Rug-punch might feel like a relatively new phenomenon, but it actually has a rich history dating back to the 19th Century. The medium is also tied in with textile art history and the artistic lessons which were passed down through different generations (particularly of women).
Some people began rug-punch as a lockdown hobby (after trying to make sourdough, learn to roller-skate, and watching Tiger King) but the medium has been a serious art-making material for years, and it’s one of our favourite cutting-edge moments in art right now.
So here are just some of our favourite artists who are absolutely killing it on the rug-punch scene.
Selby Hurst Inglefield, @selby_hi
Selby Hurst Inglefield is a Brighton-born, London-based artist who creates incredible rug-punched portraits and chairs. In May this year she made a beautiful commissioned piece for movie star Amanda Seyfried!
Molly Kent, @mollyhkent
Molly Kent’s futuristic take on the homely medium of rug-punch has won her various awards in her young career. Her work often looks at the consequences of our digital age, made in the form of a biomorphic textile object.
Eleanor McLean, @eleanormcleanstudio
Eleanor McLean is a London-based artist who makes wonderfully tongue-in-cheek rugs. From the Pink Panther to Space Invaders, McLean has a fabulous talent for taking something well-known and making us view it in a new way.
Harriet Says Hi, @harrietsayshi
The artist known as Harriet Says Hi makes nostalgia-fuelled rugs that make reference to meals and drinks that bring joy. Her brightly-coloured pieces are upbeat and beautiful, giving us that same warm-feeling as a beloved family dinner.
Chelsea Theilmann, @chelslikescats
Chelsea Thielmann is an American artist based in London. We love Chelsea’s botanical rugs, which bring a quirky pop of colour to their new homes.
Arizona Smith, @arizonathecat
Self-taught, London-based artist Arizona Smith is driven by her interest in the spiritual and emotional. Her rug-punch works, tarot cards, paintings, and drawings all have a glorious other-wordly feeling to them which we love.
Freyja Crow, @freyjacrow
Freyja Crow’s work is inspired by folklore, mythologies, and psychedelia. Her Sprout character, which features in her rugs, incense holders, prints and paintings is an immediately recognisable signature of the talented artist.
Author: Verity Babbs
