In memory of Ruth Mizer, October 16, 2010

My dear friend Ruth Mizer passed away this morning.  She was an artist and a rug hooker and the mother of a friend of mine, Kathy Nelson, whom I met when I lived in Illinois.  Kathy and I were horse people, boarding our steeds at a local ranch.  We rode together and I taught she and her mom, Ruth, how to rug hook.  We met in a small group which we called The Clinton Hooking Society for five or six years.  We had dyeing sessions together and every year we demonstrated on the lawn of the C.H. Moore Mansion. 

Ruth was a very impressive rug hooker.  She is one of those many rug hookers who ply their craft and hang it in their homes and no one but family and friends every see it.  I don't have pictures of all of Ruth's rugs - she was prolific in those years.  She worked with only recycled wool from thrift shops, and whatever from that stash she would overdye.  She loved to hook rural landscapes.  I have never seen anyone be able to take recycled wool and hook it into shadow and fauna like Ruth.  She was a master.  She had the eye for color and detail.  Everything she did she drew herself, dyed herself, and hooked herself.  She was an inspiration.  Here are a couple of her rugs which I post today in her memory.  I hope they inspire you as much as they have inspired me.  If I am able to get digital pictures of all of her rugs from Kathy, I will post them here in the future.