Category Archives: Rug Show

Maine Tin Pedlars’ Stonewall Gallery Rug Hooking Exhibit

Part of the Maine Tin Pedlars’ purpose as an active organization and an ATHA chapter, is to promote the art of rug hooking through education, sharing of ideas and group activities. As part of this over the years we have participated in museum exhibits and held rug shows.

This Spring (2017) we will have a rug exhibit that will run from the beginning of March thru the end of April in The Stonewall Gallery, at the Yarmouth History Center .

stonewall-gallery2Throughout the year, the Stonewall Gallery hosts a number of individual and group art exhibits. The Maine Tin Pedlars will be one of the 2017 group exhibits.

The Gallery’s most prominent feature is the gray stone wall, a structure that was once a part of Yarmouth’s Water District Building built in 1923.

This photo is from the Yarmouth History Center, 118 East Elm Street, Yarmouth, Maine, Stonewall Gallery’s page. 

Tin Pedlar members are encouraged to exhibit some of their work. Any member that is interested in putting some of their pieces up for sale are also able to do that. A portion of proceeds from any sales during the exhibit will go to support the programs of the History Center. For members not sure about pricing of their hooked pieces, there will be additional information shared at the Jan meeting. It will be posted on this site also, along with any additional information, as we get closer to the hanging of the exhibit.

Here’s an outline of the existing timeline for this event ~

The exhibit will be taken down on May 1, 2017 starting at 10am.

The organizing group of this exhibit would like to have an idea of what items members will be providing. If you are going to be exhibiting, please be sure to let Faith or Trudy know the following:

  • Your Name:
  • Number of rugs or wall hangings larger than 2’ x 3’:
  • Number of rugs or wall hangings smaller than 2’ x 3’:
  • Other small items (type and # of):
  • Number of items for sale:
  • If you can drop off at the Gallery the week of 2/21 – Tues thru Thurs. 10-5

If exhibiting you will also have to complete our 3 “ticket” exhibit form. Be sure to provide the story of your piece. It’s not just interesting, but educational, to hear how a hooked piece was worked – from the reason behind the design, to the person it was hooked for, or maybe you were experimenting with a new technique. These stories add to the enjoyment of viewing the art work.

You can download the 3 “ticket” form here. Remember you will need 1 form for each item exhibiting.

 

Florals Side Bar

At our monthly meetings we have “Side Bars” as part of the presentation. These side bars are a chance to share hooked items with the membership. Some of these are composed of the presenter’s rugs. Some are exhibits of challenge mats. Or like this month’s they are all demonstrations of a theme.

This month’s theme was “Flowers”. Members were encouraged to bring in any hooked item that contained flowers. As usual we had wonderful variety representing the knowledge and variety of hooking styles of our members.

Shaker Hill Outcome

Our first opportunity to demonstrate our art form at the Shaker Hill Apple Festival in Alfred was simply FUN!

Whether it was our chance to just sit and hook, get to know other members better, browse the festival,   partake of some festival food,  talk with those who “remember my grandmother hooking” and others who hook, and of course getting some future rug hookers started     A special treat was turning around from answering questions to see the young girl that had been hooking on the sample frame helping another young girl try it. (Doing a really good job of it.)  Another treat was getting stopped by an individual who had tried their hand pulling loops and wanted to show off a hoop they had just picked up at the festival yard sale.

The 3 of us there agreed that having a colorful rug like Lauri’s caught many more eyes. Then once there we had a true variety of active pieces available to explain and show the variety this art form includes. A FUN day and hoping to maybe see some new faces at one of our upcoming meetings.

Cumberland Fair Rugs

Janet has checks for the demonstrators, checks for some of the prizes and the rugs she originally took to the fair. She will bring everything to the October meeting.
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photo of our exhibit by Lauri Troutman (more to come)

Cumberland Fair 2012 ~ Sept. 23rd – 29th

The Tin Pedlars decided to maintain our connection with the Cumberland Fair and to that end we are working hard to provide a strong showing of our art form, as well as demonstrating our craft to others. People are needed to demonstrate every day of the fair from 9am to 9pm. We have broken up the time into multiple hour blocks with a minimum of 2 people for each block. You are paid to demonstrate and you will have a ticket to get in.  A hooking frame, wool and hook will be at the demo site. If you can demonstrate and did not sign up at the May meeting, please contact —.

Part of this effort is the Cumberland Fair Challenge mats. These 10″ x 18″ (minimum) mats will need to be completed by our September ’12 meeting. See previous posting on the Challenge guidelines.

To inspire you ~ one of the pieces members have begun: 

If you want to do the challenge, but are feeling unsure about designing your own piece, different members have offered to help with the designing of your idea(s). Leave a comment here before the June meeting and connections will be made.

Our double booth has room to exhibit rugs of any size. We are looking forward to seeing many pieces of work from rugs to ornaments. To exhibit the piece it needs to be clean and never shown before at the Cumberland Fair.

Forms for fair submission will also need to be completed. The link here will allow you to submit online or print off and send in. (Only one form is used to list all items being exhibited per individual). Be sure to include MAINE TIN PEDLARS with your Name, so the rugs will get to our exhibition area.

Look for additional information as it becomes available.