Featured Exhibits pay tribute to the work of outstanding contemporary and historic artists. Each of these extensive collections offers a wonderful and rare opportunity to study closely the techniques, colors, designs, materials, and the in-depth story of talented artists.
Rug Hooking Week offers classes relevant to these exhibits so that you may gain insight and learn techniques directly from the artist, authority or curator. You will find more information on the classes listed with each exhibit and on the Retreat and Workshop pages.
Year of the Man – Man Made
Artists…Today, there are many men who create contemporary hooked work, dye their own wool, and create their own designs. This year alone, there are 4 men as finalists and honorable mentions in Celebration of Hand-Hooked Rugs 27. The Man Made exhibit will include the creative work of both national and international men!
Collectors…Early on, well-known and wealthy men became collectors of hooked rugs, including the du Ponts, Rockefellers, Wyeths and even celebrities like Fred McMurray of My Three Sons and Johnny Mac Brown-cowboy movie star, to U.S. Presidents and many others. What drew them to collect hooked rugs and decorate their mansions, we’ll answer those questions and show you some of the hooked rugs in their homes.
Dealers…Where did the collectors get their rugs? Answer - from “Dealers”! These men, like Ralph Burnham, Rudolph Condon, Joel Kopp, and many others. These dealers often handled and sold hundreds of antique hooked rugs over the years. Some dealers also had women reproducing old designs as well as new designs, as just another aspect of their business.
Business Men…If not for supplies like wool, patterns, cutters, hooks, and frames --- contemporary artists, whether they are men or women, could not hook rugs today. We will highlight some of the historic and contemporary men in the rug hooking business.
In our Year of the Man – Man Made Exhibit, we are honored to pay tribute to these men and share their diversity, creativity, and talents. We think you will find this exhibit fascinating, surprising, and revealing! Discover the considerable impact that men have had on the beloved “Hooked Rug” at this year’s Man Made Exhibit!
Curator – Kathy Wright
Private Collections
In addition to rug hooking artists, men have played a major role in both collecting and selling hooked rugs in America. This Feature Exhibit gathers hooked rugs from the private collections of notable collectors and antique dealers. They will share their stories, expertise, and background from many years of collecting, selling, and observing the trends of the market and historic relevance of hooked rugs.
Tools of the Trade
If not for tools, supplies, equipment, patterns, dyes, materials, etc.…we would not be able to hook rugs. Who are the men who design and make these tools? On display will be historic and contemporary hooks, frames, patterns, cutters, and many other tools of the trade along with the maker’s story. From the early merchants like Edward Sands Frost of Maine and Ebenezer Ross of Toledo, Ohio to the contemporary designers and makers of your favorite hooks and frames.
Curator – Kathy Wright