3rd Online Exhibition 2020

We are pleased to open the 3rd lace|heart|art online exhibition
of handmade bobbin lace in colour

It has become our tradition to find inspiration in photographs of Barbara Jean Jones – our dear friend, beloved daughter and a fellow lacemaker – to whose memory is this exhibition dedicated. For the 3rd lace|heart|art challenge we chose a motif of a sun that fills the heart with light and love, and illuminates the world’s colours.

New School of Lace provided a free pattern with pricking, working diagrams and instructions for fibre and wire media. We challenged lacemakers to use threads, wires and beads and create colourful, luminous hearts.

Forty five lace|heart|art entries arrived from all over the world to compete in three categories: Fibre Lace (29), Wire Lace (9), Young Lacemakers (7).  Lacemakers of all ages and skill levels participated. All participants fulfilled the proposition of the challenge to focus on creative use of colours. In their hands, the simple heart pattern was transformed into original art, in affirmation of the exceptional creative potential of bobbin lace techniques. The jury had a difficult, but rewarding, task of studying each heart in detail and selecting winning entries.

With many strong entries to consider, we decided to award Grand Prize in Fibre as well as Wire Category this year. In Young Lacemakers Category, beside the winning entry, all remaining works were so close in comparison that we found it impossible to choose, and therefore we decided to call a shared 2nd prize for all 6 lacemakers, who happen to be members of the same lace club. We also extended the honour to the group instructor, to acknowledge her amazing work with the young lacemaking students. 

Today, Barbara would be 33 years old. In all hearts we find something that reminds us of her smile, creativity and enthusiasm for bobbin lace. Like threads in an elaborate lace weave, we are all connected, and our shared love for fine lacemaking craft helps us to accept joys as well as sorrows that are all part of life.
This year, timing of the lace|heart|art exhibition is significant. We find ourselves facing an enormous world challenge, and many people, families and communities are suffering. In the Story of Barb’s Heart, which is in the foundation of the lace|heart|art challenge, we talk about how lacemaking became part of our healing. We have learned that sharing our fine craft cannot magically remove our pain, that’s not possible. But it can give us something to hold on to during the difficult journey.
We inherited from our ancestors not only beautiful lace, but also profound stories, embedded into many traditional spring rites. They all teach about rebirth and renewal, and about unconditional acceptance of the human condition of suffering as a path to realization of sacredness of life and immortality of love. Let’s listen again, and learn from the deep wisdom of the humanity and the earth. 

We are not alone. The shining hearts in this exhibition manifest our connection to each other. Open your heart and receive the joy that is woven in every stitch. Welcome it, nurture it and pass it on. Because there is no other way to truly heal than through love.

We wish to thank all participants in the 3rd lace|heart|art International Challenge. Without them, this exhibition would not be possible. We appreciate their interest, time, and dedication. We congratulate the winners whose works show remarkable creativity and exceptional technical skills.  

It is our pleasure to introduce these beautiful hearts to the worldwide audience as fine examples of vibrant, living, contemporary lace. We hope that the imaginative art will further appreciation for handmade bobbin lace and inspire many lacemakers to discover their own creative potential.

Wholeheartedly,

lace|heart|art team: Wendy MacKinnon, Lenka Suchanek, Pat Wrigley
Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
lace|heart|art sponsors: Barkonie s.r.o. and Wire Lace Supplies,

April 8th, 2020

Please welcome to the 3rd lace|heart|art online exhibition 2020!

YOUNG LACEMAKERS CATEGORY – WINNERS

• FIRST PRIZE     Luciana Y. Vallejos (age 28)  Argentina
• SECOND PRIZE
  Lace Club Members – Smetanova Elementary School  Přelouč, Czech Republic :
  ~   Nina Bínová (age 8)
  ~   Jan Janouch (age 10)
  ~   Petra Janouchová (age 12)
  ~   Anna Stibalová (age 9)
  ~   Viktorie Šoltová (age 8)
  ~   Barbora Teichmanová (age 9)
  ~   and their instructor, Ilona Kryštofová

FIBRE LACE CATEGORY – WINNERS

• GRAND PRIZE     Mireille Basiez  France
  
• FIRST PRIZE        Olimpia Fernández de Terán Ruiz  Spain
• SECOND PRIZE   Věra Mocková  Czech Republic
• THIRD PRIZE       Marcela Berrío  Spain

WIRE LACE CATEGORY – WINNERS

• GRAND PRIZE     Jane Fullman  United Kingdom
• FIRST PRIZE        Luciana Y. Vallejos  Argentina
• SECOND PRIZE   Lindy de Wijn  Australia
• THIRD PRIZE        Katarína Bezecná  Slovakia

Each category of the Online Exhibition will display in its own slideshow. You can stop the slideshow anytime by clicking on PAUSE symbol in the middle, and advance manually back and forth with side arrows. Double-click to enlarge the photos.

3rd lace|heart|art challenge – Young Lacemakers Category :

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3rd lace|heart|art challenge – Wire Lace Category :

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3rd lace|heart|art challenge – Fibre Lace Category :

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Prizes will be revealed soon :

Prizes for winners of Young Lacemakers and Fibre categories are provided by Barkonie s.r.o. (Czech Republic).
Prizes for winners of Wire Lace category are provided by Wire Lace Supplies (Canada).

Big thank you to our generous sponsors! 

We will contact all winners with details soon.

Thank you for visiting. Please share and spread the word about this special handmade lace event.

With heartfelt regards,

lace|heart|art team

Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, on April 8th, 2020 – Happy Birthday, Barbie!

Barbara and her mom, Pat, were among the first students who signed up for Adult Bobbin Lace course offered by the New School of Lace, back in 2014. Barb was the youngest in the class, and she came in with youthful energy and an open mind, eager to learn… read the whole story here

Free lace|heart|art patterns

If you feel inspired by wonderful heart art in this exhibition, you can make your own.
Free pattern, instructions  and support materials are available for download:
1st lace|heart|art challenge prospectus
2nd lace|heart|art challenge prospectus
3rd lace|heart|art challenge prospectus