Welcome to the first Designers newsletter for 2004!
Thank you for your continuing feedback to these newsletters. They are designed to keep you informed and up to date on the latest happenings with WOW®.
We would love to hear from you on any issues, including: • topics you would like to see covered • questions you would like answered • your suggestions Contact details are at the base of this newsletter.
Reminders from the last newsletter:
Spring Creatively Workshops Spring Creatively Workshops The days between the two show weekends this year will again offer WOW workshops at the World of WearableArt & Collectable Car museums. As part of WOW’s relationship with the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) a series of workshops under “Spring Creatively” will be held. At this stage we have confirmation from previous Supreme Award winner Susan Holmes, for a two day workshop. Other designers will be announced in future newsletters. We would welcome any suggestions on guest designers and/or content and themes. There has been a suggestion of a workshop for the two days before the Awards (Thursday 9th and Friday 10th). We would like your feedback as to whether these dates would interest you. If you would like to be kept up-to-date with information on these workshops please e-mail Heather heather@worldofwearableart.com
Ticket Sales 2004 Demand for tickets to the 2004 Montana WOW® Awards is again high. Preferential tickets went on sale on 01 February 2004 – and Opening Night (September 10) sold out almost immediately. Booking details can be obtained from our website www.worldofwearableart.com A block of seating is being held for designers for Premier Night but these will not be released until after preliminary judging in July. They will be allocated on a first in – first served basis. As always we suggest if you definitely intend to come to the Show that you book when tickets go on sale in February to avoid disappointment. There is still some fringe seating available for Opening Night
Please mark Premier Night Friday September 10 in your diary.
Mainfreight Offer Mainfreight has again generously offered to provide free of charge freighting from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch depots where designers can send/drop their 2004 entries into, to keep the costs of freight down. This worked well last year. We will advise more on this offer in the next newsletter including special conditions of the freighting offer. For those designers outside of the main centre there is a discounted rate available. Mainfreight’s support of the designers is truly appreciated.
New and Updated Website WOW’s website has been updated and expanded. The new version includes a special section for designers which will be updated. Please add www.worldofwearableart.com to your favourites so that you can keep informed.
NEWS FOR THIS YEAR
WOW Lick This!!! The creativity of WOW® and its designers is to be forever captured on a range of stamps available nationwide for 12 months from May 5.
It’s an honour to be chosen for a stamp issue, alongside such recent series as The Lord of the Rings trilogy and 50 years of the Royal New Zealand Ballet. We are delighted New Zealand Post has recognised the World of WearableArt as a cultural icon
New Zealand Post will release details of the images that will appear on the World of WearableArt stamps in April. Stamps will be available in 45c, 90c, $1.35, $1.50 and $2.00 denominations.
The stamps will feature an array of World of WearableArt images, on first day covers, presentation packs or individually and are available from New Zealand Post retail outlets - PostShops and Books & more stores, Regional Stamps Centres, the Wanganui Stamps Centre and the stamps website www.stamps.co.nz from 5 May 2004.
2004 Montana WOW Awards - The Shows Suzie has been spending hours behind closed doors working on the script for the 2004 shows. As usual, she is not divulging much, but promises some new innovations and ideas will ensure the seven night season leaves no one wanting – except for more! The Port Nelson Illumination Illusion section’s theme of black and white should provide some fabulous imagery. Wait for the magic to unfold in September!
WOW Gallery Change The eighth changeover to the WOW® Gallery at the WOW & Collectable Cars museum for the Autumn exhibition changed this week. The new exhibition is showcasing all 16 Supreme Winners from the Montana WOW® Awards. Tracing the winning entries from the original WearableArt show in 1987, it is the first time this stunning historic collection has been displayed together. This is a wonderful chance to see the evolvement of entries “up close and personal” and appreciate the skill and talent each requires. They can also act as a source of inspiration for 2004!
2004 Judges Judges for the 2004 Montana WOW® Awards will be announced soon. As usual our resident Judge, Nelson artist Sally Burton will be adding her expertise. Simon Hames (Supreme Award winner 1999 – Super Minx) will also be Judging this year. Watch this space for further announcements.
Aotearoa Textiles - The Australian Forum for Textile Arts For the first time, the TAFTA concept is here in New Zealand – with a five day forum being held around the Montana WOW® Awards. Two forums a year are normally held in Australia, but seasoned WOW® entrant Glenys Mann is coordinating this trans Tasman forum to be held at Nelson College for Girls September 19 - 23. It will feature workshops by designers from the USA, Australia, Holland, Japan and Canada, and will work in media as diverse as mud cloth, Maori Flax weaving, silk felt and machine embroidery. Slide shows will be open to the public as well as traders stalls and a bazaar, which will offer materials not usually available in Nelson. The forum is limited to 200, and already interest is high. As part of the activities, participants will attend Montana WOW® Award performances on September 18 and 19. Contact details for the forum are available from Ronnie Martin – Phone (03) 5211 824 email ronniem@ts.co.nz
Designers Quick Check Calendar Tickets on sale February 2004 – check out www.worldofwearableart.com for details Entry Fee due 3 May 2004 Overseas digital images/slides/videos due 5 May 2004 Garments hand delivered 20 June 2004 Couriered or postal entries to arrive no later than 18 June 2004 Return courier / postage fee included with Entry Form B Judging 10/11 July 2004 Selected/Unselected letters mailed out the week beginning 19 July 2004 2004 Montana WOW® Show Dates – 10/11/12 September and 16/17/18/19 September Entries to be uplifted and / or freighting arrangements made by 01 November 2004
2004 Sections: • Bowater Toyota Children’s • Tourism New Zealand Avant Garde • American Express Open • Air New Zealand South Pacific • Port Nelson Illumination Illusion (black and white) • Scenic Circle Hotels Bizarre Bra™
And a welcome return to the Nelson City Council Reflective Surfaces section. You may remember the inaugural Reflective Surfaces section in 2002 spawned the Supreme Winner, Persephone’s Descent, by Stuart Johnson of Wellington. The stunning design of female armour also won the Bernina Sewing Centre First Time entrant Award and the section title, and featured on the cover of the 2003 show catalogue. The image was also used as the front page and January image of the 2004 WOW® calendar, which sold out in record time.
The Creative New Zealand Artistic Excellence section which was introduced last year for previous Supreme Montana WOW® Award winners and Judges will also showcase again in 2004 and promises a fantastic array of designs with the theme “From Impressionism to Surrealism”.
Advertisement from our Silk Award Sponsor - Wales & Mackinlay: We’ve given our Silk range a real facelift with a new look, new products and new distributors. Colours that sound good enough to snack on have been added to the range as follows; Chocolate, Lime, Platinum, Pure Purple, Seafoam, Sunset, Grenadine, Palma, Citrus Lemon and many more. Ask us today for samples of the new colours!
We’re also importing a linen look silk ideal for curtain making, suit/shirt making etc. These will be available initially in a range of 9 gorgeous colours; black, brown, claret, ivory, navy, tan, new forest, sand, sky and tan. These will be available from mid April – ask us now to see samples. Contact: Wales & Mackinlay - 199 Great North Road, Auckland, Ph: 09 376 3047 or 0800 925 377 , Wales & Mackinlay:
Happy Creating!! We look forward to receiving your garment entry for this year’s Awards. Entering the Montana WOW Awards provides you with the opportunity to make a creative statement, be recognised for your creativity via the profile of the event and should you be a prize winner be suitably rewarded! Remember that the main Montana WOW Awards now has over NZD$70,000 worth of prizes!
For any designer queries please contact Heather Palmer or phone 0064 3 548 9299.
