The History of Floorcloths Floorcloths are hand painted canvas rugs made today, in much the same fashion as in centuries past, by laying down coats of paints and sealant one on top of the other on heavy weight canvas in a design of the artist's choice. The first floorcloths were imported to America by ship from Europe around the beginning of the 18th century and were used in place of expensive Oriental rugs and in some instances over dirt floors. Americans made their floorcloths from sailcloth and in the beginning they were called sailcloths or oilcloths. They remained popular in the east for about one hundred years until the advent of linoleum in the late 1860's. Among the many Colonial Americans owning floorcloths were George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. In 1872 Montgomery Ward offered floorcloths for sale by mail order in their catalog and they were then available farther west to those who could afford them. History also tells us that the Cherokee Indians of the 1700's made a type of floorcloth woven from hemp and painted them in bright colors. Today floorcloths are again a popular alternative to other types of area rugs. They are intended for use on hard floors where they add interest and beauty without the maintenance or allergen problems associated with the others. They can be simply swept and mopped with the floor. A well-made floorcloth is a labor-intensive craft and will resemble heavy leather in texture and weight. The styles and shapes are only limited to one's imagination. The floorcloths that Angie Nelson produces from her North Carolina studio have grown from the simple rug patterns with cowboy silhouettes to finely detailed art pieces sometimes featuring her client's pets or homes. Not only can her client's have portraits of their animals on the rug they can have the background custom designed to coordinate with the room setting. Angie's floorcloths are sometimes embellished with leather fringe, conchos, or beads, making them very different from the run of the mill. She says about her work, "That's the beauty of a floorcloth. You have no limitations in size, shape or subject matter. No one has to settle for the next best thing. A floorcloth can be a one of a kind piece created with the client in mind." Copyright © 2010 Free Rein Studio All rights reserved. |
Free Rein Art & Design Hand Painted Floorcloths, Art & Accessories by Angie Nelson Specializing in, but not limited to, custom floorcloth designs Home About Floorcloths and Accessories Pet Portraits Ordering Contact Resources Blog |
