Limited only by imagination, artists create unique works from wool fibre
The Woolen Canvas exhibit opens at Peace Gallery North
From book club to rug hooking group, the artists exhibiting their works at Peace Gallery North this month began exploring the medium initially because they thought it would be fun to learn something new. Now they’re holding their second exhibit, featuring many fascinating creations.
So many unique pieces can be created with wool. Landscapes, rocks, still life, flowers and felted vessels, the only limit is the artist’s imagination – Eliza Standford, Miep Bergerjon, Shelley Nickel, Lindsay Jardine, Bev Baker, Nicola Hedges and Emily Hedges – exemplify this with their wide variety of works created using fibre.
It all started six years ago, when Eliza Standford thought it would be fun to try rug hooking. After watching a video on Deanne Fitzpatrick’s website, she was hooked. A couple of years later, Eliza asked her friends at her book club if any of them would be interested in learning how to hook.
“I said they could use my wool – I had tons,” she said. Hooking rugs is a good excuse to go into a yarn shop and build up a stash, something a lot of creative people do, whether it’s quilting, knitting, crocheting or rug hooking.
“We meet every two weeks and share so much enjoyment.”
Eliza has had a lot of fun creating her works for The Woolen Canvas exhibit, including two pieces that are made up of hooked “rocks”. She said it took a couple of years to create all the pieces she’s showing at Peace Gallery North.
Shelley Nickel, who joined the group from Eliza’s book club, has been rug hooking for about 4 years.
“Rug hooking is quite meditative,” Shelley said. “If we don’t have something in one of the looms, we’re always looking to create something.”
Everyone in the group has a different style of hooking, Shelley said. She likes brighter colours, Miep Bergerjon likes to create sheep and birds, and Eliza likes to create using hooked rocks.
“It’s fun doing rocks, it’s an interesting subject,” said Eliza, “but I don’t always want to be the rock person.”
Another one of the works Eliza has in the exhibit is a portrait of a Puffin, which she created from a photograph. It was a challenging piece she said, because it’s important to get the details correct, such as the eyes.
In addition to the many rug hooking pieces in the exhibit, Miep has created several pots using felted wool, which look like pottery.
The Woolen Canvas Exhibit runs at Peace Gallery North from January 5 to 27.