Are You Up For The Challenge? | Part 3- Invitationals/Juried Shows

Either through your guild, in a magazine or in a quilt related email you might hear about a special future quilt show/exhibit that is looking for participants. Depending on the rules it will either be an invitational show or a juried show. What's the difference? 

Invitationals are shows or exhibits limited only to those who have been invited to participate. They can also be called curated shows because the curator is responsible for selecting the theme, name of the show and the work. 

Juried shows are open to anyone who wishes to fill out a call for entry form and submit photos of their work. Sometimes there are geographical restrictions so check the rules closely. Selections, made by a panel of judges, are then based on those photos and whether or not the work fits the theme of the show. Candidates are then notified of the decision.  

Musicians of Bremen

Brothers Grimm fairy tales are my favourite so when my children were younger I made the Musicians of Bremen in all my favourite bright colours. In 2002 it was included in both an invitational as well as a juried show. Along with two other wallhangings, this piece was shown at the Visual Arts Centre of Clarington in a show entitled “Connecting Threads” curated by Janet Coates. She wanted to highlight the work of a selection of Durham Region quilters and I was honoured that she chose me to be included.  That same year this piece was also juried into a show entitled “Needles and Pens: A Story Quilt Anthology” at Joseph Schneider Haus in Kitchener, Ontario. 

 
 

The Grand National

The Grand National is a Canadian fibre art exhibit that has been going on since 2003. Their themes are quite varied and, once again, so incredible to see how each artist interprets the theme. Go to their website and check out their past shows...you will truly be amazed.

Party Animals was made specifically for the 2006 Grand National exhibit “Wild Life”, was juried into the show and even received an Honourable Mention. I decided to combine my love of wild colours along with thinking of a wild party with wild animals...the martini drinking penguin, the ostrich dancing with the lampshade on its head, and the hippo at the buffet. It was so much fun to make and I also got input from my kids for this one...Kate helped choose colours and design features and Alex insisted that the drunken monkey should have crossed eyes.  

 
 

The theme of the 2007 Grand National was “Fantasy”. You've seen this one before in Challenges Part 1. Crocodile Rock fit the theme perfectly so I was happy that it was accepted along with Warrior K8. My daughter, Kate, 15 years old at the time, was a great fan of Japanese Manga and Animé and also held a green belt in karate. This is a stylized version of a fantasy warrior woman who is both beautiful and strong just like my daughter. Kate is a brunette, but I had to change my warrior to a blond so that her hair would actually show up against the dark background. 

 
 
 

The 2010 Grand National's theme was “Off the Wall”. I wanted to try making a piece using the traditional Grandmother's Flower Garden, a pattern that I'm not particularly fond of, but making it not so old-fashioned looking. I decided to hand stitch hexagons together to create a painterly, colour wash effect instead of the traditional flower circles. When the background was finished it reminded me of an early morning garden with the sun filtering though the foliage. Web of Colour has a spider web quilted with iridescent thread and a beaded spider to finish the scene. 

hand stitched hexagons.JPG

I've been so busy with teaching and making samples over the last few years that I haven't entered anything since, but now that I'm semi-retired I don't have any more excuses. When you see the term “Call for Entry”, think about giving it a try. Just be sure to thoroughly read all of the rules...you don't want to be excluded from a juried show for one silly little oversight or out of focus photographs.

Go for it!!!