Crossroads, the Grand National coming to Fredericton

SAQA Atlantic member, Kathy Tidswell, is now the Exhibitions Co-Coordinator for the Grand National Exhibition Association.  She has sent us the invitation poster for the next Grand National Show, which will open in Fredericton in 2021 and then tour the country. 

Details can be found on the Grand National website at www.grandnationalfibreartexhibition.com

Works from two of our SAQA Atlantic members, Kathy Tidswell and Deb Plestid, were accepted in the 2019 Grand National.  Perhaps we will see an even larger showing from SAQA Atlantic members in 2021!

McKay Barns Standing Still on Spiddle Hill
by Deb Plestid 2019 45"by 30"

Treasured Memory
by Kathy Tidswell 2019 18" x 20.5"

Two calls for entries from Sacred Threads

SAQA Atlantic member Helene Blanchet is encouraging textile artists in Atlantic Canada to consider entering Sacred Threads. There are two calls for entries.

Sacred Threads

Sacred Threads is a juried exhibition for quilters of all faiths who see their work as a connection to the sacred and/or as an expression of their spiritual journey. Quilts submitted should explore themes of joy, spirituality, peace/brotherhood, inspiration, grief, or healing. Sacred Threads is open only to artists within the United States and Canada. Quilts must be an original design or an original execution of a traditional pattern.

Entry deadline: January 10, 2019. Further details on Sacred Threads website.

Sacred Threads Eye Contact: Creating a connection

A special installation exhibit of fibre and mixed media pieces that feature eyes, size 23" x 5".

Entry deadline: May 31, 2019. Further details on Eye Contact page, Sacred Threads website.

Art Hits the Wall 2017 Call For Entry

Atlantic Canada’s Art Hits the Wall Committee invites rug hookers and quilters to enter Under the Influence, a juried exhibition of hooked rugs and art quilts, open to all year-round residents of Atlantic Canada.

Under the Influence

Who or what inspires your work? A great master? A teacher? Your beloved granny? Perhaps it’s the medium itself: the colours, the textures, the rhythms of your craft. We want to know what inspires you. Create an image or a collage that reflects the people, place or thing that has inspired or continues to inspire you. This is a personal introspective journey that we invite you to have fun with and produce a wonderful piece of art for this event.

Deadline

Completed application forms, with photos, will be accepted between March 1 and March 31, 2017. Applications postmarked after March 31 will not be accepted.

Criteria

Width: 16-24 inches (no less, no more) 
Height: 16-30 inches (no less, no more)
All pieces must be 2 dimensional. That is, any embellishments must not exceed 1” from the surface.

Each artist may submit up to two pieces.

Location  

Official Launch: Rug Hooking Museum of North America (Mid May to Mid October 2017).  Additional locations and dates will be announced. If you are aware of any venues interested in having this show, please contact Art Hits the Wall.

Application forms will be available through organizations that support the creation of art through rug hooking and quilting. For additional information or to request an application form, please contact Art Hits the Wall by email or visit Art Hits the Wall on Facebook.

Call for artwork of a spiritual nature

A detail of Creation by Paul Krampitz; part of the Common Threads Indigo Quilts at Christ Church Cathedral, Vancouver. Photo: Martin Knowles

Christ Church Cathedral, in Vancouver B.C, is mounting a juried exhibition of textile art of a spiritual nature, including perspectives from First Nations artists and a range of faith traditions. The Canada-wide call for entry is now open.

(in)finite: exploring the finite limitations of humanity
and the ineffable, infinite nature of the Divine.
A Canadian Textile Exhibition
May 25 to June 4, 2017
Christ Church Cathedral, Vancouver, BC


Submission Deadline: Friday, February 17, 2017


For details, see (in)finite: a Canadian Textile Exhibition.

Call for Entry – Contemporary Canadian Art Quilts

 Moonlight Over Cordova Bay by Joan Hug-Valeriote

Ontario artist and SAQA member Joan Hug-Valeriote is mounting a multi-media exhibit of Canadian art quilts to celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary in 2017. She invites all Canadian art quilters to be part of this unique presentation of both photographed and actual art quilts:

"Be part of celebrating Canada’s Sesquicentennial Year by submitting photographs of your Contemporary Canadian Art Quilts for inclusion in an exciting multimedia Video and Art Quilt display."

The exhibit will take place in the Berlin Tower Artspace, Kitchener City Hall, during April and May 2017. Entries will be accepted until October 24th, 2016.

