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Old canvas mat with pattern similar to those used on hooked bedroom mats
1950
Placentia West Region, Newfoundland


Credits:
Photo by Una Smith

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Old canvas mat with pattern similar to those used on hooked bedroom mats
1950
Placentia West Region, Newfoundland


Credits:
Photo by Una Smith

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The inspiration for the mats that became works of art came from the matmakers' immediate surroundings, including their homes and communities. The Placentia West area encompasses the communities of South East Bight, Petite Forte, Brookside, Boat Harbour, Parker's Cove, Baine Harbour, Rushoon and Red Harbour. In the early days Monkstown and Paradise were also included. These outport communities were mainly traditional fishing villages so boats, stores, stages and wharfs figure prominently in the designs for these mats. Some of the mats followed traditional patterns and were inspired by garden themes and by household objects such as the canvas mats shown here. Others drew inspiration from the traditional kitchens with the stove as a central element. Early designs included elements from multiple sources and it was not unusual to have a seaside scene with a border of flowers. But all mats drew on the ladies' sense of place and what they felt were the most attractive elements of it. As the art progressed and more input from outsiders came to influence the designs, multiple symbols of lifestyle were integrated to bring the mats more in tune with the demand from customers. These include mats with puffins and whales as well as indoor scenes that included elements that connected to the ocean theme such as rubber boots behind the stove. Though current designs are influenced by commercial demand, matmakers continue to draw their own designs drawing on local surroundings and their personal recollection of life in these communities.