While I was making Stacey's quilt, many people said I should enter it at the fair. I told them it would have to be Stacey's decision as the quilt belonged to her. Well, the day I gave it to her, without me mentioning a thing, she exclaimed that she wanted to put it in the Oregon State Fair the next summer. Sounded good to me!
So I filled out the form, dropped the quilt off, and have been anxiously waiting for a week and a half until the fair opened to see if I had gotten anything. Nervous as all get out, I made my way over to the quilt walk in the Jackman Long Building this afternoon, (It's pretty cool), to find "On Tap: Stars and Swirls". There on the second aisle to the end of the walk,I fianlly found it, that purple and pink beauty of a quilt with a beautiful touch of blue on the side. FIRST PLACE!!! I was also pleased to see, the quilt was quite unique among the other winners surrounding it. After basking before my art, I found the glass cases holding the smaller textiles. On a somewhat last minute decision, I had decided to enter the matching pillow and bag as well. I figured people might as well enjoy looking at them too though I didn't think they would win anything. Boy, was I wrong! FIRST PLACE for the bag!!! AND, for the pillow? FIRST PLACE!!! Everything won a blue ribbon! (GRIN)
But here is what takes the cake. On the pillow, was also a purple ribbon with "Special Award" lettered in gold. Some organizations in Oregon sponsor awards for various competitions. On the card was written "Grandma's Attic". Tonight I looked it up and saw they award $25 gift certificates to those who earn best of class. So not only did the pillow win it's own competition, but it got best of class as well, which is AWESOME!
Of course I called Stacey who is down in California this weekend so I could share the moment with her. She was overjoyed, though not surprised, and was very proud. Marjorie, my friend and quilting teacher, was also thrilled to hear my news. She takes first when she enters the fair and though I am not even hoping to ever reach her advanced skill level, I am glad to see the trend rubbed off a bit on me. Wohoo!
I'll post pictures of all three creations after I take my camera to the fair on Sunday. If you're there Sunday evening, you'll find me filling in for my fellow author friend, Dolores Dahl, from 7-10, at the author's table in the Jackman Long Building.
For now, my favorite part of the fair is usually the calligraphy, paintings, and photography. Tonight I spent a lot of time looking through those with hopefully more photography to look at on Sunday. The calligraphy is always so beautiful and touches my poet's heart to no end. Here are some of my favorite quotes that I saw this evening:
-"Every artist dips his brush in his soul and paints his nature into his pictures." -Henry Ward Beecher
-"A Poet must write if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself." -Abraham Maslow
-"We must define ourselves by the best that is in us, not the worst that has been done to us." Edward T. Lewis
-"When power leads man towards arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the area of man's concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of his existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses." -Sen. John F. Kennedy
-"In your light,
I learn how to love.
In your beauty,
how to make poems.
You dance inside my chest
Where no one else can see you,
But sometimes I do,
And that sight becomes this art."
-Rumi
Labels: Art, On Tap, Oregon State Fair, poetry, Quilt
