Rug hookers to display their works at Sonoma Valley library

The term “rug hooker” isn’t widely recognized these days — and may cause some confusion, since people don’t typically link the two words together — but many Sonoma Valley residents will become familiar with it in the coming weeks.

That’s because Sonoma Valley Regional Library will be hosting an exhibition by the Wine Country Rug Hooker’s Guild throughout April.

“Rug hooking is a humble, fiber art that began as a way to use up scrap metal, worn-out clothing and remnants, potato sacks and burlap,” said Diana Campagna, president of the guild. “Today, nylons, T-shirts or other remnants are used to create Interesting designs.”

A hook is used to pull strips of fabric through a loose-weave fabric base such as burlap, cotton or linen.

“The strips of fabric can be thin or thick, or any material or yarn, and the artist chooses the best colors for their project,” Campagna said. “Hooking strips into loops, close to each other, make up the pile of the rug.”

Recently, rug makers also have been using a punch needle, which creates loops on the opposite side of the base.

Approximately 25 pieces, created by 10 members of the Wine County Hooker’s Guild, will be on display during the exhibition at the library. The pieces will feature a variety of color designs and shapes, landscapes and animal portraits, as well as various hooking techniques.

“We also will display purses that have been hooked using the same design pattern,” Campagna said. “Each purse turned out to be quite unique, as guild members create their own color scheme and artistic details for it.”

Some of the items on display will be available for purchase, with delivery, when the show ends.

Aparna Sinha, an artist and a member of the library’s advisory board, said the hooking technique is an interesting way to make the rugs.

“The subject matter is amazingly vast, and the ladies of the guild are masters of their creations,” she said.

The Wine Country Rug Hooker’s Guild, based in Sebastopol, is a chapter of the American Association of Traditional Rug Hooking. The chapter has 19 members, who meet in-person four times per year as well as on Zoom.

“We are lucky to have two certified instructors in our guild,” Campagna said. “Brigitta Phy and Laura Pierce have been terrific resources for both instruction and providing dyed wool and patterns that we can use for our projects.”

The guild was formed in 1996 when several local rug hookers felt the need to provide a way to exchange ideas and information, promote education activities and socialize with other like-minded crafters.

Through the years, the guild has sponsored many activities to heighten awareness about rug hooking and raise money to bring new teachers to the guild to lead workshops on rug-hooking techniques and styles, and to share new ideas about this fiber art.

Wine Country Rug Hookers Guild has offered many mini workshops after its business meetings that involve working on various techniques that members are interested in learning or perfecting.

Last year, Laura Pierce, vice president of the guild, taught members how to make a purse.

“She provided the patterns and instructions for the project,” Campagna said. “We each brought our own wool so that the color designs would vary. You will see some of those purses at the exhibit.”

Once each year, the guild also sponsors a three-day workshop in which a teacher from out of the area guides members through projects they have selected.

The upcoming exhibition at Sonoma Valley Regional Library had a serendipitous origin.

“I met Diane Campagna at the library by chance,” Sinha said. “She was there talking to Sabine Salek (the branch manager) about possibly displaying the guild’s work. I was just about to restart the artist showcase at the library, and it was a perfect opportunity.”

Clearly, Sinha is excited about the upcoming exhibition.

“These amazing ladies create beautiful artwork in the shape of these rugs, cushion covers and, in some cases, purses,” she said. “Their work is exquisite. As this is a dying art, my hope is that if youths see this work on display, they might show interest in learning it and it can live on.”

The library will host a public reception for the exhibition in the Forum Room on Friday, April 5, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Light refreshments and wine will be served.

This exhibition is part of a series organized by Sinha with the assistance and support of Cathy Coleman and Friends of the Sonoma Valley Library.

The Wine Country Rug Hooker’s Guild exhibition will be accessible in the Sonoma Valley Regional Library’s Forum Room during all library hours, except for when the room is being used. Library hours are Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.

Sonoma Valley Regional Library is located at 755 W. Napa St. in Sonoma.

Reach the reporter, Dan Johnson, at daniel.johnson@sonomanews.com.