The story behind this quilt from the 2019 exhibition is thought-provoking. As Megan explains…

‘I was concerned with the increasing rate of male suicide in Australia and in WA in particular. I have 4 boys and two of my boys have friends who have tried suicide. I wanted to find a way of talking about male suicide. I had also been working on various ways to portray windows for other projects and I had one of those aha moments. A window is an opening. It allows the passage of light and sound and air. Windows can be opened or closed, covered or not, locked or not. I could use windows to open the conversation.Stats are shocking for male suicide in Australia and in Western Australia male suicide accounts for 75% of all suicides. Suicide is the leading cause of death for males aged 15 – 44. Men are less likely to seek help and more likely to use lethal means.There were 383suicides in Western Australia last year and 285 were male. 13 to 17 year olds and aboriginal children are significantly over represented in youth suicide data. The indigenous suicide rate is nearly 2x as high as other groups’

Road Rage was exhibited at stitched and bound 2019. Here is Susan’s story…

‘My husband, Jack, and many of our friends are part of the lycra brigade that cycle round the streets at an ungodly time of day. Every weekend there are tales of ‘men down’ in the peloton. Fatalities occur and you will see ghost bikes installed along the roadside memorialising where someone has died. The cause of these accidents can be mechanical failure and incidents within the peloton, but alarming can also be the result of cars being careless and some deliberately targeting vulnerable cyclists because they feel they shouldn’t be on the road. When I saw this Reece Scanlon piece of fabric when I was at AQC in Melbourne, I thought I had to do a piece based on it. So in the foreground of the peaceful scene printed on the linen, I added the cycle wheels and car tyre marks. The white wheel is crumpled to signify a fatal accident. If you look carefully, you will see that crashed bikes and words associated with cycling quilted into the finished piece’

Susan Sheath

Please note that the conditions of entry have been updated and available to view on this website.

A sample of the entry form is also available to give you an idea of the information we will require when entries open

Phil explains how her ‘Boys’ quilt came about…

‘During a coastal walk near Margaret River a few years ago, I took a photo of my husband and sons as they stood contemplating the ocean. They would often stop and walk down to the waters edge – sorting out the issues of the day and pondering on life’s little mysteries – while my daughter and I would be itching to keep walking. This was such a typical pose for the quartet, that I decided I would make a quilt of the moment, and it also seemed to be a perfect subject for the upcoming stitched and bound 2019 exhibition. Due to timing, the quilt had to be made quickly, and so I avoided my usual procrastination and got it finished in just a few weeks. Finding the fabric for the sea and sand involved digging into the most garish fabrics I could find in a local store – a glittery white for the sand (Christmas fabric), shot cotton for the sea (which was a happy accident, as the blue colour changes from different angles) and a see-through polyester dress fabric in multiple colours (which was also sprinkled with silvery glitter) to portray the wave washing onto the shore. It is one of my favourite quilts…’

Raw edge applique using cotton, tulle and polyester

Often the story behind the quilt is as special as the work itself. At the September meeting of the Contemporary Quilt Group, Marilyn Clark-Murphy talked about her quilt – ‘A 300 Year Thread’ – entered in the last exhibition. She was inspired by the 1718 coverlet, which is the earliest dated textile in the UK. This got her thinking about the women who have since followed in the coverlet maker’s footsteps, and how they are all connected. She decided to replicate the original coverlet designs in each square, and include significant events in women’s’ history, just visible underneath. Then she linked each event through the years with a blue thread, This is one of the quilts that deserves a second (and third!) look, including the reverse, which shows an image of the original coverlet

If you are a bit daunted by the prospect of making a quilt for entry into the stitched and bound exhibition, in response to a query, we are pleased to confirm that two person quilts will be accepted provided that one of the artists is nominated as the focal point for communication and receipt of any sale proceeds. Have a think… perhaps there is someone that you could work with. Remember entries are not due until end of April 2022, so plenty of time to create something special.

We are delighted to announce that Midland Junction Arts Centre (MJAC) will host the 2022 stitched and bound exhibition. 

The exhibition will be displayed from 10 September – 5 November 2022.  Entry closure will be at the end of April.

stitched and bound is WAQA’s contemporary quilting exhibition.  It is a biennial juried exhibition showcasing the innovative range of current work being produced by Western Australian artists who challenge the usual concept of the ‘quilt’ medium.  Artists are encouraged to work outside the quilt format and push the boundaries of the medium focusing on making personal statements through the use of unconventional materials, ideas and techniques.  Pieces to be exhibited are selected on artistic merit, innovation within the quilt medium and standard of design and execution.  Typically, 30 – 40 works are chosen by three independent jurors for showing. 

The full conditions of entry can be found here

In summary:

• entry is open to residents of Western Australia
• work to consist of at least 2 layers held together by quilting or tying
• works must not exceed 200cm wide. 3D works must be able to be contained within a 40cm x 40cm square
• an artist can enter up to two quilts
• work previously shown in Australia or previously submitted as an entry to stitched and bound is ineligible
• artists are encouraged to offer their exhibited work for sale

We have explored the possibility of touring the exhibition in regional WA.  We have selected five potential regional galleries north and south of Perth and applied for a grant to fund this tour. Workshops would be held in parallel with the exhibition to encourage the extension of the art.  We await the outcome of the grant application.

The committee are starting to make plans

• The next stitched and bound exhibition will be held in the second half of 2022.
• Negotiations with a metropolitan gallery are going well   
• After a successful trip to Lake Grace in 2019 we would like stitched and bound 2022 to have a regional tour after its Perth showing. This is subject to funding, suitable locations etc. 
• We’ll be contacting some members in regional centres to discuss this early in 2021
• If you’re a regional member and would like stitched and bound 2022 to come to your town feel free to contact us.

Susan Sheath and Marilyn Clark-Murphy, Co-Convenors, waqasandb@gmail.com

A solo retrospective exhibition that reflects the evolution of Marjorie’s work over five decades is being held at the Holmes à Court Gallery Western Australia, until the 28th November 2020.

The stitched and bound team visited the exhibition last week, and it was incredibly inspiring – so interesting to see the variety and multitude of techniques in all the work over the years. 

http://www.marjoriecoleman.com

 

A new stitched and bound committee has been formed and has already started planning for the next exhibition in 2022. More information coming soon…