Category Archives: textile art

Class topics in 2014

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I just reviewed photos from workshops this year.  Many lessons were taught, dozens of lessons learned, and plans were made for next year ….  all reasons why I teach.  See the calendar for workshop sites in 2015.

Alta Vista Golf Course, site of workshop

Alta Vista Golf Course, site of workshop

 

I flew to Mesa Arizona in January right in-between the coldest spells in West Virginia.  People came down from South Dakota to escape the cold and others ‘wintered’ in sunny Arizona.  The projects were colorful and three days went too quickly.

 

 

The class at Cedar Lakes Rug School was filled with sixteen eager students.  Some had finally signed up with me after a few years of seeing work by other students and others repeated with new projects and goals.  At the end of the week, I complimented them all, referring to this session as a Masters Class.  I was challenged, they contributed and every project was well on its way to being a great piece.  I am teaching here again next year, email Nancy Blair at  thhkrugs@altelco.net   for details.

The topic at Green Mountain Rug Hooking School in Vermont was the Moods of Color.  We did get to hooking designs based on a mood the participants brought  but began the three days with several exercises.  On the blackboard each posted a word under one of six colors.  Before looking farther what would you say about Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Purple?

Red Moods
Orange Moods
Yellow Moods
Green Moods
Blue Moods
Purple Moods

Manistee Rug School in Onekama, MI is coordinated by a guild rather than a business.  Volunteers for every job join together bringing in the new members and adapting each year to the needs of all.  This was a repeat for me, the first time was in 2011.  I made a point to dine with a different instructor each evening, making new friends and delving deeper into old friendships.  The class included beginners, pattern designers, experimenters, folk painters and abstract artists.  Diverse and challenging, their projects evolved well over the week.

Sauder Village Rug Week is in Archbold, OH is in its 18th year.  Ruckman Mill Farm vended again right next to Dorr Mill Store in the Exhibit Hall where we enjoyed the Celebration rugs and special collection of Esther and Judy Knipe.  The workshop I taught covered a wide variety of ways for Finishing Hooked Rugs, (title of new book by experts in each technique… including a chapter on finishing work for gallery exhibits by me).  We used the exhibit to explore finishes, talked about the appropriate new technique for students work and using a small sample “learned” three techniques.  Response from the students was to offer this again.  Look for class schedules at SauderVillage.org in early November.  I will be teaching several different classes all week.

Susan L. Feller, Ruckman Mill Farm

Susan L. Feller, Ruckman Mill Farm

 

Nature Lessons in Color Planning

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When I wanted to illustrate complementary partners in the book ‘Design Basics for Rug Hookers’, Stackpole Books 2011; I chose PURPLE asters and GOLDENrod along the highway near Albany, NY and ORANGE sassafras and a crystal BLUE sky here in WV.

Late summer brings on the subtle changes we glorify as Fall.  These images are good studies in how amount of color and placement affect the motif . They represent RED with its complement GREEN.

 

This is is a ‘Daily Square’ from late October 2013 depicting a blackberry branch. These photos taken today will inspire several squares.

Look around your environment and select a new color plan.

Blackberry Branch, Susan L. Feller painted linen, hooked, embroidered, quilted

Blackberry Branch, Susan L. Feller painted linen, hooked, embroidered, quilted

Collections at Sauder Village

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The 18th Annual Rug Hooking Week at Sauder Village, Archbold, OH is over, preserved in memories and digital snaps.  THE event for fiber enthusiasts will happen again August 12-15, 2015.  Bookmark SauderVillage.org and check in early November for schedule of workshops, vendors and featured exhibits.

Thank you to Rug Hooking Magazine and Sauder Village for sponsoring this show and congratulations to Event Coordinator Kathy Wright.  Look forward to old and new friends next year.

These images capture my digital highlights, the mind is overwhelmed by hundreds more.

