ISSN 2007-001X August 2018
Textile Tessera, a collaborative hooked installation by Judi Tompkins, Peta Korb and myself, is packed in the suitcase ready to take and show at the Opening, at Sauder Village, Ohio, USA, of “Re-imagined” a Challenge with a Difference .
In this video produced by Kira Mead, Judi talks about how the challenge came to be.
This time next week I will be in Ohio setting up the installation and displays. As the online Exhibition will be viewed on a big screen, this collaborative installation was created so visitors could actually handle pieces made with different rug making techniques, fabrics and embellishments.
The “Re-imagined” exhibit, will include hands-on-demonstrations of various techniques. Images of works by Guild members and information about the Guild and its members will be on display.
Above is just one of 12 pages of different rugmaking techniques – click here to see them all.
The online “Re-imagined” Exhibition convened by Judi and me resulted from our Challenge to all textile artist in the Southern Hemisphere in order to promote the use of various rug making techniques in other disciplines and to encourage those already pulling and pushing fabrics through an open weave to create a hooked surface, to use embellishments and work outside their comfort zone.
While some of the Australian Rugmakers Guild members follow the North American traditions of rugmaking and use wool fabric strips or wool yarn – there is an increasing interest in the use of recycled fabric. The recycling aspect of the craft resonates with those who are following the “War on Waste” and who have become interested in the return to traditional “slow” crafts.
Generally speaking, rug making is not held in high esteem by other textile artists. Our aim was to show the craft of rug making can be effective in social, environmental and artistic pursuits.
We hope you enjoy this video of our collaborative entry and we look forward to 
showing you through our Gallery Exhibition.
Jo Franco and Judi Tompkins
