Tuesday, January 21, 2014

American Tapestry Alliance Unjuried Small Format Tapestry Exhibit--Deadline Jan. 31!

I hope all who weave tapestry will be entering the ATA unjuried tapestry exhibit to be held in Rhode Island this summer.  Here's a link to information about this at the ATA site:

http://americantapestryalliance.org/exhibitions/small-format-non-juried-exhibition/

Janet Austin is the chairperson for the exhibit and she's written a bit about it at her blog:

http://www.austintapestry.blogspot.com/2013/11/call-for-entries.html

Kathe Todd-Hooker and other tapestry artists from the Northwest Coast of the U.S. held an unjuried exhibit for small tapestries in Portland, OR during the 1996 Convergence in that city.  Called "It's About Time," the exhibit was a wonderful grouping for tapestries from all over the world.  In it, the work of professional and long-time tapestry artists hung side-by-side with the tapestries of total beginners.  Such an honest and beautiful display of passion for tapestry weaving.

Noel Thurner and I saw the exhibit in Portland and were just stunned by the impact of the concept for the show (unjuried) and the strength of the grouping that came together--without a juror's eye to guide the selection.  We were determined to make the show happen again when Convergence came to Atlanta in 1998.  And to that end, several of us in the Southeast met in the fall of 1996, formed a group (now called Tapestry Weavers South), and began planning for 1998 and the next small format unjuried show.

The show in Atlanta in 1998 was called "Encore!" and it was that!  Again, the concept was for unjuried and small--no larger than 10" x 10" x 1".  And the concept for the exhibit has been carried out every two years since.  So far, it's been held in a venue in or near a Convergence city and during the same time.

The deadline of January 31 is for receiving the ENTRY forms.  The actual tapestry doesn't have to arrive until sometime in March.  I hope you'll join us in this exciting exhibit!