Welcome to all our new SAQA Atlantic Canada members and any and all visitors! As you can see, there has not been a great deal of activity on this blog but we are going to change that!

If you are a member, please send me any announcements or information you may have. That includes but is not limited to: any shows you are in, workshops you know about or are teaching or any other news so I can share it with our members.

If you are not a member, please, give consideration to joining SAQA whether you are in the Atlantic Canada region (New Brunswick, Newfoundland/Labrador, Nova Scotia or PEI) or not SAQA is a great organization if you are involved in any way with fibre art: artist, commercially (such as selling fabric, dyes, etc), collector or just a fan. Studio Art Quilt Associates, Inc. (SAQA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the art quilt through education, exhibitions, professional development and documentation. We are international and have close to 3000 members. Come visit the website at: www.SAQA.com.


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One of the benefits of membership in SAQA is being eligible for SAQA sanctioned shows. There is always a list of calls-for-entry on the SAQA website. 

One call-for-entry is for the Synthesis II show. This is a show open to SAQA members in Canada. You must reside in Canada to enter. They have extended the deadline to 30 Sept. (postmarked). 

SAQA Central Canada is extending the postmark deadline to September 30,
2011 for sending submissions to Synthesis 2, a national juried traveling
exhibition.

Call for Entry Guidelines and Form may be found at
http://saqacentralcanada.blogspot.com/p/synthesis-ii.html

Check it out!

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The call-for-entry for Rooted, a SAQA regional show, open to members of the Atlantic Canada region will be posted soon. Keep watching!!!

The show will open on 19 April, 2012 at the Mary E. Black Gallery in Halifax. We will be working on securing other venues within the region with the goal of having the show travel for 2 years. If you know of a possible venue, please contact teri (teri@fiberandthread.com) or Anna (annadavison@eastlink.ca).

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We are up to 26 members in the Atlantic Canada region. You have no idea how happy this makes me! When I joined we had 6 members! At present we have only one member in Newfoundland and none in PEI. Let's change that! If you know anyone interested in quilts as art, encourage them to join! Then they may enter a piece in the Rooted show. The more the merrier!

Laurie Swim Workshops

Laurie Swim is pleased to offer 6 two-day weekend workshops in Lunenburg NS, a UNESCO World Heritage site.  The workshops will be held in the Lunenburg Academy, in a third-floor classroom (there is an elevator) which overlooks the town.

The dates:
April 23-24
May 14-15
June 4-5
Aug 27-28
Sept 10-11
Sept 24-25

More details: http://www.artquiltpublishing.com/2011images/Workshops_D3.pdf

Call for Entry- 1 May 2011 Deadline

 Deep Spaces

The Deep Spaces exhibit, curated by Larkin Jean Van Horn, will show textile works of a common size interpreting the title theme in three venues between July 2011 and June of 2012.


    Definitions and Conditions of Entry:

    * Eligible artwork for this exhibit will consist of quilts and other
      textile based wall hangings.
    * Artwork must be 18" wide and 45" tall. That's a vertical
      orientation, like a hanging scroll. No Exceptions.
    * Artwork will be the artist's original interpretation of the theme,
      "Deep Space" or "Deep Spaces".
    * Entry fee is $25.00 (US), up to three pieces may be entered.
    * Entries will be accepted via webpage and digital images. No paper entries or disks will be accepted.
    * Entry fee will be accepted via PayPal only. No Exceptions.
    * Accepted artists will be asked to pay shipping costs both
      directions. Artists may choose from among USPS, UPS and FedEx, and may provide a pre-paid shipping label or send the required amount via PayPal.
    * This exhibit is open to U.S. and International artists. Non-U.S.
      artists will be asked to provide any necessary paperwork to
      satisfy customs requirements.
    * Catalogs: Artworks will be photographed on a common background for production of the exhibit catalog. The catalog will be available in two forms: on disk for $15, or on paper as print-on-demand, the price of which has not yet been determined. All proceeds from the sale of the catalogs will go to Doctors Without Borders. All entrants, whether their work was accepted for the show or not, will receive one copy of the disk version of the catalog.


