The Houston International Quilt Festival springs to life each year in the George R. Brown Convention Center. I've always liked this convention center, whose structural elements are acknowledged, not hidden, and accentuated with red or blue paint. Circles are a recurring design element. This is the view from inside the convention center one minute before the doors open for the day of the show. I was struck by the rhythm of the circular windows and the white posts between each pair of doors. Look through the windows and you will see long lines of people waiting to get in, just a few of the many thousands who came to shop and be inspired by the quilts.