.” In fact, that’s what many of my guild-mates say when we’re out demonstrating around town. We’re not lying. You know. There’s something calming about working with your hands; the repetitive movement is soothing. It doesn’t have to be hooking. All artists feel it. The Zen-like concentration keeps us in the moment, relieves us from ruminating constantly on all our problems. And we all have problems.

Today the entire country is living not just a problem, but a nightmare. Worse, we keep re-living the nightmare. I don’t know what the answer is, but somehow communities have to come together – if only for consolation. Yesterday I saw a community that was clearly providing all kinds of mutual support. It was beautiful. And it’s a start.

From the OFFCenter Arts Project:

Annually, we serve ~3,600 predominantly low-income artists of all ages, from child to elder. They’re often living with disabilities or other hardships, recovering through the arts, building community and hope inside and outside our studio walls.

If You Believe in What We Believe…Please Support Us!

September 27, 2017

Summer colors’ last gasp = Inspiration

INSPIRATION

Being the fourth Tuesday of the month, yesterday was one of the Adobe Wool Arts Guild’s demo days (we’re there the 1st and 4th Tuesdays) at Albuquerque’s Biopark, specifically the Botanic Garden. And although it clouded up and eventually rained, the morning was gorgeous: blue sky, cool, crisp. The colors in the gardens sparkled. I felt a need to pull out my phone and grab a few shots before the flowers all disappear into the chill of fall and winter.

When I got home, I headed into my own yard to record the colors of late September. Like the hummingbirds, most will be gone within a few weeks.

pumpkin colors — It may be the last gasp for summers’ colors, but it’s just beginning for pumpkins’ oranges, greens, and even blues!

Regardless of color, life goes on. Here at High on Hooking, we’re readying for a third show in less than two weeks. Sunday is the OffCenter Folk Art Festival at Robinson Park in downtown Albuquerque. Lots to do before that! I’ve sold out of all double mug rug sets and most of the singles. I’ll finish up another three singles in the next couple of days. Meanwhile I’m starting a double. Or maybe it’ll be a quadruple…

Anyone showing up to the OffCenter Folk Art Festival to buy a rug will get 10% off if they mention this blog post! Hope to see you.

dog and rug — Tynan took a couple of weeks off, but he’s back with “What’s on the Frame?” That would be the double (or perhaps quadruple) mug rug that won’t be ready for sale this weekend. But there’s always November’s events (more on them later!) or even the Internet. Careful of those pins, dude!

September 13, 2017

Why do we sell?

Why sell the mug and rug? — The hot, hot, hot of summer’s giving way to the heat of roasted chiles and sunflowers. Fall’s coming. Are you ready?

It’s September, the time that many of us consider the real New Year. You know, when you get back on a more regular schedule, stop drinking (as many) margaritas, and think more serious thoughts, like am I freaking crazy trying to sell hooked rugs in this day and age? I mean, most people that show up at my booth don’t even know what the hell they’re looking at. Is that weaving? (We are in New Mexico.) Hey, I did that in the 70s… And rugs aren’t usually the cheapest item up for sale at the fair or market or wherever they’re being sold.

My summer sale season started out very well. Sold a big rug right out of the gate. First weekend at the Rail Yards was good too. Then there were a few weeks of…nothing. Didn’t happen that way last year. Fortunately, it’s picked up lately, and finally going the Instagram way has helped too. One of my rugs will soon be winging its way north to Washington all because someone saw a pic and looked up my website. Woohoo! Actually, I like Instagram. Lots of pretty pictures and little typing.

Sold rug! — “New Mexican Sun” (8″x8″; wool, alpaca, recycled clothing, ribbon, sari) will soon be on its way to Washington state.

So, why do we do it? Why do some of us try to sell our hooked rugs? In my case, the rugs were building up. They cost money to make, so I thought why not try to recoup some costs. To actually make money would be gravy. Of course, if one takes into account the TIME it takes to make a rug, I’m actually paying to make the damn things. But that’s okay. That’s the point, in fact. Whether I sell them or not, I’ll make them because hooking is a passion. And I really like making all kinds of rugs – even mug rugs – especially when I can switch it up all the time. One week it’ll be mug rugs, the next some larger, arsty-fartsy thing. It’s about the creativity.

Okay, and rug hooking lets me watch my television shows without falling asleep in my chair.

The reality is that I like hanging at art shows and markets. If I wasn’t a vendor, I’d be there buying things. At least manning the booth keeps my Visa bill down. Even better, I get to chat up all kinds of folks and spread the gospel of fiber arts. Sure, if I’m having a tough day and folks just aren’t stopping by, there’s a snarky inner monologue that starts going through my brain, but at least I have a purpose. And, hey, I feel just like all the other artists there.

