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Memories of Quilt Canada: Ottawa 2019

  • Writer: vafibrearts
    vafibrearts
  • Jun 7, 2021
  • 6 min read

Hello Friends and Welcome!


It's finally June, and that means Quilt Canada is drawing near!


For those of you who don't know, Quilt Canada is an annual quilt show organized by the Canadian Quilters' Association/Association Canadienne de la Courtepointe (CQA/ACC). Each year, it's hosted in a different Canadian city in collaboration with local quilt guilds.


The first Quilt Canada conference was hosted in 1983 in Ottawa, organized in collaboration with the Ottawa Valley Quilters' Guild. It featured over 100 quilts submitted by CQA/ACC members, 13 workshops, and was visited by over 1000 guests each day.


Today, the show features the work of Canadian artists and CQA/ACC members, including challenge entries, international collaborations, guild quilts, and more. These works showcase a wide variety of techniques and styles that reflect the unique experiences of all the quilters involved. Along with the show itself, the Quilt Canada experience includes the vendors marketplace and amazing classes taught by renowned quilting instructors from around the world.


I've been lucky enough to attend two Quilt Canada shows in the past few years; 2016 in Toronto with my family, and 2019 in Ottawa with a friend. In celebration of the upcoming 2021 Virtual Quilt Canada event, I'll be spotlighting a few of my favourite entries from Quilt Canada 2019.


Read to the end for information on this year’s virtual show and how you can order your tickets to participate in the virtual event!



Surviving January by Bill Stearman


Entry # ARTA 2097: Bill Stearman, Surviving January, 60”x70”, cotton fabric and 80/20 batting, quilted by Deanna Gaudaur.

Entry # ARTA 2097: Bill Stearman, Surviving January, 60”x70”, cotton fabric and 80/20 batting, quilted by Deanna Gaudaur. Image by Bill Stearman, used with permission from the artist.

Image by Bill Stearman, used with permission from the artist.


I remember this being my favourite quilt, I circled back a few times to visit it. I love how striking the bright rainbow colours look against the black background, and the concentric, geometric rings kept drawing me deeper into the piece. I think because I was quilting Rainbow Railfence at the time, this colour combination felt really familiar and inviting to me.


Though the colours of this quilt may be bright and beckoning, the meaning behind it goes much deeper than the surface. I was so transfixed by the quilt itself that I don’t think I read it at the time, but the artist’s statement really resonates with me:


“Resolutions. Plans. But, I’m stuck. Starting. Starting again. And again. Until I can’t. Fighting to stay happy; to see the Light; to know that I’m okay. Always trying. Using words to convince myself. Life is good. Life is good!? Until I believe it is. And I survive another January.” (Stearman)


Emotions are a hard thing to deal with and learn to understand. Depression, things left unfinished, the silence of cold winter days, those are things I’ve felt too, and like Bill, I’ve survived my lowest days and continue working towards a brighter future.


To see more of Bill Stearman’s work, check out his quilting blog!



Diamond Wedding Star by Linda Won


Entry # QP 1938: Linda Won, Diamond Wedding Star, 96”x99”, cotton fabric and Glide® thread, designed by Bradley and Judy Niemeyer, quilted by Gwenne Pottier.

Entry # QP 1938: Linda Won, Diamond Wedding Star, 96”x99”, cotton fabric and Glide® thread, designed by Bradley and Judy Niemeyer, quilted by Gwenne Pottier. Image from my collection.

Image from my collection.


Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the full quilt that I can use at this time. I'm looking into finding one and will be replacing this image if I'm successful.


This quilt was the second place winner in the category of quilts from patterns and books, and with all the beautiful details, it’s no surprise. The colour was what originally drew me to this quilt; I loved the use of value to draw the eye to the star’s centres, the contrast of the navy accents on the tips of the points, and the combination of organic and geometric lines. The addition of light blues to the white background creates so much additional depth with such a subtle variation, creating a really interesting secondary pattern.


