One of the convenient aspects to exhibiting a quilt at a national quilt show is that you can easily get your quilt appraised. It is often difficult to find a certified quilt appraiser to appraise your quilt. Finally Found Freedom will be exhibited at the International Quilt Festival October 28-31 in Houston, TX, so I have signed up to get her appraised.
A controversial issue in the quilting community is whether African American quilts are valued as highly as other quilts — whether it be monetary value or ribbons. My personal opinion is that African American quilts are a different genre just as folk art quilts, modern quilts, etc. I think they should be judged as such. For instance, generally, I think it is fair to say that African American quilts as a genre are not as concerned with preciseness as other genres. African American quilts are more concerned with the story the quilt tells, the history it records or the emotion it evokes.
My quilt Finally Found Freedom is somewhat of a hybrid. I think of it as a traditional quilt that records an African American story. I hope my traditional Underground Railroad blocks are precise, but I hope the appraiser will realize that there is a story being told and that adds value.
I will let you know how much one appraiser thinks Finally Found Freedom is worth in a post next month. To me she is priceless.
By the way, do you know how much your quilt is worth?