ArtWools.com display wall, Susan L. Feller
RuckmanMillFarm.com designs, by Susan L. Feller
Grenfell Mats Historical display by author Paula Laverty
Silk stockings used to make Grenfell Mats
Martha (GoingGray.com) and Rebecca (WoolStudio.com) dressed to draw attention to their booths
Ohio group’s interpretation of one design
One design many moods
American Coverlet Museum and hooked rug designs
Esther Knipe and Judy Knipe Collection, detail of large rug by Esther
Personal favorite, by Joyce Krueger
Sophisticated traditional manipulating of fabric by Alice Streibel

Realism Interpreted

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I have described the technique of rughooking to artists as “painting with fibers”. We use a hook pushing it down through a loose weave backing (usually linen) to make a hole through which we pull up the strip of fabric or yarn held underneath creating a loop.  Then we go back down through a hole close by and pull on the strip again.  Depending on the VALUE, COLOR, TEXTURE AND THICKNESS OF STRIPS  the design evolves similarly to a painter’s brush strokes.

Most of my work has been with strips a bit smaller than 1/4 inch wide.  Since 2014 is the YEAR OF EXPERIMENT AND CHALLENGE, I jumped at an opportunity to spend a weekend in a class led by Roslyn Logsdon in Laurel, MD and use much thinner strips allowing for more changes within the space.  The theme was architecture and I took photos of the barn  across from our lane which I have depicted in several daily squares already.  Time for a larger piece…. 9″ x 12″!  Wow!

Roslyn encourages artists to study a photo, sketch the shapes onto the backing then put the visual away.  Select your fibers (in my case three bundles of brown, green, grays sorted into light, medium and dark) and begin to CREATE the subject you envision.  An artistic interpretation will be the results.  This advice is difficult to follow when the photo is someone close to you, or you THINK too much.  Become the child again and create.

I took her advice to heart only returning to the photo the second day to see where I could add depth by showing light behind the door.  See what you think.   I was so inspired that a second piece was worked up over the last ten days.  But that is for another post.

Jim’s newest installation

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There are two artists in this home Jim and Susan.  We bounce inspirations off of each other, asking for critiques or just to think out loud.  The conversation recently went something like :

J  I have all of that colored nylon fabric sitting in the bag, when are you going to cut it into clothing shapes for me?

S  I have been waiting for you to tell me what you want?  and why?

J  Well I am not sure why or where I want to hang the “clothes”.  Maybe on the front porch.

S (too quickly) Oh NO.  (then) Well ok, but why?  That is pretty stereotypical. Is that the statement you are looking for?

J  No I want people to say WHY? and I want to create another installation which you and I will enjoy looking at and smile.   How about those locust trees way down in the grove?  We can see it from the kitchen windows and people will wonder who hangs laundry 100 yards from the house.

S  GREAT!  I will get some of my clothes as patterns and cut a pile for you.

 

Inspirations Everywhere

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Fabric Studies

Fabric Studies in month of February 2014, Susan L. Feller

These four blocks were inspired by fabric.  The embroidered and embellished moody blue green I dyed and spoke of irises.  Next the colors from the piece used as overall background set the palette. I will line the back of this square when finished with the wool as an example.  The center panel of the striped piece is a wide, loose trim which I hooked an aqua and pink line through to anchor the fabric to backing.  Then I hooked through the edges and mimicked the patterning by hooking and braiding.  The last one was designed based on the striped fabric in center square.  I used high contrast to reproduce the stripes.

On to May journaling, the trees are bursting into bud and each migrating bird upon arrival is adding their music to the orchestra.  Sounds, sights and memories emerging as subjects.

What is new in your neighborhood? How can you record, document, or reinterpret these experiences?  Tap into your creative space and show others your thoughts.

February Studies

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image The daily square project is moving along slowly visually but the knowledge I have explored is vast.  There are two more squares to be completed for February, one I thought would be a value study in fine cuts since it is made up of “petals” around a center. But as time has progressed I decided to build dimensional shapes using a modified shirred technique.  Fine cut later this year, maybe. Winter lead me to work in the kitchen near to constant free heat from our wood cook stove.  I empathize with people who do not have a dedicated studio space and work within the family living area.  I had to consolidate materials, did not have all the tools available to paint, sew, use wire or sort through the unusual materials for inspiration, and ended up hooking more squares than if in the studio.  Back there this month though.

Red, Green, Purple, Orange

Red, Green, Purple, Orange

Workshops coming up were the topics for several squares.  The session at Green Mountain Hooked Rugs School in June will address color planning with a Mood — happy, sad, in love, sunny.  Red, Yellow, Blue, Orange, Green and Purple are interpreted with lines or motifs and in monochromatic palettes.