      Other conditions:

    * Pre-programmed, computerized machine quilting will not be accepted.
    * Artwork made from kits or commercial patterns are not eligible.
    * Artwork must be in pristine condition and show ready.
    * Artwork must have a 4" continuous hanging sleeve attached to the back. Exceptions will be granted on an individual basis, and only with pre-approval of the Curator.
    * Artwork must be available from July 1, 2011 through July 1, 2012.
    * Artwork that differs from the submitted images will not be accepted.
    * Artwork may be offered for sale. The exhibiting venues will take a 35% commission on any sales.
    * Artwork advocating violence or hatred will not be accepted.


    Exhibition Timeline:

    * September 5, 2011 to November 6, 2011 - Latimer Quilt and Textile Center, Tillamook, Oregon (28 pieces) and Edmonds Conference Center, Edmonds, Washington (22 pieces)
    * November 15, 2011 to March 15, 2012 - Looking for a venue for this time frame
    * March 28, 2012 to June 24, 2012 - LaConner Quilt and Textile
      Museum, LaConner, Washington (unified display, 50 pieces)


    Entry Timeline:

    * January 1, 2011 - Online system for accepting entries will go live
      here.
    * May 1, 2011 - All entries are due by midnight (Pacific) on this
      date, at which time the page will close.
    * June 1, 2011 - Artists will be notified of jury results via e-mail.
    * July 1, 2011 - Accepted entries are due to arrive here.
    * July 1, 2012 - We will begin shipping artwork to purchasers or
      artists, as appropriate.


    Jurying Details:

Not all venues are created equal, and these two are no exception. The LaConner venue is much larger, and we can accept 50 works to hang there.
The Latimer venue is smaller, and we can hang only 28 works there. Once we have selected a cohesive exhibit for the LaConner venue, we will re-sort those entries for two separate exhibits. 28 pieces will go to the Latimer venue, and the other 22 pieces will be exhibited at the
Edmonds Conference Center, in Edmonds, Washington during the same time frame.

In addition, we will select four artworks as back-up, in case we need to eliminate an accepted work, or if an accepted work becomes unavailable for any reason. These four pieces will be from U.S. artists, so we can get them quickly.

I am still seeking a third venue for the time in between these two. Any suggestions for possible venues are welcome.

I have asked two fiber artist friends to assist me in jurying this exhibit:

*Debra Calkins* has been creating original textile art for over
twenty-five years. Materials in her work include metal, fiber, fabric,
plastic, wood, paper, anything she can stitch. Her main focus the last few years has been on social commentary and installation art. Debra recently graduated from the University of Washington Fiber Arts Certificate Program.

*Anne Niles Davenport* has been playing and working with threads and fabrics since she was a small girl. Her skills span design and
production in weaving, hand-knitting, and quilt-making, in all of which she blends simplicity of structure with complexity of color and pattern. Her work may be found in private collections nationally.

Please address any questions or concerns to me at: larkin@larkinart.com

Art Prize Registration Closes June 17th

Art Prize 2010 Registration closes at 5pm, EDT on June 17th. 


Do not miss out on this wonderful opportunity!  It is the richest art contest in the world but, even more importantly, it is a great venue to have your work seen by thousands!

Go to: http://www.artprize.org/artists/apply/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=ArtistReminder-5-26-2

to sign up!!!

Announcement Regarding Landmark Work of Laurie Swim

After 10 years in the making, the case at York Mills is ready....

"Laurie will help unveil Breaking Ground, now part of the City of Toronto’s Permanent Art Collection, at the York Mills TTC station at 10:30am on March 17, 2010. The quilt serves not only as a memorial to the lives tragically lost while on the job, but also as a celebration of the spirit of community – the volunteers, city officials, organizations and corporations who worked together with a number of individual donors to create this commemorative portrait of a moment in Toronto’s history that should never be forgotten."

