Rug hooking Workkshops

This two day course will explore the art of hooking interesting textures to create depth and energy in your rugs. This workshop will focus on creating rich and interesting landscape rugs, using special fibres, hand spuns, unspuns, silks, mohair, sweaters, and other fancy fibres to show the beauty of nature. It is about reflecting what you see, and really seeing the world around you through texture and wool. We will approach rug hooking in a painterly way, thinking about the way we hook as you might the stroke of a brush. This workshop will focus on bushes, flowers, fields, hills, trees and the natural landscape that the common eye can see as it passes by a beautiful field. Participants will bring a selection of their own wools and textures as a way of maintaining their own ideas and style as they create their rug. It will be generously supplemented with wools from the studio stash to create a unique and interesting work of art. Each day we will do a series of art related activities to enhance our hooking ability. The workshop is hands on and interactive and we will focus on experiential activities. This intermediate level workshop will include two days of instruction, generous amounts of wool cloth from the studio stash, textured wools, and silks supplies needed for the workshop, lunches, snacks, tea and coffee. Cost: $295.00 Canadian plus $38 HST

The Art of Rug Hooking

A Design & Studio Workshop for Artistic Rug Hookers. This is a creative mentoring workshop. Monday to Wednesday, May 4, 5 and 6, 9am to 3pm each day This three day course is designed for those who want to use rug hooking as creatively as possible as a means of self expression. This course will be a mentoring workshop, with an emphasis on developing yourself as an artist. The focus of this design workshop will be enhancing your creative potential, and personal style of rug hooking. We will explore different types of inspiration, other rug hookers, other artists, writers and poets to try to divine some inspiration of our own. Each day we will do a variety of creative activities, including individual and group experiential exercises, writing, sketching, designing, and rug hooking. Part of one day will be spent on an inspirational field trip. I will provide a series of ideas, and you can go off as individuals or as a group. Each day there will be plenty of time to hook together but we will spend a lot of time working out creative ideas, design, and developing creativity. The emphasis will be on developing skills that allow you to always approach rug hooking as creatively as possible rather than on creating a single rug during the workshop. We will each create one design on the first day that we will work on over the three days. This personal piece will be each individual's learning ground, a tool to use as you ask for help on colour, perspective, design, and creativity. The workshop will be self directed, in a studio environment, where we are working together creatively. In addition to being a rug hooking workshop it will be a creativity workshop, each element will be as important as the other. Participants should be passionate about rug hooking and see it as means of self expression, and believe in a creative approach to rug hooking. You are encouraged to bring a bag of the materials that you generally like to use so that you can infuse the rug you create with your own personal style. The workshop will include: three days of instruction, generous supply of wool from the studio stash and burlap for a two by three rug, nutritious lunches, snacks, tea, and coffee. Cost: $465.00 plus $60HST

Hooking Primitive People
Monday and Tuesday, May 18 and 19, 9am to 3pm each day
This two day workshop will focus on capturing the essence of people. A simple tilt of the head, a fold in the clothes, the tip of the hat, these are the things that bring people to life in our rugs. This workshop will focus on enhancing your ability with portraiture, showing movement, hooking skin tones, clothing, and backgrounds. We will learn how to create interesting and captivating faces with simple primitive shading. Though we will use a pattern as a learning tool, participants are encouraged to bring photos or stories to the workshop to use for discussion of ideas for future mats. The emphasis of this workshop will be capturing the spirit of people in hooked rugs. Topics will include hooking the face, skin tone, clothing, posture, and of course capturing spirit. Each day we will do a series of art related activities to enhance our hooking ability. We will be sketching, and playing with the notion of drawing people for the purposes of improving what we can do with our hooks and wool when it comes to capturing their essence in mats. Like all the workshops, we will focus on experiential activities. This intermediate level workshop will include two days of instruction, a one of a kind "people" pattern,(20 by 32 approx)generous amounts of wool from the studio stash, all other supplies needed for the workshop, lunches, snacks, tea and coffee. Cost: $295.00 Canadian plus $38 HST

