500 Art Quilts – A Review and a Giveaway
Cover artwork by Nancy Murty
I know it is somewhat awkward reviewing a book that includes my own artwork, but Lark Books sent me an extra copy. So I’m going to do a little review and then give the extra copy away to one lucky reader.
But first, let’s look at the book. The 500 Art Quilts’ editor is Ray Hemachandra and the juror was Karey Bresenhan. The 8×8″ book fits my great-to-look-at-in-bed criteria (not too big to hold up to peruse while reclining gracefully) and most of the art quilts are shown one per page. Each artwork is featured with the name of the artist, title, date, size (in inches and centimeters – a nice touch), materials and techniques. A lot of thought was obviously given to the placement of facing art quilts for maximum compatibility.
The subtitle of 500 Art Quilts is An Inspiring Collection of Contemporary Work. This IS a great book for those seeking inspiration; it is almost overwhelming seeing so many art quilts. 500 Art Quilts the kind of book to keep at hand and peruse just a few pages at a time; there would always be something new and interesting with each turn of the page.
I did notice, whether due to the technical demands of printing or just as a sign of the times, that almost all of the artwork is in very saturated colors. The dates for the art quilts go back to at least 1989. I don’t think art quilts from more than ten years ago are intrinsically more or less interesting than those made in the last two or three years, but I would have liked to have seen newer work from all the artists.
This book is part of the 500 Series by Lark Books focusing on, well, what Lark Books focuses so well: fine craft. So on one hand, I say BRAVO that art quilts are receiving some much needed exposure in such an upscale format. On the other hand, I do think we need to give a little more thought to what exactly we want art quilts to be known as – art or fine craft. I did notice the little suggestion for bookstore shelving on the back cover is ART/QUILTING, so that gives me hope.
But the comments above should be read as mere quibbles beside the fact that such a fine survey book that can only bring more exposure to our art form. Beautifully designed and beautifully printed, 500 Art Quilts will definitely entice those unfamiliar with art quilts to learn more, inspire those new to art quilting, and be a must-have addition to the library shelves of any fiber art enthusiast. The book is available at your local bookseller, Amazon, and B&N. Topping out at 432 pages, 500 Art Quilts is an uber-bargain with retail around $25.
There are always those artists who are pushing the art quilt form in new and interesting directions. Leave a comment with the url of an artist or a specific art quilt that recently intrigued you and you will be entered to win my extra copy of 500 Art Quilts. Deadline to post a comment midnight (CST), March 25.
Don’t worry if your comment doesn’t appear right away. I have a spam filter in place and may need to approve your comment before it appears.
I have particularly enjoyed following a group of artists known as Twelve by Twelve (http://twelveby12.blogspot.com). Their quilts are produced bimonthly and interpret a common theme. It is so amazing so see how each quilt turns out.
Thanks for reviewing the book 500 Quilts. I have 500 Teapots and 500 bowls. Both are very inspiring. Although I am a ful time potter I am now very much into art quilting and know this would be a great book to have. Check out Karen Smith’s art quilts. http://www.labyrinthartquilts.com/quiltstwo/quilts2.html
Please enter me in your drawing.
Thanks
Vicki in NM
Thanks for the good and honest review of this new book, it looks like great eye candy. One of my favourite Canadian art quilters Elaine Quehl has a contribution in this book. Her hand dyed fabrics are lovely and her website is http://www.equarelle.ca/.
I have admired Betty Busby’s work. Her beautiful depictions of rocks and stones grabbed me at the time I was entering my own “rocks and mud period” in my own quilting. I love to see what new directions she is headed in.
http://home.comcast.net/~bbusbyarts/site/?/home/
For some reason, my previous comment disappeared, so I’ll try again. If this shows up as a duplicate, please ignore it.
Thanks for your review, Virginia. Like many others, I would love to see a copy before I buy, but your comments are helpful if that doesn’t happen.
I have loved the painted quilts of Bernie Rowell http://www.bernierowell.com/ ever since I first saw them at the Folk Art Center of the Southern Highlands near Asheville, NC. Their website is at http://www.southernhighlandguild.org/ and provides links to pages about many artist members.
What an intriguing way to find new artists! My contribution is Elizabeth Rosenberg (http://www.elizabethrosenberg.com) and especially her Venetian Lace series. Do look at the detail shots to see her intricate applique. I’m checking out everyone else’s suggestions as I have time.
I would agree with your desire to see more recent work from the artists in the book. But that doesn’t stop my interest in winning a copy from you! Thanks for the offer.
