Opening Reception • Mary Tooley Parker: The Crystal

LaiSun Keane is proud to present&nbsp;The Crystal,&nbsp;Mary Tooley Parker’s first solo exhibition with the gallery, on view from February 23 to March 31, 2024. This exhibition features all new and never shown works by Tooley Parker where the artist explores the subject of interiors and everyday life through the medium of rug hooking. We have worked with her in three gallery group exhibitions and presented her work at 2021 edition of Spring/Break Art in New York City. &nbsp; In the past 4 years, the world has witnessed a pandemic, social upheaval, and brutal wars. Amidst the turmoil, Tooley Parker seeks refuge in the things that do not change — warm memories of people and places— and recreates them with soft, hand-woven rugs. As a result, the feelings of happiness and comfort become immortalized, a tangible reprieve to an onslaught of stress. “Each piece becomes a crystal brought up from the past. They shine, heal, exist, and resonate,” Parker writes and befittingly, titled this exhibition&nbsp;The Crystal.&nbsp; &nbsp; Tooley Parker prides in being a self-taught textile artist. While she did not have a visual arts education, she has an artistic background in dance and music. She practices traditional rug making techniques, which includes spinning and dyeing her own yarn, then pulling them through a linen foundation with a handheld hook. This slow and intimate making allows her to think, revise, adjust, and live in her creative process, with “no rush to get it done.” Parker also incorporates metallic fibers and non-traditional materials in her own work, such as adding film tape for bright city lights, and fleece for clouds and hair. She then manipulates the color values, length, and height of the loops to create shape and texture. &nbsp; Tooley Parker’s connection with textiles has several dimensions. She had been enthralled by the medium since she was eight, and finds that the brain receives textile art differently from paintings. At first, the softness and stippled effect on the fabric create a feeling of warmth and familiarity before registering a visual image. Additionally, the art of rug hooking has been used by women to express themselves during times of struggle and difficulty. Where rug hooking was once seen as a craft,&nbsp;Parker aims to carry it into a contemporary landscape to be viewed as fine art. &nbsp; <a href="https://www.laisunkeane.com/exhibitions/53-mary-tooley-parker-the-crystal/" target="_blank">Mary Tooley Parker: The Crystal</a>

Laisun Keane

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

Best places to go in Boston? Things to do? Places to eat?

Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

Recs 💬

Community recs 💬

S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

The most fun and cool events happening around Boston

Hot and new things to do in Boston

Hot & new

Hot & new 🔥

S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

Things to do in Boston this weekend

This wknd

This weekend for you

S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

Joyraft picks: Boston’s best things to do

Roundups ⭐️

Curated by Joyraft ⭐️

S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

This week in Boston 📆

This week 📆

S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

The newest events happening in and around Boston

The newest events on Joyraft

Just added

Just added to Joyraft

S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

Can't-miss things to do 🚨

S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

Top 20: Joyraft’s most popular

Top 20

Top 20 on Joyraft

S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

The hottest events happening in Boston

Trending events on Joyraft

Trending 📈

S17: interest based

Your guide to everything free in and around Boston. From events, to fairs, to festivals, to outdoors. Joyraft has all the free events happening near you.

100+ free things to do in Boston and beyond

Free things to do in Boston

Free things to do

S19: interest based

Discover kid-friendly fun in Boston, Massachusetts, and surrounding areas! Enjoy hands-on exhibits at the Boston Children’s Museum, explore the New England Aquarium, and visit the Franklin Park Zoo. Find parks, playgrounds, and seasonal events perfect for families across Massachusetts.

Top 20 kid-friendly things to do in Boston, MA

Kid-friendly things to do in Boston

Kid-friendly events

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.

Boston Bars and Restaurants: Events and Openings

Food & drink experiences in Boston

Food & drink experiences 

Opening Reception • Mary Tooley Parker: The Crystal

Where?