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The Art of Motherhood

We’re all affected in some way by motherhood…

Book cover: The Art of Motherhood: Our Lives in Colour and Shadow

I know I’m late to the party congratulating Karen Miller of Ontario on the release of her new book The  Art of Mothering: Our Lives in Colour and Shadow, but I will NOT be the last, I guarantee you.

Karen’s book, published by Rug Hooking Magazine, came out in October. I think I received my copy in early November. Unfortunately, I’ve been très busy the past month, so I’ve only been able to scan through it thus far, but with the holidays almost here, I’m hoping to sit down soon and pore over it – no interruptions!

It’s a beautiful book, certainly, filled with all kinds of art. It’s vivid and colorful as it shines a light on how female artists have dealt with not just the topic of motherhood, but its actuality.

From the back cover:

Motherhood has been the richest experience of Karen Miller’s life. It has also inescapably changed her life trajectory: her career path, her energy levels, her commitments, her time, her marriage. It has affected everything. Join Karen as she and 21 contributing artists lift the lid on motherhood and peer inside to examine the reality of their lives through textile arts.

The Art of Motherhood: Our Lives in Colour and Shadow illuminates the feelings that so few of us talk about – but so many of us feel – as we navigate the journey that is motherhood.

Hooked art
“Rejection,” 14′ x 17.5″, hooked on monk’s cloth with wool strips and yarn, is one of my pieces in Karen’s book.

Karen’s known for a long time that being a mother hasn’t always been the best of experiences for me, so when she asked me to contribute to the book, I jumped at the chance. It’s always stuck up my craw sideways that women rarely feel comfortable being honest about motherhood and what it does to us.  Even in a group of just women! How dare we speak up about not feeling quite like the Madonna and her perfect Child. News flash: I’m no Madonna and it took a lot of alcohol to get through my only kid’s high school years. (Those years made the previous 14 look like an f-ing picnic.) But after fertility problems and two miscarriages over two years, no one wanted a kid as much as I did. And I have no regrets. (Most of the time.)

Hooked art
“Holes,” 68″ x 33″, hooked on monk’s cloth with recycled textiles and silk sari ribbon. I’ve talked about this piece before.

That’s the kind of candid crap you’ll find in this book though in a much more eloquent form, LOL. And LOTS OF FIBER ART, hooked and otherwise. If you’re a mom or know a mom or ever had a mom, get thee online to order this book. It’d make a kick-ass and thoughtful Christmas or other type of gift. I promise. You can order from RHM HERE. If you’re in Canada, contact Karen through her website.

PS- Not all moms are biologic. And mother figures count as moms.

FYI-
Below is a list of the Instagram handles of all the artists who, in some way affected by motherhood, contributed work to Karen’s truly excellent book. Check out their work.

Karen Miller:  @karendmillerstudio
Nadine Flagel:  @pretextstudio
Meryl Cook:  @merylcook
Laura Salamy:  @highonhooking
Emily van Lidth de Jeude:  @emilyvanartist
Jane Smith:  @blogginthebay
April Deconick:  @aprildeconickart
Linda Friedman Schmidt:  @lindafriedmanschmidt
Rachelle Leblanc:  @rachelle_leblanc_art
Trish Johnson:  @trshjhnsn
Patti Colen:  @woollycronedesigns
Alexandrya Eaton:  @alexandryaeaton
Michelle Kingdom:  @michelle.kingdom
Carmen Bohn:  @carmenbohn_art
Elizabeth Miller:  @northatlanticfiberarts
Ellen Skea Marshall:  @twocatsanddoghooking
Amy Meissner:  @amymeissnerartist
Michele Micarelli:  @michelepmicarelli
Linda Rae Coughlin:  @lindarae_coughlin
Sayward Johnson:  @saywardjohnson
Lori Laberge:  @lorilabergeart
Karen Larsen:  I don’t believe Karen is on Ig but she is on fb

And to everyone in the US, mother or not,

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

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Things we’re thankful for

Here at High on Hooking we’re thankful for many things this November.

The Bosque "forest" of New Mexico
See why we love New Mexico? I took this pic during one of my early morning walks with Bowyn in the Bosque.
  • We live in a comfy house in the beautiful state of New Mexico. And we’ve had an incredible, albeit warm fall season. We’ll be welcoming good friends here to celebrate Thanksgiving. Bring on the turkey and the pies!
  • We’re all healthy and have avoided the Coronacootie. (In fact, we just received our boosters!)
  • The kid will make it home Saturday. And she’ll actually be here for Christmas this year! That’s something to really be thankful for.
  • In the Studio Online‘s Workshop Week 3 was a hit in October. Stay tuned for a BIG announcement about WW4 in the very near future. Till then, find out who’s teaching teaching this time around HERE.
  • High on Hooking will be teaching on the road in June of 2022! Stay tuned for more news on the trip.
  • The supply chain disruptions aren’t an issue to us. We’re thankful we already have everything we need for the holidays in-house: each other, food, shelter, music, wine, and yarn and other art supplies. What else do we need?

