Reflections on QuiltCon 2024

-



In February, I was in Raleigh, NC for the whirlwind week of the Modern Quilt Guild's annual show, QuiltCon. 

This is the third year I have been able to see my work hanging along side the work of talented quilters from around the world. But this is the very first time I can share that I won a ribbon! My "Ghana Batik Study" took second place in the Handwork category. 


This was such a surreal experience!! QuiltCon 2024 kicked off with the award ceremony streaming live on Wednesday evening. Family who couldn't make the trip were able to watch the proceedings from home, and "quilty" friends from my modern quilt guild were there to cheer me on. To be honest, I'm not generally comfortable with the spotlight, but I was filled with a warm sense of gratitude for being recognized in this way. 

The convention floor: quilt show (left) keynote speaker/special exhibits (center) vendors (right)


The next morning I was eager to get to the show. In the past, I've enjoyed starting at the beginning of the exhibits and stumbled on my quilts like every other quilt show attendee. This time I just really wanted to see that ribbon. LOL

There it is in the distance!

When I finally located my category, I found a woman taking a picture of my quilt! Time to extend myself and engage in conversation. I quietly asked "Do you like it?" (after all she had taken a picture of it.) "Meh" she said. "it's alright. I'm just taking pictures of the ribbon winners."

Humbling.

But I had to chuckle, because didn't that just put me in my place?

It was an early, gentle reminder of "what it's all about," of my priorities and my motivation in making quilts. 

I create because I feel impelled to generate ideas and to make that idea or vision a reality. That's my primary focus and once the last finishing stitch has been taken I have met my goal. I share it with others in hopes of making them smile, or presenting something that calls the viewer to look closer, or inspires them to explore their own voice. 

Our creations will resonate with some people, but not with everyone who sees them, - and that's ok. If it touches just one person it has been a blessing. The one thing I know for certain is that it feeds my soul to be able to create and express myself in this way.   

And there you have it in a nut shell: the high and (not really) low of QuiltCon 2024 for me.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

The Huntington- Galleries (3 of 3)

-
Image
If you're not into gardens, or there's just so much sun you can tolerate, there are plenty of indoor galleries to visit at our destination spot. After all we're talking about The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. ( https://huntington.org/ ) The gallery exhibits cover a wide range of art movements, styles, and periods. (In fact this would be a great place to study millinery designs for women's hats. LOL)  This vast collection is not exclusively one of painting.  Many art forms and disciplines are represented. And it's really interesting to have divergent styles to compare and contrast in one visit. We happily stumbled on the American Art Galleries. Walking into this room felt like coming home, with it's nod to American quilts and textiles.   This yarn sewn rug attributed to Hannah Rosina Maynard Phillips stood out to me. Loved the rich colors and the intricate floral design.  Contrast Hannah's piece with this one by artist Cai Guo-Qiang a
Read more
-
Ability to be Creative Ability , ( noun )- aptitude, intelligence, innate qualities, powers, potency, talent, capability, competence, proficiency, knowledge, technique, craft, skill, dexterity, artistry, facility, mastery, experience,understanding, faculty This is a partial listing of the synonyms for the word "ability" in Webster's New World Thesaurus . It seems to me that these words can be divided into two categories. The first category would be nouns which people generally think of as qualities that come naturally to the individual-  "innate qualities" . I propose that everyone has intelligence, capability, dexterity, even artistry, though some might say people possess them in varying degrees, and in different combinations. But isn't that called "individuality"? Now consider the second group of words. These are nouns that can be acquired: knowledge, experience, technique, skills, mastery . These are things you have with practice !
Read more

The Huntington- Textures & Colors (2 of 3)

-
Image
  There is so much to visually take in when you're surrounded by the natural beauty at The Huntington! Whether you soak in the vibrant colors and incredible textures of the many floral species, . . .  Or you pull back to absorb the magnificent collective textures created in the various themed gardens like the bamboo forest: or the cactus garden: There are also subtle color palettes created in garden displays that include a variety of plants: And then there are the man made textures that are thoughtfully scattered throughout the gardens: Plenty of inspiration for, say, quilt textures, and color choices; even shapes and design elements to borrow for future projects.
Read more