Tag: Catherine Kelly

December 17, 2019

Starting our artist in residence in Santa Fe this week!

Inn on the Alameda, Santa Fe, NM — Inn on the Alameda: “The best of Santa Fe is just a short stroll from the Inn on the Alameda. We are in the heart of the city, just steps from the city’s best restaurants, galleries, and attractions.”

Amidst all the art fairs and general holiday prep, High on Hooking begins as an artist in residence at Santa Fe‘s Inn on the Alameda this Friday. Woohoo! We’ve never done this before, and happily, we’ll be joined by Cathy Kelly. If you’ve read here before, you know that Cathy and I regularly team up under a tent to sell our hooked wares. This winter, though, we won’t be needing no stinkin’ tent. Twice a month through February, we’ll set up shop and workshop next to the Inn’s big, ole fireplace so that we can chat up guests and share the gospel of rug hooking. This is a big thing; Santa Fe, like most of the American Southwest, is all about the weaving. The history and value of our originally northeastern art is less known.

The Inn on the Alameda is one of Santa Fe’s smaller luxury hotels. Unfortunately, I haven’t stayed there, but after visiting last month, I’d certainly like to. (Pray for a snowstorm to suddenly come up one Friday I’m there?) Cathy and I will be “in residence” from from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on the following Fridays: December 20; January 10 and 24; and February 7 and 21. The address is: 303 East Alameda Street, Santa Fe. In addition to a primo location next to the fireplace in the gathering space, they’re providing dinner for us! How swell is that?

I had applied to Santa Fe’s winter artist in residence program sometime last year and then promptly forgot about it. When the Inn contacted me last month, I loved that they were looking for someone other than the usual painter or sculptor. Not that those things are bad, but you know how fiber arts and textiles so often get shoved to the back of the fine art line. Not this time, baby! Okay, a caveat: the Inn will also be hosting other more “regular” artists throughout the winter. And that’s great; it’ll be a fine mix-up for them.

If you’re in the area Friday and need a break from the usual holiday gift buying, etc., come by the Inn on the Alameda in Santa Fe for a visit. There’s even a bar! We’d love to converse and maybe even sell you something better than you’ll get in a tourist trap. As usual, mention this blog post and get 10% off any rug by High on Hooking. If you can’t make it to Santa Fe, be sure to check out our Etsy shop or, even easier, just give me a yell.

Tynan on hooked rug in front of Christmas tree — Tynan not only offers to you one of this week’s “what’s on the frame,” but he offers you a hearty HO,HO, HO and Merry Christmas! Happy New Year too! See you in 2020!

And if I don’t get a chance to tell you before next week: Have a wonderful holiday whether it be Christmas or Hanukkah! Here’s to a happy and healthy 2020 for all!

August 19, 2019

It’s Sunflower Festival time again!

Mountainair Sunflower Festival, August 24, 2019 — Another August, another Mountainair Sunflower Festival for High on Hooking. (See what happened one other year.) Come see us along with Cathy Kelly, fellow rug hooker. Sample our wares, fondle the rugs, buy one! Mention our social media and get 10% off any item. Don’t forget to wear your sunflower bonnet!

May 24, 2019

New friends!

So, Fiber Crawl was a bit of a bust but only from a sales standpoint. Okay, that’s the most important standpoint when you’re vending, but you know, there are other things that go into it. For instance, unfortunately, it wasn’t publicized that there were vendors at the Open Space where Cathy and I were hanging. And some of the vendors didn’t even show. In the end, there were only four booths of fiberific goods. So, we had plenty of time to take in the “Earth Threads” exhibit and hook and…meet new friends!

Yes, new friends. I’d had a brief back-and-forth with a gal from the Los Angeles area who was in the area. She’s brand new to hooking and hasn’t yet met like-minded peeps in California. She read the blog here regarding Fiber Crawl, and guess who wanted to come and meet other hookers? Debra! And she brought along David her husband who’s about to start hooking his own rugs. Woohoo! I guess that means that the gospel is indeed being spread from my fingers to others’ ears. Or rather, eyes.

Photo of new friends at the Fiber Crawl — New friends made at the Fiber Crawl last week! From left to right is Catherine (an AWAG member), Cathy, me, and then David and Deb.

Both Debra and David were great fun, and since we weren’t selling or even entertaining too many potential customers Sunday, we had plenty of time to chat. Debra had brought the rug she’s working on, her very first. Designed and drew it herself. Cows! She’ll have to send a pic to me when she’s done so that we can share it here. She’s going great guns on it. And come July when Cathy teaches her workshop at the Wool Poppies – Hooker Hill Rug Retreat, Debra may be meeting other Bay Area hookers. Lucky lady!

In the meantime, there’s lots of hustle and bustle going on in our final lead-up to the Albuquerque Fiber Arts Fiesta 2019. Remember, if you’re in the area next Thursday-Saturday, come on over to Expo and say hi to us – we’re always looking to make new friends! – in the Adobe Wool Arts Guild Rug Hooking booth. We have 27 rugs to hang and 9 friendship rugs making up the 9×9 special exhibit. Almost every fiber art imaginable is on display, and there are over 50 vendors! Hope to see you there!