22,000 people a day pass by that site. I believe there will be quite a bit of media attention paid to Laurie and her work in March, and then of course the wonderful, sad memorial will continue to speak to people for a years to come. This is our Press Release http://artquiltpublishing.com/pdfs/HoggsHollowUnveilingMarch17_2010.pdf

Co-incidentally, Laurie is being featured in the March issue of Saltscapes Magazine.

Thirdly, to inform you about Laurie's 2010 summer workshops for our email list before we advertise it widely.  This year she is limiting her classes to 8 students each.
http://www.artquiltpublishing.com/pdfs/laurie_swim_start_to_finish.pdf

Laurie's solo show, Land Sea and Memory, will be premiered at the Mary E Black Gallery in Halifax July  22 - September 5, after which it travels to the del Mano Gallery in Los Angeles.

Interesting Call for Entry

Geometric Abstraction (note- highlighted below, the commission on sold pieces is only 20%!!)

Still Point Art Gallery (http://www.stillpointartgallery.com/index.html) invites submissions from emerging and established artists for its upcoming online exhibition: Geometric Abstraction

Geometry - squares, triangles, circles, ellipses, cones, cubes, and polygons ... length, area, and volume. Geometry frames our world and shapes our world. It brings order, organization, balance, symmetry, and asymmetry to our surroundings. Geometry is used by carpenters and astronomers as well as theoretical mathematicians. The concept of geometry is so simple and appealing that even young children seem to intuitively draw squares and circles and rectangles. Yet the concept of geometry is so complex that mathematicians and physicists may spend years studying applications and theories of one tiny aspect of geometry. Then there is the artist. When an artist's unique view .. of the world, of the self ... incorporates geometric shapes or focuses on natural or man-made geometric shapes, the result may be an amazing display of shape and color. Geometric abstraction can be daring, imposing, powerful, stark, complex, bold, or rhythmic.

Dates and Deadlines

November 15, 2009 - Submissions Open

January 25, 2010 - Submissions Close (Deadline)

February 8, 2010 - Notification of Selection

February 10 through April 6, 2010 - Exhibition (Online Only)

After closing as the featured exhibition on April 6, 2010, Geometric Abstraction will remain online through April 6, 2011.

Eligibility

Open to artists 18 years of age or older from around the world who submit artwork in any medium except video and wearable art. Submissions must be the creation of the artist. Reproductions of original artwork are not accepted.

Images

Artists may choose one of three ways to submit images: (1) you may upload images using our online form (http://www.stillpointartgallery.com/index.php?action=entryform&exhibition=6); (2) you may send images by email; or (3) you may send images on a CD. Slides and prints will not be accepted. Whatever way you choose, images should be saved in jpg format and resized to 72 dpi, less than 1.5 MB, with the maximum dimension of the image being no more (and preferably not much less) than 1000 pixels. Failing to resize your image will result in problems with uploading. The file name of your image should follow this convention - last name, title of work (perhaps abbreviated), and number (matching entry form number) [for example, SMITH_SUNNYDAY_3.jpg]. Do not include stray characters such as # or * in your file name. Doing so will prevent your file from uploading properly. If you choose to email images, please send them to director@stillpointartgallery.com. If you choose to send your images on a CD, please mail to Still Point Art Gallery, 193 Hillside Road, Brunswick, Maine 04011. CDs will not be returned. Once the submission deadline has passed, no image substitutions may be made.

Please Note: If you use Safari on a Mac platform, our online form will NOT work to upload your images. If you use a Mac, (as we do!), please either use Firefox to upload your images or email your images.

Entry Application and Fee

Artists are asked to complete an entry form and submit a non-refundable fee of $25 for up to 3 images. Additional images may be submitted for a fee of $5 each, up to a maximum of 8 images at $50. ($25 for 3 images plus $25 for an additional 5 images to reach the maximum of 8 images at $50) If you complete the entry form and submit your images online, payment may be made online by PayPal or credit card immediately following submission of images. If you submit images by email, you should include the following information about each image in the message: title, medium, dimensions, framed/unframed, and price. Please also include your name, address, and home or cell number. Payment may be made by requesting a PayPal invoice or by check or money order. If you submit images on CD, please include the entry form. Again, payment may be made by requesting a PayPal invoice or by check or money order. Write checks payable to Still Point Art Gallery and mail to 193 Hillside Road, Brunswick ME 04011. Once the submission deadline has passed, no changes in prices as stated on the entry form will be made.