For more details, click on Call for Entry or email: cdnartquilts@horizonsquilting.ca

Call for Entry - Threadworks 2016 Flashback

Threadworks 2016

a Juried Exhibition of Creative Needlework - April 16 to May 29, 2016 

Threadworks’ mandate is to mount, every three years, a juried exhibition of exceptional creative needlework stitched by artists from across Canada. The show opens at the WCMA and travels to a number of museums and galleries across Ontario during the next two years.

THEME

The theme for 2016 is FLASHBACK. What does that word bring to your imagination? Just how far back does it take you? Whether it’s to your own youth, your Grandmother’s time or pre-history, anything other than this minute or tomorrow qualifies. Here are a few suggestions: Fashion, Art Deco, Architecture, Environment/Nature/Fossils, Summer Camp, Holidays, Music (e.g. song titles), War, Hippies, Home, Death, Grandma’s influence/Ancestors, Weddings, Babies. 

Entries are open to any Canadian Resident. 

Click the link for detailed info: Threadworks 2016

Diaspora - a SAQA exhibition opportunity

It is getting late to get to work on a big piece but I wanted to highlight an amazing opportunity which has been negotiated by the SAQA exhibition committee. It is a show called Stories of Migration which will be mounted at The Textile Museum in Washington DC. The theme is related to diaspora - the dispersion of people from an ancestral homeland. The curators and jurors are open to very large and non-traditional work. Three-dimensional and free-hanging pieces will be welcome. The prospectus even makes reference to sculpture and video. The show was announced in November of last year and entries close on October 30, 2015.

You can find more here on the SAQA website. Follow the link on that page for a complete prospectus.

As a resident of Nova Scotia I am aware of several topics which could be explored under the umbrella of this theme - the expulsion of the Acadians, the migration of Black Loyalists (and the return of some to Sierra Leone) and now I eat food weekly that is produced with the assistance of migrant workers from Jamaica.

None of these topics call to me but you may have a personal or historical interest in a subject related to the theme of the show.  If you have a strong urge to explore it and would like the chance to create a unique (and large!) piece, this is a show you should consider entering.

Chris Nielsen

SAQA is coming to Canada!

At SAQA's annual conference last year I had an opportunity as a regional representative to address the Board of Directors about concerns and ideas that affected our region. I chose to discuss the fact that a significant portion of the SAQA budget is directed to exhibitions yet none of those shows travel to Canada. We have to go to the United States or Europe to see the artwork in person and reap the rewards of our investment in the shows. My remarks were well-received and it seemed likely that arrangements would be made to ship an existing or future show to a venue in Canada.

I am delighted to report that something even more wonderful has occurred. In May 2016 two brand new SAQA shows will open at the Stratford Perth Museum in Stratford, Ontario. They will tour in tandem in Canada and one will also travel to venues in the United States and possibly Europe.

One of the two shows is open only to Canadian members of SAQA. It is called My Corner of the World: Canada. The text of the call for entry reads as follows:

You are invited, as a Canadian artist, to create a glimpse of the spirit of Canada; to convey through your art something true, meaningful and important about our beautiful country and its people. We are excited by the thought of galvanizing our creative community to express and share, through this exhibit, our vision of Canada. 

Few countries are as richly blessed as ours in geography, humanity, diversity, and artistic tradition. A vision of your corner of Canada might capture a vignette of everyday life or a unique landscape. Perhaps it is a reflection on the mosaic of Canadian peoples or draws on some iconic feature of Canadian history or ideals. Whether reverent, reflective, funny or whimsical, the story you tell should embody the Canadian experience from your unique corner of this land.

Daring to capture the ocean in a cup, you might look for inspiration to the great masters of Canadian artistic expression, visual artists, musicians and writers who have interpreted an essential feature of Canadian life with such perfection that it reflects something authentic about the whole country.

Your artwork can be representational or take an abstract approach. Let the cloth speak to the viewers. We are eager to see what the hearts, minds and skills of Canadian textile artists will craft as a woven love song to this unique and beautiful land. 

You can find the complete prospectus on the SAQA Calls For Entry page (Scroll down to closing date of November 30, 2015). In brief, here's what you need to know: 

• closing date: November 30, 2015 
• size: 20-40 inches wide, 20-72 inches high
• number: you may enter three pieces
• cost: $40US for up to three pieces

What about the second show? It is called My Corner of the World (International) and is open to all SAQA members, including Canadians (yes, you can enter both shows). Here is the text from the call for entry for that show.