High on Hooking wishes you a happy

and healthy AND thankful Thanksgiving!

We are thankful for the High on Hooking dogs who love thanksgiving.
And, of course, we are most thankful for the High on Hooking dogs Bowyn and Tynan.
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Happy Thanksgiving, 2020!

Two dogs, a turkey, and a hooked rug
Bowyn and Tynan, Tom Turkey, and “The Angel of 2021” (who is almost complete!) wish you all a small, but sumptuous Thanksgiving. May we always have things to be grateful for – even in 2020.
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Spinning out of control!

Spinning top
My life is spinning… (Photo by Fons Reijsbergen.)

 

Given Covid, I’m amazed at how busy my world’s been these past months – some days are spinning out of control! Besides hosting events, I’ve been attending plenty of others. And then there’s the literal spinning, as in vertigo. For over a month, I’ve had days feeling as if I’m walking on the deck of a boat. Sometimes the waves are just little ripples, like in a pond. Other times, there’s a big, old storm coming! While I suffer a completely unmerited hangover! The ENT says it’s not an ear or sinus infection, and the chiropractor says I’m well aligned. That leaves those pesky calcium crystals that reside in our inner ears sensing gravity. They need to be re-positioned which is why I’m off for a physical therapy evaluation tomorrow. Here’s hoping they can find a way to end the spinning.

Bowyn the Welsh Springer spaniel is sick.
Bowyn on our surprise snow day last month.

Meanwhile, poor, little Bowyn is ailing with a wicked double ear infection and mouth sores that make eating difficult. Dude’s really looking hangdog. Yesterday we saw Dr. Forsyth (of the Taylor Ranch Veterinary Clinic here in ABQ). Now we have new meds and more ear-washing; I am not Bowyn’s favorite person at the moment. Praying he feels better in a few days.

 

 

“PLACES” WE’VE BEEN

Okay, less actual places, more Zoom gatherings. Since we last checked in I’ve been to:

  • The Alt Fiber Hook-In with some lovely ladies from Canda and the US. Perhaps we should plan another for one evening or Saturday? Thoughts?
  • The Adobe Wool Arts Guild‘s first actual meeting, albeit it virtual, since March. If you’re located in New Mexico and interested in joining, email me. We’re looking to set up a class or two for next year. (Still virtual, I’m afraid.) Maybe you’d like to join us.
  • In the Studio’s inaugural Workshop Week. This was fun – Karen Miller, Susan Feller, Beth Miller, Meryl Cook, and I each held a workshop; included with “tuition” was a ticket to an evening hook-in and a closing panel discussion. Such was our success, that we’re planning another week this winter. Keep watch for that. There will be all new classes!
  • In the Studio with Nadine Falgel. Nadine spoke about how she she makes “slow art” to combat “fast fashion.” This being one of my own pet issues, I was really interested. But while I like to recycle old or would-be scrapped textiles into my own pieces, thus keeping them out of landfills, Nadine actually uses these “rags” as her subject matter. See more about her work on her Instagram page. And, BTW, she’s got a solo show coming up in the new year.
  • A Vision of Hope & Healing art show at the Santa María de la Vid Abbey in ABQ. My piece “Holes”
    Story cloth from Multicolores
    A story cloth from the artists at Multicolores.

    hung in the show. It ran until just last Friday. Unfortunately, with the Coronacootie spiking, we couldn’t have the usual opening and closing soirées, but you can see the show HERE, just scroll your way down the page when you get there.

  • Guatemala! It’s the farthest I’ve gone courtesy of the Stitching Stories Embroidery Workshop from Multicolores last week. I took that class because 1) I’ve become more interested in embroidery over the last year or so and 2) I’ve been thinking about doing a story rug. The class was kind of a 2-fer for me. I’ve been holding onto some poems that I think will work well. We didn’t start any projects in the three hours, but we practiced some of the stitches the ladies use and spoke about what we might want to do. Consider, taking one of the online Multicolores classes when they offer them again. (It’s easier than going all the way to Central America!) Micaela and Sara were excellent at demonstrating their work and answering questions on their processes. The fact that everything had to be translated both ways didn’t hurt the continuity of the workshop at all. I passed on the hooking class as I already work plenty with t-shirts, but I hear from friends that it was a good experience as well. And the tuition monies go to a great cause!

WHERE ARE WE OFF TO NEXT?

