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March 15, 2017

Another Albuquerque museum field trip (but no art!)

Flag seen on our Albuquerque field trip. — This is the flag that flew over the base at the Trinity Base Camp. New Mexican winds, not the blast, tattered the flag. (The wind is especially brutal here in spring. All the better to spread the pollen…)

Last week Tom and I decided that we needed to explore our still newish-to-us adopted city (we’ve been in New Mexico just over a year and a half), so an Albuquerque field trip day was declared. Off we headed NOT to anything fiber-related, not even anywhere remotely art-centric. Nope, we decided that it was time to visit the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History. The website blurbs:

The Museum’s mission is “to serve as America’s resource for nuclear history and science. The Museum presents exhibits and quality educational programs that convey the diversity of individuals and events that shape the historical and technical context of the nuclear age.”

Poster seen on our Albuquerque field trip.

We are in New Mexico, and I’m sure you all remember the role the state played in the years leading up to the bombing of Hiroshima at the end of World War II: Los Alamos; the Manhattan Project; the Trinity nuclear test; and so on. The museum takes you back there, certainly, but it also has exhibits on radiation and its history, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Cold War, nuclear power, nuclear medicine, nanotechnology, nuclear waste

Sub sail seen on Albuquerque field trip. — Simple looking compared to all the planes and missiles on the lot, the nuclear submarine sail was my favorite piece. It was massive. But where’d the rest of the sub go?

transportation, and atomic pop culture (Jimmy Neutron, anyone?). Heritage Park is out in the “backyard” and consists of planes, rockets, bombs, cannons, missiles, and other interesting, historical “paraphernalia” to explore.

Missile seen on Albuquerque field trip. — That would certainly give me pause.

Description of a bomb. — Read for yourself. And shiver…

Photo at Nuclear Museum. — My “artsy” shot from the rear of a missile.

Photo of a missile. — Alternatively, this is the shit of nightmares. Can you see Tom standing next to it?

Given the tenor of the country these days, not to mention North Korea and its recent antics, I have to say that I looked at the place a little differently than I might have a year ago. And while the building looks modest from outside, there’s much too much to see and learn in one visit; we barely scraped the surface of anything after the Cold War. (The door to the outdoor attractions happens to be there, and you’ll spend a while outside.)

American symbol. — The Nuclear Museum shows an aspect of America that maybe we’d like to forget. Or ignore. That’s at our own peril.

If you’re in the area, after you give me a call or an email to say hello, of course, head over to the Nuclear Museum in Albuquerque. History’s important; you know how we can’t help but repeat it. Not!

PS – If you have kids, you can bring them too, especially school age, maybe 9 and older. Little Albert’s Laboratory (as in Einstein; not to be mistaken for FAT Albert’s Laboratory) was hands-on learning about physics. Very cool, though by the time we got there, Tom was getting a little cranky. He only gave me about five minutes to play. Thank goodness we have company coming in May. Back to Little Albert’s Laboratory I go!

Tom and sidewinder missile. — Is there anything sexier than your husband of several years posing next to a Sidewinder missile?

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November 15, 2016

Current state of affairs…always hooking…

Damn, I wrote that headline and realized that it looked vaguely political, something I try to avoid on social media especially these days. At least the freaking election is finally over, and we can only wait to see what January will bring. In the meantime, the holidays are rushing at us like there’s no tomorrow. A portend? (Sorry. I said I wouldn’t say anything political. I won’t.) And there is hooking, always hooking.

The bag is burlap, about 6 inches by 6 inches. It's hooked with wool yarn, ribbon, and stretch velvet. Very cute. — The bag is burlap, about 6 inches by 6 inches. It’s hooked with wool yarn, ribbon, and stretch velvet. And a little pearl. Very cute, if I do say so myself.

So, what am I working on these days (always hooking)? In hopes that I’ll get a call from the waiting list at the Rail Yards for the holiday market next month, I’m still creating rug mugs. I’ve also come up with a new item; it’ll be a great stocking stuffer, gift card holder, hostess gift, or little girl’s purse. Here’s a pic of the prototype. Like it?

I plan on filling them with candy canes for Christmas time and maybe some faux flowers or something next spring. The bags are from Hobby Lobby, too inexpensive for me to bother making. The hooking’s a bit tricky since there’s no frame involved, just your hand to stick in and hold it all. (I don’t know how Rachelle LeBlanc hooks without a frame ALL THE TIME and then gets those beautiful results.)

Albuquerque’s Fiber Fiesta is also keeping me busy and not just because I’m a guild rep to the Fiber Arts Council. I think I know what I want to create for next May’s show, and I’m doing some research, though I’m not ready to share just yet. But I better get a move on as it has to be pretty much finished by the March 1 entry deadline. For those who are interested, the Call-For-Entries is open and waiting. Consider joining us.

In between projects, I’m still working on my “fall” tree of life rug, the one I started last month. It’s coming along despite being thrown to the side on a regular basis. Always hooking….

It's about a yard across, t-shirt and bedsheet. — It’s about a yard across, t-shirt and bedsheet.

