SAQA Monthly Update - December 2016

Dear Jennifer,

Please join me and our wonderful Board members in supporting the work that SAQA does. In 2016, SAQA shared 16 art quilt exhibitions through 41 venues (including 13 museums) in 9 countries and 20 states. More than a quarter million viewers saw our art!  And that’s not even counting all of the thousands of viewers who saw our wonderful regional exhibitions.  

You make the exhibitions program possible through the art that you create, the volunteer hours that you provide, and the Auction quilts and donations that you give. You make it possible to put on wonderful programs: SAQA Seminar, the annual conference, regional meetings.  You make it possible to produce stunning publications: SAQA Journal, Art Quilt Collector, exhibition catalogs, Portfolios. You make it possible to create a global community of 3,500 people who are passionate about art quilts.

Your donation makes everything possible.  Please give as generously as you can! All donations received by December 31st will be matched up to $18,000 as part of our Board’s Giving Challenge.  Donate today and your gift will be doubled!

execdirector@saqa.com

Upcoming Deadlines

2017 SAQA Trunk Show - December 18

Made in Europe (SAQA Regional) - December 31

SAQA Journal Gallery (Tis a Curiosity) - January 30 

Textile Posters (All SAQA Call for Entry) - January 31

Spotlight Auction at 2017 Conference - February 24

A full list of SAQA Calls for Entry can be found on our website

New this Month

Each month, SAQA is pleased to highlight some of our members, including our Regional Representatives.

Colleen Ansbaugh Illinois/Wisconsin Regional Representative	Regina Marzlin Atlantic Canada Regional Representative

Art Quilt Retrospective Update

Artists selected for book

After careful review of hundreds of quilt artists working all over the world, final selections have been made for Art Quilt Retrospective, the book organized by SAQA celebrating this art form’s development over the past 50 years! 

View List of Artists

SAQA will be contacting the participating artists individually via email during the coming month to determine which image(s) will be published. Please do not contact SAQA at this time about the book.  

Conference News

Registration is OPEN!

The 2017 SAQA Conference "Creation to Curation" will be held April 27-30 in Lincoln, Nebraska. This will be a joint conference with the International Quilt Study Center and Museum.  

• Exclusive behind the scene tours of the classrooms, studios and exhibitions at the International Quilt Study Center and Museum 
• Keynote speech by world renowned quilter Michael James, Chair and Ardis James Professor of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln 
• Breakout sessions on museum acquisitions, mock jurying, and educational approaches to touring galleries
• Student panel discussions and the return of the popular Lightning Talks
• Opening of SAQA's Layered Voices exhibition and the 2017 Trunk Show
• Held at the Embassy Suites by Hilton, located in Lincoln's historic Haymarket District

Other Conference Opportunities: 

	Do you sell hand-dyed fabrics or other unique embellishments? You need to be at our Vendor Marketplace! Our conference attendees are avid fiber artists from around the world. Email vendormarketplace@saqa.com for details.
	We are now accepting artwork from ALL SAQA members for the 2017 Spotlight Auction. These 6" x 8" pieces will be sold through a silent auction at the Conference Banquet. All proceeds benefit SAQA's exhibition programs. Deadline for entry: Feb 24, 2017

Questions about the Conference? Email us at registrar@saqa.com.

Store Sale! 

Looking for some great deals this Holiday Season? Then check out the SAQA Store. 

• Many SAQA exhibition catalogs for only $10 each
• 2016 Benefit Auction pieces - FREE shipping for up to 3 quilts for US addresses ($15 for international). 
• SAQA Portfolio deals - 50% off regular price  (except for the new Portfolio 23) or three books for just $40 (Portfolio 20,21,22 Bundle) 

New Items now in stock!

	Portfolio 23 - now available! The 2016 version of SAQA's annual sourcebook, Portfolio 23, is now available for ordering. Portfolio 23 contains images of artwork from 230 of SAQA's Juried Artist Members.
	Art Quilts International - Abstract & Geometric Martha Sielman's newest book is now available. Place your order with SAQA and you will receive 5 free art quilt notecards (random selection) along with your book. PLUS, 45% of proceeds will directly benefit SAQA!

SAQA Seminar

Thanks to everyone who participated in our first-ever SAQA Seminar! We wanted something that would offer educational resources in several formats to all members from new art quilters to experienced professionals. After launching in September, we are now wrapping everything up.

No worries if you missed something (or didn't register in the first place) - much of the content will continue to be available online for SAQA members, including:

• SAQA Seminar Overview
• Informative Articles
• Video Conversations
• Pinterest Board

Finally, please take a moment to complete our SAQA Seminar Survey - we want to hear from YOU!

