Originally Posted by jljack
To everyone comparing their own talents to these....don't do that to yourself! I did it the first year I went, also. Then I realized that the people who enter these shows are very exceptionally gifted artists...no different from artists using other mediums, ie photography, paint, clay, etc.
I am not an artist, I am a quilter. I have good quilting skills, but not artistic talent. I don't compare my work to theirs any more. While I can appreciate their work, I don't aspire to it.
Embrace your own skill at the wonderful craft of quilting. It is indeed an acquired skill...practice, practice, practice. As you go along increasing your skill, you may turn into an artist, but don't count on it. Only a very few can turn out works of art in fabric. The rest of us can turn out beautiful quilts for our friends and family to enjoy. This is my forte...and I am happy here in it!! :-)
As my friends and I say, we make quilts to be used and loved and enjoyed and eventually worn out. I don't make "works of art" I look at these quilts and enjoy the beauty in them. Most of them I would not want to put on my bed or couch for fear of "ruining" them. Don't think that your quilts arn't "good enough" Each quilt is beautiful in it's own right and what counts is the love we put into them!