Hi Virginia – I am finding inspiration from outside of the quilt world… sculpture lately… visit the site for Tom Luckey at luckeyclimbers.com for an incredible video and visual journey of functional sculpture for children. My favorite scuptor lately is Edwina Sandys and her work can be seen at edwinasandys.com. Her work is powerful in its political and social commentary.
Hi Virginia, I have recently come across someone I find very interesting because of her use of hand stitching with large threads, something I am finding myself drawn to use in my own work too. Her name is Arlee Barr and the URL is http://albedoarlee.wordpress.com/ I hope you find her work as intriguing as I do! I also hope to be your pick for the giveaway!!!
I like what I see on this site:
http://morewgalo.blogspot.com/
and Jude Hill, here:
http://www.spiritcloth.typepad.com/
I would love to win this beautiful book. At the moment I took classes at the Quiltuniversity with Dena Crain. She is my “Art-Teacher” and I love her way she works and teaches very much. As I know, there is also one of her quilts in the book.
Would love to get a hold of this book.
I am pulling together a fiber art show with the theme, Portlandia. See my blog post http://elainemillar.blogspot.com/2009/06/adjustments.html.
A friend of mine was inspired by the work of Christopher Bibby in doing her piece. His link is http://www.iambibby.com/
Check it out.
http://www.burntofferings.com/Sculpbots/index.html
Virginia, In a search looking for different website developers somehow I came across “Burnt Offerings”. They are a couple that produces recyclabots that include gourds and a multitude of other found objects. They also have jewelry and a massive quantity of interesting art, excellent photography too. I think you’ll like it.
I have been inspired my many local artists in my area, one of whom is Elaine Quehl http://www.equarelle.ca/. I am looking forward to Dena Crain’s visit http://www.denacrain.com/blog as well. Would love to win the book as every artist has something to share with us.
There are so many artist that inspire me, but the main theme that I really enjoy is abstract nature. Liz Berg is a huge inspiration to me, as well as yourself.;-) Thank you so much for sharing your artwork and enthusiasm for nature. Cheers.
I would really love a copy of the book but have been remiss in purchasing a copy for myself! I’d like to share my website with you as I am doing my best to market myself and get my work out there. I’ve been doing fiber art seriously for about 2-1/2 years and it is my obsession/passion (after my 7 year-old son of course!). I have a fairly new gallery on my website at http://www.heidizielinski.com. Love sharing my work with other artists so I hope you’ll take a look!
Somehow got on a trail from looking up Quilt National images to your site. How nice! I would love to have a copy of 500 Art Quilts. I find myself repeatedly looking at my art quilt books and enjoying them again and again. My favourite site from tonight’s surfing was http://www.jennythreads.com – first time I really took note of Jenny Swearington’s work and was very intrigued. Enjoyed your review and looking forward to seeing the book, one way or another.
Tammy
I follow several art quilt blogs, so I will list my top three: Kathy York’s blog: http://aquamoonartquilts.blogspot.com/; Melody Johnson’s blog: http://www.fibermania.blogspot.com/ and Sarah Ann Smith’s blog : http://www.sarahannsmith.com/weblog/
They are inspiring and I get amazed at the quality of the work these artists produce.
Lunachance
Redmond, WA
http://www.denacrain.com
I think one key to having fiber work regarded as the fine art it is would be to stop calling them “quilts.” I get a lot of argument when I propound this, but the idea that “a quilt is something you put on a bed” is so entrenched, that it seems better to skip over the requisite “It’s like a quilt in that . . . but it’s not like a quilt because . . .” explanation and go right to the “yes, it can be seen as an innovative use of fabric as a fine-art medium, but when you consider that many famous paintings were created on a fabric base then it’s not such a leap . . .” discussion. I call my pieces “panels.” It’s a term with a foot in each world without all the baggage.
I’m over the moon about Sharon McCartney’s work. Her Shields and Talismans series inspires me. http://www.sharonmccartneyart.com/
I am looking at a lot of work lately, trying to keep my sanity intact while waiting for spring color.
I am particularly enjoying humerous quilts and the work of Diane Getty: http://dianegetty.blogspot.com
thank you for the review. i like (in addition to your work) elizabeth barton’s for the way she uses color.
One of my favorite quilt artists is Vivika DeNegre.
her work can be seen at
http://vdenegrequilts.blogspot.com/
I especially like her graphic quilts.
I can’t get over the use of light and imagery and materials by this artist
http://www.ellenharvey.info/Projects/zamek_ruins.html
Plus I just met this artist’s work at a local gallery. Sewn glass garments and coffee pots. I like her artist statement, which is very autobiographical and talks about her mother/grandmother. “My mom didn’t know how to be an artists, but she knew how to raise one.”
http://www.taylorglasgow.com/index.htm
Exaustivo informe de este libro, mi problema es que ahora quiero tenerlo ya,ja.
