The 24th annual Quilts=Art=Quilts show at the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center is going digital this year.
Photo provided
Quilt of a '52 pickup by Marcia Stein
Quilt of a '52 pickup by Marcia Stein
Not that the quilts will be computerized - you can still go and see the quilts in person at the gallery. But the judges used slides or digital images to evaluate the quilts, and it has made all the difference in the quality of the show.
In years past, the judges have selected the quilts by looking at the actual physical quilt. Quilters would send their creations to the gallery, many coming from far away, they would all be stored at the Schweinfurth while the judges made their selection.
Piles upon piles of quilts could be found upstairs in the gallery and organizing them was a bit of a nightmare for the staff. Last year 189 quilts arrived from all over the country and at the end of the show, they all had to be shipped back.
For many quilters, shipping their works of art off to the gallery was like sending their youngster to summer camp for eight weeks. There was always the thought that the quilts might get lost or damaged in the mail.
So the move to digital images gave many quilters more peace of mind this year, says Stephanie Schuster, the education/program coordinator for the art center. Plus because it was easier to submit work, the gallery received nearly twice as many entries this year than last.
“We switched because it's more accessible for a broader, more diverse audience. It just makes it easier for the quilters,” Schuster said. “It reduces the cost and the risk of shipping the quilts. It could get very cost prohibitive.”
Not only did the show gain a substantial number of entries, but it also drew more quilters to the competition. Last year 140 quilters submitted 189 quilts. This year 200 quilters submitted 363 quilts.
That increase meant a tougher field for the judges to select from. But it also means higher quality work, Schuster said.
“The quality of the quilts is extremely high. This has truly opened up the exhibit to be a national show,” she said.
The jurors this year were Jeannette DeNicolis Meyer and Paula Nadelstern. Eugenia Barnes, from Marcellus, served as the executive consultant for the show.
Meyer, a Portland, Ore., resident, has taught quiltmaking and design all over the world. She currently teaches at the Oregon College of Art and Craft and has lectured and led workshops at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, the National Quilt Symposium in New Zealand and many other art centers worldwide.
Nadelstern, a Bronx-based quilter, is the author of two books on quilting and has exhibited in a number of solo shows across the country. She is a two-time recipient of Artists' Fellowships from the New York Council for the Arts and she currently designs textile prints for Benartex, Inc.
Judging quilts from digital images is much different than seeing them up close and in person. Each quilt came with an overall shot and a detail shot. Schuster says the judges just have to look at different elements when using digital images.
“One of the challenges is that you don't actually get to see every inch of the quilt. You have to focus on the overall composition as a piece of art,” she said.
This year's quilt entries come from 27 different states as well as Canada and South Africa. Of the 363 submissions, 94 were selected for the exhibit.
If you go
What: Quilts=Art=Quilts annual juried quilt show
When: Begins Saturday and continues through Jan. 8, 2006; Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday; Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day; will close at 3 p.m. Thanksgiving and Christmas eves
Where: Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center, 205 Genesee St., Auburn
Cost: Adults and seniors $5; members and children under 12 free
For more details: Call 225-1553 or visit www.cayuganet.org/smac
In years past, the judges have selected the quilts by looking at the actual physical quilt. Quilters would send their creations to the gallery, many coming from far away, they would all be stored at the Schweinfurth while the judges made their selection.
Piles upon piles of quilts could be found upstairs in the gallery and organizing them was a bit of a nightmare for the staff. Last year 189 quilts arrived from all over the country and at the end of the show, they all had to be shipped back.
For many quilters, shipping their works of art off to the gallery was like sending their youngster to summer camp for eight weeks. There was always the thought that the quilts might get lost or damaged in the mail.
So the move to digital images gave many quilters more peace of mind this year, says Stephanie Schuster, the education/program coordinator for the art center. Plus because it was easier to submit work, the gallery received nearly twice as many entries this year than last.
“We switched because it's more accessible for a broader, more diverse audience. It just makes it easier for the quilters,” Schuster said. “It reduces the cost and the risk of shipping the quilts. It could get very cost prohibitive.”
Not only did the show gain a substantial number of entries, but it also drew more quilters to the competition. Last year 140 quilters submitted 189 quilts. This year 200 quilters submitted 363 quilts.
That increase meant a tougher field for the judges to select from. But it also means higher quality work, Schuster said.
“The quality of the quilts is extremely high. This has truly opened up the exhibit to be a national show,” she said.
The jurors this year were Jeannette DeNicolis Meyer and Paula Nadelstern. Eugenia Barnes, from Marcellus, served as the executive consultant for the show.
Meyer, a Portland, Ore., resident, has taught quiltmaking and design all over the world. She currently teaches at the Oregon College of Art and Craft and has lectured and led workshops at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, the National Quilt Symposium in New Zealand and many other art centers worldwide.
Nadelstern, a Bronx-based quilter, is the author of two books on quilting and has exhibited in a number of solo shows across the country. She is a two-time recipient of Artists' Fellowships from the New York Council for the Arts and she currently designs textile prints for Benartex, Inc.
Judging quilts from digital images is much different than seeing them up close and in person. Each quilt came with an overall shot and a detail shot. Schuster says the judges just have to look at different elements when using digital images.
“One of the challenges is that you don't actually get to see every inch of the quilt. You have to focus on the overall composition as a piece of art,” she said.
This year's quilt entries come from 27 different states as well as Canada and South Africa. Of the 363 submissions, 94 were selected for the exhibit.
If you go
What: Quilts=Art=Quilts annual juried quilt show
When: Begins Saturday and continues through Jan. 8, 2006; Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday; Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day; will close at 3 p.m. Thanksgiving and Christmas eves
Where: Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center, 205 Genesee St., Auburn
Cost: Adults and seniors $5; members and children under 12 free
For more details: Call 225-1553 or visit www.cayuganet.org/smac
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