Color, Texture, Creativity, and Design in Rug Hooking

Monday to Wednesday, September 14, 15, and 16. This intensive three day workshop focuses on hooking the land, the sea and the sky. Emphasis is placed on developing a sense of style and color, using a variety of textures of wool, enhancing creativity, and introducing the basic elements of design. It is for the rug hooker who wants to become freer and more creative I their approach to mat making. Participants will choose a design to hook and this project will be the tool to learn about using colour and texture as a tool to express yourself. Experimentation and playfulness will be important elements as each participant chooses the colours and types of wool they will use with consultation, and support. Participants will freely experiment with the many different textures and types of wool to learn their possibilities and how they can enhance a rug. There will be an emphasis on creativity throughout the workshop, both through our approach to hooking, and through a series of experiential activities. Drawing activities, an intensive overview of basic design elements and strategies will be a part of the session. The workshop is hands on and interactive. Throughout the weekend there will be discussions and mini lectures on colour, texture, creativity, and design, during which participants can choose to hook and listen or to rest their hands a bit as they listen and participate. It is an open minded workshop environment designed for adult learners. The goal of the weekend is to become more creative and free in your approach to rug hooking. The cost of the workshop includes: three days of instruction, 9am to 3pm, hand drawn pattern, generous amounts of wool from the studio stash, lunches, healthy snacks, tea and coffee. You only need to bring your hook and frame, and a bundle of your favourite wools. Cost: $465.00 plus $60HST

Creativity and rug hooking is a beautiful blend and it is the basis of all the workshops at my studio. We learn by doing, and experiencing, by sharing ideas in a supportive and fun environment designed for adult learners. You’ll be offered a playground of ideas, and a rich creative experience in a studio environment. All workshops are held in the studio on Electric Street in Amherst.

To register, contact Deanne at 1 800 328 7756.

A $75 non refundable deposit is payable upon registration

Local Accommodations

The Regent 902-667-7676 Gwen, the inn keeper is also a rug hooker, and works at the studio

Browns Guest Home 902-667-9769 Nancy hosted guests since our very first workshop

Victorian Motel 667-7211 Wandlyn Inn 902-667-3331 Super8-660-8888 Comfort Inn 667-0404

Willet Point A Private Cottage in a grove of birches for rent Contact Donna (my sister) 1-902-661-5694

Please feel welcome to visit the studio at 7 Electric Street in downtown Amherst, right behind Mansour’s Men’s Wear. We are open year round, Wednesday to Saturday, 10am to 3pm. If you are passing through at another time, give us a call. If we can open for you we will.

www.hookingrugs.com

The girl in a dress... a mini workshop

on hooking women in dresses Friday March 28, 10 am to 1pm

$75 includes pattern and wool cloth and a tasty snack mid morning.

Bring your hook and frame

Simplicity Squared

Friday, February 15, 10 to 3, $110

This workshop will focus on making the simplest ideas as beautiful and as interesting as they can be. It will be a chance to explore the idea of simplicity, with the simplest , yet richest of crafts. Pattern(not exactly as shown), partial kit, tea, coffee and lunch included

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Needle Felting Workshop with Brenda Clarke at Deanne's Studio

Saturday February 23, 9:30 to 12 noon, $65 includes supplies, project is a felted bag

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September 22 and 23, 2008

Hooking Primitive People
Two Days 9am to 3pm each day
This two day workshop will focus on capturing the essence of people. A simple tilt of the head, a fold in the clothes, the tip of the hat, these are the things that bring people to life in our rugs. This workshop will focus on enhancing your ability with portraiture, showing movement, hooking skin tones, clothing, and backgrounds. Though we will use a pattern as a learning tool, participants are encouraged to bring photos, or stories to the workshop to use for discussion of ideas for future mats. The emphasis of this workshop will be capturing the spirit of people in hooked rugs. Often the people will be set in the context of a coastal landscape. Topics will include hooking the face, skin tone, clothing, posture, and of course capturing spirit. Each day we will do a series of art related activities to enhance our hooking ability. Like all the workshops, we will focus on experiential activities
This intermediate level workshop will include two days of instruction, a "people" pattern (approximately 2 feet by 2 feet), wool cloth , the pattern, all other supplies needed for the workshop, lunches, snacks, tea and coffee.
Cost:$280.00 Canadian (approximately $240.00 US) plus $39 HST

A Feast of Inspiration; A conference of creativity, where art and rug hooking meet.