  • Tomorrow evening at 8:30 I’m heading to the Anchorage Museum in Alaska, for Amy Meissner‘s Intersectional Selves Mending Workshop. More info HERE. Like Nadine and myself, Amy’s also interested in how we can counteror at least mitigate the actions of our throw-away culture. And I’ve got some knit items that I’ve not yet tried to mend.
  • On Tuesday the 24th, the calendar on the wall (sue me; I’m a troglodyte) shows an entry for Abstract Art in America from the Whitney Museum.
  • I’m behind in the Textile Talks that happen every Wednesday. They’re mostly presentations and panel discussions about quilts, but you never know what you might pick up. They’re sponsored by the International Quilt Museum, the Modern Quilt Guild, Quilt Alliance, San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, Studio Art Quilt Associates and Surface Design Association. More info HERE. They are recorded, so, if you’re like me, you can catch up on them at a later date.
  • In the Studio with Larry Weyand airs Wednesday, December 2, at 1:00 Eastern. More info on that HERE. A teaser: Through the process of autoethnography, I explore how my work lies in the space where narrative, psychological resilience, mat making and food intersect. Food and rugs! I’ll have more info later.
  • On December 8, I’ll be joining the “CSU Libraries and the Avenir Museum of Design and Merchandising for expert advice on how to preserve your family archives, photos, and textile heirlooms.” It seemed like a good idea. More info HERE. It’s called Caring for Your Family Treasures.

Who knows what else I’ll find to occupy myself in December? As if I wasn’t busy enough hooking and hemming my last rugs of 2020. And don’t even mention the Ribbon Rug Journal! Only a month and a half to go on that…

Small hooked rug
You too can “Build a Baby Boucherouite” or, as I like to call it, Barbies Magic Carpet.

Plans for early 2021 include the second In the Studio Workshop Week as I mentioned. I’ll also be running Building a Baby Boucherouite on my own for those who missed it in October. Keep an eye out for scheduling if you’re interested.

And although this class is scheduled and up online, I don’t believe that our proliferating Covid problem will allow it to run. Or that I’ll be comfortable leaving home for it so soon after the holidays when it’s clear that so many germs will be shared. (In which case, I can cancel…if there are even any students!) It is, however, just an honor being able to offer a class with Ghost Ranch here in New Mexico.

Just one of the views from Ghost Ranch. Sunsets in New Mexico. Its about the light.

For those not familiar with it, artist Georgia O’Keeffe‘s home in Abiquiú, New Mexico, sits at the edge of the 21,000-Ghost Ranch property, named as such because cattle rustlers trying to keep their stolen cows a secret said the ranch was haunted by evil spirits. Hopefully, the vaccines we keep talking about will work, and we’ll be able to get to this or a similar class sometime sooner than later.

Dizzy? Head spinning? Have I given you vertigo to go with mine? I hope not, especially with Thanksgiving right around the corner. We’ll have a quiet one here, much like the first holidays when we moved to Albuquerque in 2015, before we knew anyone well enough to share our bad habits and proclivities. (We had to go all Siren-like and lure people in before that could happen.) The kid is scheduled to come down for the first time since this whole mess began in March. We can’t put her off any more. Unfortunately, masks, social distancing, and a 2-week quarantine after she leaves are all on the docket. Thank goodness I have so many things to do!

 

Gobble, gobble!

If I don’t make it back here next week, I wish you all a wonderful and TINY Thanksgiving. Remember, you can stay small yet still have all the trimmings. And there will be less dishes to wash!

 

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Trying to lay low…

Two women and a hooked rug at Santa Fe Fall Fiber Fiesta
Something to be thankful for: When you meet an Instagram friend for the first time! Josephine of lonnieandjosephine Instagram fame showed up out of the blue, surprising me at my booth this weekend. And she bought a rug! Nothing’s better than that. Except that… she’s coming to next week’s Adobe Wool Arts Guild retreat here in Albuquerque. Woohoo!

 

 

Santa Fe Fall Fiber Fiesta 2018 is in the books, so now it’s time to lay low for a bit. Well, not exactly. It’s Thanksgiving week, and the kid is coming home tomorrow. Thursday’s dinner for our little family and a few friends is here, and you know what that means: cleaning and cooking! Not so much the hooking for a couple of days. I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving with your own kin and whoever else circles your table – in body and/or soul. Enjoy one another! Lay low and tell your stories. Eat! Hook rugs! But do it together.

 

Happy Thanksgiving, 2018! What are you most thankful for this year?

 

Dog with hooked rug and stuffed turkey, trying to relax and lay low for the holiday
Couldn’t resist. I think this is actually last year’s pic, nonetheless, Tynan and High on Hooking bid you all a very Happy Turkey Day.
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