The art quilt world is discussing the jury process on these two blogs:
http://jeannewilliamson.blogspot.com/2008/08/juror-comments.html

http://www.virginiaspiegel.com/blog/archives/904

I have been on both sides as juror and as accepted and not accepted ( I hate the word rejected) I can tell every juror I know of takes this job on with a little or a lot of trepidation.

Some people who are asked to jury say no because of how hard it is. One year when I was on the SAQA committee we decided we would love to see what Hilary Fletcher ( from QN) would pick if she got to make the selections. All those years as director of QN and never the one to choose.

SO we asked her to do a jury selection for a SAQA show. She didn’t even hesitate to say no. Turned us down flat with out hesitation. Her reaction was “But all those people who would enter are my friends!”

And that is what just about every art quilter who acts as a juror faces. Unless she has had her head in the sand she will recognize some of the work.

But when you are in the dark making selections you feel a tremendous sense of responsibility to be objective, to be on your top game and notice the little details that make something subtle shine, to pay attention to each slide and keep your energy up through out the process. It is exhausting.

If the promoters have done a good job, you have a great field to choose from. At the end the process gets really difficult with say 10 quilts vying for 3 or so spots. It gets to be a little like pulling off bandaids. Each one you have to let go stings a little.

Then the round of looking through those not selected one last time, just to make sure, is a little sad. Some of those in that set are wonderful and just got beat out by 100th of a second <G> On occassion, sure enough, a gem that got missed somehow….bummer back to those selected to see what happens now !

Then you are all done, and you get to see who made what, to match the names up to the work. Of course being me, I have to go back and see the names on the slides of the almost chosen.

Then there is a sense of accomplishment and pride. And more trepidation because you know that some people will be hurt by your selections and others will be crowing and happy dancing.

Today I have my first lesson. Learning a lot about how I learn something new. The way I am going about this has brought back memeories of how I learned to quilt, make art etc. More on that later.

okay, I know the sound hole is too far down <G>

What do your doodles say about you? Andrea Meyers in her book “Handwriting Analysis: Putting It to Work for You” says what you doodle reveals your inner personality, and throws a light on your current moods or concerns.  She says if you doodle flowers and curves, you are innovative and creative; if you doodle faces you are curious, introspective but sociable; if you doodle stars and moons you are confident and optimistic; if you doodle spirals and stairs you are patient; if you doodle geometric objects you are goal oriented.

What is the difference between a doodle and a drawing? A drawing is a conscious effort, a doodle is absent minded drawing, drawing while doing something else like watching TV or talking on the phone or listening to a class lecture.

This article made me start thinking about it. What do I doodle? Why? and what does it mean?

What do Obama and McCain doodle?

I have done some more research than this little toe dip into doodles and their symbolism! And will post more later.

In the mean time, what do you doodle?

Someone at my local quilting/sewing shop (Sew Contempo)  is A GENIUS! They ran an AD on PROJECT RUNWAY tonight! Wonder what that costs? Obviously regional. Cool….

I love to read, and will even read a cereal box for something to read.

In the summer I really read alot. Most of my life I have been student, teacher, or Mother. ALL of these roles include the Summer Read.

Yesterday I read “Holy Fools” by Joanne Harris. A good read about the beginnings of the Inquisition in France.  

I read “When We Were Gods” by Colin Falconer about Cleopatra last week (Margaret George’s “Memoirs of Cleopatra” is still my fav) along with his book “Harem” and “The Crusader” by Micheal Alexander.

Got into “Thirteen Moons” by Charles Frazier today about the Indian Removal Act and vowed to read “Creek Mary’s Blood” by Dee Brown again

If you need a good cry, love cats or just feeling a bit maudlin today watch this vid

PHOTO BY jESSE jONEs

Watched a program on Brain Plasticity and decided to take up the Uke.

My goal is to be able to play IZ’s Over the Rainbow/Its a Beautiful World

Red Bull received 500 entries from 39 states and 14 countries for its latest Art of Can contest. A panel of judges chose 47 pieces for an exhibit on view at the Galleria through July 25. I am proud to be one of the 47.

What a fun night we had.  I stepped out of the elevator with my Red Bull Champagne cocktail to see none other that Bob Ruggerio, a VP and VIP at Quilts, Inc (and one of my favorite fixtures at festival…always smiling and laughing inspite of what must be a VERY stressful week)   He was covering the event tor the Houston Press.

I quickly found the art car group, as you can’t miss them in a crowd. They were most likely the most photographed people at the event and they didn’t even have their cars <GRIN!> They had come out in support of their President Nicole Strine who had a piece in the collection,  and also for me, the newbie.

Next I spotted an unusual hairdo which I recognized as one of my daughters friends, Cameron Rowe, who I last ran into at Home Depot when I shopping for art car adhesives. He also had a a wonderful piece in the show.

It was a really great opening with freeflowing Red Bull cocktails and loud music.  A great contrast to some staid art openings where people wander around whispering and nibbling on crummy cheese and cheap white wine.

The catalog was fun although I would have loved the pics to be bigger. <VBG>

Here is the Red Bull Press Release

MY RIDE did a blurb on my car and I am at the beginning of the video too

What Fun!!!