Off The Wall

I attended yesterday's opening reception for The 2010 Grand National Quilt Show.
Not only was it a wonderful afternoon spent gazing at some incredible fiber art but I also had the opportunity to speak with so many fabulous artists who were on hand.

This show has no funding and the members of the organizing committee are all hard working, dedicated, volunteers without whom this show would not be a reality. In the face of several challenges they have once again presented yet another impressive,"must see" exhibition.

Awards are made possible thanks only to incredibly generous sponsors such as The Toyota Motor Manufacturing Company, and Janome Canada (who is awarding a Janome machine to this year's "Award of Excellence" winner as chosen by the judges and at the close of the show they will award an Elna Machine (division of Janome) to the viewers choice winner

In addition to The Grand Prize, and Award of Excellence there are 2 Curators Choice awards, a new award for "Innovation" and honourable mention. Additional sponsors are The Waterloo County Quilters Guild, Triangle Sewing Centre, Creative Sisters ,Greenwood Quiltery and A Needle Pulling Thread Magazine
I certainly hope I have not forgotten anyone.

As one of the award recipients I really want to express a huge thank you to everyone involved, I am thrilled and deeply honoured. It is amazing just to have a piece in the exhibit.
and yes "Grafiti" earned a Curators Choice Award..........did I mention I am thrilled????
The photo above, was taken during the awards presentation........the room was so full, many guests have spilled out into the foyer and other gallery rooms

Okay so in my last post I told you that I would be showing you how Graffiti evolved. I told you it had a message and asked if you could decipher it...............so for now I will show you the message.
Here is a close up of one of the 12 sections. Can you read it from the center out? below is a diagram that spells it out for you.

The idea was to have a piece that at first glance simply appeared to be an interesting, somewhat abstract design, but intriguing enough to draw the viewer in for a closer look.
Graffiti is likely one of the most controversial of all art forms and while yes technically it is vandalism when done without the property owners permission................In many cases it is also undeniably ART.

So I promise in my next post you will see Graffiti's skeleton.


..........and check this out. The Quilt Rat is being featured on this site as her "Blog of the Week" Thank you Carol......gotta love the quilt blogging community!