ON REJECTION

© Judy McDermott

Ozquilt Network Newsletter #40, June 2001

Such a good topic! I have few rejections. Not through any virtue of mine or of my quilts. Australia is small (population, not acreage), and so there are very few things to be rejected from.

Why do I exhibit? Originally to boost my confidence, to make contact with other quilters; to see and be seen. Now, I don't know. Showing off, I suppose. I like to see my stuff hanging, my home is short on walls. I've had solo shows and been part of several group shows; all bar one were exclusively 'contemporary'. If I'm not happy with the look of stuff in group shows I don't go there to play again. I'm generally happy with my work in exhibits and avoid some that I deem to be not much good. I've recently been distracted and have not enough work to be part of several 'good' shows. The most exciting hanging for me so far is being selected for the current quilt National '99 ... but I was rejected (in two letters and an email) from quilt National 2000! Here's the gory details of the bumpy road to success for four of my quilts:

'Crosses for Eddie Purantatameri Palimpsest' (diptych): these two quilts were rejected for fibre arts Design Book IV. I sent lovely 5 x 7 trannies too. 'Palimpsest' was rejected by 'Art and Australia' (probably our most eminent journal), but the trannie came home with a note saying it nearly made it. 'Crosses for Eddie' was selected to be used as a huge billboard displayed on railway stations around Sydney; looks wonderful too. 'Palimsest' now lives in Florida, sold to an American collector for a scarily large sum (and available to me if I ever want to show it again).

'A Real Pretend Wagga for Paul Klee': was awarded second prize in a wool quilt show in Melbourne. There was no first prize awarded. (If it had been given first prize it would have been acquired). It was then accepted for Quilt National 1999 and the subsequent touring exhibition. It is one of my favourite quilts.

'Wattle in a Bottle #1': made from overdyed leftover Barcelona Olympic uniform material. This was a reject from 'The New Quilt' 1995. someone took it to Paducah as a thing Australian. It appeared in full and glorious colour on a magazine cover, then a postcard, and then it sold from a two-person show of woollen quilts. All after rejection.

It is in praise of the poem by 'Anon':

The wattle is a lovely flower
The symbol of our land
You can stick it in a bottle
You can hold it in your hand.

'I see Red #4': This quilt was selected for the Alice (Springs) Craft Acquisition. I sent it off, but next thing back it comes with a note saying we don't want this. It was ill-packed and generally unloved, and sent COD though I'd sent the demanded return postage. The stamps came back later, but still no reference to the 'sins' of my quilt. The husband was indignant.

The Darwin Acquisition selected a couple of my quilts (I forget which they were), sent an opening invitation to my Darwin daughter, and none of my stuff was hung; no-one would tell daughter why. I never had an explanation, and would not have known the quilts were un-shown had my child not reported.

I was one of a select handful invited to submit slides to Florida Art Museum in Niceville, for possible inclusion in a 'landscape and quilts' show. I was rejected. One of the chosen was Michael James!

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