HAGERSTOWN, MD–Visitors will sense Judith McLean’s love of color and design when they glimpse her hooked rugs – part of an exhibit at Washington County Museum of Fine Arts in Hagerstown.
Rug hooking is based on the process of using a small metal hook to draw loops of long, narrow strips of colored wool as well as other materials through a linen or cotton backing.
McLean, of Waynesboro, is a member of With Hands and Hearts Antietam Fiber Artists guild. Her work, along with other members of the 40-member guild, including Twila Flohr of Waynesboro, and her daughter, Abigail Dupont of Phoenix, Maryland, are on display through Feb. 28. WHAHAFA will host a rug hooking demonstration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at the museum, 401 Museum Drive.
WHAHAFA, founded in September 2008, has members – new to the craft and veterans with more than 20 years experience – from four states who share ideas and techniques during their meetings at Beaver Creek Christian Church, east of Hagerstown.
McLean, who also quilts, is a retired minister and retired mental health and pastoral counselor. She was introduced to the craft after someone she met at a YMCA swim class invited her to a meeting of a home rug hooking group.
“I usually design my own rugs,” added McLean, who also writes for Rug Hooking magazine. “In the January/February 2023 edition I have an article on medieval rugs, ‘Middle Age Marvels: Celebrating Medieval Tapestries with Modern Interpretations.’ I talk about the history of medieval tapestry. I adapted two of my rugs from medieval tapestries.”
McLean encourages area residents to visit the museum. “The display is very well done … intriguing. We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback and some new members.”
Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.