Thursday and Friday, October 16 and 17, 2008.

Presented by Deanne Fitzpatrick at The Parish Hall, Amherst , Nova Scotia

sym-po-sium – a gathering with a free exchange of ideas

Imagine a room full of people who all still believe in making things by hand and that art is part of daily

living. Imagine a series of speakers who have made a life’s work of these very things

and have set out to inspire a room full of people. You are imagining this symposium.

We’ll storm the kettle at the start of the day to make the tea then we’ll gather to hook and the symposium will begin. This will be a dynamic two day Rug Hookers Creativity Retreat with its goal being to bring together a group of rug hookers interested in developing their creative ability by learning from each other, other artists, and from myself. It will be two days of exchanging ideas, creating and developing hooking projects, feeling wool and other fancy fibres, dreaming dreams and turning them into realities, nurturing original thoughts. It will be a conference of creativity, where art and rug hooking meet. You bring to the gathering any projects that you want to work on over the two day period. You can hook on your rug (or knit or stitch if you wish, all fibre arts are welcome) as the presenters share their ideas with the crowd. We have found that simpler projects work the best as the speakers at the resoundingly successful Artful Rug Hooker 2007 were quite compelling. I have always found that when I am hooking on a rug I am able to listen so intently. The words of a story become part of the rhythm of my work. So the idea is that you can sit and listen as you work on your rug. Each presenter will speak for twenty minutes to a half hour on their topic, followed by questions and answers from the whole group. The forty five minutes following each speaker will be time for you to speak individually or in a smaller group with the speaker and to hook, get feedback on your projects, and communicate with other participants in the symposium.

The Speakers at this year’s symposium have been invited to present because they are creative energetic spirits who have added spark to my own imagination. I looked to people who have inspired me, and whose work has helped me develop and learn as an artist. I have watched each of these strong intelligent people come up with great ideas and push the boundaries of their own work with an energy and verve that I admire. They have inspired me, and now I have invited them to inspire you.

The Spirit of Artfulness with Joy Laking. Joy has run a studio in Portapique, Nova Scotia, and made her living as a full time artist for over twenty five years. Her warm and playful attitude towards everything artistic had led her artistic journeys all through out her life, as a traveler to far off places, or just down the road to paint a porch. She has exhibited her work internationally and has had solo exhibitions at The Owens Art Gallery, the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, and the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Ontario. She is a member of the Society of Canadian Artists.

Writing to Yourself with Beth Powning. Beth is a writer and photographer. She is the author of both novels and creative non fiction. She writes beautifully enough as to make you want to read aloud. Her memoirs and novels have received wide acclaim and been nominated for numerous prizes, including the long list for the IMPAC, Dublin literary award. As recounted in her latest book, Edge Seasons, (Knopf, Canada) for years she ran a busy studio pottery practice working with her husband, the potter, Peter Powning. Her new novel, Azuba, is due from Knopf in Jan/Feb '09."

Seeking Inspiration with Deanne Fitzpatrick. That happens to be me, so I am not going to pretend someone else is writing it. I have been creating one of kind hooked rugs since 1990. My work is part of the permanent collection of the Canadian Museum of Civilization, The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and the Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador. I have had several solo exhibits in Canada, and three books Hook Me A Story, The Secrets of Design, and East Coast Rug Hooking which was nominated for Best Atlantic Published Book 2006. I am a member of the editorial board of Rug Hooking Magazine.

