Innholdsfortegnelse for Spring 2021 i Quilting Arts Magazine

I CAN’T TELL YOU HOW EXCITING IT HAS BEEN TO WORK ON THIS ISSUE OF QUILTING ARTS. Every quilt, every article, and every photo is special. Why? Because we’ve reached a milestone: 20 years ago, this magazine hit the newsstand for the first time, and its impact has been felt ever since. The influence of QUILTING ARTS on the quilting industry has been enormous. It not only elevated the visibility of art quilts and art quilters, but also set high standards for years to come. Having a magazine devoted exclusively to art quilting raised the awareness of the genre, validated an art form, and provided opportunities for all involved. How many art quilters have said that being published in QUILTING ARTS launched their careers? Our list of contributors is a…

tours of artists’ workplaces are always fascinating. Why? Because where someone works often provides a window into their creative process. From the minimalist aesthetic of quilters whose work reflects mid-century modern art to collage artists whose mantra is ‘more is more,’ every creative space speaks volumes about the person who occupies it. Are they known for using layers of color and pattern? If so, they might paint their walls in wild hues or pack their shelves with found objects. How do they store their fabrics, threads, or paints—out in the open or hidden away? Arranged by color or tossed in a jumble? Do they work in a home studio or set up shop in a warehouse? Read on to learn about the new home studio of artist, teacher, and “Quilting Arts…

postal history around the world is fascinating and postage stamps often feature the work of well-known artists. Some stamps are exquisite miniature pieces of art on their own. We asked our readers to design an art-inspired 6" x 6" ‘postage stamp’ quilt paying homage to a favorite modern artist, architect, or creative. We are pleased to share this gallery of our readers’ work. We hope you enjoy the following pages of original art. “For the Love of Van Gogh” KAREN HARTUNG • ROME, GEORGIA “I love Vincent Van Gogh paintings. I tried to capture the sweeps of his sky by cutting the fabric to mimic Van Gogh’s painting strokes. The sky took on a mosaic like challenge and I was glad it was a small piece. I replaced the village…

as a fiber artist, I’m drawn to any materials that are tactile—and if they have bright color and sheen, they are even more enticing. So when I saw skeins of silk sari ribbon at a quilt show years ago, I purchased one without having any idea how I’d use it. Silk sari ribbon is strips of old silk saris that are hand-torn and sewed together to form a continuous skein. (figure 1) You can purchase skeins in different colorways. While organizing my studio after moving into a new house, I came across the skein and considered—again—how I might use it. I’ve been trying to add things into my wardrobe that reflect that I am an artist, so I started wondering how I might create something from the ribbon that I…

this is the second of a three-part series exploring indigo vat dyeing. In the first installment in the October/November 2020 issue, we reviewed the basics of indigo vat dyeing and created graphic, mud cloth-inspired design with glue resist. Now that you have some experience, it’s time to add some more visual texture to your dyed fabric—and there are lots of tools that can help you do this that are probably in your kitchen right now! Let’s explore the world of shibori, a Japanese manual resist dyeing technique. In shibori, fabric is manipulated into a three-dimensional form in some way—by folding, crumpling, twisting, pleating, etc. That shape is then held in place by some sort of pressure created by surfaces on opposite sides of the fabric shape pressing inward. When this…

Susan Brubaker Knapp is the host of “Quilting Arts TV,” cohost of the “Quilting Arts Podcast,” and a studio fiber artist, author, and teacher. Susan lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and teaches in the U.S. and internationally. bluemoonriver.com Mel Beach is a San Jose, California, based quilt artist, teacher, and lecturer. She stretches her creativity through photography, comedy improv studies, and the completion of 90+ quilt challenges at the local and international level. Her quilts are modern, beautifully textured, and colorful. Mel has appeared on “Quilting Arts TV.” melbeachquilts.com Julie B. Booth is a surface design artist, teacher, and author of Fabric Printing at Home. Julie teaches numerous classes in hand stitching as an expressive art form, including telling stories and sharing memories in cloth and creating appliquéd and…

it all started with a scrap of yellow fabric. Trained as a painter, Irene Roderick took up quilting in 2016 after retiring from her job as an administrator in the art department at the University of Texas. She was intrigued by the idea of making ‘utilitarian paintings’ out of fabric and began experimenting with sewing pieces of blue and white fabric together without a plan. As she worked, she moved quickly from design wall to cutting table to sewing machine to iron and back again, auditioning design elements to see how they interacted. It all came together when she discovered that scrap of yellow and put it into the design on the wall. Something happened to activate the design that “gave me goosebumps,” she said. Irene calls her process ‘dancing…

