If you visit Mackin House - one of the oldest homes in Coquitlam built during the Fraser Mills hey days - take a gander at the floor in grandma's room.
At the bedside is a floral and diamond rug, measuring 22 by 28 inches, that was donated last spring by the Gone Hooking Group as a way to give thanks to the city's heritage organization for lending space at Mackin for its summer meetings.
The group had spent months to get the carpet just right, digging up an old pattern from 19th century Quebec and hooking it using recycled materials and popular colours of the time.
The 40-member group often travels to Lower Mainland destinations during the summer to host hook-ins as a way to save cash on renting large rooms for its weekly gatherings, said Gone Hooking Group founder Freda Jackson.
And over the past decade, they have done well: Hiring guest speakers to learn about different techniques, educating the public about the traditional craft and showcasing their rugs, chair seats, wall hangings, clothing, ornaments and jewellery - to name a few - at community events, festivals and art galleries.
Thursday, the Gone Hooking Group will open a display at Place des Arts in Coquitlam to highlight 50 pieces created over the past two years. Jackson, a Maple Ridge resident, said most of the artwork in the show, titledLes tapis au crochet - une vigueur constante, were recently exhibited at the Deep Cove Cultural Centre.
Gone Hooking Group members are local and international, Jackson said, with one hailing as far away as Cuba. "It's someone who comes in once or twice a year to join us," Jackson said.
Their exhibit will be in the Atrium Gallery until June 1 while, in the Mezzanine Gallery, there will be a newpaint-on-glass exhibit by Carlo Clausius, called Behind the Glass.
The grandson of Karl May, a renowned Canadian contemporary painter, Clausius grew up with May and studied his drawing, colour-mixing and hinterglassskills.
The opening reception is Thursday at 7 p.m. at Place des Arts (1120 Brunette Ave.).Also on display in is Shari Pratt's portraiture exhibition, Lost and Found.
