SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:
 
2007 "Pushing the Limits: New Concepts in Rug Hooking", Newtown Hooked Rug Show, Newtown, Connecticut, Juried Show
2007 "Sleight of Hands: Contemporary Hooked Rugs," Slater Museum, Norwich, Connecticut, Invitational Show
2006 "Summer Colors," Wenham Museum, Wenham Massachusetts, Invitational Show
2006 "Icons of America," American Folk Art Museum, New York, New York, Juried Contest
2006-07 "Fine Focus 06," traveling exhibition of small art quilts, Juried Show
2005 "American Hooked Rug Show" Promenade Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, Invitational Show
*2005 "One Person Show," C.H. Booth Library, Newtown Connecticut
2004 "Hooked In: Hooked Rugs of the 21st Century," Textile Center of Minnesota, Juried Show
2003 "Craft Transformed:Boston University's Program in Artisanry 1975-1985,"Fuller Craft Museum, Juried Show
2003 "Hooking: Folk Art to Fiber Art," Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Invitational Show
2002-03 "911: Artists Respond," American Craft Museum, New York, New York, Invitational Show
*2002 "One Person Show," Burnham Library, Bridgewater, Connecticut
2001-02 "State of the Craft: Contemporary Interpretations of Tradition," Museum of Early Trades and Crafts, Madison, New Jersey, Juried Show
2000 "Emerging Artists," Collaborative exhibit by The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum and the
Ridgefield Guild of Artists/Four Person Juried Show, Ridgefield, Connecticut
1997 "Quilt National Retrospective," Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Invitational Show
1993 "Christmas Ornament Invitational," White House Christmas Tree, Washington, D.C.
1988 "Homage to the Quilt: Selections from Quilt National '87 and the Museum of American Folk Art," American Craft Museum, New York, New York, Invitational
1987, 85 "Quilt National 87" and "Quilt National 85," The Dairy Barn, Athens, Ohio, Juried Shows

SELECTED JURIED CRAFT SHOWS

2007 "Fine Furnishings Show", Providence, Rhode Island
2006 "CraftBoston," Boston, Massachusetts
2004, 05, 06 "Crafts at the Castle," Boston, Massachusetts
2005, 04, 02, 01 "Westchester Craft Show," White Plains, New York
 
COLLECTIONS

The White House, Washington, D.C.
Museum of Arts and Design, New York, New York
Fairfield Processing Corporation, Danbury, Connecticut
Dietche and Field Advisers, New York, New York
Numerous private collections in the United States, and New Zealand

AWARDS / GRANTS
 
Personal Development Grant, Surface Design Association, 2008
Artist Fellowship Grant, Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism, 2008
Fine Furnishings Show, Providence, Rhode Island. Best of Show, Accessory/Body of Work 2007
American Folk Art Museum, New York, New York. Honorable Mention Award 2006
Westchester Craft Show, White Plains, New York. Collectors Award 2004

BIBLIOGRAPHY/BOOKS
 
Fitzgerald, Kathie, Crafting a Business, Make Money Doing What You Love, Sterling Publishing, 2008
Turbayne, Jessie, Hooked on Rugs, Outstanding Contemporary Designs, Atglen, Schiffer Publishing, 2006.
Mowery Kieffer, Susan, Fiberarts Design Book 7, New York City, Lark Books, 2004.
Oxford, Amy, Hooked Rugs Today, Atglen, Schiffer Publishing, 2004.
Turbayne, Jessie, The Complete Guide to Collecting Hooked Rugs, Atglen, Schiffer Publishing, 2003.
Hoy, Leslie, A Celebration of Hand Hooked Rugs X, Harrisburg, Stackpole, Inc; 2000.
Shaw, Robert, The Art Quilt, China, Hugh Lauter Levin Associates, Inc; 1997.
Cravens, Joan, Better Homes and Gardens, Creative American Quilting, Des Moines, Meredith Corporation, 1989.
Roe, Nancy, Fiber Expressions: The Contemporary Quilt, Quilt National, West Chester, Schiffer Publishing, 1987.
Roe, Nancy and Panich, Holly, Quilts: The State of an Art, Quilt National, Exton, Schiffer Publishing, 1985.
Packer, Barbara, The State of the Art Quilt: Contemporary Quilts for the Collector, East Meadow, Friends of Nassau County Recreation, 1985.