As an aside, how many of you saw this rug on page 56 of the newest ATHA magazine?

"Kenya FLora and Fauna" hooked and designed by Sylvia Huntington. — **“Kenya Flora and Fauna” hooked and designed by Sylvia Huntington.**

I was flipping through it the evening my copy came, when I caught sight of “Kenya Flora and Fauna.” That’s really familiar,” I said then looked a little closer. “Ha, I do know this rug!” Nancy Huntington submitted the pic; it’s a large mat that her mother-in-law Sylvia hooked after an adventure in Africa. Nan brought the rug to one of the demonstrations our guild does at the Albuquerque BioPark a couple of months ago. Kids loved it! Here are a couple of close-ups I snapped at the BioPark. (Nancy generously shared the photo above.) Fabulous rug!

A closer view of Sylvia's rug. — A closer view of Sylvia’s rug.

What’s your current state of affairs? On your frame, that is.

PS – Before I let you go, for anyone in the general New Mexican area, if you’re in the mood for a field trip this coming weekend (Friday-Sunday), make sure you look into the Santa Fe Fiber Festival brought to us by the Española Valley Fiber Arts Center. My partner in crime, fellow native New Englander and new New Mexican, Melinda, and I are heading up there Saturday. Hope to see you!

July 12, 2016

Meet the Guatemalan rug hookers

Lucky me – not only did I meet one of the Guatemalan rug hookers, but I got to see the fabulous work that she and her co-op sisters do. Feast your eyes:

Rugs, rugs, and more Guatemalan hooked rugs. All are made of recycled clothing, primarily t-shirts.

This past weekend, Tom and I headed up to Santa Fe’s Folk Art Market. I’d hoped to get there last year specifically to see the Guatemalan rugs, but our house in Massachusetts sold just a few weeks too late, so I had to wait. It was definitely worth it.

It's all about the colors and those birds, and flowers. What a native sense of design. — It’s all about the colors and those birds, and flowers. What a native sense of design.

For those who don’t know the story, back in 2009, after visiting Guatemala and seeing the rampant poverty and environmental and other challenges women and their families faced, Mary Wise and Jody Slocum decided they had to help. By teaching Guatemalan women the art of rug hooking, they would provide them a means of self-support.

Look at these rugs! While hooking’s not native to this part of the world, the ladies clearly took to it. Some became teachers so as to better spread the “Gospel of Rug Hooking.” Currently, there are 63 women in seven communities taking part. With the money they make selling their mats, they can buy and/or improve their housing, send kids to school, get medical care…

I didn't get to take one home. But there's always next year! — I didn’t get to take one home, but there’s always next year!

I was excited to see the rugs in part because of how they’re made. These ladies can’t just pick up some wool at a local shop. Nope, they up-cycle old t-shirts just like me. Though they do cut their strips wider than I do which creates an even meatier rug than my own. But it’s the colors and the motifs they use in their designs that most impress.

Labels indicating authenticity: Made by the Cooperative of Maya Women Rug Hookers.

Our rugs are unique pieces of art reflective of Maya culture. They are made of 100% recycled clothing sourced directly in our communities. We take our design inspirations from the huipils (traditional blouses) worn by Maya women and Semana Santa alfombras. These [alfombras] are rugs created in the streets of Guatemala during Easter using colored sawdust, flowers, fruit and vegetables.

— taken from literature from Multicolores, the organization formed to support Mary’s rug-hooking initiative and the Cooperative of Maya Women Rug Hookers.

Artist Yessika Calgua Morales of Guatemala. — One of the Guatemalan rug hookers: Yessika Calgua Morales..

Artist Yessika Calgua Morales, 22, was manning her booth when I arrived there. It was her first trip to the Santa Fe Market. She did beautifully. Briefly, we talked t-shirts and color. She’s been hooking about 7 years now, and the money she’s made has gone towards her mom’s medical expense, saving for school, and some dentures. And let’s not forget confidence. Learning something new, something alien to your own culture, a culture that’s not always hospitable towards independent women, that’s the BIG pay-off. Go, Yessika!

Tune in next week:
Pics and such on the other 159 booths Tom and I saw at Santa Fe’s International Folk Art Market.

A final looksie at the rugs. — A final looksie at the Guatemalan rugs.

September 2, 2015

High on Hooking living in limbo…

You might be wondering what High on Hooking is up to while we wait for our new house to close later this month. If you’re new to the tale, it’s actually been over a month since the kid and I arrived in Albuquerque and settled into the rental house, i.e., limbo. Tom and the dog showed up a week later after closing on our Massachusetts house and ensuring that our belongings made it safely onto the moving truck.

The house that – if all goes according to plan – will become our new home. Yes, we will be putting in some more greenery to help make it ours. And it’s taking a little getting used to having neighbors so close.