My Corner of the World invites you, the artist, to examine your world - the world, real or imagined, that represents what is important in your life.  It might be where you reside, work, or grew up. It might be a favorite place from any point in your life or the special space you take yourself to internally.

Where do you feel most yourself? What place makes you feel most grounded, inspired or at peace? My Corner of the World asks you to look at the big picture including, but not limited to your homeland, ancestry or culture.

The complete prospectus for this show is also on the SAQA Calls for Entry page. Most of the important details are the same as the all-Canada show. Note that you cannot enter the same piece in both shows. The prospectus contains an interesting reference to collaborative pieces - they are allowed so long as all of the contributors are SAQA members. 

The development of these shows is an exciting opportunity to share what we do with the people of Canada. I urge you to give some thought to ways in which you might interpret one or both of the themes.  Let's reward the Board of Directors and the Exhibition Committee for their attentiveness to our concerns with spectacular shows.

Chris Nielsen

SAQA Atlantic Canada Regional Exhibition “Structures” Eligibility and Guidelines

SAQA Atlantic Canada  Regional Exhibition “Structures” 

Eligibility and Guidelines

• All members of SAQA in the Atlantic Canada region are invited to participate. Artists must be current members of SAQA, Studio Art Quilt Associates, to enter. To apply for a membership visit www.saqa.com.

• Artist may submit up to two (2) works.

• Accepted work is subject to final approval after the actual work arrives. Work that exceeds the size limitation and/or differs significantly from the digital image representing it will be ineligible for the exhibition and returned to the artist at the artist’s expense.

• Size restrictions: work must fit within the boundaries of 30” wide by 48” long format.

• All artwork must have a 4” sleeve across the top on the back for hanging; an additional sleeve at the bottom is recommended. The sleeve should stop 3/4” short of the side edges so that the rod will not show. The top edge of the sleeve should be placed 1” to 2” from the top of the work. DO NOT SHIP RODS WITH YOUR PIECES, venues will provide these, as needed.

• 3-D, freestanding, and dimensional works will not be considered for this exhibit; in addition, the artwork may not contain any parts or materials that may damage other pieces in the shipping container.

• All work must include a label on the back with the artist’s name and contact information, as well as the title of the work and the completion date.

• Work must have been completed after September 1, 2013. Work executed under classroom, educational guidance or supervision is not eligible.

• Artwork must meet the SAQA definition of an art quilt: “The art quilt is a creative visual work that is layered and stitched or that references this form of stitched layered structure.”

• The juror will independently screen all images and make the preliminary selection of all work in the exhibition. Entries will be evaluated on concept, design, technique, craftsmanship and creative exploration.

• Accepted pieces should be shipped to Regina Marzlin, Antigonish, NS. Detailed shipping instructions will be provided after jurying.

• We encourage your art quilt to be for sale. Exhibiting venues may charge a commission and will contact you if a customer shows interest.

• Work MUST be available to travel through to the end of June 2016. It is the policy of SAQA that once work is accepted, it cannot be withdrawn for any reason until the end of the run. All artwork must remain on display until the conclusion of the exhibition.

• By submitting your work for review, you confirm that you will adhere to all the above.

Grand National Quilt Show 2015 - Call for Entry

The Grand National Quilt Show 2015 (Canada) submission deadline is February 27, 2015. The theme is Connections and it is open to quilt artists from across Canada. 

Information and submission forms can be downloaded at http://www.grandnationalquiltshow.ca/. Entries are submitted by digital image, by either CD format mailed in or via Dropbox.

"Structures” Call for Entry - Information Update

“Structures” Call for Entry Forms are available on the SAQA site at Prospectus/Entry Info

SAQA Atlantic Regional Show - Call for Entry

SAQA Atlantic is very pleased to announce a Call for Entry for our second Regional Show, ‘Structures’! 

Our show will premiere at the Art Gallery of St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia on June 1, 2015, with opening night on June 5, 2015.

Show Concept: 

Structures surround us. They can comprise man-made or natural arrangements, thought concepts, social relations, musical compositions and much more. We are embedded within social structures of all types and rely on them to determine everything from how we organize our days to how we build our sentences. Physical structures can be as large as a bridge or high rise building or as small as a molecular arrangement.

SAQA Atlantic Canada encourages its members to submit art quilts which are inspired by structures. Abstract and representational work are encouraged.

