The first time I entered a quilt I didn't get to go to the show (we lived in the mountains and the show was at the fair grounds quite a ways away). But our little community had our local quilts in a church right after the big show and I got to see it then. I couldn't find it!!! I asked and was told it was on the side of the platform where the piano was; it was also behind a big sign board! It was a "yin yang w/energy" baby quilt made with 1" pieces (finished) and the pieces that spun out from the yin yang had kiddie prints. I didn't know what to think and then it occurred to me that perhaps they thought it was something anti Christian. I'll never know, but it saddened me.
The next year I entered two quilts into the county show and got to go. They had "viewers" prizes and I won 3 ribbons for two quilts. One was Monet's garden and the other a Pacific NW colorful totem bear. There is no way any quilt of mine could ever win a judged prize! Most aren't really "art" quilts, just big pictures like my 6 foot bear, or tiny 1" squares like the garden. They please those who got them. I liked doing them. You'll never know if you don't join in on the show. I almost cried when I saw the garden quilt on a wall in a walk-way (it didn't show it's glory unless you were a few feet from it at least). That was the one that got 2 prizes!!! Go figure! Dare to show! You may learn something unexpected!