Hooked Rugs on the Wall
with artist Mary Tooley Parker

Mary Tooley Parker is a textile artist known for her innovative approach to hooked rug making. With a BFA in Dance from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, Parker has successfully transitioned her creative talents into the visual arts. Her work pushes the boundaries of traditional craft, incorporating unconventional materials and techniques to create vibrant, expressive pieces. Parker's art has been widely exhibited, with solo shows at prestigious venues such as LaiSun Keane Gallery in Boston and The Untitled Space in New York City. Her work has also been featured in group exhibitions at the Hudson Valley Museum of Contemporary Art and the Arnot Art Museum. In 2015, she was awarded a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Folk/Traditional Arts, recognizing her contribution to the field.

Her pieces have garnered critical acclaim, winning awards such as Best in Show at the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Association National Juried Show in 2019. Parker's work has been featured in various publications, including Hyperallergic, The Boston Globe, and New York Magazine's "The Cut."

In addition to her artistic practice, Parker has served as a panel juror for the New York Foundation for the Arts and has been featured on HGTV's "Uncommon Threads." Her art is held in the Northwestern Mutual Corporate Collection and numerous private collections. Currently based in Northern Westchester County, NY, Mary Tooley Parker continues to explore the intersection of craft and fine art, pushing the boundaries of textile artistry.

Join us for an engaging and interactive artist talk with award-winning textile artist Mary Tooley Parker, whose work has been featured in galleries and museums from New York City to London and Denmark. In this 90-minute session, Parker will explore the rich world of rug hooking, a traditional American folk art that she has elevated to contemporary fine art status. Parker's artwork focuses on realistic interpretations of people and nature, drawing inspiration from memories, local history, and visual imagery. Her innovative approach incorporates a diverse range of materials, including new and recycled wool, cotton, silk fabrics, fleece, handspun yarn, and even metallic fibers, all brought to life with both natural and synthetic dyes.

During this talk, Parker will introduce the audience to the art of rug hooking and its history as an American folk art, sharing images of antique rugs to provide historical context. In addition to her recent work displayed in the gallery, she'll also showcase examples of her own work, demonstrating various hooking styles and discussing how textile art engages viewers differently than traditional fine art, stimulating unique sensory and emotional responses. She'll explore the connection between her work and the rich tradition of women expressing themselves through fiber arts.

As a special treat, attendees will have the opportunity to try their hand at rug hooking, with Parker providing a few different ongoing projects to show visitors how it's done and give them an opportunity to try it out themselves. This event offers a unique opportunity to engage with an artist whose work is part of prestigious collections, including the Northwestern Mutual corporate art collection. Don't miss this chance to explore the intersection of traditional craft and contemporary art with Mary Tooley Parker.

This project is supported by funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, Statewide Community Regrants Program (formerly the Decentralization program) with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, and administered by Flushing Town Hall.



  • Past Event
  • Workshop held on October 19, 2024 at the Garage Art Center.
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