The current Grand National quilt exhibition Delights is touring across Canada until the spring of 2025. See below for information about future exhibit locations.
ABOVE Grand Prize winner, Afternoon Delight, by Sandra Melnik. This prize was sponsored by Grand National Exhibition Assn. and Northcott Silk Inc.
The first exhibit of the 2024 Grand National Delights opened June 8 in Castlegar, BC, at the Kootenay Gallery of Art, History and Science.
After the pandemic, we asked artists to portray what ‘delights’ them. COVID-19 brought cancelled trips, isolation, and life on hold with lots of uncertainty. We wanted to see what made artists happy, joyous, and cheerful.
Janome Award of Excellence
Sponsored by Janome Canada Ltd.
Bad Boys of the Bluff
Susan Sherman
We received 117 entries from 78 artists and the jurors (Deb Fong, Marie E. Maitais, and Judy Weiss) selected 37 artworks made by 35 artists.
The exhibition displays a wide range of topics artfully captured in numerous media with a fibre component. It is colourful, thought provoking, innovative, and inspiring.
On June 3 the 35 packages of art were opened, and we proceeded to hang them in the gallery. The judges did their job on June 6, selecting 5 pieces for special recognition.
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT
Rubies & Gold – Janet Harper
Autumnal (De)light – Cynthia Stratulat
Speckled Felt Lichen in Moss II – Donna Stockdale
School Dance – Patricia Hirschkorn
Tomatoes – Janet Bednarczyk
Delights is our second touring exhibition to travel across Canada. You can also view the exhibition at the following venues:
United Community Arts, Pilot Mound, MB – August 9 to September 25, 2024
Woodstock Art Gallery, Woodstock, ON – October 12, 2024 to January 25, 2025
Saint John Arts Centre, Saint John, NB – March 14 to April 25, 2025
Judge’s Choice – Leslie Forbes
Sponsored by Victoria Quilters
Venice Morning
Robin Fischer
We hope this article will entice you to attend one of the exhibits. We trust that the diverse range of materials, techniques, ideas, concepts, and cheerful thoughts will bring us all back on the path to celebrating life and creativity, and having fun.
Judge’s Choice – Theshini Naicker
Sponsored by Grand National Exhibition Assn.
Meadowland
Jennifer Coghill
Platinum
- Janome Canada Ltd
- Waterloo Region Community Foundation (Grand National Legacy Fund)
- Anonymous (2)
Gold
- SterioSystemS Limited
- Fibre Art Network
Silver
- Northcott Silk Inc.
- Textile and Fibre Artists of Manitoba (TFAM)
- Anonymous (1)
Bronze
- Victoria Guilters’ Guild
- Anonymous (17)
Judge’s Choice – Fletcher Quince
Sponsored by Grand National Exhibition Assn.
Nature’s Garden
Sharon Johnston
To order a catalogue of this exhibition (or previous exhibitions, as available), please visit our website.
The theme for the next Grand National exhibition in 2026 is Textures of Canada, which will explore traditions, history, values, heroes, regional cultures, landscapes, sense of place, and so much more. We invite you to submit a work of fibre art. The entry submission deadline is November 1 to December 15, 2025. More information.