Building a Life around Art with Robert Lyon. Rob’s work has appeared with Canadian Wildlife Services, Nature Conservancy Canada, Wetlands for the Americas, and Canadian Society for Endangered Birds and Birds of the Wild magazine. Robert's work focuses on the natural history that surrounds his life. Robert lives in New Brunswick on a century farm overlooking the fields and marshes of the Tantramar Marsh. Robert has created a life around his art, both as a writer, painter and graphic designer. His self motivation has led him to publish his own children’s books, both writing, and printing them himself.

Igniting a Passion for Creativity with Danielle Ouellet and Gabrielle Savoie. These beautiful Women are both Acadian Fibre Artists living and working in Southern New Brunswick. The energy and spirit that they put into their rugs, and other fibre arts is nothing short of magical. Together they will tell you about their journey through many years, their ideas, and their inspiration. Passionate individuals, with unique, perspectives and experiences, they are generous with their thoughts, and ideas. I am drawn into their work, and feel ignited and energized by their delightful love of all things fibre.

Buying and Selling Art with Janet Crawford. Janet knows about buying and selling art. Fog Forest Gallery began organizing exhibitions and selling original artworks in 1984. Since that time it has developed into one of the finest small private galleries in Atlantic Canada. Original artworks from some of Canada’s finest painters, printmakers, photographers, sculptors, and artisans are presented year round. Janet believes in building community and takes an active role in making her community a better and more creative and interesting place to live. I have also heard she has a secret life as a blues player.

The Truth about Fibre Art with Valerie Hearder. Valerie has exhibited her hauntingly beautiful work extensively through out the world. In 2003 her work was chosen for "Thirty Distinguished Quilt Artists of the World", Tokyo Dome, Japan. Her quilts have been published in a dozen books including Fiberarts Design Book and have appeared in over 35 magazines. She has written essays and magazine articles for "American Quilter" and "Professional Quilter" .She is the author of “"Beyond the Horizon: Small Appliqué Landscapes", and is currently working on a new book.

Rug Hooking;“The Magazine” with Ginny Stimmel. Ginny is currently the editor of Rug Hooking Magazine, and the former editor of Early American Life. Under her leadership Rug Hooking magazine has developed a growing interest in many types and styles of rug hooking and has become a more exciting and inclusive magazine. Her work over the last twenty five years in the magazine industry has allowed her to develop deep and beautiful understanding of the value of handwork.

Registration

A $75 non refundable deposit is payable upon registration.

Space is limited and will fill very quickly so register early. To register, call or send cheque to: Deanne Fitzpatrick , RR5 Amherst Nova Scotia B4H 3Y3,

or call to register at 1-800-328-7756 1-902-667-0560

We accept visa and MasterCard.

Local Accommodations

The Regent 902-667-7676 Treen Mansion-902-667-2146 Browns Guest House 902-667 9769

Victorian Motel 667-7211 Wandlyn Inn 902-667-3331 Super 8-660- 8888

Donna Fitzpatrick’s Cottage 661-5694

Creating Texture in the Landscape

Monday and Tuesday, April 21 and 22, 2008, 9am to 3pm

This two day course will explore the art of hooking texture to create depth and energy in your rugs. This workshop will focus on creating field rugs, using special fibres, handspuns, unspuns, silks, mohair, sweaters, and other fancy fibres to show the beauty of nature. It is about seeing the world around you through texture and wool. This workshop will focus on bushes, flowers, fields, hills, trees and all the common eye can see as it passes by a beautiful field. Participants will bring a selection of their own wools and textures as a way of maintaining their own ideas and style as they create their rug. It will be generously supplemented to create a unique and interesting work of art. Each day we will do a series of art related activities to enhance our hooking ability Like all the workshops, we will focus on experiential activities. This intermediate level workshop will include two days of instruction, wool cloth, textured wools, and silks supplies needed for the workshop, lunches, snacks, tea and coffee.
Cost:$280.00 Canadian (approximately $240.00 US) plus $39 HST