fiber art has a rich tradition of incorporating elements that would otherwise be discarded by turning them into compelling compositions. Repurposing materials is one of the most effective solutions to deal with today’s environmentally devastating waste issues. Full of creative energy, this exhibit, “Upcycle!” from SAQA, offers artwork with intriguing details and unusual materials and will surely spark conversations from viewers. “Congratulations to all of the artists who were juried into this fascinating exhibition. ‘Upcycle!’ is sure to generate interesting conversations, based on the artistic merit of the works as well as the use of previously discarded materials to create strong statements. Surely it will also spark discussions about what we are doing to this world when we acquire then discard the fabrics in our lives. May we all become…

“My life has been filled with moments when I’ve felt guided down a path toward my creative self.” As far back as I can remember, my memories have been filled with color and texture—from my mother using paint and fabrics to make our home beautiful, to school art classes where every project was exciting and fun. At the age of 12, I asked my mom to teach me to use a sewing machine so I could make clothes with my friend. In my 20s—when I saw my first quilt ever—I felt pure excitement when I realized there were other creative ways to use fabric. I wanted to learn how to quilt! That simple desire to create a quilt stayed with me for a long time, but I was in my…

at QUILTING ARTS, we celebrate contemporary art quilting, surface design, mixed media, fiber art trends, and more. We are always looking for new techniques, innovative processes, and creative approaches to the art of quilting. We’d love to hear from you! What are we looking for? • Artists with inspiring portfolios of work to be featured in our In The Spotlight, Artist Profile, Show Us Your Studio, and Q&A articles. Show us your work and tell us your story.• Unique techniques, new ways to use existing tools and supplies, and ideas we’ve never featured before.• Projects and techniques featuring mixed-media, collage, and fabric art. How to submit • Write a brief description of your idea and email it to qasubmissions@goldenpeakmedia.com. Your submission should give us an overview of what you are…

carolyn Skei loves art. She loves looking at it, learning about it, and—especially—making it. Calling herself a ‘dabbler,’ Carolyn enjoys photography and digital design, mixed media, book making, fabric surface design, and, of course, art quilting. If she’s not making art in her home studio, she’s taking a workshop, visiting exhibits, or giving a talk about art. “Art is one of the essential parts of my life, emotionally and mentally,” Carolyn says. “I don’t think I’d be as happy a person if I didn’t have art at the center of my life.” Carolyn began making things as a child, learning to sew when she was young. She continued her interest in art, art history, and sewing through college and after marriage and starting a family. She sewed everything from draperies…

both gardeners and non-gardeners alike can appreciate the beauty of a spring garden or a fall harvest of hand-picked gems destined for a delightful salad or stew. Plants nourish our bodies and souls—we cannot live without them, in fact! We challenged readers to create a 5" x 7" quilt featuring and celebrating their favorite flowers or plants and invited them to get imaginative. These quilts show myriad ways to look at and create homage to plants—aerial and abstract views; pieced construction and appliquéd motifs; machine and hand sewing; with painted, plastic, and embroidered embellishments. We are pleased to share this gallery of our readers’ work. We hope you enjoy the following pages of original art. “Mon Petit Chou” SUSAN FLETCHER KING HOUSTON, TEXAS “I love cabbages, and it seems like…

let’s exercise our creative muscle by making ‘bad art.’ Don’t cringe, let me explain. Your goal as an artist is to make the best, most beautiful or meaningful work you can. You don’t want to mess it up and make mistakes. I’m convinced that a short warm-up making ‘bad art,’ will help you make your GOOD art better. If you enter this exercise giving yourself permission to toss the whole thing when you are done, all fear of failure disappears. You are free to explore and take risks that you wouldn’t if you were trying to make ‘good art.’ ‘Bad art’ exercises become vital learning experiences when you spend time analyzing the concept you just explored. In this process you can gain as much from a failure as a success…

A few years ago, I bought a foot-wide pine board to use as a shelf. I set it in the garage, months went by, and when I got around to it, I found that the board had warped. I bought another board, mounted the shelf, and the warped board sat forgotten in a corner of the garage. Early this year, my husband ordered some bonsai tools, and they arrived wrapped in Japanese newspaper. Intrigued, I smoothed out the paper and set it aside. Then the shutdown happened. No weekly visits to local quilt shops for that perfect piece of fabric for my art quilts, no reason to sew any garments since I’m working from home, no wandering up and down the aisles looking for art supplies. Even trips to the…