The Art of the Hooked Rug

The Art of the Hooked Rug:
Contemporary Versions of a Traditional Technique
curated by Jill St. Coeur

Opening Reception ~ Arts Night Out
Friday, April 11, 2014   5 - 8 pm

Oslo by Jill St. Coeur

As part of the Contemporary Art at Historic Northampton exhibit series, original hooked rugs by area artists will be shown alongside an example of a traditional mid-19th century hooked rug from Historic Northampton’s collection. Like most of the rugs in the collection, this example is made using a pre-printed floral pattern with suggested color schemes. In complete contrast, the contemporary artists featured in the exhibit take a more abstract and personal approach to the hooked rug, creating a wide variety of individualized designs with a bold use of color and hooking techniques unique to each artist. 

Hooking comes from a long tradition of reusing materials and creating designs inspired by nature and the world around us while showing ingenuity, thrift and creativity. Rugs, mats or wall hangings are made by pulling loops of wool or yarn through a stiff woven base such as burlap, linen or rug warp. Traditional designs for the rugs were often commercially produced as patterns usually depicting flowers, animals or geometrics. Rug hooking, both an art and a craft, is thought to have been started in the Canadian Maritimes and has been popular in the rest of North America for the past 200 years.

TV Dinner by Jan Whitaker

Exhibit curator Jill St. Coeur viewed hooked rugs in the collection at Historic Northampton as an inspiration for contemporary work. Her interest in hooking rugs started four years ago and has evolved from a lifelong love and appreciation of fabric and textiles. Her more than twenty-five-year career as a costume designer has given her the opportunity to practice many of the textile arts. She finds that hooking combines her love of surface design, color and texture, allowing her to “paint” with fabric in the process of creating a functional object.

Zig Zag by Gary Niswonger

Alongside the circa 1860 hooked rug and other historical memorabilia, the exhibit will include rugs by Ms. St. Coeur as well as the self-designed and executed works of Margaret Bruzelius, Amherst, MA; Deidre Muccio, Northampton, MA; Gary Niswonger, Williamsburg, MA; Sheena See, Florence, MA; Jan Stenson, Florence, MA and Jan Whitaker, Northampton, MA. The Art of the Hooked Rug: Contemporary Versions of a Traditional Technique will be on view from April 11 through May 30 at Historic Northampton. The gallery is open Wednesday - Saturday 10 am to 4 pm and Sundays 12 noon to 5 pm.