My son who is an artist encountered the same sort of thing when he entered some of his work in our county fair while he was in art school. One of the pictures had been selected to be on display at the school for a period of time, so there was no doubt that it passed muster. However it did not even receive an 'honorable mention' at the fair because apparently it was 'too out there' for the taste of the judges. I'll grant you, his stuff is definitely not bluebonnets and windmills, which is what seems to be the popular thing around here.
Anyway, your quilt is just adoreable!