Complements, color and value

Complements, color and value

A presentation to With Hands & Hearts Antietam Chapter of ATHA covered relations of colors with values.  Squares address colors on white, black and textured gray backgrounds.

Fabric Studies

Fabric Studies

Just as in home decorating where the drapery fabric or a stunning piece of artwork cues the coloring for a room, I responded to a piece of wool or trim in four squares. March journal entries reflect the studying process.  Nightly a book from the library was reread, notes taken and a design exploring the technique or art style was drawn.

December Studies

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It was exciting to put out two months of squares and see the variety of techniques, materials, subjects and color/values.  I have found it challenging to keep coming up with new images and then decided I do not have to.  Revisiting a composition and changing some element involves experimenting.  The landscape subjects are especially good to look at again, weather and seasons change the details.  SNOW brings out high contrast and changes shapes along with visual focus.

Not surprising, the December squares are filled with white and neutrals.  Color still abounds, but like spring in the Arizona Desert you need to look closely.  Bluebirds flitting, holly berries, sky blue, the warmth of our wooden buildings are all examples represented this month.  Enjoy a sampling including some subjects photographed but sketched from memory.  First a blank slate staring at me on January first:

January 2014

January 2014

 

Support the Arts

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Willow 21st Century, Susan L. Feller

Willow 21st Century, Susan L. Feller

One hundred years ago craftsmen and women dedicated their skills to creating work by hand.  The Arts and Crafts movement is alive today. As a lifestyle or during a piece of their time, artisans and arts organizations are presenting unique objects to reflect on in your personal environment.  This was a long way of suggesting you BUY ART, buy from an artist you met or who’s story is communicated to you at a gallery, BUY LOCAL.

I am grateful for the support of clients who chose original pieces from the studio and through Tamarack in Beckley, WV.  Those of you who are working up rug patterns or using our dyed wools from Ruckman Mill Farm, thank you.  To the participants in workshops this year I look forward to seeing your personal designs.

We purchased these pieces for our collection.  I am sure each artist has some more work if you are interested. Look up Lori LaBerge, Gail Becker, Marie Sugar or visit my work at Ruckman Mill Farm. One was purchased at an auction supporting ATHA, one through an art gallery during a hooked art exhibit, and one directly from the artist.  I admired each of the individuals work before and was happy to be able to select tangible memories.

November Study Finished

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I am thrilled to create this post of the studies created in November 2013.  The variety of techniques include painting canvas, beads, hooking, applique’, using found objects (ceramic mug, twist ties, clothesline), alpaca yarns, proddy, wire.  Styles ranged from realistic, dimensional, abstract to geometric.

Inspired a larger piece

Inspired a larger piece

During the month I created three larger pieces inspired by the studies and like the feeling I had while making two random squares.  They too could become runners at least.  The palette is changing to softer, colder, and more subtle as the seasons change.  I am going to bring out the alpaca yarns in a range of neutrals and softness for winter and the bare woods.  Missing the FALL foliage wools already.  Sure the small sparks of color will be much more enjoyable as our birds, the evergreens and wintry sky become subjects.  But that is for December and into 2014.

I began this journal on October 18 and was literally in the studio or outside working each day.  As November’s weather changed and the work space became a warm corner in the kitchen (with wood cook stove going) my work ethic changed.  In the studio all the toys were accessible adding to pieces easily.  Away from those inspirations more of the squares were just hooked.  Those which I envisioned needed different materials awaited a trip downstairs.

So it took until December 13 to complete November’s squares.  That’s ok with me.  For the year each month will remain as you see on the header image, one large piece of linen divided in a calendar grid.  After that I will divide them out and finish in appropriate manner for the piece.  I have photographed changes, documenting the lessons I am learning.  Considering this year to be my Independant Study.  Self issued certificate at end.

December has each square drawn out but I felt completing one month was important in the new discipline.  These pieces are revisiting some of the subjects with the new high contrast which snow adds.  Tree branches, railings, even a chair are different when defined by a blanket of snow.   Enjoy the Gallery of selected pieces.