Juror: Alan Syliboy:

An established Mi’kmaq artist, Alan Syliboy’s work is influenced by the indigenous Mi'kmaq rock drawing and quill weaving traditions. Working in acrylic and mixed media, Alan creates vibrantly coloured images exploring the themes of family, searching, spirituality, struggle, and strength. The use of layering symbols and mark making creates depth and texture in Alan’s work. Besides painting Alan also works in sculpture and pottery. His career spans several decades of highly acclaimed work. You find more information on his website www.alansyliboy.org 

Curator: Regina Marzlin 

IMPORTANT DATES

Entry opens ► March 15, 2015 

Deadline for receipt of entries ► April 15, 2015 

Notification of acceptance ► April 30, 2015

Accepted artwork delivery date ► May 15, 2015 

Artist reception ► June 5, 2015 

Exhibition opens ► June 1, 2015

Exhibition closes► The show will travel to multiple venues. We anticipate that it will remain intact until June 30, 2016.

SAQA Call for Entry - Wild Fabrications

Wild Fabrications

IQF: Houston, Texas
Calls for Entry

Wild Fabrications celebrates a world of animals both real and fantastical.  Let your imagination run wild as you create interesting and unusual interpretations of animals using unexpected or unconventional materials and adornment, and/or unusual techniques.

Embrace the double meaning of “fabrications”, which refers both to our medium and to the fact that the animals do not have to be real.  Artists should think outside the box and create works that push their limits.  Both abstract and representational work is sought.  

Dimensional work that hangs from the wall will be accepted into this show, provided it meets the criteria listed in this prospectus.  Freestanding work will not be considered for this exhibit.

Premiere Location:  
International Quilt Festival (Houston, Texas) – Oct. 2015

Juror: Geoffrey Gorman Curator: Jennifer Day

January 1, 2015    Online Entry Open
January 31, 2015  Online Entry Deadline at 11:59 pm EST

SAQA Members: See more details at SAQA Calls for Entry (login required)

SAQA Call for Entry - Food for Thought

Food for Thought Premiere venues:  National Quilt Museum, Paducah, Kentucky Festival of Quilts, Birmingham, England  Additional venues to be added. Exhibition Concept: We eat every day, but how often do we really think about the food we eat?  Every culture has its celebrations, family meals, traditions that involve food.  Although these vary in different parts of the world, the impact of food is unmistakable.  Food nourishes and fuels our bodies; food traditions nurture our souls. So, what inspires you about food?   This exhibition will allow artists to explore any aspects of food that they find inspirational - from a single piece of fruit, to a still life, to the family table, to the significance of food in culture and the celebration of family milestones and religious holidays.  Artists may portray how and where food is grown and harvested; how it is sold or distributed, prepared or consumed; where it is abundant and where it is scarce. SAQA intends to  choose approximately 30 pieces for the exhibition. Juror: Alex Veronelli Managing Curator: Sarah Ann Smith Call for Entry opens online: September 1, 2014 Call for Entry deadline: September 30, 2014 Full information:   http://saqacallforentries3.com/

2014 SAQA Benefit Auction Call for Entry Deadline Extension

DEADLINE to receive entries has been extended to June 15, 2014

2014 BENEFIT AUCTION QUILTS ARE NEEDED ASAP  Approximately 230 quilts have been received, but last year 450 quilts were donated...Have you participated?

Please fill out the form now so that we know to expect your Auction piece.

Call for Entries - Fibre Arts Festival Society Nova Scotia 2014

Artwork and Interior Gallery Installations
The Fibre Arts Festival Society Nova Scotia is extending a call to fibre artists for submissions of their work --- rug hooking, quilting, felting, knitting, crochet, needle and hand work --- to display at various locations during the 6th Annual Fibre Arts Festival Society Nova Scotia being held October 14-18, 2014 in Amherst, NS. Selected artists will have their works hang in a five-day exhibition. This award-winning fibre celebration opens with a catered evening reception and showcases art at the Fibre Festival Headquarters and at various venues in the historic town.

​

​Proposals for Independent Projects

They are inviting proposals for local artists to organize and curate their own exhibitions, or to propose an installation of an existing piece or new installation. They encourage all approaches to fibre exploration. 

Workshops and Classes

The Fibre Arts Festival Nova Scotia is extending a call to fibre instructors who wish to lead workshops and classes. They aim to offer a wide variety to those taking part. They will provie the venue and co-ordinate schedules. Deadline is March 1, 2014 with selected artists being notified thereafter.