NEXT - Fiber Art Symposium 

Please join us for New, Newer, NEXT, a SAQA sponsored symposium to be held August 26, 2017 at the beautiful Dairy Arts Center in Boulder, Colorado. This exciting program is designed to jump-start a new way of thinking about the art quilt.

Registration is NOW open!

This event will be part of a fabulous week of fiber art beginning with the opening of the 75 art quilt exhibit at the Dairy on August 25. Following the symposium, there will be two three-day workshops with Betty Busby, August 27 – September 2.

SAQA Journal 

Advertise with us!
Contact us today to find out how to promote YOUR product, workshop or business to an audience that is highly invested in creating, collecting and appreciating art quilts.

Published four times a year, the SAQA Journal is sent to over 3400 members from a variety of backgrounds: artists, curators, collectors, teachers and museum staff. We also have advertising opporunities in our quarterly Art Quilt Collector publication.

Find out more by downloading our Advertising Media Kit or emailing our Ad Director Peter Walsh at ads@saqa.com. SAQA members receive a 10% discount!

Have an article idea for the Journal?
We’re interested in articles that feature motivating artists, interesting exhibitions, technology-related content and cutting edge techniques. Check out our submission guidelines for more details or email Diane Howell at editor@saqa.com.

Want to see your artwork?
Each SAQA Journal has two pages displaying members' quilts related to a specific theme. Our current call is 'Tis a Curiosity and future themes include Plus or Minus and High Stakes.

Online Galleries

Don't miss this!

The SAQA website includes image galleries filled with beautiful artwork for YOU to enjoy! Each month, a selected SAQA member is invited to curate an online gallery from Juried Artist images.

View More Online Galleries »

Interested in being a guest curator for our online galleries?
Contact galleries@saqa.com for more information.

Exhibition News

Want to find a SAQA exhibition coming to a venue near you? We have so many great opportunities to view a SAQA exhibition - check out the SAQA Events Listing (you can filter by region).

Interested in having YOUR artwork travel the world? Review the SAQA Calls for Entry page for the latest information about all our opportunities.

Do you know of an exhibition or call for entry that might be of interest to our members? Use our online form for submit an item for our online calendar. 

Want to schedule an exhibition at your venue? Please contact Traveling Exhibition Coordinator Bill Reker at exhibitions@saqa.com or visit www.saqa.com/exhibitions.

Reservations are now being accepted the 2017 Trunk Show (available in mid-May)!  

SAQA Calls for Entry

What another tremendous response from our talented and creative members - over 500 pieces were submitted to H2Oh! (now being juried).  We can't wait to see the final selections! H2Oh! has already been scheduled to FOUR museums:

• National Quilt Museum
• New England Quilt Museum
• Arizona Sonora Desert Museum
• San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles

In addition to the ALL SAQA calls for entry (listed below), we also offer a wide variety of regional calls and other opportunities as well. View SAQA Calls for Entry »

Textile Posters: Communication & Commentary Some posters grab the viewer’s attention in an attempt to be heard above the incessant demands of other media. Other posters are more subtle in their approach. The artistic possibilities are infinite, allowing for both representational and abstract submissions.

