Events Calendar
What's happening in Central Otago
Central Stories Museum and Art Gallery - Helen Brooks, Rag Rug Exhibition
Location: Central Stories Museum & Art Gallery
Region: Alexandra
Dates: Mon, 7 December 2020 - Fri, 8 January 2021 @ 10am - 4pm daily.
The creation of Rag Rugs in Helen Brook’s family spans generations and the St Bathans based artist has followed in the footsteps of her grandmother and mother.
This exhibition at Central Stories Museum and Art Gallery in Alexandra brings together not only her own creations, but also those of her mother and sister.
Rag Rugs are traditional rugs/mats made from recycled old clothes, linen, bedsheets etc. Rag rug making was practiced by the poor – it was a low-income necessity. Textiles used to be very labour-intensive to make and were never thrown away – they were re-used and re-used until they fell apart. Rag rugs were very common in working-class homes in the UK in the 19th century, but the origins could be much earlier, although it’s difficult to be accurate: as it was a low-status craft the history isn’t well documented. In the 19th century, people used coal sacks or food sacks (flour, sugar etc.) as backing, then if they were lucky they could find a tool for pushing or pulling bits of old cloth through the backing to make a rug. People also improvised tools, using things like large nails.
Helen still has the frame her grandfather made for her grandmother. She said “He used to make her rug tools by filing down old keys and fashioning a handle. Now I purchase hooks from England where they still know how to make them.”
Helen has facilitated workshops in Scotland and here in New Zealand. She stated that in Scotland the craft was popular due to the long winter evenings which were good for making rugs by the fire.
Helen said “I cut up the rags by hand. The material having been given to me, or I have used my old merino vests, t-shirts, skirts, cardigans and blankets. Rug making is a very soothing occupation. Ones thoughts going into the rug.”
“As I am an artist, I often create scenes or pictures and enjoy working out the colours to use. It is also great to get the children cutting up the rags. I think it would be great for children to be able to do them at school as a calming influence, and also as an incentive to recycle old clothing.”
Grandad said about Grandma
“When she’s rugging she’s rugging” Quote from Helen Brook.
Location
Central Stories Museum & Art Gallery
21 Centennial Ave, Alexandra
April 2024
Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
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1 | 2 | 3 | Arts Central - Meet the Author: Ruth ShawThu, 4 April 2024 @ Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start | 5 | Central Otago Regional Orchestra - "Autumn Romance" Alexandra and QueenstownSat, 6 April 2024 - Sun, 7 April 2024 @ April 6th at 7.30pm, April 7th at 2pm. | |
7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Central Stories Museum and Art Gallery - "Bannockburn - A Place to Stand" by Jan and Tim Hawkins.Fri, 1 March 2024 - Thu, 11 April 2024 @ 10am - 4pm Daily | Entries Open Now - West Otago Art AwardWed, 28 February 2024 - Fri, 12 April 2024 @ Entries Open Now | 13 |
14 | Central Stories Museum and Art Gallery - School Holiday ProgramMon, 15 April 2024 - Sun, 28 April 2024 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Teviot Arts - "A Night in New Orleans" The River City Jazzmen.Fri, 19 April 2024 @ 6.30pm for 7.30pm start | Hullabaloo Art Space - "Memories from the Mantelpiece" by Tracey Morrow and Rebecca McKaySun, 31 March 2024 - Sat, 20 April 2024 @ 10am - 4pm Daily Central Otago Art Society - "An Acrylic Painting Adventure" with Jenny Chisholm - Contemporary LandscapesSat, 20 April 2024 - Sun, 21 April 2024 @ 9.30am - 3.30pm daily |
Central Otago Art Society - "An Acrylic Painting Adventure" with Jenny Chisholm - Contemporary LandscapesSat, 20 April 2024 - Sun, 21 April 2024 @ 9.30am - 3.30pm daily Central Cinema - "Mad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story"Sun, 21 April 2024 - Wed, 24 April 2024 @ 21st April @ 5pm. 24th April @ 2pm. | Applications are Now Open - Michael King Writers Centre Australian ResidencyWed, 27 March 2024 - Mon, 22 April 2024 @ Applications Open Now | 23 | Central Cinema - "Mad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story"Sun, 21 April 2024 - Wed, 24 April 2024 @ 21st April @ 5pm. 24th April @ 2pm. | 25 | 26 | 27 |
28 | 29 | 30 |