SDA and SAQA joint conference “Identity: Context and Reflection"

The third semi-annual joint conference between the Surface Design Association (SDA) and Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) will be held in March 2012 in Philadelphia.

The conference will be Friday March 30, 2012 - Sunday April 1, 2012 at the Philadelphia Marriot West. 

The theme, IDENTITY, was chosen because "artists creating fiber and textiles often struggle with issues of identity, embracing their mediums while attempting to contextualize their meanings within the larger art world."

Members of both SDA and SAQA are invited to "meet and explore your own artistic identity."

You may register for the conference at either the SDA website or the SAQA website.

 Lorraine Glessner's class: Mark-Making Explorations for Surface Design

Conference Schedule:

Friday March 30 - Full day of lecture and panel presentations and Artist Speed Dating Icebreaker. Plus the Opening of Art Quilt Elements (10th juried exhibition) at the Wayne Arts Center.

Saturday March 31 - Full day of tours of the thirty-two exhibitions offered through Fiber Philiadelphia 2012. Plus the Opening of Outside/Inside the Box (juried exhibition) at the Crane Arts Building Icebox Gallery.

Sunday April 1 - Morning lectures and panel presentations. 

Conference Speakers include:

• Bruce Pepick - Executive Director & Curator of Collections, Racine Art Museum

• Bruce Hoffman - independent curator and writer

• Alexandra Rella - PT, DPT, Injury Prevention Specialist, U of Pennsylvania Health System

• Dianne Koppish Hricko - printmaker and educator

• Amy Orr - Executive Director of FiberPhiladelphia

• Kathryn Pannepacker - artist

• Sandra Sider - President of SAQA, art history professor, studio quilt artist, curator & critic

 Laura Sapelly's class: The Stitched Journal

Panel topics include:

• The Jurying of Art Quilt Elements 2012

• Where have I come from and where am I going?

Post-conference Workshops will be held April 2-4, 2012 and include:

Jan Myers-Newbury's class - A Pole and a Piece of Fabric

• Anne Vickery Evans: Hybrid Felt for Artistic Yardage

• Lorraine Glessner: Mark-Making Explorations for Surface Design

• Judy Langille: Cut, Slash, and Tear Your Way to Innovative Fabric Design

• Cameron Anne Mason: Beyond the Surface - Sculptural Explorations with Soft Materials

• Jan Myers-Newbury: A Pole and a Piece of Fabric

• Laura Sapelly: The Stitched Journal

• Adrienne Sloane: Knit Anything (Not Clothing)

Find a full description, images and bios of the instructors here or here.

We hope you will join us for an exciting conference!