Allied Arts hosted a quilting exhibit and challenge from Nov. 5-21, inviting local quilters of all ages and skill sets to showcase their work interpreting the theme “Pre-season.” Nine quilts were entered into the competition, which remains on display inside the gallery at the Marlor House, 201 N. Wayne St., through the Month of November.
The challenge awarded cash prizes of $250 for first place, $175 for second and $100 for third. Entries were judged by Dottie Brown, former chair of the Georgia College art department, who said the quilts displayed “humor, excellent design, and craftsmanship.” Participants could submit up to three quilts.
“We want people to see quilts as art, not just a craft,” said Cookie Noel, who proposed holding a quilting competition at Allied Arts. “I’m tired of people saying it’s just little old ladies making these things; it’s not. Just a few years ago it was an over eight-billion-dollar-a-year industry.”
All competitors were members of the Lake Oconee Quilt Guild, including several founding members who have been part of the organization since it formed in 2003. Noel said the guild includes “lots of talented artists who use fabric and thread to do their thing.”
First place was awarded to Hattie Dunlap, who said she focused on the idea of family while creating her quilt.
“Thanksgiving is always family time,” Dunlap said. “I liked to think about that while I worked on it.” Dunlap’s winning quilt displayed a landscape, with a straw field, blue cloudy skies, and many turkeys scattered across a field. To the bottom left of the artpiece, a stump with an axe in it creates additional visual interest.
The broad theme allowed artists to interpret “pre-season” in a variety of ways, from sports imagery to holiday scenes and seasonal landscapes. Many participants explored the anticipation and excitement associated with the weeks leading up to a favorite time of year.
Carol McRae, who received an honorable mention, submitted three quilts representing different seasons.
“I had a fall one, a summer one that I put hummingbirds on, and a Christmas one,” McRae said.
Inside the gallery, brightly colored fabrics line the walls, each quilt stitched with detailed patterns meant to draw viewers in for a closer look. The display highlights the technical skill and artistry involved in the craft, reinforcing the competition’s goal of shifting the public’s view of quilting from crafting towards a fine art form.