By TENA L. COOK, CSC MARKETING COORDINATOR
CHADRON – The Mount Rushmore Rug Hooker’s Social Club of Rapid City, South Dakota, is hosting an art show in the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center from now through Dec. 17. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.
The two Chadron members of the organization, Lara Madison and Catherine Lockwood, joined the club last year, which is affiliated with the Association of Traditional Hooking Artists.
“The group has a rug show in Lead [South Dakota] every other year, and they were looking for more opportunities to show their rugs,” said Madison, who hopes the Chadron event will be successful and possibly become part of the show rotation.
She said many of the rugs are made based on commercial patterns that are customized by the artist. A few rugs in the show are completely original, such as Livingston’s Ride and Colorful Harper.
The rugs are hooked on a wooden frame with carpet tacks on the edge to keep the pattern taut. The wool strip is held under the frame and brought to the top of the pattern as a loop with a hook, Madison explained.
She said each artisan finds ways to individualize their work.
“One rug depicts a sheep with actual locks from a Lincoln Longwool sheep hooked into it. Another has beads adorning the edging. Another has non-wool as tufts in the ears and actual whiskers,” Madison said.
Madison said rug hooking is a labor of love.
“Some rugs take 30-150 hours to make and the supplies and tools are expensive,” she said. “Most of the members of the group use their rugs as rugs or use them to decorate their homes or as gifts of love. A few of the rugs in the show are wall hangings and are multi-media projects.”
Madison said rug hooking originally was a way of using old wool scraps or recycling worn out wool clothes.
“Throughout history, women have been turning utilitarian objects and activities into an artform. Originally, the canvas of these rugs was burlap, but now they are also made on linen or carpet warp. Some people recycle wool suits, but most people use tighter woven wool,” she said.