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This is part of the walkway that goes into the National Exhibitions Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, UK.

This past August, the NEC hosted the annual Festival of Quilts, self-described as “The Leading Quilt Show in Europe”  While it’s not Houston, it is a venue filled with over 200 vendors, competition quilts, and – my favorite – many classy gallery displays featuring the work of leading UK and international artists.  This year two American quilters had gallery displays: Ricky Tims and Susan Brandeis as did Dorothy Caldwell from Canada.  To learn more of the various artists and works included, visit the Festival of Quilts website. Currently the list is available here.  However, I’ve no idea how long this link will be available as I suspect when the 2009 show rolls around, the page will be updated with new information. Two other eye treats were SAQA‘s Transformations 2008 exhibit and the European Art Quilt Foundation‘s Art Quilt V.  When visiting their website, click the “Gallery” and the “2008” link to see their display at the show.  It nicely shows off the gallery setting of the special exhibits.

Quiltart and SAQA member Sandy Snowden had a booth display entitled “Sandy Snowden: Two Years On.” Last year Sandy won the Student Category with “Distressed and Deconstructed”, “a skirt design inspired not only by erosion and decay in metal, but also by the aging seen in corsets from the Tudor period.”  I wanted to take it home with me!

In addition to the variety of exhibitors, there are several artists demonstrating their techniques. Ruth Issett, author of several excellent books, such as “Print, Pattern & Colour,” was again at the Art Van Go booth demonstrating some of her printmaking techniques.  The Art Van Go store is located in Herfordshire.  I’ve not yet been there, but I plan to.  Their site also shares several surface techiques (you can find there here).  If you’re planning to go to the Knitting & Stitching show in September at the NEC, Ruth will be demonstrating at the “Artists in Action” space (along with other instructors).  It looks so good that next year I may plan work meetings around that time!

I’ve attended this show several times, and each time Ruth generously shared her techniques, answered questions, and even allowed people to page through her various journals.

She also graciously allowed me to take her photo and another of the work she was creating.  This piece was first dyed.  Then it was stitched.  Then additional color was added using Shiva sticks and other paints.

Another treat are the various art cloths being made in a studio area open to the public to peruse, ask questions, and simply admire.

Leslie Morgan and Claire Benn from Committed to Cloth demonstrated surface techniques such as break-down printing in a studio area (they welcomed photos).  You can learn more about Committed to Cloth here.  I purchased their latest book, Paper & Metal Leaf Lamination, which is in collaboration with Jane Dunnewold.

Another treat was meeting Maggie Grey.  I recently wrote an article for QuiltWow, the new sister publication of Workshops on the Web.  Both online quarterly publications are edited by Maggie.  I thought I’d just say hi, but instead we immediately hit it off and chatted up a small storm.

Maggie has written some excellent books, including  “Raising the Surface with Machine Embroidery,” “Paper, Metal & Stitch,” “Stitch, Dissolve, and Distort” with Machine Embroidery.  I was thrilled to buy an autographed copy of her latest, From Image to Stitch.  I enjoyed seeing many of the examples used in the book, and was very impressed with the amount of time she spent with various people asking questions.  She even had an inkjet printer set up so that she could demonstrate what she was doing and how.

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 4th, 2008 at 4:35 pm and is filed under Exhibitions & Quilt Shows. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.