Current Exhibitions

Celebrating Silver     Silver is indispensable. From industrial use to decoration, technology, photography and medicine, its unique properties of strength, malleability, reflectivity and conductivity make it an irreplaceable force in the global market. In addition to its physical properties silver is recognized as a symbol of love, insurance and commitment for twenty-five years. Original Sewing and Quilt Expo Circuit: Hobart Craft & Quilt Fair, Hobart, Australia  •  February 17 - 19, 2017
Concrete & Grassland    Concrete & Grassland explores the juxtaposition of the natural landscape and the human constructed cityscape.  Artwork focuses on the contrasts of both color and line, and the ways in which the natural world has been altered. Concrete & Grassland is a joint collaboration between SAQA and the Grants Pass Museum of Art.
Earth Stories    Earth Stories celebrates the stories of people or projects that enhance the planet, make a significant difference in restoring and/or protecting the environment, increase sustainability and otherwise improve the earth we all occupy. Erie Museum of Art, Erie, PA  -  January 20, 2017 - June 11, 2017
Food For Thought    Food For Thought examines the many aspects that food plays in our daily lives — from a single piece of fruit to a still life, from the family table to the significance of food in culture and the celebration of family milestones. Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum in Temple, Texas - January 31, 2017 - April 1, 2017
Layered Voices    Layers are everywhere. They become apparent when we plumb the earth’s surface, make archeological digs to discover the history of civilizations, explore human anatomy, dress for the weather, dig in freshly fallen snow, and count rings in the stump of a tree. Layers are abstract, too. We find them in language when we ponder the hidden meanings in novels, poems, conversations, and puns. International Quilt Study Center & Museum - Lincoln, NE  •  March 31 - July 30, 2017
Masterworks: Abstract & Geometric An invitational exhibition of one work each by 29 artists featured in the new book Art Quilts International: Abstract & Geometric by Martha Sielman. These engaging works of art represent a range of styles across the abstract art spectrum. Participating artists come from Australia, Canada, Europe, Japan, and across the US. International Quilt Festival - Houston, Texas • November 2017
My Corner of the World     My Corner of the World invited the artist to examine a world, real or imagined, that represented what is important in life.  It might be where the artist resides, works, or grew up. It might be a favorite place from any point in life or a special internal place. My Corner of the World looks at the big picture including, but not limited to a homeland, ancestry or culture. The Thunder Bay Museum - Thunder Bay, Ontario   •  November 1, 2016 – January 29, 2017
Radical Elements   Our physical world is created out of the chemical elements, from hydrogen to platinum to arsenic. For this exhibition, each of the selected artists created a new work that is influenced by an element from the periodic table. Inspirations came from anything relating to that element, whether a play on the name, its color or the products made from it. The International Museum of Art and Science - McAllen, Texas •  September 24, 2016 - January 8, 2017
Tranquility     Tranquility is defined as a quality or state of being, possessing the concepts of quiet, peacefulness, calmness or serenity.  Tranquility, as a mental and physical concept, is the primary focus of certain religious sects, whereby tranquility of the body, thoughts and consciousness are believed to lead to the path of personal enlightenment. Texas Quilt Museum - Houston, Texas  •  January 5 - March 25, 2017    International Quilt Festival – Chicago, Illinois  •  April 6-8, 2017 Festival of Quilts - Birmingham, United Kingdom  • August 10-13, 2017
Turmoil    Turmoil is defined as a state of great disturbance, confusion or uncertainty.  It can be personal and internal, societal or natural. This exhibition features work that depicts chaos, discord, imbalance and tumult. Artists were requested to explore the meaning of turmoil in their own lives. The works selected represent turmoil through color, line, and composition.  International Quilt Festival – Chicago, Illinois • April 6-8, 2017 Festival of Quilts - Birmingham, United Kingdom • August 10-13, 2017
Two by Twenty    Two works each by twenty artists equals forty art quilts to explore and a multitude of potential pairings to consider. The pieces as a whole demonstrate the wide range of approaches in the quilt art genre. From bold and graphic to subtle explorations of texture and nuance, there is plenty to explore in this collection. Road to California, Ontario, California • January 19 - 22, 2017
Wild Fabrications     Wild Fabrications celebrates a world of animals both real and fantastical.  Selected artists let their imagination run wild and created interesting and unusual interpretations of animals using unexpected or unconventional materials and adornment, and/or unusual techniques. The Museum of York County, Rock Hill, SC  •  October 8, 2016 - February 25, 2017 Grace Hudson Museum, Ukiah, CA • March 25, 2017 - June 25, 2017

We need YOUR help to spread the word about how SAQA can open doors to new opportunities. Tell a friend (or two) about SAQA and you will receive REWARD POINTS when they join as a member. You can then use these reward points for discounts off your membership or a store order! Or, save them up and get bigger discounts.

How can YOU help?

• Are you participating in exhibitions?
  Offer to talk about your work and spend 2 minutes introducing listeners to SAQA. They may never have heard of us or the great benefits we can offer. 
• Do you go to guild meetings?
  Make a presentation with your work or the SAQA Trunk Show and encourage folks to join us.
• Do you teach workshops?
  You can offer your student a discount on a membership for taking your class - just contact Martha Sielman for a special discount code.

SAQA is ready to help you with membership brochures, presentations, promotional materials or even door prizes for a drawing at your presentation. Contact us at marketing@saqa.com for more details.

Affiliate Memberships

As a worldwide resource for information on the art quilt and the artists who create them, SAQA helps artists and arts organizations participate in this growth. Our new Affiliate Membership program was created to provide support to organizations in learning about the art quilt, how it plays a role in contemporary exhibitions and art organizations, and how members can grow their organization by integrating the art quilt into their own programming.

At SAQA, we help our Affiliate Membership organizations grow by:

• spreading the word about their organization and events to our membership through publicity on our website and other online communications tools,
• connecting member organizations with the art quilt world and a previously untapped target market,
• sharing information on the latest exhibitions, trends, and award-winning art quilters, and
• providing exclusive access to educational resources about the art quilt.

Member News 

Learn more about all the Member Resources available on the website:
Visit the New Member Welcome or How to Maximize your SAQA Membership pages. 