And to that effect, for anyone who’s going to be in the Albuquerque general area (you know, within a couple hundred miles), besides my final two Sundays at the Rail Yards (September 24 and October 15), I’ve been accepted into three other fall shows.

Saturday, September 23 – Mama’s Minerals 12th Annual Arts and Crafts Show
Did this one last year with friend and guildmate Cathy Kelly. Glad they moved it to the fall (from August). Lots of vendors and a big crowd are guaranteed. Albuquerque.
Sunday, October 1 – OffCenter Folk Art Festival
Have shopped this one and really enjoyed it. Especially the giant puppet parade! (You’ll have to come see it yourself.) Robinson Park in Albuquerque.
Friday, November 16 – Sunday, November 18 – Fall Fiber Fiesta, 2017
This is the one that I’m really quite proud to have been juried into. Sure, I’ve taught a class at EVFAC, which organizes the show, but you never know what with all the fab fiber artists who live in the area. It’s a big show, and it takes place in Santa Fe at the Scottish Rite Temple. Friday evening is a meet and greet with the artists; the show-proper runs Saturday and Sunday. Not sure how I’ll handle the commute yet, but that’s a question for another day.

Tynan presents “What’s on the frame” today. I can’t help but feel the season – even when it’s 90+ degrees in the desert. The leaves are already turning in the Bosque! Anyway, this is a double mug rug. The mugs have tree forms on them. That’s all. Why not a landscape rug hooked with all kinds of fibers? The trees are Ultrasuede!

Tell us, if you’re a hooked rug vendor (the rugs, not the raw materials), why do you pop a tent and try to sell your wares?

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September 6, 2017

When someone buys and then alters your art…

…not only alters your art, but improves it! What to think? Me, I decided that it was great.

WHen someone alters your art and makes it a pillow. — Before: A close-up of the “altered art.”

I sold a small wall-hanging at the Sunflower Festival just over a week ago. Technically, it was of a poinsettia, though it didn’t scream Christmas. (I tend not to hook overtly holiday-ish items; they take so long to hook, I wouldn’t want to put them away after a month.) Indeed, the customer didn’t even recognize it as a poinsettia at first; to her it was an attractive, artsy rug that went well with the colors in her living room. Then she told me what she was going to do with it.

“It’ll make a great pillow to set on my fireplace.”

Very cool, I thought. “Would you send me a photo when you finish it?”

“Of course!”

Nonetheless, I was concerned that when she finally made the pillow, she’d either forget or have lost my card with the email address.

I needn’t have worried. That was Saturday. I think it was Tuesday afternoon when I saw an email with an unfamiliar address pop into my box. The message:

Hi Laura,

I bought your poinsettia at the sunflower festival on Saturday. I turned it into a pillow, stitching a backing from a green fabric remnant I had and stuffing it with poly filling. Here it is in front of our kiva. You can see it has a good home. It is nestled on an afghan my grandmother crocheted about 50 years ago. Thanks for your artistry.

Ada

Someone alters your art and makes it a pillow. — After: The Poinsettia’s become a Poinsettia pillow. Looks nice on the kiva, doesn’t it. Ada told me, too, that the afghan on the right was made by her grandmother 50 years ago. My rug’s in fine company.

Leonard Cohen once stated that “Artists’ intentions mean nothing.” And I agree. Especially if you’re selling your art. Sure, the poinsettia made a nifty wall-hanging or table-topper, but Ada saw it as a colorful pillow perfect for her living room. I’m happy that she was able to take a piece of my art and make it her own as well. And I’m grateful to her for sharing it with me.

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August 29, 2017

A perfect, end-of-summer weekend

“The First Boucherouite” hooked from old bed sheets and a smidgen of t-shirt.

This past weekend was a busy one for me, particularly in the hooking department. It started early too. Thursday found me hooking with friends. That was good; it let me finish hemming up the Boucherouite. Yes, I finally finished it. It took longer than anticipated thanks to plenty of one-directional hooking – the orange and yellowish areas. That was to imitate the weaving of the real Moroccan rugs. But I have to admit that I love how this one came out. Your thoughts? Me, I’m thinking that I have to make a much bigger floor rug. Time to collect the bed sheets…

On to Friday: Cathy Kelly gave a class on microwave dyeing to four of us in the guild. Thanks to Darlene for providing the space in her own “dye garage”! (She won’t hear that as she’s about to jaunt off to London and Paris. Why, yes, I am envious. How could you tell?)

