Newtown’s Second Annual Rug Show:

Even Bigger And Better Than The First

 

By Shannon Hicks

More than 420 visitors showed up for the 2nd Annual Newtown Hooked Rug Show last weekend, presented this year in the cafetorium of Reed Intermediate School. The move from Newtown Meeting House and Booth Library was a good one for the show. It allowed a full display of hooked rugs, a vendor area, and a speaker’s area to be held in one space as opposed to the separate locations that visitors had to contend with last year (which was hampered even further at the time by cold rains).

The success of this year’s show is easy to figure out. The popularity of rugs hooked traditionally has skyrocketed in recent years, as Americans find more comfort in folk arts and homemade products. The quality of the rugs that were presented last year in the Newtown show was high enough to bring attention to the first-year show. Word of mouth between participants and attendees of last year was also a strong pull; this year’s attendees showed up at 3 Trades Lane expecting to be impressed.

They were not disappointed. While the wind gusted and temperatures dropped outside, those inside Reed Intermediate School basked in the warmth of a celebration of a North American technique that really began to develop during the first half of the 19th Century. While rug hooking began as a necessity using discarded feed sacks or scraps of clothing, the hooking of fabric strips, yarn, or wool on an even-weave base to create coverings for the home has developed into an art form unto its own. Today’s traditional rug hookers are still creating rugs, but also doing wall hangings, trivets, ornaments, clothing (or purses, as was the case of one entry in the Newtown show), jewelry and more.

The attendance figure represents an increase of nearly two dozen over last year’s inaugural show. There were 116 rugs on view at the show, representing loans by nearly 90 people. The subject matter was as varied as the rainbow of colors used in their designs. There were rugs and hangings that were whimsical, others that were serious, a few self-portraits (including a few that were tongue-in-cheek). Some hangings presented full scenes while others offered patterns. It was a fantastic variety of designs, sizes, and shapes.

The vendor area, which this year presented 26 dealers, was again a strong attraction of the show. Dealers were offering a rainbow of wool offerings, patterns, books, tools, and more. Even during a one-hour presentation by Dick LaBarge and George Kahnle, the market area continued to be quietly visited by show attendees.

“It’s very difficult to find suppliers for rug hooking,” Mrs Fay explained. “Usually you have to order things through the mail so you aren’t able to touch them and see them up close. It’s like a shopping spree when you have that many people in one place.”

“I’ve heard from a number of the vendors already and they’ve all had very positive things to say about the show,” co-organizer Sherry Paisley said Monday morning.

“They were very happy that the were able to set up in the same space where the speakers were being presented, that they were able to man their booths while listening to the presentations this year.”

The show’s second organizer was Liz Fay, a Sandy Hook resident who is an award-winning traditional rug hooker. She joined Mrs Paisley in coordinating this year’s show, filling the shoes of Nancy Taylor, who helped Mrs Paisley last year.

“I thought it was great, a big success,” Mrs Fay said this week. “I was happy [with the turnout for the guest speakers]. I think people really enjoyed them.

The November 8 event was attended by people who hook rugs as well as those who appreciate them. It also served as a great introduction for people who were curious about the show. With the presentation of so many aspects of traditional rug hooking, novices were also able to get a good idea of what the attraction of traditional rug hooking is.

“I think there were also more men, definitely more husbands there, this year,” added Mrs Fay. “I didn’t get to talk to too many people so I’m not sure if they were rug hookers, but they were there.”

The setup was comfortable for everyone, with wide aisles between the rugs in the viewing area and also within the market area. The school’s kitchen area had opened, with members of the kitchen staff selling sandwiches, soup, other snacks and beverages during the full run of the show.

There was also plenty of room for members of the Nutmeg chapter of The Association of Traditional Hooking Artists (ATHA), who had ongoing demonstrations and an area within the combination cafeteria-auditorium to visit with each other and with curious showgoers all day.

While viewing the hooked rugs, which were amazing creations and presentations of talent and design, show attendees were asked to keep their favorite in mind. The show repeated a favorite offering of last year: Show Favorite.

This year’s favorite was “Chicken Farm Road,” a work designed and hooked by Beth Kempt of Southbury, who is an outstanding self-taught artist. Mrs Kempt was one of the rug hookers who had loaned a number of works to the show.

“I’m hoping to see more people bring rugs for next year,” Liz Fay commented. “If there was something we could improve on, I think that would be it: more rugs. But the quality and the talent that was represented this year was still excellent.”

Instructor and author Amy Oxford had a table at the show. She and her husband spent the day greeting people, and Mrs Oxford was kept busy with those who were seeking autographs in their copies of her new book, Punch Needle Rug Hooking.

Speakers Dick LaBarge and George Kahnle, internationally known among folk art and hooked rug aficionados and collectors, offered a program that was very well attended. The two gentlemen offered education and humor during their one-hour presentation, which covered design, color, and dyeing. The men own the company Hooked on the Creek, in Victory Mills, N.Y.

The idea of a traditional hooked rug show dates to early 2002, Mrs Paisley said this week. When she and the Newtown Meeting House Board of Trustees were chewing on ideas of fundraisers for the meeting house music fund, one of the strongest ideas the group held on to was that of an antiques show.

When Mrs Paisley approached Sandra Wright, the owner of The Mill in Sandy Hook, about participating in an antiques show, Mrs Wright suggested instead a traditional hooked rug show.

“It just took off from there,” Mrs Paisley said this week, in making sure it was known whose idea it was for a show that has turned into a great event in Newtown. “This craft is not in its infancy, but the organization of large shows still is. We were lucky enough to get in on the ground flood of this.”

Mrs Paisley said that about a dozen of the vendors who participated in this year’s show indicated in emails this week that already “they absolutely want to come back next year.” Plans are in the talking stage for a third annual show.

At $5 per person for more than 400 admissions, last weekend’s show was not only very well attended but also a successful fundraiser for Newtown Meeting House Music Fund.