500 Art Quilts

An amazing new book was recently published, called "500 Art Quilts, An Inspiring Collection of Contemporary Work".  Karey Patterson Bresenhan, the founder and president of Quilts, Inc., and the director of the International Quilt Festival, selected these works of art.

Personally, I agree with Karey's reference in this book that "Twenty years ago, the issue of whether quilting should be considered an art or a craft was a big question".  Quilting has come a long way and this book clearly draws appropriate tribute and recognition to the quilt artists that are represented in the collection of 500 Art Quilts in this amazing book, published by Lark Books, a division of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. and edited by Ray Hemachandra.

The quilts in this collection are made in fabric, or other media, and represent a diverse collection of designs and techniques.  All of the artists represented are very talented and have utilized fiber and thread to allure the reader into enjoying their contemporary art.

There is minimal text in this book, allowing the reader to enjoy the art and let each piece speak to the reader, as great art does.  There is joy, sadness, nature, mystery, intrique, humor, love, whimsical, scenic, romance and more are represented in these beautiful pieces of art all beautifully photographed and displayed in this delightful book.

{above} Desiree Dianne Habict, Crepe Paper Poppies, 2006. 
Fabric, ink, beads, crystals, yarn;hand painted, thread worked, sewn.

{above} Melinda Bula, Social Climber Roses, 2005.
Cotton, rayon thread, fusible applique';machine quilted.

{above} Maureen O'Doogan, Me and the Pelican, 2008
Cotton; needle felted, fused, raw-edge, appliqued, free-motion quilted.

{above} Terri Stegmiller, Blue-Mers Paper Quilt, 2008
Cotton, interfacing, thread, newspaper, book pages, tissue paper, textile paint, glue, acrylic paint, ink, charcoal; collaged, glued, free motion stitched.



This book belongs on the coffee table of every quilter, fiber artist and art lover where it can be picked up and savored over and over again.


Artists in this book include:   Charlotte Bird,  Melinda Bula,  Jamie Fingal, Desiree Dianne Habicht,
Shelly Pagliai,  Judy Coates Perez,  Terri Stegmiller, Mary Tabar,  and many more amazing artists from places all over the world. 

Some might think that only fibre artists may enjoy this book, but I believe this book would be enjoyed by all quilters, as well as anyone that admires high quality contemporary art.  It is a wonderful book that can be admired over and over again.

As I've been asked by many people, as to where you can purchase a copy of this amazing book, here are some sources that have this book for sale:

Larkbooks.com

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble

Copyright Notice:  All photos displayed in this article are copyright protected.  Permission was given by Lark Books, a Division of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. to be used in this article.  Please do not use or print these photos without seeking permission by the publisher.