ISSN 2007-001X 4th September, 2017
Have you noticed a trend on the Australian Rugmakers Guild Facebook page ….. why has the focus been on textile artists and rugmakers from the USA & Canada?
The reason ….. these talented textile artists/rugmakers/designers have agreed to be the Jurors for “Re-imagined” a Challenge with a Difference.
Susan Feller, Lori LaBerge & Michele Wise from the USA and Michelle Sirois-Silver & Katherine Soucie from Canada, all have experience curating exhibitions and judging.
We are honoured they will take time from their busy schedules as professional textile artists to create a judging format for an Exhibition which will be difficult to assess because there is; no size constraint and maybe not even a great deal of hooking in some of the entries.
You may be wondering what on earth I’m talking about – how could you have such an Exhibition.
Well, let me explain …… the Call for Entries went out to all rugmakers and textile artists in the Southern Hemisphere to submit a 2D or 3D creation using at least one of the listed rug making techniques.
Works will be sumitted as digital images only, so the size of the piece can be whatever the person submitting the entry feels comfortable creating.
On the other hand, the Jurors will be challenged to select 20 pieces from a catalogue of disparate works.
Works will be judged on their own merit rather than against other entries.
The selected pieces will then be shown online as a virtual Exhibition.
If you’re not comfortable submitting a 3D piece, not a problem. Your 2D piece can be shown vertically, or horizontally, as there’s no venue space to consider. The challenge to incorporate embellishments from the list given in the Call for Entries is made easier because you can add without considering serviceability, this will not be a rug for the floor.
The focus is on “recycling or up-cycling” – you are required to use all of the items on the list of embellishments – using as little or as much as you choose. A list of the required items used is to be submitted with the digital image of finished work Note; you will see under two headings “Natural” and “Recycled” there are choices – you only need to use one of the items from each list in these two categories.
The field is wide open for you to be as creative as possible, there’s no requirement for hanging, or displaying of a work, no expensive postage/insurance to consider and as this is a first of it’s kind, entry is FREE
The Call for Entries might sound strange and way out of your comfort zone – what we are trying to do is open up the Exhibition to those who practice associated textile disciplines; knitters, crocheters, spinners & weavers, felters, quilters and embroiderers, who must know or learn one of the rug making techniques and include it in some way in their creation. “How to” Videos of these techniques can easily be found online and I’m sure anyone interested in entering could find a rugmaker to teach them one of the rugmaking techniques, which doesn’t require specialized tools and frames.
This Challenge/Exhibition is to promote rugmaking by inviting non-rugmakers, and we’re encouraging all guild members to enter, either individually or collaboratively. As a collaborative group, your entry would be submitted under one name.
“Re-imagined” A Challenge with a Difference was inspired by “Altered States” a WAFTA Members’ Exhibition 16 – 23 September 2017
We look forward to sharing images from WAFTA’s Exhibition after its Opening.
You can find the “Re-imagined” Call for Entries and the Entry Form on this link https://www.rugcraftingaustralia.com.au/re-imagined-challenge-difference
Jo Franco (WA) & Judi Tompkins QLD)
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