Regional Rep News:  

Please welcome our new Regional Representative Sherry Lipman McCauley of Texas! A huge thank you to Margaret Abramshe of CO/UT/WY and Margaret Blank of Western Canada as they step down from their regional rep positions.

Welcome to our new members who joined in November:

Jennifer Anderson, Jo Appleton, Garry Arzumanyan, Nancy Askin, Kathi Babcock, Diana Bartelings, Lisa Bell, Betty Birk, Cynthia Bollinger, Sandra Brocren, Meredith Brooks, Christine Bunning, Meredith Burdulis, Kat Campau, Jaltria Cervetto, Nathalie Chabot, Peggy Denton, Kristin Driscoll, Theresa Duval, Laurene Farley, Janet Fishman, Connie Forneris, Jane Frank, Holly Gardner, Melissa Graham, Angela Hardesty, Laura Harlow, Michelle Hudson, Debbie Inama, Catherine Jensen, Serena Johnson, Kathy Knapp, Jenny Knavel, Linda Kussoy, Terrie Kygar, Kimberly Lacy, Paula Landis, Kaia Landon, Peg LaSota, Susan Liimatta, Nadia Mamelouk, Kate Martin, Jean Mau, Paulette Mazurek, Melissa Merriman, Regina Meyer, Michelle Mischkulnig, Nancy Neal, Amy Nelson, Diane Oblock, Graciela Piccolo, Sandy Pirdy, Janny Planting, Nancy Rehak, Erin Riola, Michael Ross, Mary Sawabini, Kate Schneider-Braus, Patricia Smith, Cathy Solsaa, Lynda Sondles, Tracy Sturmak, Paula Summar, Debra Swackhamer, Zsuzsanna Szilagyi, Margaret Tilley, Kay Triplett, Charlene Van Walleghen, Leslie Wade, Karen Wheeler, Peggy Wheeler, Katherine Wilson, and Mimi Young

Thank you to everyone who made donations to SAQA in November: 

MaryAnn Ashford, Elizabeth Bamberger, Holly Brackmann, Eliza Brewster, Alice Brody, James Brown, Sonja Campbell, Ruth Carden, Gayle Carter, Carol Churchill, Marilyn Matheson Daniel, Aileyn Renli Ecob, Carol Esch, Valerie S. Goodwin, Sally Jane Gradle, Tina Hilton, Robert and Ardis James Foundation, Ann Johnston, Barbara Kilbourn, Kathy Knapp, Paulette Landers, Gul Laporte, Donald Larson, Loreen Leedy, Susan Leonard, Jenny K. Lyon, Linda MacDonald, Alice Magorian, Jeanne Marklin, Susan McCraw, Margaret McGrath, Salli McQuaid, Sara Miller, Judy Momenzadeh, Gillian Moss, Pat Owoc, Judith Plotner, Jennie Powell, Dorothy Raymond, Judith Roderick, Judy Ross, Stephanie Rubanowice, Cyndy Margaret Rymer, Cathy Shanahan, Susan Siefkin, Martha Sielman, Bonnie J. Smith, Michelle Stolte, Leah Sullivan, Judith Trager, Jo Van Loo, Susan Walen, and Martha Wolfe

View List of Current Supporters

Make Connections!

New to SAQA? Or maybe you just want to connect with other members? You can contact your regional representative for opportunities near you or participate in the following:

Yahoo Discussion Group is only for SAQA members, and is private to the outside world.  We offer lively discussions on many art related topics. Please include your full name with your request, so we can verify that you are a member.

The Visioning Project revolves around visualizing goals and dreams - and making them happen. The Visioning Project members are wonderful in helping each other with support, networking, and resource information. If you are interested in joining, please contact Mary Mattimoe.

The SAQArtique group is open to all SAQA members. The critiques are all in the spirit of a shared interest in quilting as an art form and improvement of each person's talents.  If you are interested in joining, please contact Vicki Conley.

SAQA Blog
Subscribe (via email or RSS feed) to receive updates from the SAQA Blog. Or, check out these other online options:

Facebook - Studio Art Quilt Associates
Twitter - @SAQAart
Pinterest - SAQAart
Instagram - SAQAart
Flickr - saqa

Support SAQA when you shop on Amazon!

When you shop at AmazonSmile, Amazon will donate to a portion of the sale to SAQA. First select Studio Art Quilt Assoc as the designated charitable organization. Then every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation.

Note: Purchases MUST be made via the smile link in order for SAQA to receive credit.

Other Opportunities

 

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Studio Art Quilt Associates, Inc. · PO Box 141 · Hebron CT, USA 06248 · 860-530-1551 ·  info@saqa.com