Artist / Rug Hooker /Art Teacher
Education and Background:
My background includes being an Art teacher in the Public schools. A special Master’s program in Weaving and fiber, knowing my interest was in Fiber Arts early on. I studied drawing and watercolor painting for 2 years with Botanical Illustrating teachers.
I created a weaving business designing mats and rugs to market in shops and fairs.
I found Rug hooking about 10 years ago and found it to be a way to create more freely then I had with the weaving. I enjoy the way you can pull out whatever you don’t like. I took my first class with Jackye Hanson who taught Waldoboro techniques and I was hooked. I continued to go to workshops and join the local Guilds. I have enjoyed the most wonderful teachers with this medium and each has given me valuable information at the time I needed it.
Learning to dye wool and yarn followed in a natural sequence. I like using a variety of fibers with great textures and colors.
Inspiration:
In my college years I sat in a greenhouse and painted flowers and leaves with acrylics and oils. I have a strong love of birds and painted them as well. It’s easy to see now what inspires me the most and that is being in nature looking at all that we can we find there. I walk in the deep woods looking and listening to the birds. On my walks I find beautiful bird feathers, which I can use for color matches. I go to the waters edge to see the Loons and Herons.
I have friends that send me bird photos or feathers from their journeys to different areas that I don’t see.
My subjects come to me more then I chose them. I can tell you many stories about a certain bird that I keep seeing everywhere or it comes to my window or door. That’s when I feel it’s got a message for me and learn more about the bird. I find out what its habitat is, hunting and nesting habits, colors and it becomes my next bird to hook.
VINS Nature Center in VT, has been a great inspiration for my Owls, Hawks and Eagles. It helps to see these large birds up close to get a personal feel for their size, look and colors.
Sometimes great textured yarns can inspire a background for my birds.
Great sunset colors will inspire me to dye or marbleize some wool to work with.
Process:
My birds are all raised and sculpted and created with a lot of textures yarns or other fibers. I want the subject to pop out from the background and this technique allows me to make that happen. They can be raised high or very subtle and low by how you cut the wool.
I love using dyed velvets for different area of the birds. My backgrounds are where I use all the beautiful dyed colors of wool, dyed yarn, novelty fuzzy yarns, silk, sari silk ribbon and taffeta. I hook in size 2- size 6 cuts of wool. I love to finish my backgrounds with added metallic fused wool, shiny material and a lot of bird feathers.
I love feathers they have become an inspiration in themselve. I sometimes saw in some beads as well.
Awards:
- Hooked in the Mountains viewers choice awards for four years
- Celebration’s Magazine – 2016, 2017 and 2019.
- Hooked in the Valley Show.
- Festival of the Arts , in Waitsfield, VT – yearly members shows
- Library Arts Exhibit, Newport NH Juried Member of the League of NH Craftsmen. Brochure cover 2019 with “Bucky the Blue Heron”, also printed on League Tee shirts.
- League of NH Craftsmen, Best in Fiber award for “White Egret” in 2020.
- Rug Hooking Magazine cover July –August 2020- including an article about my work by Anne-Marie Littenberg.
My profile is on the League of NH Craftsmen web site.
Sandra Grant
Sunapee, NH and Warren, VT