BIBLIOGRAPHY/PERIODICALS
 
Akstens, Tom. "The Book of Ruth" Adirondack Life, Volume 38, No. 7, Special Collectors Issue 2007: 8-12
Sheppard, Jan. "Turning Colonial Craft into Contemporary Art" New England Crafts Connoisseur, Volume 10, Issue 2 (Winter 2006-07): 6
Stabb, Jo Ann C. Surface Design Journal, Gallery Issue, Volume 30, No 5, ( Sept. 2006): 6-62.
York, Hildreth. "Floored" Surface Design Journal, Interior Surfaces, Volume 30, No 2 (Winter 2006): 16-25.
Alpert Fay, Liz. "Insight: Floorcoverings" "Artist to Artist: Floorcoverings and Glass" The Crafts Report, (June 2003): 13.
Murphy, Mary. "Exotic Patterns Running Up and Down the Stairs" The Hartford Courant, Home Décor Section,
(May 1, 2003): H1, H8.
Blau, Sybil. "Hooked on Rugs" The News-Times, The Newtown Section, Feature Article; (November 2002): B1, B3.
Proeller, Marie. "A Hook in Time" Country Living magazine, Feature Article, (October 2002): 58, 60.
Wilson, Elizabeth. "Hooked on Rugs: Artisan Tells Stories About Her World Through Rug Hooking" Connecticut Post, Woman Wise, Feature Article; (September 29, 2002): C1-2.
Ferris, Jaime. "Hooked on Americana: Rediscovering the Traditional Art of Hooked Rugs With a Special Exhibition" Good Living, (November 8, 2002): 1, 4, 5.
Hicks, Shannon. "A National Celebration Of Hand-Hooked Rugs Comes Close To Home" The Newtown Bee, The Enjoy Section, Feature Article (October 27, 2000): A-Eleven.
Hicks, Shannon. "Special Ornament By Newtown Artist Decorates White House Christmas Tree" The Newtown Bee, The Enjoy Section, Feature Article, (December 24, 1993): A8.
"Homage to the Quilt" American Craft Magazine; Volume 47, No 6 (December 1987/January 1988): 42-48.
"Sandy Hook Quilter Sends a Message Around the Globe" The Newtown Bee, Feature Article, (December 18,1987)
Katz, Ruth J. "Exhibition of Quilts Pairs Old With New" The New York Times, The Connecticut Weekly Section; (December 6, 1987): 3.
 
TELEVISION

HGTV (The Home and Garden Channel) "The Carol Duval Show"; August 22, 2005
Cable News 12 Connecticut; October 2002
Cable News 12 Connecticut; October 2001

TEACHING

2007-08 Silvermine Arts Center, New Canaan, Connecticut
2005-08 Guilford Art Center, Guilford, Connecticut
2006-08 Brookfield Craft Center, Brookfield, Connecticut
2006 Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
2002- Present/Workshops and private rug hooking classes for adults
2001-2003 Master Teaching Artist, Connecticut Commission on the Arts
2000-2004 Silvermine Guild of Artists, Outreach Program, New Canaan, Connecticut

EDUCATION

1981 The Program in Artisanry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, BAA Textile Design
1976-78 Philadelphia College of Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIPS

American Craft Council
Association of Traditional Hooking Artists/2005 co-president Goodwives Chapter
Studio Art Quilt Association
Surface Design Association

“The exhibition pairs the spectacular 1898 work “Pieties” by Maria Cadman Hubbard, then 79 years old with “…A Letter From Arthur,” a modern quilt by the designer Liz Alpert Fay, both veritable alphabet soups of messages and both extraordinary examples of fine handwork”. Ruth J. Katz, The New York Times


“…Many of her works hang on the wall so they’re read as paintings. They are a perfect blend of two very disparate blends of art- making. Most of the time craft art is seen as the opposite of fine art, but these rugs blended the two so successfully. That was one of the reasons we responded so positively to her work”. Megan Luke (Curator, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum) Shannon Hicks, The Newtown Bee


“Fay’s rugs combine the flat forms of folk style with a well- developed personal sense of whimsy.” Hildreth York, Surface Design Journal


“Adapting America’s oldest indigenous craft of rug hooking, she creates one- of- a - kind floor pieces, wall art, and penny-rug pillows dancing with color and patterns. The only connection to tradition is the basic technique.” Jan Sheppard, New England Crafts Connoisseur


“Bold hues and a touch of whimsy characterize Liz’s work”. Marie Proeller, Country Living magazine


“Each rug Liz creates is colorful, playful and joyous. Each rug is a spontaneous work of art”. Episode CDS-1822, The Carol Duvall Show, Home and Garden Television
 
 
“Fay creates textile art, designs that have made their way into many collections… And many, many astute collectors have her quilts and rugs on their beds, their floors and their walls”. Richard Stevenson, The Fairfield County Times

 

 

© 2007 Liz Alpert Fay
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