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CAN JUDGES BE TRAINED?

© Dijanne Cevaal

Ozquilt Network Newsletter Issue #30 December 1998

In recent times I have been talking to some people about a program to train judges for quilt competitions. I know a number of groups run courses/programs that try to address the issue of judging, and I have also talked to individuals who have taken part in such courses. Initially I did not think the issue was of much concern, and the more informed people were the better, but I now view the whole thing with alarm, particularly in regard to contemporary quilt making. The courses were run as if a quilt were being really judged, after some guidance and directions. A few people have told me that when they ran through a course like this, the quilt that ended up being the winning quilt was the one that was technically the best but did not have the most visual impact. This is quite worrying when you think about what are stand-out quilts in your mind - yes they need to be technically good but they also need that 'oomph', that something which makes them stand out, and a quilt can have this though it may not be technically the best quilt on exhibition.

The other thing that concerns me is that most of the people I know who have judged contemporary quilts have not been involved in these programs - which makes me ask how are those who run the courses deciding on guidelines to assess contemporary quilts? Who is teaching them how to judge contemporary quilts? And how are they defining contemporary quilts? A lot of quilts that I have seen in the contemporary categories of quilt shows are nothing but variations of traditional designs - some are not even that.

Surely this is an issue that affects all of us who practice in contemporary quilt making, and we should be asking who within the groups/guilds determines these things? I think it is an issue Ozquilt Network Inc. should address, and requires discussion, because these things will ultimately affect us if we enter quilt shows.

© Dijanne Cevaal 1998
 

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