WOOL HOUSE Q&A – JASON COLLINGWOOD

In the hectic run up to Wool House, we have descended into the hustle and bustle to have a quick chat with some of the incredibly talented and creative people involved in the world’s biggest showcase of wool.  We were able to snatch this very brief interview with rug weaving maestro, Mr Jason Collingwood.  Jason describes himself on his brilliant Twitter feed as “notoriously antisocial and reclusive”, though we found him perfectly charming! Check out his interview below.

The face that weaved a thousand rugs – a rare snap of the reclusive Mr Rug himself
https://twitter.com/mr_rugweaver

• How did you get involved in the rug making profession?

“Truth be known it was because I didn’t know what else to do at the time and thought I’d give it a go for one year, that was 27 years ago!”

 • You divide your time between weaving rugs and teaching rug weaving techniques in classes.  Which do you enjoy more, creating new works or sharing your craft with others?

“Both balance each other out well. The solitary life of weaving juxtaposes well with the frenetic life of being on the road teaching.”

• What properties of wool do you find most valuable in your work?

“For me as a rug weaver, it’s durability and ‘warmth’.”

• What excites you about participating in the Wool House showcase?

“I’m looking forward to getting people to have the ‘connect’ with wool and a finished product, to see the process.”

You can take a look at Jason’s website here.  Because we were pushed for time, we weren’t able to go into detail about the weaving process but if you’re interested to know more, you can check out his FAQ.  His Twitter is also well worth a read –  follow @mr_rugweaver now!

If you haven’t been down to Wool House yet, it isn’t too late!  Entry is free and there is a host of incredible talent and amazing craft being showcased at Somerset House until the 24th March.  Check out the Events Calendar to see what’s on and get yourself down to Wool House!