It wasn’t until I got closer that I was able to appreciate the crisp, clean points on the feathered bits of the stars, and the beautiful custom quilting.


The quilt was made from a pattern designed by Bradley and Judy Niemeyer and published by Quiltworx. Here’s what Linda had to say about the pattern:


“I loved this pattern the first time I saw it. When a local quilt shop brought in the beautiful, blue line of Judy and Judel Niemeyer® fabrics, I knew I had to make it.” (Won)


If you’re interested in making this pattern for yourself, it can be bought through the Quiltworx website.


I wasn’t able to find a website or social media affiliated with Linda Won, but if anyone knows where I can see more of her work, I would really appreciate you posting a link in the comments!



Underwater World by Anne Morrell Robinson


Entry # TR 1908: Anne Morrell Robinson, Underwater World, 101″ x 101″, cotton fabric, quilter by Debbie Vermeulen.

Entry # TR 1908: Anne Morrell Robinson, Underwater World, 101″ x 101″, cotton fabric, quilter by Debbie Vermeulen. Image by Anne Morrell Robinson, used with permission from the artist.

Image by Anne Morrell Robinson, used with permission from the artist.


Yet another award winner, this quilt earned second prize in the category of traditional bed and wall quilts. This design uses a fun and intricate pattern of sea creatures as a twist on the traditional medallion quilt format.


I was first drawn to the bright coral colours used in the quilt top, but ended up spending a lot of time with this quilt as I tried to identify the plethora of sea creatures hidden within. From mussels to molluscs and sea stars to squids, this pattern uses an impressive range of organic shapes to fill the geometric surface of the quilt.


Here’s what Anne had to say about her creative process:


“I used a traditional layout with non-traditional imagery to create a surprise for the viewer. What looks like a traditional quilt from across the room is full of underwater life. The fabrics found in my stash and the negative space determined the creatures I chose.” (Morrell Robinson)


I love that so much of this quilt was made by chance, a few different prints or colours in the artist's stash could have totally changed the end result!


Check out her website to see more of Anne Morrell Robinson's work!



Virtual Quilt Canada 2021


Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, CQA/ACC made the decision to hold this year's Quilt Canada online. While I'm sure many people would prefer to see the quilts in person, a virtual platform offers the opportunity for more people than ever to visit Quilt Canada!


This year's event runs 16-19 June 2021, including an opening and closing ceremony, quilt gallery, and virtual classes. Most of these will be available for several weeks following the event, but some are hosted live and are only viewable during that time.


If you’d like to purchase a ticket for virtual Quilt Canada 2021, you can register on the CQA/ACC website. General admission costs $10 CAD and provides access to the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the quilt gallery. There are additional costs for attending classes and tours. Registration closes on 15 June at 3PM EDT, after this time, tickets cannot be purchased. The deadline is only a week away, so get your tickets now!


The part of the show that I am most looking forward to seeing is the TrendTex sponsored challenge. This is for a very selfish reason since I've submitted an entry which will be displayed in that section of the gallery! I can't wait to see how other artists have interpreted the theme, used the assigned fabrics, and applied their own styles!

Here's a sneak peak at my entry, Rainy Day Friends, I'll be sharing more about this quilt next week before Quilt Canada officially begins, so check back next Monday if you're interested! If you'd like to read more about the TrendTex challenge, check out the official announcement from the CQA/ACC blog.



Honestly, there's so much more than this challenge to be excited about, and I'm looking forward to the whole experience of a virtual quilt show! While I do love the tactile experience of being in the room with the quilts, seeing them handled by white-gloved volunteers and drifting in the air currents created by the movement of visitors, I'm interested to see how everything will transition to to a virtual showroom. But more than that, I'm looking forward to a quilting event that I can attend safely and still share with my family and friends!


Let me know in the comments if you plan to attend this year's Virtual Quilt Canada and what you're most looking forward to!


If you're interested to learn more about the history of Quilt Canada or CQA/ACC, check out the links in the references below!


Until Next Time Friends!

VA


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