Hello everyone,
Well, I’m back from Austin (with a slight QuiltCon cold…smile….) and starting to reflect on my QuiltCon Experience. I attended the entire conference, starting out as a volunteer to help hang the show. My job was on the team that was putting the signs on the quilts, which gave me my first chance to look at the work up close. Even so, with over 300+ quilts to see, I didn’t have a chance to look at them all on my volunteer day. So, I went back for a leisurely look at the show on Sunday, when the crowds were smaller, and took photos and notes about what I was seeing.
I’m not going to post my photos here–there are several sites, including MQG, that have done a wonderful job, so here are the links. Take your time and see the virtual show here:
2015 MQG QuiltCon Prize Winning Quilts
There are several other informative posts including the People’s Choice Winner, Volunteer Spotlight and Recaps from each day on the MQG Blog.
Houzz has a great article with wonderful photos.
QuiltCon is an absolutely wonderful event. The atmosphere was very friendly and welcoming, in part because it was a chance to meet up with people face2face that I had met online. It was also wonderful to meet so many International members–a good reminder that the Modern Quilt Guild is truly a global organization that has over 8,000 members and growing.
Seeing so many modern quilts in one place was a great learning experience and a bit overwhelming. It’s best to take in a show like this in smaller bites over a couple of days. I had lots of short conversations with members and visitors as I walked through the show. It was thrilling to see so many quilters demonstrate their ability to design with color and shapes. I was excited to see how quilters are exploring all of our modern principles such as changing scale, asymmetry, negative space, modern palettes and so forth. It was also fun to see quilters changing and challenging some of our notions about modern quilting. I’m really looking forward to future shows to see how our conceptions of modern quilting stay the same AND continue to evolve.
And, my favorite overheard quote from a visitor was this one:
They aren’t just quilters…they’re really all artists!!
Love your recap and the links you provided. I’ve heard nothing but good news about the last two Quiltcons. I’m already planning to attend the next one as it will be only a few hours from where I live. I like the fact that modern quilting is changing and evolving. This is a good sign of healthy growth. I believe that the more we challenge our own quilting preconceptions, the more well rounded and open minded we become as quilters/artist.
Wonderful Michelle that you are planning to attend the next QuiltCon. I should have mentioned that you must be a MQG member to register for workshops. Most of the workshops fill up with member registration which happens first–members are automatically notified when registration opens. The public can attend the show of course, and register for any workshops that aren’t filled when public registration opens.
I like your statement about healthy growth in modern quilting and the importance of continually challenging ourselves.