She was oblivious to the passing of hours, let alone the seasons. An artist who lived on the third floor had an aerial view of the rug's progress and encouraged Turner while giving her suggestions on how to improve the credibility of the rug. As a result, Turner painted a gray line along the edge to make the rug appear three-dimensional, especially from any distance or height. When we have people over, they sometimes step over the flipped fringe because they think it's a real rug. The rug has literally become the foundation for many meals and get-togethers on the patio.
People really do enjoy it, and they always comment about the fringe.
The paint contains epoxy to help it withstand the elements, and the rug has gone through a Maine winter with no signs of wear. It seems the worrying was for nothing. The rug has weathered storms just fine, but it has required some extra cleaning because of low-flying, curious sea gulls that swoop by to get a closer look at the twisted fringe. Cathy Genthner is a free-lance writer who lives in Gorham. We've got news, analysis, charts, maps and more.