ART PICTORIAL QUILTS at Brisbane's Craft & Quilt Fair

Houston International Quilt Show has just finished but I was unable to attend this year, so my apologies to those who look forward to my reports from Houston.

However, I DID attend the Brisbane Craft & Quilt Fair mid-October and take great pleasure in sharing the amazing quilts exhibited by Queensland Quilters who were celebrating their 30th Birthday. They showed previous years' Best of Show and some from their "Theme of Thirty' Challenge.

I feel it a shame to have to ask for written permission from each quilter who exhibits her talents at any quilt show, but that is today's protocol and I accept the reasons for such. So it is with much gratitude that I thank the quilters whose quilts I will show over the next few blog postings. THANKS.

ART PICTORIAL quilting is a very popular, modern way of expressing beauty in a quilt, depicting an idea, person, place or thing.
Quiltmaker Jane MacDermott showed her quilt "HAPPINESS WITH COLOUR" and although no prize ribbons adorned it, I was drawn to it, maybe the colours, maybe the movement within.

Jane said "Colour, happiness and love, the energy of the swirls bursting out, showering everything around with these feelings. The free motion work enhances the design and makes the colours stand out even more."

First Place in the AMATEUR ARTS PICTORIAL section was awarded to ROSEMARY McCALL for her quilt 

'WAITING FOR THE BOAT'.

Rosemary said "This piece is a fabric interpretation of a scene I photographed on the island of San Guilio, Lake Orta, Italy. The techniques used are a personal test of Gloria Loughman's recent use of line, space and contrast."

Second Place in this section was awarded to SANDRA SULLIVAN 

for her quilt "TRIPTYCH - WINTER GARDEN".

This is Sandra's own design based on a combination of abstract, stylized and based on complimentary colours with inspiration from her winter garden of cordylines and shrubs. In an email from Sandra, she said "Inspiration was from my Queensland coastal winter garden and the striking contrasting colours of Bromeliads and Cordylines' depicted in abstract form."

First Prize in the PROFESSIONAL ARTS PICTORIAL declined my invitation for copyright reasons, which I respect, but I do have Second and Third places.

SECOND PRIZE was awarded to BERNARDINE HINE 

for her quilt "CYNTHIA'S GERANIUM".

Bernardine said "My friend, Cynthia, had this pink geranium in her garden and I challenged myself the task of capturing the complex blooms. Flowers and leave dye painted and raw edge appliquéd. Background dyed, bleached and painted."

THIRD PRIZE was awarded to PAM HILL for her quilt 

"A WONDERFUL BIRD".

Pam said "My original photo was printed onto cotton fabric and enhanced with thread play and free motion machine quilting."

SUCH A VARIETY IN THIS SECTION, ALL AMAZING TECHNIQUES. HOPE YOU ENJOY VIEWING QUILTS FROM EXHIBITIONS YOU MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ATTEND.

BIG THANK YOU TO THESE WONDERFUL QUILTERS, WHO ARE WILLING TO SHARE WITH YOU.