Comence a entender esto del arte quilting, leyendo a varios artistas, pero definitivamente mi preferida es Dena Crain, su pagina eshttp://www.denacrain.com/blog/, alli tambien muestra su obra que esta en el libro.
Gracias por incluirme en su regalo.
He leido tu critica, me parece acertado que alguien de tu experiencia (sigo tu blog) brinde un informe tan exaustivo de una publicacion. Ahora, es para mi mucho mas importante ganar este regalo!!!!
Me gusta mucho el estilo de Dena Crain, la sigo tambien , su direccion es :
http://www.denacrain.com/blog/, leyendola comence a entender esto de los edredones de arte, y ahi se puede ver una de sus obras que esta en el libro. Gracias por incluirme en tu sorteo.
Love Dutch textile artist Mirjam pet-Jacobs’ work, especially her ‘Mimi’ quilts : http://www.mirjampetjacobs.nl
I’ve been inspired a lot lately by Nancy G. Cook’s work, which I’ve just recently become aware of. Her portraits of nature are stunning. Nancy’s URL is http://nancygcook.com/
Please enter me in your drawing, and THANKS for your review and the opportunity to win your extra copy of 500 Art Quilts!
Connie
Hi Virginia,
Great review. I have thumbed through the book, but not bought it yet.
As for artists you might want to look at, Itchiku Kubota does the most gorgeous kimono I have ever seen. His work can be found in the exquisite book Kimono as Art or if you google image search his name.
If you haven’t seen Lesley Richmond’s work, she’ll certainly inspire you: http://lesleyrichmond.com/
Enjoy!
Hi Virginia; I’m new to your blog and am enjoying it very much. As someone who took up quilting only 4 years ago, art quilts are still a dream for the future, but I would love to have a copy of “500 Art Quilts”. I recently enjoyed “500 Baskets” from the library. There are some very talented art quilters in our area (SW Ontario), for example Reta Budd, Elsie Moser and Doreen Hugill, whose works can be found at:
http://www.oxfordquiltersguild.com
This guild hosts a show that I really look forward to, they seem to have an overabundance of very talented quilters!
One of my favourite’s is “Back Road to Norwich” by Elsie Moser and Doreen Hugill. Cheers, Karen.
I looked at a copy recently and LOVED it, nice review, I wish there had been more info about how they made the quilts or materials used in the quilt. Thanks for sharing.
Very nice and interesting review of that book, Virginia. Rayna Gilman’s recent blog posts on cutting up and using bits of old, traditional, quilt blocks have been very intriguing. Most of us have plenty of those! See it at http://studio78notes.blogspot.com/
I’ve been reading such good things about this book. A big quilt show to view at one’s leisure.
Seeing one quilt always makes me want to see the maker’s whole body of work. Quilting Arts magazine recently had an article about Barbara Watler (barbarawatler.com) that answered many questions I had after seeing her work in an exhibit in Columbus, Ohio, in 2008.
Great, Virginia – I really enjoy a good book review. So many of the reviews in magazines aren’t fully honest – they only hit the high spots, without describing any of the problem areas (i.e., they just want to sell books).
Thank you for your very objective review. I have been considering buying the book but was hoping to be able to see a copy first. You have been helpful. I would love to be included in the chance to win a copy. The art quilt artist that has most recently caught my interest is Cherilyn Martin, possibly because of the very tactile nature of her work. The url of her site is http://www.cherilynmartin.com
Maggi
One of the artist’s work that I follow with great interest is Deb in Georgia:
http://morewgalo.blogspot.com/
Choosing just one artist to list here was not easy.
Since my own studilo time hss been severely restricted of late, inspiration is exactly what I am seeking right now, from artists both familiar and unfamiliar in 500 Art Quilts. Thank you so much for providing this opportunity to win a copy of the book before going out and buying it. In either case, it will be a wonderful treat for the eyes and the spirit.
I still haven’t seen the book and am still kicking myself that I didn’t even enter the competition to have something included. But I would love to have a copy. The artist that I recently discovered I am intrigued with is not a quilt artist, but a collage artist named Fred Tomaselli. I saw a huge piece of his at the Cleveland Art Museum when I was in Cleveland a couple weeks ago taping for Quilting Arts TV and have been googling everything I could find since! I thought his work was very relatable to fabric art and quite inspiring to me. http://www.jamescohan.com/artists/fred-tomaselli/
http://www.deniselinet.com/index.htm
I follow your blog on a regular basis and enjoy it.
Please enter my name in this draw……..thanks.
I found your remarks really interesting all the way through. I avoid books and magazines that are too heavy to peruse in bed!