Wangaratta Contemporary Textile Award 2011

I attended the Wangaratta Contemporary Textile Award 2011 Exhibition on Saturday.

It was such a wonderful exhibition with so many incredible textile works crossing a number of textile techniques.

Around a month ago I found out that one of my artworks had been selected for this prestigious exhibition.  And frankly I was over the moon about it.

On Saturday I walked into the exhibition and seeing all of the textile artworks displayed so beautifully was a very powerful experience.  The textile artworks were all so beautiful and so incredible in their diversity, and detail,  and each individual technique.  I just wanted to take a distant and close look at all of them as each one just drew you in.   Every artwork was just such an amazing art piece, and I would have not liked to have been the judge.

What was overwhelming for me, was just having my work there.   The experience of being there and having work in the exhibition with such textile art professionals, and judged by art professionals.  To have my artwork in an exhibition with such professional textile artists was such an amazing experience.  And I met many of the other artists, and had a wonderful time at the opening, so seeing each artwork was not an easy task.  I think I will have to go back and have another look.

There was a big crowd and the opening speakers were Di Mangan - Director Wangaratta Regional Art Gallery, Liz Williams - Head of Textile Design a CoFA UNSW and award patron, and Valerie Kirk - Head of Textiles and ANU and award judge.

Here are some photos for you

I just happened to be standing near my artwork and it is in the photos are taken past it.  My work was titled "Every Darkness Promises a New Dawn".  From left to right in the background is Di Mangan, Liz Williams, and Valerie Kirk.

 And here is another photo of the opening with Sally Huguenin and Di Mangan in the photo.  As you can see the presentation of the artworks is just wonderful.

Patrick Snelling is the winner of the Award with his hand printed and digital textiles artwork.  A wonderful piece of work.

The Textile Forum that followed the opening had three key speakers, Valerie Kirk, Anthony Camm - Director of Ararat Regional Gallery, and Many Gunn - winner of the award in 2009.  The three speakers were interesting and I particularly enjoyed the "Fieldwork: A refection on textiles in contemporary art today" talk that Anthony  presented.  This was followed by four very interesting artist floor talks.  What an incredible day.

If you get a chance to go to Wangaratta to see this exhibition it is well worth the trip.

I will try and show you some more photos of the exhibition soon.