tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792090325957318573.post7417976278266008011..comments2023-06-23T04:49:55.268-04:00Comments on Vivien Zepf: Thoughts on Quilt National 2011 BookVivien Zepfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110439402332926588noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792090325957318573.post-76060733040295729362011-07-22T09:06:18.259-04:002011-07-22T09:06:18.259-04:00Deborah, I can tell you how close the lines were o...Deborah, I can tell you how close the lines were on my piece in Quilt National. About 1/8" apart. the quilting of this piece took forever and I figured out that I stitched something like 15 football fields of stitching for this quilt alone. Here are a few close ups from my blog. Judy<br /><br />http://unmultitasking.blogspot.com/2010/07/what-i-did-on-my-summer-vacation.htmljudykirpichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07444769302283667190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792090325957318573.post-35749816360983902672011-07-06T06:39:15.197-04:002011-07-06T06:39:15.197-04:00I'm not sure what Paulette expected as new and...I'm not sure what Paulette expected as new and different. There was astounding variety in this show. There are perimeters will which one has to fit work into. What would a show be if the medium was just fiber and it COULD be anything! Now that would be something! <br />I agree about the book. I realize they can't get the colors of ALL the work perfect but my piece is totally different in hue. Unfortunately, I used many delicate colors lost in the book. Details or photography that could capture texture is always important in this medium.Wenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09040765990288540781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792090325957318573.post-87720055044752034062011-07-04T15:22:06.294-04:002011-07-04T15:22:06.294-04:00I am all for brutal honesty. I am sad to hear of t...I am all for brutal honesty. I am sad to hear of the demise of Fiber Arts as I will miss their commentary (I don't see a critical eye in other quilt-related publications) -- but I digress. <br /><br />This current Quilt National show was the first one in which I entered any artwork. Given the caliber of the work accepted, and the sheer number of entrants, I'm not surprised that my work was rejected. However, I was disappointed in the entry process that the forms weighed heavily on materials and technique and left little to no place for an artist's statement, or for variation in format (my entry was a grouping of five non-rectilinear pieces that worked together). I would have loved to have submitted a detail of each separate part as well as a photo of the whole, but could not. Anyway, long story short, I was surprised that a show known for being on the forward edge of art quilting had an entry form reminiscent of pole and drape traditional quilt shows. I suppose that's because it still is, essentially, a quilt show and not a fiber art show. <br /><br />In a related experience, the works rejected from QN were accepted to SAQA's Beyond Comfort show, but even there, I must conform to traditional sleeve mounting restrictions rather than allow for what works best for the individual pieces (thinner sleeves, on a laundry line a bit away from the wall, or 3-dimensionally on dress forms, for example).<br /><br />My take-away has been, of course, to continue to improve my technical skills and conceptual ideas, but also to see my work realized in a gallery show, not a group quilt show.Kristin Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05955546754675680404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792090325957318573.post-44512953542882272112011-07-04T13:58:45.457-04:002011-07-04T13:58:45.457-04:00Terry, I'd love to hear your insight on this. ...Terry, I'd love to hear your insight on this. To my mind, the only definition that Quilt National cites is, that by the loose definition--it be some sort of fiber in three layers held with stitches that go through to the back...in other words, that it be a quilt (although the quilted skeleton does make one pause...). <br /><br />If it didn't fit this criteria, then how would it be Quilt National? Wouldn't it just then be any other sort of art show? <br /><br />Norma, that's the rub....we, those of us who make quilts, attend QN and think about it...we THINK that this is a "cutting edge" show, which it often is....but, no where in the criteria for entering does it say that the pieces are all supposed to be new and cutting edge.<br /><br />Interesting quandary....and that goes back to Vivien's keeping it fresh...<br /><br />Sometimes I wonder why a particular quilt was accepted...or actually more to the point gets an award. That's OK...and I love it when I can see into what the jurors were thinking. Thank goodness that the jurrors change every year!<br /><br />Lisa Q.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15140675211931598431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792090325957318573.post-6267483195110452002011-07-04T13:35:59.747-04:002011-07-04T13:35:59.747-04:00I am anxiously awaiting my copy to get here from A...I am anxiously awaiting my copy to get here from Amazon, but thoroughly enjoyed reading your review, a good one as usual. I have been to QN several times and always love to see the quilts and am usually in awe of most of them. Here's my one complaint. It is supposed to be new, fresh, cutting edge work, yet some of the same artists are juried in year after year. You can recognize their work from across the room. I know that the jurors are different each year, but surely they know what has been in previous shows. Not to say that their work isn't fabulous, but if I recognize it, how is it new and cutting edge?Norma Schlagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03979046682608968891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792090325957318573.post-45789715187625997902011-07-04T12:44:35.108-04:002011-07-04T12:44:35.108-04:00This is a super article and series of comments. I...This is a super article and series of comments. I have very mixed feelings about the restrictions for QN and some other exhibitions which serve (in my mind) only to keep quilts quilts. I just don't feel good about putting a lid on growth and exploration.<br /><br />Thank you Vivian for your article.Terry Jarrard-Dimondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06709683518897702916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792090325957318573.post-68826196251813581202011-07-04T12:13:39.060-04:002011-07-04T12:13:39.060-04:00Ah...keeping work fresh, that is different.