Finding the Magic in the Mat

Monday and Tuesday, May 5 and 6, 2008, 9am to 3pm

For years I wanted to try this idea, and this is the year. Participants come to the workshop with their own design already on a backing. It can have been created by them or someone else. Each person will work on their own design, with input from me. This workshop will be self directed, you choose the design, bring along some fabrics, and I will help you develop the design to its full potential, and provide you with additional fabrics and textures to enhance the rug. Topics included in this workshop will be determined by the projects brought to the course. We will creatively use the rugs that people are working on as teaching tools for discussion. I would imagine that topics such as borders, hooking people, landscape, sky and water will all be brought up, but the real energy in this workshop is that it will be participant driven, and the ideas and topics will emerge out of the group’s imagination as well as my own. Like all the workshops, we will focus on experiential activities. This intermediate level workshop will include two days of instruction, wool cloth, textured wools, and silks supplies needed for the workshop, lunches, snacks, tea and coffee.
Cost:$280.00 Canadian (approximately $240.00 US) plus $39 HST

The Art of Rug Hooking

June 2, 3, and 4, and 2008
A Design & Studio Workshop for Artistic Rug Hookers .Registration for this special studio workshop will be limited to seven people. This is a mentoring workshop. 9am to 3pm each day
This three day course is designed for those who want to use rug hooking as creatively as possible as a means of self expression. This course will be a mentoring workshop, with an emphasis on developing yourself as an artist. The focus of this design workshop will be enhancing your creative potential, and personal style of rug hooking. We will explore different types of inspiration, other rug hookers, other artists, writers and poets to try to divine some inspiration of our own. Each day we will do a variety of creative activities, including individual and group experiential exercises, writing, sketching, designing, and rug hooking. Part of one day will be spent on an inspirational field trip. I will provide a series of ideas, and you can go off as individuals or as a group. Each day there will be plenty of time to hook together but we will spend a lot of time working out creative ideas, design, and developing colour skills. The emphasis will be on developing skills that allow you to always approach rug hooking as creatively as possible rather than on creating a single rug during the workshop. We will each create one design on the first day that we will work on over the three days. This personal piece will be each individual's learning ground, a tool to use as you ask for help on colour, perspective, design, and creativity. The workshop will be self directed, in a studio environment, where we are working together creatively. In addition to being a rug hooking workshop it will be a creativity workshop, each element will be as important as the other.
The limited registration of seven means that I will have plenty of time to give each participant, but we will also work together as a group offering support to each other in our work. I will create and work on a rug as part of the three day course so that my own work can be used as a teaching tool.
Participants should be passionate about rug hooking and see it as means of self expression, and believe in a creative approach to rug hooking. You are encouraged to bring a bag of the materials that you generally like to use so that you can infuse the rug you create with your own personal style.
The workshop will include: three days of instruction, some wool and burlap for a two by three rug, nutritious lunches, snacks, tea, and coffee
Cost: $480.00 ( approx 395.00 US $) plus HST

Please email and ask to be put on our newsletter list to get the schedule info@hookingrugs.com

A Series Of Workshops with
Deanne Fitzpatrick in her Studio

These workshops are designed to help rug hookers become more creative, use plenty of texture and create realistic effects when hooking rugs. Whether it be the land, the sea, the sky, an old aunt, or the wonder of a starry night, the emphasis is on spirit and creativity. Each time I do the workshops they change a bit as I am always learning and adding new thoughts and ideas to the course outlines. We experiment with color and texture. We focus on a particular idea, such as people, or night skies, design, or landscape, however the ideas and thoughts of the participants sometimes guide us in all kinds of wonderful directions. There is ample opportunity to focus on the areas of rug hooking that challenge you the most. The focus of the workshops is self directed so there is room for your ideas and interests to develop. The courses are designed for adult learners. They are interactive, and activity based, with lots of room for discussion of thoughts and ideas. Rug hookers with varying levels of expertise can learn together in a warm and friendly environment. They are a retreat into the creative world of rug hooking.

The workshops below are example of workshops we can provide to groups of ten upon request. Please know that they need to be scheduled several months in advance.