For more information or to participate in this year’s event, please see more detailed information at the Nova Scotia Fibre Arts Festival blog.

Reminder of an Important Opportunity for all SAQA Members

SAQA 2014 Anniversary Trunk Show Open to all SAQA Members Join SAQA in celebrating our 25th amazing year with your trunk show submission! This traveling exhibition asks SAQA members to create a 10" x 7" art quilt that showcases their artistic expression. The 2014 Anniversary Trunk Show will premiere at the 2014 SAQA conference in Washington, DC, and then travel all across the United States and around the world. A group of quilts from this exhibition will be chosen by jurors Linda Colsh and Margaret "Peg" Keeney to become a permanent part of the collection of the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky. Submissions for the 2014 Anniversary Trunk Show must meet the following criteria: *Quilted pieces must have three layers, and measure 10" high x 7" wide (25.4 x 17.8 cm) in a PORTRAIT orientation. All embellishments must fit within the 10" x 7" size.  *SAQA will mount artwork on a 12 x 9" black backing board.   *Quilts could travel for up to three years. They must stay with the Trunk during the entire exhibition period.  *Participation fee is $10 to cover cost of materials and return shipping.  *If you wish your quilt to be for sale, please indicate its price on the entry form.  *Due to the constraints of international travel costs, SAQA will not be insuring this exhibition. An insurance waiver is included in the form. Quilts are due no later than Friday, January 31, 2014 to the SAQA 2014 Trunk Show Coordinator, Eileen Doughty. Full details and link to the entry form may be found here: http://www.saqa.com/members.php?ID=2419

 

Call for Entry - Regional Trunk Show

At our last regional meeting we had a long discussion about ways to promote SAQA and to attract new members. Many of us were able to see a selection from SAQA's This is a Quilt trunk show in the summer/fall of 2011. We thought that something similar with work entirely by Atlantic Canadians would be a fantastic tool for us to use when we speak to groups about SAQA. Anna Davison and Susan Tilsley Manley volunteered to shepherd this concept. Here is a note from Susan with more details. I hope you will all get to work on your piece for the collection.

from Susan Tilsley Manley

SAQA Atlantic's Own Trunk Show

We’re putting together our own traveling trunk show. The idea is that we showcase our different styles and techniques in a way that is accessible to many people for a reasonable amount of money.  There is nothing like seeing the real thing. So we’re proposing that each member of SAQA Atlantic Canada create an 8 ½” x 8 ½” square art quilt sandwich that is representative of your work, unbound, that we’ll sandwich between foam core and a square mat. Each piece will have the artist’s statement on the back and the whole thing will be packaged in a clear plastic bag for easy handling and safety of the work. The collection will be available for any member to use as a promotional tool for SAQA Atlantic. Hopefully the trunk show will travel all around the Maritimes to guilds, workshops, shows or tea with friends.

Submissions need to be: 8 ½” x 8 ½” art quilt sandwich (unbound), accompanied by an artist’s statement (telling in ONE page; name, address, title of piece, date, materials, techniques and a description of you and/or your work.)

Send to:

Susan Tilsley Manley
RR#3
Westville, NS
B0K 2A0

Deadline: February, 28, 2013

Please include $5.00 in cash or by cheque made out to Anna Davison. This will pay for the supplies required to display and protect your work.

Also, email a copy of your artist’s statement to Susan at artfarm@seasidehighspeed.com.

I look forward to seeing all your beautiful creations.

Call for Entry Summary

There's no good way to present all of the information contained in the many calls for entry that I post.  Even extracts of the information become unwieldy and difficult to locate on the new Calls for Entry page.

Every so often I will summarize the information and post the most important details here in table format.  Please make sure to consult the Calls for Entry page and to check the links to read all of the 'fine print' and to confirm eligibility and deadlines.

Title	Presenter	Eligible	Deadline	Show dates
Radical Elements	SAQA	SAQA members	Oct. 31, 2012	2013 - 2016
Deux	SAQA	SAQA members (with exceptions)	Nov. 30, 2012	June - Sept. 2013
Minerals	Ad Maiora Canada	Canadians	Dec. 7, 2012	March 3 - 26, 2013
Kaleidoscopes	Art Hits the Wall	Maritime Canadians	December 2012	see link
Metaphors on Aging	SAQA	SAQA members	Jan. 31, 2013	August 2013 through 2015
Text Messages	SAQA	SAQA members	Feb. 28, 2013	Oct. 2013 - July 2014