Above you will find myself,
Sheri, and
Tammy at our rug show held Friday night at the Creamery Arts Center in Springfield. The Creamery is a wonderful old building that functioned as a place to pasteurize milk many years ago. It was purchased, restored, and now is an arts center with a lovely gallery, rooms for classes, library, and dance studio. There are several more rugs in the show, but we took this view because the rugs that each of us hooked are in the same order as we are in the picture (does that make any sense at all?). We were so honored to be invited to show our work, which will be hanging during the month of September.
I'm sorry to repeat the same scene, but really wanted to include lovely friends who came out for the show. Kathleen, her aunt and my dear friend Ann (a wonderful artist and art teacher), and Sally (another patron of the arts, and creator of the most delightful lamps made from charming found treasures.... without pictures, I can't describe her work and do it justice).
On the way home from our show, I talked with my
husband about showing ones art. I wondered, since we weren't there to actually sell anything, why we bother. Does it seem show-offy, are we boring our friends.... do they feel obligated to come out and see our stuff? As usual, my Jim has the best answers to my questions that mostly come from some inferior place inside of me. Having been an artist his whole life, and having perhaps exhibited his work in hundreds of shows, he said, "No.... you're simply sharing your passion with the people you care about." And that's exactly that! I love to show people rug hooking, and share with them the fun and excitement I get from creating a rug or bag. The rush from coming up with just the "right" combination of colors and the fabulous feel of the linen on wool. Any of you that hook rugs, or work with fiber know exactly what I mean.
So, dear friends.... thanks for letting me indulge in a little show and tell, and know that I so enjoy looking and commenting on your work as well.... blogging has been a HUGE source of inspiration for me over the years, and a wonderful venue to share this crazy and wonderful rug hooking passion of mine.
xo
dulcy