I, ...Ah...keeping work fresh, that is different. <br /><br />I, like you, do find it refreshing for a juror to be frank about what she thought...and her preconceived notions. I'm REALLY looking forward to seeing the show now. <br /><br />LisaAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15140675211931598431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792090325957318573.post-9503186494676418112011-07-04T12:11:04.355-04:002011-07-04T12:11:04.355-04:00I think there can be too much emphasis on !!NEW!! ...I think there can be too much emphasis on !!NEW!! to the detriment of thoughtful content, so I'm not wildly enthusiastic about a lot of things that I see. I look at a lot of things and think "Okay, this is a print with a batting, this is painting with a batting, this is photograph with a batting. Why is this being called an art quilt?" And I can't help having the niggling suspicion -- is it because you couldn't get it into a fine art show? If an artist completely ignores or obscures the characteristics of the fabric, why imagine that fabric is the medium? but I think I've talked about this with you before...my crofthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13484071987163894248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792090325957318573.post-64658005758322281372011-07-04T11:44:47.987-04:002011-07-04T11:44:47.987-04:00Lisa and Melanie, I agree! I don't want to us...Lisa and Melanie, I agree! I don't want to use something just because it's new. But, I do think that questioning what we do and how helps keep our work from getting stale. That's a point I'm going to keep reminding myself of. <br /><br />And yes, I've been reading Kathy's blog about Quilt National. I've amended my post to include a link to her blog. She also has some FABULOUS detail pictures of quilts.Vivien Zepfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10110439402332926588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792090325957318573.post-22088137029794798672011-07-04T01:10:07.149-04:002011-07-04T01:10:07.149-04:00Kathy Loomis did a series of posts (as in-depth as...Kathy Loomis did a series of posts (as in-depth as blogging allows) of work at QN. She organized the post by particular characteristics of the quilts and posted some detail shots that she took at the opening.<br />http://artwithaneedle.blogspot.com/<br /><br />I'm with Lisa here, though, wondering how a place can ask for traditional -- perhaps "classic" is a less loaded word -- materials and structures and still expect to be "cutting edge." Kathy Loomis addressed this a bit in her post about "gimmick quilts" she has seen at QN in the past.my crofthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13484071987163894248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792090325957318573.post-39044953417008177052011-07-03T21:39:48.464-04:002011-07-03T21:39:48.464-04:00Interesting, Vivien. I will pick up my copy when ...Interesting, Vivien. I will pick up my copy when I go to the show in August. I am particularly interested in Pauline's comments and your reaction AND looking at the requirements for submittal to Quilt National.<br /><br />I think the show has a tradition, unstated but a tradition none the less, as being a cutting edge show. I was under the impression that pieces which are submitted should push the envelope. While I don't think I am good enough to put in an entry yet, I have been wondering lately (well, since the deadline for submissions to Quilt National) just how much more cutting edge can we get? <br /><br />I suppose that as new materials come out then we can think about how to work with them and incorporate them, but sometimes doing new and cutting edge just for that sake and not looking at older techniques which are still art quilts none the less leaves me cold... we still have artistic merit, we still have voices and can speak though our quilts...<br /><br />Lisa QuintanaAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15140675211931598431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792090325957318573.post-17511581694096877372011-07-03T21:20:31.662-04:002011-07-03T21:20:31.662-04:00Yes, Deborah; I think you're absolutely right!...Yes, Deborah; I think you're absolutely right!Vivien Zepfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10110439402332926588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6792090325957318573.post-53208317681193334572011-07-03T16:13:24.502-04:002011-07-03T16:13:24.502-04:00I would also love to see detail shots taken at an ...I would also love to see detail shots taken at an angle rather than straight on. That can really offer a different perspective of the texture and dimension in a piece of fiber art. Doncha think?Deborah Boscherthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15630878222793439712noreply@blogger.com