Lastly, please have a wonderful beginning to summer. Have fun and be safe out there. And don’t forget the reason for this long Memorial Day Weekend.

May 13, 2019

Fiber Crawl is this weekend!

Fiber Crawl post card

Fiber Crawl is happening this weekend. (We’ve mentioned it before.) If you’re in New Mexico anywhere from Albuquerque to points north and enjoy fibers – themselves, the animals they come from, and what you can do with them – get thee to the website and its map. High on Hooking and Cathy Kelly will be spending Saturday and Sunday at the Open Space Visitors’ Center on ABQ’s West Side (conveniently close to home!). Please stop by to see: 1) our wares and how we hook them and 2) the fiberific “Earth Threads” exhibit. The Visitors’ Center is no slouch itself; it’s a very cool place if you haven’t been there. We hope to see you!

Hooked rug to be offered at Fiber Crawl this weekend. — Lastly, is there anything more New Mexican than our chile? (This is a rhetorical question. Of course there is.) Come see the finished chile “off the frame” at the Open Space Visitors’ Center on Coors Boulevard Saturday and Sunday! (BTW, this one’s hooked using recycled t-shirts.)

May 1, 2019

Albuquerque fiber-phernalia and Donna Hrkman

Donna Hrkman, rug hooking teacher, and Indian Boy rug. — Donna Hrkman holding her rug “Indian Boy.”

I know, I know, I’ve been gone a few weeks, but with all the fiber-phernalia going on in the Albuquerque area, you can’t blame me.

All the guilds participating in our BIG FIBER ARTS FIESTA are busy preparing their booths and volunteers. And, of course, the hundreds of masterpieces that will be on display for those three days. Let me remind you: Thursday-Saturday, May 30, 31 and June 1; hours are 10-5; at Expo New Mexico. There will also be: classes; over 50 vendors; Betty Busby as featured artist; five different special exhibits (including the Adobe Wool Arts Guild‘s friendship rugs!); demonstrations, and a free craft – good for the kids…and you!

Rug hooking exhibit — High on Hooking’s and **Catherine Kelly**‘s display at last year’s Fiber Crawl. Location: **Casa San Ysidro** in Albuquerque.

Before we can even get to Expo and the Fiesta, we’ve got the New Mexico’s second annual fiber adventure: FIBER CRAWL! High on Hooking will be participating again this year as a vendor/demonstrator; we’ll be at the Open Space Visitors’ Center (conveniently close to home!) for the three days. The whole thing is organized by the Española Valley Fiber Arts Center. As pulled from the website:

The New Mexico Fiber Crawl is an opportunity to explore fiber studios and farms, experience fiber demonstrations, attend special gallery and museum events, win prizes, and visit fiber arts shops.

Whether you are a fiber enthusiast, a visitor, a friend or a collector, the 2019 New Mexico Fiber Crawl is a great way to discover and enjoy the world of fiber arts in Northern New Mexico. You’ll meet the weavers, knitters, spinners, felters, embroiderers and new media artists who are sharing their love of the fiber arts at this event. Plus, you’ll have a great time!

Donna Hrkman, rug hooking teacher, and class. — Members of the Adobe Wool Arts Guild surround Donna Hrkman to learn her technique for enlarging an image to be used as a pattern.

Lastly and most fun, a couple of weeks ago, the esteemed rug hooking teacher DONNA HRKMAN was here in Albuquerque sharing tips of the trade with and instilling self-confidence into members of the Adobe Wool Arts Guild (AWAG). We cannot gush enough about her class, the exquisite rugs she shared, the patterns she drew, the wool and other goodies she brought to us. Not only that, she was just plain fun to be with. Unfortunately, her plane came in almost a full day late, so sight-seeing was limited, but we all rolled with the punches. We got cozy with one another at a meet-and-greet supper here at High on Hooking’s crib with plenty of vittles left for Tuesday’s lunch. Dinner’s out included margaritas and New Mexican food along with excellent conversation. For any hooking group or guild looking for a teacher, we at AWAG can’t recommend Donna enough.

Donna Hrkman and Alheimer's hooked rug. — Donna Hrkman describes how she created the hooked words in her “Alzheimer’s Rug.”

And lastly, I wanted to show you what being a busy hooking bee finally did for me. Maybe you saw it on our Instagram post.

Dog and writer celebrate finish of a hooked rug. — “Big Boucherouite” is finally done! Tynan and I celebrate. Tom’s margarita completed our little party.

I started this rug over a year ago, worked on it sporadically till late November of 2018. (Because I’m not involved in enough stuff as it is.) After my vending year was over, I started hooking in earnest, finally finishing the hooking maybe a month or so ago. After giving my arthritic hands a break, I started the finish work. Everything was done and the High on Hooking tag sewn on this Sunday afternoon. Did you hear my sigh on relief?

Please share your spring fiber-phernalia here

and on our Facebook page.