Big Prairie, Little Rug

It is no secret that I've done my fair share of swapping in the two and a half years since I started blogging.  I love exchanging special handmade items with other creative people all over the world, however sometimes I need to take a little break. Sometimes, I need to just haul out the visa card, support an artist and buy a special handmade item. Especially one that I know I won't make for myself, either because I'm not inclined to learn a certain craft or I don't have the skills or equipment necessary to even try. I know my limits.

A couple of weeks ago, fellow Canadian blogger Monika posted photos of her latest fibre art series, sweet little prairie rugs.  I've long been an admirer of Monika's thread painted prairie landscapes inspired by her photography. In fact, she has given me a whole new appreciation for a part of Canada with which I am not very well acquainted.  I drove from Toronto to Vancouver 12 years ago and 20 years ago I drove from Yellowknife to Vancouver via Edmonton & Calgary, however both of those trips were of the pedal-to-the-metal variety. The kind of trip where you take a picture or two out the passenger window, but don't take the time to stop and smell the (prairie) flowers.  The one impression I did retain though, was that of big sky.  The sky is HUGE on the prairie.

So I was thrilled when Monika accepted my offer to purchase this beautiful piece of fibre art. A hooked prairie scene with a big sky.

 Prairie Rug 3 by Monika Kinner-Whalen

She hooked batik and hand dyed scraps with gorgeous effect. I now want to purchase a shallow shadow box to frame this piece in and give it some presence on my wall.

detail of Prairie Rug 3 by Monika Kinner-Whalen

And just for the record, I have tried hooking. I took a fantastic one-day class with talented Vancouver artist Michele Sirois-Silver several years ago. We hooked an 8" x 8" wool rug of a colourful teacup and saucer. I was very pleased with it, but my hands didn't enjoy the process. I wasn't able to get into a rhythm with the hook and my hands just ached.  I decided that while I love hooked rugs, I did not love hooking them.

 Thank you for sharing your inspired work with me, Monika!

I like Hookers

They make the prettiest rugs. Today a few friends and I took in a gallery show called Incredible Treadables by the "Gone Hooking Rug Group". I'm not sure how many of these gorgeous rugs will actually be tread upon. I like looking at them on the wall. The primitives are my favourites...I think for the same reason I like looking at wonky, not so perfect quilts. They are just more interesting to me.

I tried out my new iPhone for these photos and I cannot believe the colour saturation. Not bad! Some could be focused a bit better. I won't be abandoning my camera any time soon, but in a pinch these are pretty okay pictures. Here's a small sampling of rugs from the show.

I Like Giraffes by Anne Vulliamy

Don't you just love his fuschia tail and how he has to scrunch his neck to fit in the frame? Sweet.

Hush Little Baby by Karen Nicolson

Ivy by Donna Heinrich

Donna did a rug of both her dogs (I think)...here's the other one:

Roxy by Donna Heinrich

Quilters by Sandi Hill (my quilting pal - she is also a fantastic hooker!!)

Les Boules by Sandi Hill

I like the primitive hooking style combined with contemporary colours on Sandi's Les Boules....for me it's akin to using mod fabrics for traditional quilt patterns. The next photo rug, "Glorious Triangles" by Linda Spence is similar....funky mod coloured wonky triangles surrounding a folk art bunny shape. Cool!

Blue Goats by Tanya Graham (the sideways text reads: arti choke folk).

I wish I knew the story behind this rug - love the textured background.

If you live in the Lower Mainland, this show is running at the Seymour Art Gallery in Deep Cove until April 3. There is a fabulous contemporary table runner up for grabs in the fund raising draw and the gallery has an outstanding little artists gift shop. Check it out!