Donna Holbeck’s intricate hooked artwork received honorable mention in the 31st edition of Celebration of Hand-Hooked Rugs.
Vicki Ray
PebbleCreek rug hooker Donna Holbeck received an honorable mention earlier this year for her hooked artwork, Wise Guys. It’s an elaborate piece created with fine, small strips of colorful wool hooked into a foundation cloth. The pattern is based on an illustration by artist David Galchutt.
A photo of Donna’s completed artwork is published in the 31st edition of Celebration, a premier juried collection of the year’s best hand-hooked pieces. The magazine’s editor writes that during the pandemic, hookers had lots more time to design and render a masterpiece in wool.
Donna’s artwork is a masterpiece by any measure. “The pandemic gave me time to concentrate on Wise Guys,” Donna said. “This piece is very intricate. I would hook in my studio for hours, focusing on one small area, doing my best, then moving on to the next small area.”
Donna worked with two different instructors while creating the piece. “Gene Shepherd gave me some really good clues to make the owl’s eyes pop,” Donna said. “Diane Stoffel helped me put together the colors and get the right values next to each other.” Donna believes each instructor she works with has a different perspective than she does, and that makes her hooking better.
“It took me about six months to finish the artwork, and I probably worked six to seven hours a day,” Donna said. It shows! Donna’s husband, Rich, created a simple, interesting wooden frame as a counterpoint to the imaginative, vibrant wool pattern.
“I decided to submit my work to Celebration because it’s the most intricate piece I’ve ever hooked,” Donna said. “I thought, why not take a chance.”
The artist wasn’t aware her piece received an honorable mention until the Celebration magazine arrived in her mail. “I thumbed through the magazine, and there were my owl’s eyes staring back at me. I almost fell off my chair,” she said. “I started hooking about four years ago, and I’m excited that my work has been recognized in this way.” Donna has hooked about 27 projects since she started this art form.
Stop by the Diamondback Room any Monday afternoon to see what hooking artists are working on and to learn more about this colorful fiber art.