Hello there Dear Reader.
How did I become involved in a life centered around textile arts, you wonder? One fall Indian summer day, when I was young and impressionable, I paused inside a miraculous doorway to observe an arresting scene: a room full of beautiful women all working at floor looms. They made a vivid impression upon me. At that moment I knew I would become one of them. Was this a dream? I don't know, yet this vision left me feeling determined to study weaving.
As a rug weaver I discovered the finite vocabulary of loom controlled patterns. The trick, I learned, is to distill these universal patterns into my own interpretation of correct proportion, pattern, color and scale.
When my husband, painter-man Arne Nyen, and I moved from the bustling twin cities to our bucolic century-old farmstead in rural Wisconsin, I discovered the narrative freedom of rug hooking. My original motivation for rug hooking grew out of my frustration in trying to influence contentious land use issues. But controlling my own world in a hooked landscape is far more pleasant than trying to win over angry property rights fanatics at endless community zoning meetings. I quit the movement. In my studio, where I have the first and last word, I am Queen on a throne of my own vision and imagination. It's good to be Queen of my very own territory.
Over the last ten years I've presented lectures on original contemporary rug hooking and now I'm teaching hooked rug composition classes to promote one-of-a-kind designs. There's always someone in the class, and you know who you are, who believe they can't draw, aren't creative, or don't have anything to say. In class, they're the ones who often discover deep, mysterious, rewarding waters. The tantalizing fish in this end of the pool are way beyond their expectations.
If you're interested in taking one of my classes, please note: I will only teach one advanced composition class here at the farm next year in October. In the spring, my Guest Artist is Wanda Kerr. Wanda will teach a fast-paced, three day long workshop. I am very excited to have Wanda here, at the farm! (note: this class is full- sorry!) Check out the 2008 Class Schedule.
What's new, you ask? I'm deeply- maybe insanely- involved in spearheading the second Guatemalan textile trunk show. The purpose is to widen the audience for these remarkable textiles. The event is coming right up, (Apr 25 & 26) here's a quick link to an e-announcement: Guatemalan Trunk Show Benefit Postcard For more details, including the travelogue of my memorable trip collecting the textiles for the show, go to News From The Studio. We've gotten some good press, too. Press.
In between it all, I'm working in the studio. Linda Rae Coughlin, a fellow rug hooker, author and exhibit curator, has organized yet another international Hooked Rug exhibition. She's kindly invited me to participate in this show destined for Japan. I'm working on a small hooked piece. I also hope to add to my Available Works real soon.
TS Elliot wrote: "April is the cruelest month..." If you live in the midwest you know exactly what he is talking about. Just when you are ready for spring along comes another snow storm. The interminable weather stretches the capacity for optimism. Want to feel the heat of the sun? Park your car in the sun and after a couple of hours, go sit inside the vehicle. It's the closest you can come to feeling the sun's warmth. Still.... the robins and red winged blackbirds are back, someone said they saw a bluebird... we had an owl in our yard apparantly checking out the hollow in one of the big maple trees as a possible nest option. She decided the yard (here on our deadend road) was too busy, afterall. Still...
Stay in touch, I enjoy hearing from you.
Truly,
Mary Anne
email: maryanne@maryannewise.com