Selection and Awards

Final selections for the exhibition will be made by the Gallery Director, Christine Brooks Cote. Three Artists of Distinction will be chosen who will be invited to show their art as Gallery Artists in 2011.

Sales

Generally, all work submitted must be for sale. (If the artist does not wish to sell certain pieces submitted, the Gallery Director should be notified by email.) By signing the entry form, the artist grants the Gallery the right to sell the work(s) of art. The Gallery will devote its best efforts to the sale of all art. A sales commission of 20% will be retained by Still Point Art Gallery on all sales. Work will be sold for the price indicated on the entry form. Work must remain available for sale and must remain online in the Gallery for the entire duration of the exhibition; no early withdrawals will be permitted.

Use Rights

By submitting work to be considered for the exhibition, artists grant Still Point Art Gallery the right to use their image(s) for the purpose of marketing.

Please be sure to read this additional information for artists:

Information for Artists: http://www.stillpointartgallery.com/~stillpoi/index.php?action=info4artists

SAQA News

Membership dues will increase by $10 in 2010.
NEW RATES as of January 1st:
Active: $60 (One year); $105 (Two years); $145 (Three years)
PAM: $125 (One year); $235 (Two years); $340 (Three years)
Student: $30 with student ID

SAQA last raised dues three years ago.  Since then the services and opportunities which we offer members have grown by leaps and bounds (see list below), but a significant drop in corporate sponsorship, coupled with rising costs, make it necessary to ask each member to pay $10 more.

Through the end of the year
you can renew your membership for up to three years at current rates.

Benefits of SAQA membership include:
Exhibition opportunities open to all members: In 2010, SAQA will be sponsoring 12 exhibitions, which will travel to 21 venues and be seen by well over 200,000 visitors.  Many of these exhibitions include catalogs. NEW feature coming this month: exhibition artwork will be available for sale through the SAQA website.

Annual Conference:
2010's conference will be in San Francisco, California
2011 will be in Denver, Colorado
2012 will be in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

SAQA Journal: 4-color glossy magazine published four times a year, which includes the centerfold SAQA Gallery offering an opportunity to promote yourself by having your work featured

SAQA Lecture Series: an opportunity to present educational lectures to 100+ visitors, including examples of your work, at the International Quilt Festivals

SAQA e.Bulletin: published monthly, alerting members to SAQA events and other important activities

SAQA Trunk Show: traveling collection of work by 180 SAQA members

Regional Representatives: work to bring SAQA information and opportunities right to your area with regional exhibits, meetings and activities, and regional e-newsletters

Reverse Auction: an opportunity to contribute work to the annual online Reverse Auction with a link to your own website

Yahoo Discussion List: a place to ask questions and get advice from the network of members

SAQA University wiki: Everything you need to know about art quilts!

Mentorship Calls and Audios: monthly conference calls on professional development topics which are archived in SAQA-U

The Visioning Project: a way to visualize your goals and dreams - and make them happen!

Professional Artist Member Benefits
In addition to all Active member benefits, PAMs enjoy these additional benefits:

SAQA Portfolio: the opportunity to participate in this resource for the art quilt field, distributed free of charge to over 3000 collectors, museums, curators, art galleries, interior designers and VIPs

Website Homepage Slideshow and Galleries: PAMs can create their own page on SAQA.com. This page includes two images, contact information, and a link to the artist's website. All special Galleries are drawn from this databank of images and information

Co-op advertising opportunities in a number of art/fiber art publications

SAQA Teachers and Lecturers list on website

NEW! Featured Artist Program: each month SAQA will select PAMs to be featured in a mini profile on the website

NEW! Opportunity to curate exhibits: a new program being developed by the Exhibition Committee.