Recap of 2003 Conference held June 5- June 8, 2003

The 12th International Surface Design Conference Hosted and co-sponsored by the Kansas City Art Institute

With a record-breaking attendance-it pushed SDA membership to 3200-and a program packed with non-stop activities, "Hands On" unquestionably raised the bar of success for SDA conferences. But even as the organizers savor that accomplishment, plans for the 2005 conference are in the formative stage.

About 450 participants from 11 countries, including sizable contingents from Australia, the Netherlands and Canada, and 42 states including Alaska and Hawaii, gathered at the Kansas City Art Institute for the conference (June 5-8). The majority extended their stays beyond the four-day program to enroll in the pre- or post-conference workshops. About 70 came a day early to observe day-long demonstrations offered for the first-time at an SDA conference.*

Leesa Hubbell's feature-length review of the conference proceedings and surrounding events will appear in the Winter 2004 issue of the Surface Design Journal (out in mid-January). Meanwhile, a couple of other significant firsts are worth mentioning. An important shift from previous conferences was the opportunity to see a substantial amount of artwork by the SDA membership as a whole. The members' exhibition, Up Close and Far Away, offered an encyclopedic survey of current directions in surface design, while "Digital Delights"-banners bearing digitally printed images from the SDA Slide Library-offered a smaller sampling.

About 45 members presiding at a trunk show presented a vast array of work, from patchwork potholders to elegant scarves to designer clothing, while an auction with live and silent segments provided yet another view of the creative output of members. (The auctions yielded $10,000 gross; expenses are still being calculated.) In addition, numerous members were represented in the 20 exhibitions held in conjunction with the conference. (A separate review covering highlights of the exhibitions will also be published in the Winter Journal.) During the workshop periods, evening presentations by instructors were another new component that enriched the overall experience.

"People were especially pleased that there were plenty of opportunities to connect," Pauline Verbeek-Cowart, the conference coordinator, said. Indeed, the white tent spanning the lawn behind the dorm was like a magnet for special interest groups-e.g., shibori and batik aficionados.

Looking back, Verbeek-Cowart said that while she was gratified by enrollment figures, she had hoped that more students would take advantage of discounted rates for them. Of the 30 students who came, two had scholarships.

Note from the Conference Coordinator:

I would like to use this opportunity to thank everyone who volunteered their time and energy to make this year's conference a reality. Thank you also to all of the speakers and workshop instructors who contributed their share to the overall success of the conference. And, last but not least, thank you all for coming. In the end, it is your loyalty to SDA that makes it possible for us to provide you with a meaningful and educational experience. In this economically challenging time you, the membership, helped us set a new record. The 2003 conference was the most successful conference in SDA's history. Unfortunately, I will have to say farewell to you, at least for the next two years. I have given five years of my time to SDA and need to devote my energies to my two-year old, to my husband and to my dog. They have suffered and so has my personal creative work in weaving and my teaching. But, fear not, you are in good hands. Planning for the next conference is well under way, and is now in the very capable hands of my colleague, Carolyn Kallenborn.

-Pauline Verbeek-Cowart

Competition Award Winners:

Member's Competition: Up Close and Far Away Winners

Best of Show
Frank E. Bell "All My Yesterdays"

2nd Place
Elin Noble "Untitled 2"

3rd Place
J Michelle Hill-Campbell "Techno Skin I"
Candice Edgerly "Digital Stones"

Honorable Mention:
Michalene Groshek "Namaste"
Deborah Kruger "Rapture"
Linda Lewis "Rust Arabesque"
Barbara Barrick McKie "Teddy Bear Cholla"
Carol Lee Shanks "Mini-skirt"
Handweavers Guild of America Award:
Kathleen Roig "Winter Reflection"

Surface Design Association Award:
Lesley Richmond "Unnatural Structure"

Banner Exhibition: Digital Delight Winners
Berenice Pliskin "Waiting for the Train"
Carol Shinn "Pandora's Box"
Marie-Laure Ilie "O Femme"
Pat Hodson "Mood Blue"
Nancy Merritt "Blue Trace"

Student Show - Next Wave
1st place - Amanda Micheletto "Handwoven Paper Yardage"
2nd place - Lesley Nishigawara "Grid"
3rd place - Rachel Miller "Sleave"
HGA Award - Marguerite Jay Ginoux "Gathering Blue"
SDA Award - Kiyomi Yatushashi "Rising Spirit"

Additional Conference Details