In A Whale of a Tale . . . With
Hooks, Lines and Singers, members of the Five Island Rug Hooking Group
have combined their expertise in design, colour, texture and rug hooking
techniques with the power of song. This potent combination of creativity has
resulted in thirty-five pieces of textile art that have been inspired by the
sounds of music, the stories in the lyrics and the emotions evoked by both.
A Whale of a Tale . . . With
Hooks, Lines and Singers began as a rug
hooking project organized with Festival 500 Sharing the Voices to showcase a
passion for music and song, for the visual and performing arts, and for the
storytelling tradition. The project evolved into a beautiful book that
follows the progress of the rugs and tells the stories behind each one.
Throughout the various sections of the book are practical instructions, with
accompanying photos, on how to create exquisite hooked rugs.
Frances and Maxine Ennis have been
creating originally designed hooked rugs since 2002. Their rugs tell a story
about who they are as individuals, where they come from and what they
cherish about life and living in Newfoundland and Labrador. These
sisters-in-law have enhanced their relationship and their rug hooking skills
together and separately by attending workshops, courses and conferences,
teaching rug hooking classes and collaborating on rug hooking projects.
The Five Island Rug Hooking Group
formed in 2008. The core group consists of about twenty girls and women,
with another ten to twelve becoming involved in projects of particular
interest to them. The group specializes in creating one-of-a-kind,
originally designed story rugs related to a theme.