Hooking Primitive People
Two Days 9am to 3pm each day
This two day workshop will focus on capturing the essence of people. A simple tilt of the head, a fold in the clothes, the tip of the hat, these are the things that bring people to life in our rugs. This workshop will focus on enhancing your ability with portraiture, showing movement, hooking skin tones, clothing, and backgrounds. Though we will use a pattern as a learning tool, participants are encouraged to bring photos, or stories to the workshop to use for discussion of ideas for future mats. The emphasis of this workshop will be capturing the spirit of people in hooked rugs. Often the people will be set in the context of a coastal landscape. Topics will include hooking the face, skin tone, clothing, posture, and of course capturing spirit. Each day we will do a series of art related activities to enhance our hooking ability. Like all the workshops, we will focus on experiential activities
This intermediate level workshop will include two days of instruction, a one of a kind "people" pattern (approximately 2 feet by 2 feet), wool cloth , the pattern, all other supplies needed for the workshop, lunches, snacks, tea and coffee.
Cost:$280.00 Canadian (approximately $240.00 US) plus $39 HST

The Art of Rug Hooking: A Design and Studio Workshop
A Design & Studio Workshop for Artistic Rug Hookers Registration for this special studio workshop will be limited to seven people. This is a mentoring Workshop
Three Days9am to 3pm each day
This three day course is designed for those who want to use rug hooking as creatively as possible as a means of self expression. This course will be a mentoring workshop, with an emphasis on developing yourself as an artist. The focus of this design workshop will be enhancing your creative potential, and personal style of rug hooking. We will explore different types of inspiration, other rug hookers, other artists, writers and poets to try to divine some inspiration of our own. Each day we will do a variety of creative activities, including individual and group experiential exercises, writing, sketching, designing, and rug hooking. Part of one day will be spent on an inspirational field trip. I will provide a series of ideas, and you can go off as individuals or as a group. Each day there will be plenty of time to hook together but we will spend a lot of time working out creative ideas, design, and developing colour skills. The emphasis will be on developing skills that allow you to always approach rug hooking as creatively as possible rather than on creating a single rug during the workshop. We will each create one design on the first day that we will work on over the three days. This personal piece will be each individual's learning ground, a tool to use as you ask for help on colour, perspective, design, and creativity. The workshop will be self directed, in a studio environment, where we are working together creatively. In addition to being a rug hooking workshop it will be a creativity workshop, each element will be as important as the other.
The limited registration of seven means that I will have plenty of time to give each participant, but we will also work together as a group offering support to each other in our work. I will create and work on a rug as part of the three day course so that my own work can be used as a teaching tool.
Participants should be passionate about rug hooking and see it as means of self expression, and believe in a creative approach to rug hooking. You are encouraged to bring a bag of the materials that you generally like to use so that you can infuse the rug you create with your own personal style.
The workshop will include: three days of instruction, some wool and burlap for a two by three rug, nutritious lunches, snacks, tea, and coffee
Cost: $470.00 ( approx 370.00 US $) plus hst $65

Designing Hooked Rugs
This workshop will focus on the elements of designing hooked rugs. The topics covered in this workshop are based on my new book, The Secrets of Planning and Designing Hooked Rugs published by Rug Hooking Magazine(October 2005). They will include: basic drawing skills, overcoming fears of drawing and design, story telling with your rugs, finding inspiration, developing and using design tools, as well as considering composition, balance, style, and movement. The focus of this workshop will be on practical skills for designing rugs. The rugs will be designed on site, to be hooked and completed after you leave the workshop. Each participant can choose to design one, two or several rugs during the two days. We will discuss some colour planning, but the emphasis will be on getting great designs out of your head and onto the backing of your choice. You will come to the workshops with ideas, pictures, stories, notes etc and we will use these things to create your own personal designs. Help with drawing and getting the ideas onto backing will be provided if needed.
The workshop fees include two days of instruction, primitive burlap, use of design tools and supplies, lunches, tea, coffee, and healthy snacks.