The class was great fun. Come on, who doesn’t enjoy playing with color? Rather than wool fabric, we dyed yarn. Except for Nan, who’s high on felting, not just hooking. Here you can see the three skeins I dyed. Guess I was in a pink-purple-yellow mood. Note to self: next time work in the blue-green zone. But aren’t they wonderful and color-full? Thanks so much to Cathy for the class!

Friday evening – Saturday: Time to update the inventory and pack the car for the Sunflower Festival in Mountainair. Then bed. We had to be up early given the hour-and-a-half drive. But, damn, it was worth it. We’d never been to Mountainair before. The ride was visually stunning: bright blue skies; wide, open spaces; long freight trains; mountain passes. The best part was the cooler weather. Mountainair’s up about 6500 feet. For the first time in a long while, I didn’t sweat setting up the booth. Always a plus when you’re hanging with the public. And the tent gave nice shade. Again: perfect, end-of-summer weekend.

Not a perfect, end-of-summer weekend for Tom. — Tom rests under the High on Hooking tent. Unfortunately, he did NOT make employee of the month this time. No sales for him!

Dog has perfect, end-of-summer weekend. — Tynan enjoyed the Sunflower Festival. Of course, people made all over him. However, no sales for Tynan. Like Tom, he did *not* make employee of the month. Not a completely perfect, end-of-summer weekend for him and Tom. 🙂

I can’t say enough about the festival. I managed to sell a few things, certainly enough to get me back next year. There were plenty of art and food vendors. The bathrooms were near nearby and clean. You had your choice of the indoor type or the fancy porta potty type that I’ve seen out here. AC and everything! Plus there was full-on cell phone coverage when I’d been told not to expect it at all! The festival is obviously one of the big events in this tiny community, and it showed. Kudos to the Monzano Mountain Art Council!

Sunday dawns: We’re tired what with being outside all day Saturday not to mention the three hours of driving. Took the dog for a 45-minute walk then headed off on the weekly grocery shopping trip. I don’t know what I did between then and 5:00 when we left for Santa Fe’s Opera House. (That’s about an hour’s ride.) You see, I’ve always wanted to see an opera there, but Tom, not being into opera AT ALL, demurred at sharing such an experience with me. It’s wicked expensive, so I couldn’t fully blame him. He did, however, agree to see Garrison Keillor with me. Woohoo!

View of Sangre de Cristos on a perfect, end-of-summer weekend. — A perfect view for a perfect weekend. See the Sangre de Cristo Mountains from the Santa Fe Opera House. To the right in the foreground is a bathroom and bar. I like how they conveniently go together. Excellent planning, SF Opera!

The experience met ALL expectations. Again, perfect weather. Then there’s the view. The Opera House has a fabulous vantage point and, therefore, a gorgeous view of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the east and the Jemez to the west. It’s an open-air theater (a word that doesn’t do it justice at all) so you can literally see for miles. We bought a ridiculously overpriced glass of wine to share and took it all in.

Santa Fe Opera House on a perfect, end-of-summer weekend. — The interior of the Santa Fe Opera House. This is up near the top row, “oxygen seats.” I joke. While we sat below, there really aren’t bad seats in the place.

The show started about 15 minutes late. No matter. Folks drifted in toward their seats. If they hadn’t finished their cocktails, standing just outside the theater proper to watch was perfectly acceptable. (Only bottled water is permitted inside.) Keillor moved through the audience singing extemporaneously, shaking hands, and questioning our cell phone usage.

Garrison Keillor at the Santa Fe Opera House. — Garrison Keillor himself.

Making it to the stage eventually, he laughed at those of us who were “saluting.” I learned a valuable lesson: Next time I attend a show at the Opera House, I’ll bring sunglasses. The seats all face directly west, right into the glaring, setting sun behind the stage. Next time I won’t be such a newbie.

The show went on a full three hours. “Intermission” was a sing-along. While Keillor clearly didn’t have to pee, Tom and I certainly did. We didn’t head home till well after 10:00, arriving about 11:20. Bed called, and the perfect, end-of-summer weekend came to a close.

Now there’s just one big question: Whatever will we do for Labor Day?

Can’t there be another perfect, end-of-summer weekend? What do you have planned end the summer?

Whatever you do this weekend, make sure you take time to say a prayer for the folks of Houston who have been affected by Hurricane Harvey this past week. Their next days, weeks, and even years will be difficult.

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