Northwoods Fiber Guild debuts Chair of Hope at Johnson Heritage Post Gallery

The Northwoods Fiber Guild has installed a collaborative centerpiece, the Cook County Chair of Hope, as part of its show "From Our Hearts and Hands" at the Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery in Grand Marais. The exhibit is on display through Feb. 21, with an opening reception held Jan. 30 and regular gallery hours Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free and donations are graciously accepted.

The Chair of Hope is built on a recycled chair sourced from Oddz and Endz thrift store and incorporates contributions from more than 20 local artists who attached beaded and textile pieces to the frame. The full exhibition features over 40 makers showcasing a wide variety of fiber techniques and skills. Visitors are encouraged to physically engage with the work, to "pause," "sit a spell," and reflect, and to read and add to a journal kept with the installation that documents artists' creative journeys and visitor responses.

Johnson, a project organizer with the guild, described the process and intent behind the piece. "Because we're in the middle of this chaotic time here, so why not focus on having hope to help people reflect," Johnson said. Johnson also spoke to the intense, collective labor involved: "It was like working on a jigsaw puzzle. But it was exhausting, yet wonderful, how it all came together. I feel a little lost now that it's over and finally in the exhibit." On the participatory element, Johnson added, "As we were working on this, people kept a journal on their their thoughts and reflections. I also encourage people to sit in the chair and write their reflections in a notebook we have in a bag on the side. That way it becomes part of the chair and a greater idea than itself."

The project traces its artistic inspiration to the African Dream Chair, a collaborative beadwork chair project in South Africa that links creative work to dignity and community resilience. Cheryl Larsen, a local resident, has recounted encountering the African Dream Chair in 2023; that encounter helped prompt the Cook County adaptation and the guild's collective approach.

The gallery will participate in Hygge Week from Feb. 6 through Feb. 16 by offering complimentary tea and hot chocolate during regular hours. After the exhibition at the Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery, 115 Wisconsin Street, the Chair of Hope is slated to travel across Cook County as a traveling symbol of connection; organizers say the intent is to bring the piece and its journal to other community venues.

For local residents the installation functions as both public art and community ritual: it extends the Northwoods Fiber Guild's record of local engagement, which includes festival demonstrations, school collaborations and reusable-bag projects for the public library. The exhibition offers a low-cost cultural outing during winter, an opportunity to see dozens of makers' work in one place, and a tangible way to participate in a county-wide conversation about connection and resilience. Check Johnson Heritage Post for any updates to hours or the exhibit schedule before visiting.