Here's my question, Tanya. You imply that we should use lesser quality supplies and equipment until we reach a certain level. By whose standards? The teacher? The art community? Magazines? I'm guessing this would be why so many of us don't consider ourselves "art quilters" because your implication is there's a hierarchy in the art world, where you would be very pretentious to use "professional" equipment as a beginner. Not so in the quilt world. We can use whatever we want, and if we can afford better equipment and supplies we get them, not when we feel we've graduated from' student" to 'professional', and we all try to be supportive of the work we produce. Just read all the positive comments quilters have received when they show us a photo and say "This is my first quilt"...I can't imagine us saying. "Well, she's just starting, she shouldn't be using a Bernina". I've been to lots of art galleries and lots of quilt shows. Give me a quilt show any day of the week!