Quilting Arts Magazine October/November 2020
Editor’s Note
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how art influences different parts of our lives. My son’s guitar strumming filters into my home office and reminds me of concerts from the past. As I start humming along, his music makes the hours slip away. Likewise, I hear a podcast that mentions a painting by Van Gough, and I’m transported to a museum and am standing in front of the artwork again, observing my daughter as she experienced the art in person for the very first time. Suddenly, the flowers I’m arranging take on new meaning. The serendipitous fall of light through a window creates a transparency effect when it hits a bowl, and the next thing I know, I’m pulling similar colored fabrics from my stash and trying to recreate the color shifts. I’m acutely aware that as life imitates art, art also influences daily experiences.
Certain art quilts have that same effect: they made such strong impressions that every time I’m reminded of them, the memory influences what I’m thinking or doing. “Clementine” is one of those quilts.
Last February I had the opportunity to soak up lots of modern inspiration at QuiltCon in Austin, Texas.
This show was the last large event (that I know of) in the quilt industry prior to the nation-wide shutdown. As I walked the aisles and viewed the exhibits, it was clear that so much in this genre had changed since the first QuiltCon was held in 2013. Some of the changes were predictable: technical expertise and workmanship had improved; the modern design aesthetic had matured; the range of subject and genre had widened.
But what was more eye-opening to me was that more of the quilts were pure art, and they were unapologetically meant to be viewed that way. “Clementine” was made with a modern aesthetic but using art quilting techniques.
This quilt might have been viewed differently by the QuiltCon audience in 2013. Modern quilting – modern art quilting, to be more specific, has come a long way.
This issue is filled with examples of contemporary quilts that fit into both modern and art genres. We’re fortunate to have a gallery of eight fabulous examples of winning quilts from QuiltCon 2020 that span the spectrum of color, technique, and subject matter.
In addition, the modern interpretation of the human form is explored in depth by both our profile artists, Earamichia Brown and Yoshiko Kurihara.
Techniques for indigo vat dyeing, Indian-inspired quilting, and improvisational piecing are also explored.
All of these quilts and techniques are informed, influenced, and inspired by art and culture that extends far beyond quilting.
I can’t let this issue go to press without mentioning a milestone: eight years ago, Kristine Lundblad joined the editorial team at Quilting Arts. Together, we’ve brought 50 issues of this magazine to our readers. I’ve often felt that without Kristine’s attention to detail, our mutual passion for art quilts, and strong friendship, Quilting Arts would be an entirely different publication.
Cheers to the next 50 issues!
Best
**NOTE: The image at the top of the page is a detail of “Seasons” by Terry S. Peart.
Featured Articles
Reader Challenge
In this issue of Quilting Arts we feature nine art quilts from our readers that reflect the theme of looking back… and the phrase, “My, how you’ve changed!”
Artist Profile
Meet Earamichia Brown, a talented artist who explores portraiture and so much more in her art.
More Techniques
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