Hooked on Nature

HOOKED ON NATURE
Hooked & Sewn Art

February 12 through May 7
Artist reception, Sunday, February 12, 2 to 4 pm

Reeves-Reed Arboretum
165 Hobart Avenue
Summit, NJ 07901

Summit, NJ: Reeves-Reed Arboretum announces its first art exhibition of the 2017 season – HOOKED ON NATURE: hooked & sewn art featuring the textiles of artists Alice Rudell, Tracy Jamar, Liz Alpert Fay, and Marilyn Bottjer.

Rug hooking as we know it today got its start on the Eastern seaboard of North America. Using canvas foundations and a bent nail, seafaring men of the 1800s hooked chafing wraps to protect the ship's rigging. Their wives quickly adapted the process, turning worn-out clothing into practical and beautiful floor coverings. This early form of recycling has given rise to an art form that is deeply steeped in history, and reveals an intimate and very personal view into our society and the people who practice this art form. Inspired by the connection, the value and the importance of textiles, we get a peek into all aspects of life: political, social, religious, economic, and personal. Old socks, faded t-shirts, men's ties, button, beads, even grass and weeds, become transformed into mountains and garden paths, floral arrangements, abstract landscapes, and creatures. These discarded fabrics are suddenly transformed into works with new value and intention – with a new connection to the lives of those distanced by time.

Each artist participating in HOOKED ON NATURE brings a unique and individual perspective to the exhibit. But what binds them is a love and passion for textiles, fabric, and color. The intimate relationship between the hand, the heart, the mind, and the textile is compelling and ultimately joyous.

HOOKED ON NATURE: hooked & sewn art, opens at the Wisner House Gallery on Sunday, February 12, with an artist reception from 2 to 4 pm, and will run through May 7. All the works are for sale, and the artists will donate 30% of all purchases to Reeves-Reed Arboretum.

About Reeves-Reed Arboretum: Celebrating over 40 years as a historic public garden and education resource, Reeves-Reed Arboretum engages, educates and enriches the public through horticulture and environmental education, and the care and utilization of the gardens and estate. Open 7 days a week from dawn till dusk, the Arboretum is listed on both the National and New Jersey State Historic Registers. Funding for RRA has been made possible in part by the NJ Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State, through a grant administered by the Union County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, Dept. of Parks & Community Renewal.

Reeves-Reed Arboretum....a place to grow, for everyone!