APPRENTICESHIP SUMMARY

This fiber-based apprenticeship in rug hooking pairs mentor Pam Bartlett with apprentice Lynda Hadlock for 100 hours of training over seven months. Throughout the apprenticeship, Lynda will create a custom pattern inspired by her design ideas, transferring it to the backing and developing a thoughtful color plan. As she works, she will dye and prepare wool to match her design, exploring different textures and shades. Lynda will also refine her project as it progresses, learning advanced techniques and experimenting with alternative materials and 3-D effects to elevate the final piece.

MENTOR

Pam Bartlett (Loudon, NH)

Pam Bartlett is a juried member of the League of NH Craftsmen and first began rug hooking in 1982 with noted instructor, the late, Hallie Hall of Contoocook, NH. Pam is a certified rug hooking teacher with the Pearl K. McGown Rug Hooking Guild, and has completed the teacher training program with the Rug Hooking Guild of Nova Scotia. Pam is a four times recipient of the Master Artist/Apprenticeship grant thru the NH State Council on Arts Traditional Arts Program, part of the National Endowment for the Arts .

Pam has been teaching regular rug hooking for over twenty-five years, first at her home studio, then at rug schools and workshops in the U.S. and Canada. In September 2014, Pam moved her studio to a store front near her home in Loudon, NH and opened “The Woolen Pear” & Red Horse Rug Designs, where she sells her own and other designers rug hooking patterns, wool, along with other rug hooking supplies and goodies. Pam also sponsors guest instructor workshops and hosts the Annual Star Island Rug Hooking Retreat on the Isles of Shoals, Portsmouth, NH.

Pam’s work has been exhibited at Gallery 205, League of NH Craftsmen in Concord, NH, Green Mt. Rug Hooking Guild Annual Exhibit at the Shelburne Museum, VT, the American Folk Art Museum in New York City, the American Independence Museum, Exeter, NH, and the University of NH Law School hooked rug exhibit. Her hooked piece “Clew Bay, Co., Claire, Ireland” was a finalist at the Carnegie Center for Art and History in New Albany, Indiana. Pam believes it is important to preserve as many of the traditional arts, crafts and skills that were so vital to the comfort and necessity in the everyday life of previous generation. She enjoys sharing her love of rug hooking and its history by demonstrating at various venues such as Canterbury Shaker Village, Strawberry Bank Museum, and the Sunapee Craftsmen’s Fair.

APPRENTICE

Lynda Hadlock (Manchester, NH)

Lynda started her formal rug hooking journey on Sept 11, 2001, after taking a community education hooking class, with teacher/mentor/friend Pam Bartlett.

Drawn to bright, bold, hand-dyed wool, Lynda uses a wide range of fibers and materials to get just the right “look”. She sees patterns and colors in her environment and translates those ideas onto linen backing creating her own designs.

Lynda is a member and co-president of White Mountain Woolen Magic, the NH Chapter of the Association of Traditional Hooking Artists. She is eager to share the joys and traditions of rug hooking and can often be seen demonstrating at the League of NH Craftsmen’s Fair and other events in the area.

“I feel that a collaboration with Pam would be fun, creative and beneficial to my journey in rug hooking. I admire her dying techniques, ability to create dimension in her art. This opportunity would push the boundaries of my current practice and help elevate my style. I feel Pam will be able help me merge traditional rug hooking techniques with contemporary design inspiration.” – Lynda Hadlock