Needleworkers will be in seventh heaven with the "Silk Road" exhibition opening and awards night on Friday, followed by the international Remarkable Quilt Symposium, from April 18.
The third "Silk Road" exhibition, organised by the Queenstown Art Society, features about 40 entries by 24 New Zealand textile artists, plus three from Australia for the first time, in the Cloakroom Gallery, on the corner of Ballarat and Stanley Sts.
The works have at least 40% silk content.
The show opens at 5pm and runs until May 13.
Award-winning silk quilt artist Judith Ross, of Christchurch, will judge entries in six categories, including the top prize of a $400 voucher.
The Queenstown Patchwork and Quilting Group and the Queenstown Embroiderers' Guild are sponsors for a second year, and each provided $100 merit awards.
Textile artist and gallery manager Sue Wademan said yesterday she thought textiles was starting to be recognised as a true art form.
The "Silk Road" exhibition featured every technique, from quilting, knitting, weaving and collage to painted silk, dyed silk, paintings incorporating silk and embroidery, Mrs Wademan said.
Queenstown textile artist and painter Karyn Hitchman entered one of her works and said she was "looking forward to seeing the variation and quality of work, which goes up every year".
The 14th national symposium will see up to 1500 participants attending classes and workshops, lectures, merchants markets, exhibitions and functions.
