The West Virginia Division of Culture and History is pleased to announce a call for entries for its annual juried quilt and wall hanging exhibition. The free summer-long exhibition, Quilts and Wall Hangings 2008, will be displayed in the Great Hall and in the Art Gallery of the Cultural Center, State Capitol Complex, Charleston, from May 19 through Sept. 2, 2008.
Quilts handmade by West Virginia residents are eligible for the exhibition. First- ($500), second- ($400), and third-place ($300) awards will be made in the following categories: pieced quilts, appliqued quilts, quilts made with mixed/other techniques, and wall hangings. In addition, the Division will provide two Purchase Awards and add the quilt and wall hanging chosen to the collection of the West Virginia State Museum.
The judge also may award a Best of Show prize of $100. Honorable mention or other non-monetary awards will be given at the discretion of the judge. Quilts and wall hangings shown previously in a Division of Culture and History Quilts and Wall Hangings juried exhibition are not eligible.
In addition to the monetary awards, all winners will receive ribbons. Awards will be presented on Saturday, May 24, in the Norman L. Fagan West Virginia State Theater of the Cultural Center as part of the 32nd annual Vandalia Gathering.
Entries must be postmarked by March 29 and arrive at the Cultural Center by March 31. Hand-delivered entries will be accepted between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on March 24-25. Each entrant may submit one quilt and one wall hanging, which must be accompanied by a non-refundable fee of $20 for each entry.
Mary Zesiger of Mt. Gretna, Pa., will serve as judge for this year’s exhibition. Since 1988, she has taught hundreds of quilters at all skill levels, and was awarded her Teaching Certification credentials by the National Quilting Association in 1991. She is a member of the National Quilting Association, the American Quilter’s Society and the Applique Society.
Zesiger is a registered nurse as well as a quilter and has successfully managed her own quilt and cross stitch business. She has a vast portfolio of award-winning quilts. Zesiger will teach a free workshop on improving your quilt stitch entitled “Stitches To Die For,” on Friday, April 4, from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. The workshop is limited to 15 participants and registration is required. Contact Pat Cowdery at (304) 558-0220, ext. 130 or Bethany Cline, ext. 171, to register for the free “Stitches To Die For” quilting session.
For more information about Quilts and Wall Hangings 2008, or to request complete guidelines and entry forms for the exhibition, contact Emily Ritchey, exhibits coordinator for the Division, at (304) 558-0220, ext. 128.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Its administrative offices are located at the Cultural Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Cultural Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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