Hooking the Coastal Landscape with Color, Texture, and Creativity.
Two Days 9am to 3pm each day
This intensive two day workshop on primitive rug hooking focuses on hooking the land, the sea and the sky. Emphasis is placed on developing a sense of style and color, using a variety of textures of wool, enhancing creativity, and introducing the basic elements of design. Participants will choose a design to hook during the weekend. This project will be the tool to learn about using colour and texture as a tool to express yourself. Experimentation, and playfulness will be important elements as each participant chooses the colours and types of wool they will use in consultation, and with support from Deanne. Participants will freely experiment with the many different textures and types of wool to learn their possibilities and how they can enhance a rug. There will be an emphasis on creativity throughout the weekend, both through our approach to hooking, and through a series of experiential activities. The workshop is hands on and interactive. Throughout the weekend there will be discussions and mini lectures, during which participants can choose to hook and listen or to rest their hands a bit as they listen and participate. It is an open minded workshop environment designed for adult learners. The goal of the weekend is to become more creative and free in your approach to rug hooking.
The cost of the workshop includes: two days of instruction, hand drawn one of a kind pattern, wool to work on pattern, two homemade lunches, healthy snacks, tea and coffee.

Color, Texture, Creativity, and Design for Hooked Mats;Level Two: A workshop with Deanne Fitzpatrick in her studio

This intensive two-day workshop focuses on hooking freely and creatively, developing a sense of style, and designing your own rugs as a means of self expression. It is a follow up to the prerequisite level one course. Each person will come to the workshop with a story or an idea that they want to develop into a mat.
We will begin with a series of exercises that will help us develop the idea, and determine what we want to and can express in the rug. We will be doing some thinking, writing, and having plenty of discussion as we hook. There will be a strong focus on creative and personal growth as an artist, and on developing your own sense of style as a rug hooker. We will fully explore the creative potential of rug hooking and help you tap into your own personal creativity.
There will be time for design and hooking. The use of your time will be self directed, with time spent on sketching and design, or colour planning and hooking. The development of and size of your design, your colour plan, and use of texture will be up to you with plenty of consultation and support.
The workshops is hands on and interactive. Throughout the weekend there will be discussions and mini lectures, during which participants can choose to hook and listen or to rest their hands a bit as they listen and participate. It is an open-minded workshop environment designed for adult learners. The goal of the weekend is to help participants grow with rug hooking as an art form and to begin to use it as a tool to express your individual values, ideas and thoughts.

Color, Texture, Creativity, and Design for Hooked Mats; Level One
A workshop with Deanne Fitzpatrick in her studio

Participants will choose a design to hook during the weekend. This project will be the tool to learn about using colour and texture as a tool to express yourself. Experimentation, and playfulnesswill be important elements as each participant chooses the colours and types of wool they will use in consultation, and with support from Deanne.
Participants will freely experiment with the many different textures and types of wool to learn their possibilities and how they can enhance a rug. There will be an emphasis on creativity throughout the weekend, both through our approach to hooking, and through a series of experiential activities. Drawing activities, basic design elements and strategies will be a part of the session. There will also be a session for rug hookers on caring for your hands and body with a registered massage therapist.
The workshop is hands on and interactive. Throughout the weekend there will be discussions and mini lectures, during which participants can choose to hook and listen or to rest their hands a bit as they listen and participate. It is an open minded workshop environment designed for adult learners. The goal of the weekend is to become more creative and free in your approach to rug hooking.
The cost of the workshop includes: three days of instruction, 9am to 3pm, hand drawn pattern, wool cloth, lunches, healthy snacks, tea and coffee. You only need to bring your hook and frame.

1-902-661-5694 Available by the night or week (25 minutes away) Three bedrooms, fully equipped, gas barbeque, wood stove, hardwood floors, pine walls, a comfortable new cottage nestled in a grove of birches in a private setting on sandy beach. Kayaks and bed and breakfast options may be available, great for swimming, hiking, a nature lovers paradise. Available late April to late October.

Getting Here: Fly into Moncton, New Brunswick(50 minutes from Amherst) or Halifax , Nova Scotia, (2 hours from Amherst)