Wide Horizons III at “Abilmente” - Vicenza (I) 16-19 October 2012

What a Festival!

Wide exhibition place gallery style, with walls painted in pale grey, same colour for the carpet and many benches to sit on and look quietly at the quilts. A large panel with Ita Ziv’s quilt “Groundsel and Chrysanthemum” was introducing the show; a high totem with all the artist’s names and a presentation of SAQA as well as a list of sponsors was giving all the necessary explanations. Nice and helpful people and lots and lots of visitors during 4 long days (from 09:30-19:00).

Vicenza is a small town situated in the Venetian part of Italy, where there is a long thread tradition in embroidery, lace, knitting or crochet work, which explain the strong interest of the multi generational public which came to visit the October edition of “Abilmente”.

It was the very first time SAQA was presented in Italy in a Fair of this importance and most of the visitors asked for information on SAQA, took the flyer, looked at the bulletin, made enthusiastic comments and compliments, and described the exhibited quilts as real pieces of Art.

Several Italian SAQA members came to pay a visit to our exhibit as well as the Quilt Italia vice President Monica Clava who will present SAQA in one of the future edition of the Italian bulletin, or the editor of Rakam, well known craft Italian magazine, who took many pictures for the next edition.

All my thanks go to all the Abilmente’s staff, so helpful and attentive before and during the Festival, for giving SAQA the opportunity to be seen in Italy and I wish them all the best for the next Abilmente editions. I also want to thank Gül Laporte from EPM -our sponsor- who gave Wide Horizons III the possibility to be exhibited in Vicenza and who was of such a wonderful and friendly support.

It was a fantastic experience. See you all again next year.

Elisabeth Nacenta-de la Croix  SAQA co-Rep Europe and Middle East ecn@bluewin.ch