Amazingly, we found a house to buy after only a week or so. Sure, we intended to downsize, but you know about best laid plans… Still, the fourth bedroom will be good for us, folks who are used to having a cellar – a finished one at that. We’ll put our treadmill and recumbent bike in there. The extra bathroom? Nice, but something else I’ll have to clean. The kitchen is kick-ass, I must admit; the master suite, like a small-apartment-sized, private wing off the family room. With a soaker tub. Never had one of those before. And the closet is to die for.

Can you believe all those cabinets AND a pantry? The table and chairs are perfect for the room!

Like I said, we can’t hang our shingle on the new place till late September, so we’re kind of hanging till then. Just what have we been doing in the meantime?

If you look back at previous posts, you’ll see that we’ve made time for Albuquerque’s Rail Yard Market and Santa Fe’s annual Indian Market Place. Because we didn’t bring all of our furniture from the East coast, we’ve been through a myriad of furniture stores. Not our favorite thing, frankly. Looking for a couch years ago stressed our marriage. Fortunately, the owners of the house we’re buying are willing to sell us the kitchen table and stools. One divorce avoided!

At the start of the trail... — At the start of the trail…

Last weekend we headed into the nearby Sandia Mountains to get out of the heat and do some hiking. The trail was civilized, not too steep, which made us cheer given the 8000+ feet of altitude where we started. Not something that’s a problem hiking in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. (I very much missed NH this summer.)

Only 40 or so minutes away from Albuquerque (near the ski area!!!), the trails here will be a regular on our to-do list.

Sandia view - looking eastward. — Sandia view – looking eastward.

Other “fun” turns about town included yesterday’s two visits to New Mexico’s Motor Vehicle Department in order to procure license plates for the cars and driver’s licenses for Tom and me. If you’ve ever been to Rhode Island’s registries or the one in Waterbury, Connecticut, you’ll know how much we enjoyed the day. They definitely DO NOT put all the info you need on their website. (Why wasn’t page 1 of our bank statement good enough? Just why did they need to make a copy of all 10 pages?) They also never mentioned that the emissions test has to be done BEFORE you show up at the MVD. That was a side trip on the way home to find more documentation in order to hurry back to sit and wait to try again. Eventually, it all worked out and we are now documented residents – and vehicles – of New Mexico.

My Honda Fit is officially New Mexican now!

This weekend we head back to Best Buy to purchase a stove. Gas! The double oven I’ve always wanted. Thank goodness they’ll hold on to it till we move from the rental house. The outdoor table and chairs we found on sale Monday have been nestled into the storage unit with the rest of our things, also just waiting for that day. We’ll get back to furniture shopping soon (including a damn couch). In the meantime, the rug I’ve been working on since just before I got here is progressing. Maybe I can finish it while we’re living here in limbo and before the new house becomes our home.

Can't wait till we can put it down to warm our new home. — Can’t wait till we can put it down to warm our new home…soon.

August 25, 2015

Field trip to Santa Fe’s Indian Market Place

An artist at the Santa Fe Indian Market, 2015.

Who can resist a field trip? Especially to Santa Fe, New Mexico, on a lovely Saturday morning in August. Not me! This past weekend, Tom and I headed there – about an hour north of Albuquerque – to attend the annual Indian Market Place. A writer friend from Rhode Island who lived there for a few years insisted that I not miss it. We had no intention.

Contemporary glass works by Dan Friday of Fridayglass.com.

For those not familiar with the Market, it’s been going on in some form for 94 years. This year there were almost 1000 (!!!) Native American artists, most of them professionals, from all over the United States. There were potters, painters, jewelry and basket makers, weavers, glass blowers, sculptors of all kinds… It was hard to take it all in.

Sculpture by Cliff Fragua of Singing Stone Studio.

If you’ve been to Santa Fe, the plaza was covered with tents/booths as were the sidewalks and streets leading there. Tourists, indigenous folks, museum curators, and serious art collectors thronged, jockeying for good views and to speak with the artists. Suddenly, drums sounded and on the stage or on the street amidst spectators, traditionally clad dancers performed. Wafting on the breeze was the aroma of fry bread. Damn that I’m gluten-free and that I’d cheated (and paid for it later) at last week’s Rail Yards Market in Albuquerque!

Contemporary gouache by Benjamin Harjo, Jr., of benjaminharjojr.com. — Contemporary gouache by Benjamin Harjo, Jr., of
benjaminharjojr.com.

Ledger art by Dolores Purdy of dolorespurdy.com.

KIMG0104 — Offerings from Navajo (Dine) Weavings and Supply. Sorry, their web address doesn’t appear to work.

The only thing I regretted was not seeing more fiber artists. Sure, there were some Navajo weavers and even clothing designers, but they were few and far between. At least where I was. Maybe there were more in other areas of the market. I hope so.

Enjoy the photos I took. I tried to get artists’ names, but did miss a couple. Next year we’ll hit up the Indigenous Fine Art Market running about the same time in another part of Santa Fe. It’s a little smaller, but sounds good. It’s only a couple of years’ old, but getting plenty of media coverage.

What cool art or other markets are there around your home? What kind of field trip inspires your art – whatever it might be?

My little treat to myself. Pottery by Mel Cornshucker of Oklahoma.