Judges
Lisa Erlandson
This year we are proud to welcome Lisa back as one of our show's quilt judges. She will also be appraising quilts for people who wish to schedule with her. Download the Appraisal Application from the Applications page and follow those instructions.
Lisa has a Master of Arts degree in Public Communication from the University of North Texas. She is a quilt collector, an AQS Certified Appraiser of Quilted Textiles, lecturer, quilt show judge, teacher and quilt historian. If that's not enough to make her tired, she also owns Le Retreat House in Gainesville, Texas.
Even though she learned to sew as a child, she did not become a quilter until 1991 and never looked back. She is a past president of the American Quilt Study Group, speaks internationally, teaches, judges quilt shows, and much more.
She wrote the pattern instructions for quilts made by AQSG members and published in the 2013 book “Revival! A Study of Early 20th Century Colonial Revival Quilts” published by Kansas City Star Books. She served as the designer for the latest AQSG book: “In War Time: A Study of Civil War Era Quilts 1850 – 1865.”
More information can be found about Lisa on her website https://www.lequilts.com/.
Serena Vrnak
At our 2020 show Serena Vrnak joins our quilt judging team. Welcome, Serena!
Serena has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fashion Merchandising and Elementary Education from Texas Christian University and has taught K through 8th grades.
Serena is a member of the newly formed judging organization, National Association of Certified
Quilt Judges (NACQJ) and a Certified Judge with NQA. She just finished serving as the Candidate
Coordinator of the NACQJ Judging Program by assisting others seeking judging certification.
She is an active member in quilt related organizations, including her local Quilters Guild of East
Texas.
Serena has shown her quilts, winning at various shows throughout Texas, the NQA Quilt Show,
the International Quilt Association, and with the Duluth Minnesota Quilter’s show. Her red and white
quilt, entitled “Decisions, Decisions, Decisions,” traveled with the IQA exhibit “Ruby Jubilee” and was
published in the “QuiltART Engagement Calendar, 2016”. She was honored as the “Featured Quilter”
2017 at the East Texas Quilters Guild Quilt Show.
Serena, a certified judge since 2010, says this about her judging philosophy: "As a judge I strive to consistently and appropriately apply the Elements and Principles of Design as well as Workmanship techniques to each individual quilt. I want to encourage each quilt artist to be her best, to enjoy her work and the pleasure it brings."