Exciting news!

Last week I received a letter from the lovely people who run Festival of Quilts to say my entry was accepted for the Fine Arts Quilt Masters section!!!!!

This means it will be shown in a separate area from the other competition. There are 23 who have been shortlisted. On the first day of the show, at the Awards Ceremony, a winner will be announced.

In the past, names of those who have had work accepted include some of the very top European and International quilters. I am overwhelmed to join them. This year also, they will be producing a catalogue of the Artwork. So, that gives a way for visitors to take their memories (and my name!) back home with them.

It is a prestigious honour to be accepted. I was never sure I had anything good enough! But this year, the piece I entered into the 7th European Triennial was not excepted. So, I decided to enter this. You don't 'lose' if you don't get in, you just select ahead of time which category of the regular competition you want to enter instead, like Art Quilts or Pictorial or whatever, and no one need to be the wiser.

The blurb from the Festival of Quilts website says:
An international juried competition, the Fine Art Quilt Masters Gallery celebrates
the finest examples of art quilts with work that has powerful artistic expression
with abstract and figurative elements.

I asked if I had to keep it under wraps, but I was told "Shout it from the rooftops! " So, I am.

Ramshackle Suburbs
My 'Ramshackled' series explores neighbourhood. In this work, differences in housing are revealed through 'accessories' (trees and plants, building extensions, window type, etc) for each home. 

Housing choices can be personal, voluntary or due to restrictions: income, social or political. With each structure there are certain freedoms and certain limitations.

Here is a detail photo.

I thought I might try lightly striped fabric for the background this time. I really like the look. And so they must have, as well!
Also, this involved me being brave enough to make something 'large'. It is around 200cm by 110cm, (2metres by the width of the fabric.) You might remember me showing the back at different stages while I worked on it. Not the easiest to do!
Now I need to put a sleeve on it and find a box big enough.

Actually, it is slightly scary to imagine it all!