The Hargreaves Studio

About the Artist

I am a maker of fanciful rugs for wall and floor.  I make hand tufted rugs with a tufting gun and hand knots. I am self taught and have been making my rugs since 2022. I work out of my home studio in Frederick, Maryland.  I went to Texas Christian University for Fashion Merchandising and Marketing. Since graduation, many, years ago, I have been a Textile designer for Danskin; been a sole proprietor of two clothing lines in NYC (Daisygirl, Fleur); I also created  a doggie clothing line, Daisypatch: my clothing lines have been in numerous magazines; I have taught sewing in after school programs in New York City; I have made landscape collages from donated clothing, I am an avid knitter and lover of yarn. I have had 2 art shows in Frederick, Maryland at Co-Work Frederick and Give Rise Studio.   As you can see, my love is fabric, textiles and yarn.  But rugs, rugs have become my true love.   

Artist's Statement

  I am first and foremost inspired by my childhood home in England, Sunset Lodge. My parents were very modern in their tastes for such a small English village, and our house continues to influence my work. Sunset Lodge’s design, interior and furnishings, are all in the back of my mind when I am creating. It’s funny - when I was growing up, I wasn't really into modern design, but now I keep coming back to the mid 70’s in my art.  Color is my second inspiration. Color, color, color! I love all the colors, obsess over some colors, like pink, and love unusual color combinations. After my liver transplant in 2015, I no longer liked black in any form or fashion, because wearing it reminded me of how close I was to death. Once I recovered, I changed out my whole wardrobe with bright colors, which spilled over into my home. My home now explodes with color, as does my art work.  It was during the pandemic that I decided I needed more art in my life. I began with some drawing, some painting as well as some pen and ink. None felt quite right, until I saw collages made from fabric scraps. Having been a textile designer in my younger years, the idea of using fabric in art very much appealed to me. I began with fabric collages of images I liked, as well as commission collages for others. The collages kept me interested for about a year. Then, I found rug making. I am a maker of fanciful rugs for wall and floor.  I am completely smitten with the tufting gun. I love the speed of the tufting gun and the immediate gratification. I love that with each line of yarn I can see my work coming to life. While tufting, my head continues to burst with the next design and color combinations. The rugs are made as wall hangings as well as floor rugs, depending on the type of yarn used.  You can find me in my home studio, making rugs everyday, whenever I am not teaching yoga or massaging horses.