MINIATURES
THE
AMES GALLERY
COMPILED BY VANESSA DAVIS Rug Hooking: Then and Now The evolution of rug hooking is explored in the exhibition, "Hooking: Folk Art to Fiber Art," at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art(860/278-2670) in Hartford, Conn. The show features 21 rugs, ranging from historic functional pieces to examples of contemporary fiber art. Rug hooking was popularized in 19th-century America as a colorful way to make a cozier hearth; as with many traditional forms of utilitarian folk art, the craft has now become a medium in which to explore fine art concepts. The works being presented include some of the earliest examples from antiquarian Wallace Nutting's collection; mats from the Wilfred Grenfell project in Labrador,intended to bring industry to the impoverished and isolated Canadian community in 1892; WPA rugs; and pieces
Folk Art Cookie The Folk Artist's Foundation, based in Flat Rock, N.C., is an organization that provides financial and other support for working artists in the folk art tradition. It teamed up with folk art champions the Immaculate Baking Company to bake the world's Pieced Hanging Tapestry, c.I 930s, 18th century fabrics, 43 x 20"
Early handmade Americana including quilts, carved canes,tramp art and whimseys. Also exceptional contemporary self-taught, naive, visionary, and outsider art. Bonnie Grossman, Director 2661 Cedar St., Berkeley, CA 94708 Tel 510/845-4949 Fax 510/845-6219 Email info@amesgallery.com www.amesgallery.com THE COOKIE TREE / Carl Dixon / North Carolina / 1999 / paint on carved plywood / approx. 3'6" >. 5'6" / collection of Immaculate Baking Company, promised gift to Folk Artist's Museum 20 SUMMER 2003 FOLK ART
from nine northeastern contemporary fiber artists. The show continues until October 5. For more information, please call the museum or visit its website at www.wadsworthatheneum.org.
SPRING COMES TO ELM STREET / Emily Robertson / 18 x 26"!Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art
largest cookie to raise money to open the Folk Artist's Museum. The event took place in Hendersonville, N.C., on May 17, 2003, at the future site of the museum, next to the Immaculate Baking Company's cookie factory. The enormous chocolate-chip cookie, more than 100 feet in diameter and baked for five hours, was cut into pieces and sold to benefit the building of the museum. The Irtunaculate Baking Company's president and CEO,Scott Blackwell, provided the museum's foundation collection of more than 600 works of folk art. For more information on the Folk Artist's Foundation, please visit its website at www.helpfaf.org. For more information on the Immaculate Baking Company or the cookie-baking event, please visit its website at www.irrunaculatebaldng.com.