Up Side Down Side

I entered a number of things in the State Fair this year

it's an up side down side sort of proposition

the up side is that I won many blue ribbons, some red ribbons, some white ribbons and the accompanying monetary reward

good things all
but there are "puzzlements" too

this piece for example

this piece is titled "Diva"

last year it was a finalist in a national competition by Fire Mountain Gems

3rd place in the state fair

huh?

it confirms my feeling that the category it had to be entered in is WAY too broad and if you're not doing what the judge is interested in you have less chance to take first

still, I'll accept it

this, on the other hand, I really don't understand

mostly because I have no point of reference

this was the piece I worked on for months to carry out the whole "wild about flowers" theme

lots of techniques, embellishments, hours fussing with getting the whole "framed picture" look

didn't make the cut (even though the judging sheet had good ratings)

I don't regret making it -- I learned a lot, I really like the piece

and I may consider entering it in another competition if the right opportunity presents itself

meantime, no one even got to see it except the small group of judges and whoever was there that day

and I'm wondering why the things that won the prizes did so -- I'm mostly convinced that it's just too far out of the box -- the winners were all quilts in the traditional "bed cover" mode

and I think I probably won't do anything for the "special competition" next year

these two pieces have me really excited

not only did they win ribbons this year, but when I had to opportunity to show them to the assistant curator of the Fine Arts part of the state fair, she encouraged me to enter in that area next year


so, now I just need to make time to get back to this series and get some really good work done