Paducah, Ky. — An Easley-area quilter has been selected as a semifinalist for the 2012 AQS Quilt Show & Contest, August 22-25, at the DeVos Place Convention Center in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Paige Alexander has been chosen to display the quilt, Grandmama’s Legacy of Flowers, along with 357 others in the first year of this annual contest.
Three quilting authorities will judge this elite group in Grand Rapids, awarding first, second, and third place prizes in five categories, along with five overall awards.
Winners will be announced prior to the opening of the show, at 8:40 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 22, in the Exhibit Hall at the DeVos Place Convention Center.
Cash awards totaling more than $44,000 will be granted, with prizes including $10,000 for the Best of Show and $5,000 each for the Best Hand, Machine, and Longarm Workmanship.
Regardless of how Grandmama’s Legacy of Flowers places in the final judging, all semifinalists’ quilts will be displayed at the show, which is expected to draw more than 20,000 people.
“We are all excited to display these beautiful works of art at our first AQS Quilt Show in Grand Rapids,” AQS Founder and President Meredith Schroeder said. “Those attending the show will enjoy seeing the creativity and technical skills of these quiltmakers.”
Quilts were entered in this international contest from 40 U.S. states and six other countries. The quilt artists employ a wide variety of techniques and design methods ranging from traditional designs, such as the Log Cabin and Lone Star, to original painted and embellished motifs.
Some of the special exhibits that will be featured along with the contest quilts include the U.S. debut of Stitch Like an Egyptian-Tentmakers of Cairo; Japanese Color and Form-New Works by 50 Japanese Artists; Spontaneity in Medallion Quilts curated by Gwen Marston; The Magical World of Mary Buvia; Home is Where the Heart Is challenge by the Alliance for American Quilts; AQS Authors’ Exhibit; New Quilts from an Old Favorite: Baskets; 2013 Pilgrim/Roy Challenge; and Alzheimer’s Illustrated: From Heartbreak to Hope.
The American Quilter’s Society hosts four shows annually, each with its own quilt contest. Besides the Grand Rapids show, AQS hosts other prestigious shows in Paducah, Ky.; Des Moines, Iowa; and Lancaster, Pa.
For more information, please go to www.americanquilter.com.