Fraktur Gallery: Fraktur Motifs in Clay and Wool
Fraktur Motifs in Clay and Wool
Through April 24, 2010
An exhibit of hooked rugs inspired by fraktur and organized by hooked
rug artist Susan Feller of West Virginia, complemented by redware pottery
from the Heritage Center collection and private collections.
Fraktur motifs are an inexhaustible design source for many craftsmen. In this exhibit we collected two media: clay and wool.
Either using native clay or recycled woolen fabric, the traditional crafts of pottery making and rug hooking have been carried
on for generations.
Fascinated by her family heritage, the design elements, colors, and people of another era, Susan Feller has led groups of rug hookers
through the history of illuminated documents, or fraktur, found in Southeastern Pennsylvania, the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
and Ontario, Canada.
Introducing the artists by names and or symbols, analyzing design elements and explaining the original colors, the materials used
and how they have changed with age, Feller assisted many of the exhibitors to design a unique hooked rug pattern. These designs
may document an event, memorialize a loved one, or simply complement their modern décor.
As you explore this collection, notice the techniques and skills in rug hooking are as varied as the original fraktur artists and their
work. From primitive wide cuts to narrower strips dyed in shades to enhance the floral designs, each artist created their design to match
the skills of rug hooking they have developed.