An Interview with Jane Olson

The rug hooking world was saddened by the death of Jane Olson, an icon in the art of rug hooking and wool dyeing. One of the founders of the art of rug hooking in the western United States, Jane succumbed on August 17, 2011, to the blood disease myelofibrosis, which she had been fighting for several years.

In her final in-depth interview, Jane reflected on the maturation of the art of rug hooking, which she witnessed firsthand over a career that spanned more than seven decades. On June 6, Jane talked with Los Angeles-based freelance writer and photographer Mary Wortman while Jane was teaching rug hooking, braiding, and wool dyeing classes at the annual rug hooking camp at Cambria Pines Lodge in Cambria, California.

This article is from the January/February 2012 issue. For more information on our issues, check out our issues page.