Art spotlight: The art of the hooked rug

Red Wing exhibit showcases artists and Guatemalan students.

By MARY ABBE, Star Tribune

September 22, 2011 at 8:24PM
"Canary's Lament" by Mary Anne Wise.
"Canary's Lament" by Mary Anne Wise. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Opening

Midwest artists Mary Anne Wise and Jody Slocum have taken their talent to Guatemala, where they taught women in several communities how to hook rugs as a way to earn money to support their families. Colorful, carefully crafted rugs by three of their Guatemalan students will be showcased with work by Wise, Slocum and 11 artisans from Canada, Vermont, Georgia, Minnesota and Wisconsin. A fusion of traditional techniques, folk styles and contemporary materials, the rugs include trans-cultural motifs incorporating birds, animals and flowers, geometric designs and abstract patterns. Wise's own "Canary's Lament" is shown here.

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MARY ABBE, Star Tribune