are you an artist - are your quilts art?

I am an artist, and some of my quilts are art. I consider myself lucky that I have a foot in both the artquilt and traditional quilt worlds. I love them both and wouldn't want to choose between them. I like the word "art quilt," though you could argue that there are better terms: fabric art, collage, quiltart. You could argue that I don't really make traditional quilts since I avoid hand work and readily make use of freemotion techniques, metallic threads, and modern batiks, and apply them to traditional block and medallion frameworks. I'm comfortable with where I fit in and am having a blast.

--Lia

Musicmaker wrote:

My quilts run into both categories, art and traditional. I love traditional quilts however art is my way of expressing my love of color. Journey of an Art Quilter by Barbara Olson is a wonderful book. I also love Inspiration Odyssey by Diana Swim Wessel, The Painted Quilted by Linda & Laura Kemshall and Color and Composition for the Creative Quilter by Katie Pasquini Masopust and Brett Barker.

Drawing is something I really need to develop more, keeping on track. I am easily derailed! LOL

Piece,

Marsha in nw, OH

Hello, you artists! I joined the group just a couple of days ago and have hoping there are art quilters "out there". I vowed a year ago never to buy another pattern. Sometimes I weaken, but I want to spend my time on original works. Won a few quilt shows, but am not doing it as a profession, just in spare time around my full-time job

Hmm. All my quilts are art quilts, imo. Yes?

Karen, Queen of Squishies

Your resolution to make the leap to original works caught my eye. I don't know what sort of quilts you've been making, but if you're drawn to pieced quilts, either block or medallion, may I recommend Doreen Speckman's _Pattern Play_? It may be hard to find, so get _Adventures with Peaky and Spike_ if you can't get it. But PP is far more complete. I find it's just the thing to break out of using others' patterns and start creating your own.

--Lia

Nope, I consider myself a craftsman. I aspire to be a good one, but what I create isn't art. When I look at an "art" quilt, I consider that the artist used their love of fabric to create something they would have done in another medium if that had been their passion. They use their imagination to create. I need a pattern. And someone to choose the colors, although I think I'm getting better at it.

I can sing, I have a very good ear for pitch. I have no sense of rhythm. I think that's why I'm having such a hard time doing free motion. I mean it is so bad they took the sticks away from me in rhythm band in first grade.

The only skill I am ever jealous of is the ability to draw. I think if I had been able to do that, I would do it all day long.

Cindy

I am a retired artist who developed allergies to the various media. Since I was a sewer, I switched from canvas and paper to fabric and now do art quilts You can see my quilts on my web site below my siggie where I try to apply my God given talent to quilts.

RITA! You're still here! You inspired me a long time ago, when I saw the quilt you had made based on your husband's house key!! I though that was so cool, I started looking at everyday things and seeing the patterns.

There is a gallery owner here in town who asks everyone who comes in, "Are you an artist?" Nearly everyone, when coaxed, admits to some sort of creative outlet. I think that once you get adventurous that your pasttime can become your art. It can be gardening (who would argue that Olmstead was NOT an artist?), it can be making useful items which are also beautiful, or it can be making simply decorative items. After all, we become civilized when we recognize that the things we use every day can be beautiful - making items which are strictly decorative is just the next step in evolution.

Wow, after looking through the work on these links I'm thinking of going back to bed and maybe taking up stamp collecting for a hobby.

Seriously, I started quilting in 2001 when I took a class with a friend. I never finished that project, instead using what I learned in that class to make huge, ugly and incredibly warm fleece quilts for my sons -- two layers of fleece. I bought fabric, read magazines, but didn't really do anything with quilting until I found myself very sick and without a career in 2003. I started very small and sort of piddled until a bit over two years ago when I got serious. And then I discovered "art quilts".

I've been told all my life that I have zero artistic ability. I ached to make something beautiful and express what was inside me, but couldn't. Now, I'm trying to break out and maybe in some tiny way make something that says what I feel. Art? I don't know. I'm reading books and studying. And I'm turning loose and flinging fabric around like crazy.

I think I am a "Quilt Maker". Some of my quilts keep people warm. Some keep my soul warm. The designation ART ends up being put there by somebody else. From what I see, everybody here commits art on a regular basis. Just in different ways.

Sunny (Hey Susan, I'm sooooo glad you're here!!)

LOL They took the sticks away from me too... But I have square danced for many years, and have done Middle Eastern dance too. Love to sing, but have trouble keeping on key.

As far as quilts.... many of the old traditional quilts are considered works of art. I think that most of the time when you make a quilt you are creating a form of art.... often useful art, art with a practical purpose. That is part of why patchwork "patterns" came about-- as a way to create something lovely as well as practical from "leftovers". "Art" is nebulous word... there are those who work in more traditional "art" media (such as oils and watercolor) who are considered to be "technically proficient" but without "soul", they are still considered artists, not "Craftsmen" Those who only do something like "paint by numbers" may not be artists but they are still working in an "art" medium. I think that when you create a quilt, even when using a pattern designed by someone else you are creating a work of art. You put a bit of yourself into the final project, and can tell yours from another quilt made with the same pattern. Not sure that sewing together a precut kit would be art though...or maybe it is the "art" of the designer and cutter, and the person sewing the pieces together is a craftsman.

There is a discussion of this in one of the current magazines.... And I am still not sure myself. But my husband says that I am an artist.... and while he is biased, he is an outside opinion.

Pati, > Nope, I consider myself a craftsman. I aspire to be a good one, but what I

What makes a quilt an "art quilt"? I have a very traditional -- mostly black & white -- log cabin quilt hanging in my living room. It is old, made by DH's grandmother (or maybe great-grandmother, we're not sure & nobody who might know is still alive). I am sure Grandma made it for a bed cover and would not have considered it art, but I do, because it is very graphic.

My mother made woven rag rugs from old clothes. She would have been very surprised to have learned that anyone thought there was an element of artistry in her very utilitarian rugs. However, I think she had a good eye for color in the way she mixed colors in her rugs. She also made very simple, very utilitarian quilts from old polyester clothing. Again, they showed a good sense of color, though she would have been amazed to have anyone suggest there was anything artistic about them.

Julia in MN

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Musicmaker wrote:

Good thoughts, Pati. I don't consider myself an artist, and don't consider my quilts "art". But, thinking again, some *are* completely unique and I guess I "created" that uniqueness. So, maybe that's a form of art/expression on its own, no?

Sherry

If you want to learn drawing may I suggest 'Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards. I am not a natural artist (but try hard!) and found that book gave me an "aha" moment and helped me a lot. IMHO anyone can draw if they want to....and with some guidance as to how to get started if that is the hard part.

Allison

glad to meetcha, Susan. welcome to the greatest newsgroup in the world!

Musicmaker

the reason I even asked the original question is because of recent thoughts I've had about who's musical? Who's artistic? Who's creative? Seems to me that there might be a difference between skilled and artistic. Just as there is a difference between skilled and musical. From what I've been thinking about, not only is everyone musical, everyone is creative, and everyone is artistic. That ISN'T the same as skilled. If you haven't been trained in the music basics of rhythm and pitch, you probably can't carry a tune. Doesn't mean that you aren't musical - just that you aren't trained. Same with quilting - Just because you've never taken the plunge into personal expression via fabric batting and thread etc, doesn't mean you aren't an artist.

from another direction of thought - there are extremely skillful musicians out there who play other people's music really well, right off the page. The performance is musical, but if the music isn't from inside of them and isn't stamped with their own personal style, then is it really the same as someone like George Winston sitting down at the keys and mesmerizing people with interpretations and styles that are solely his own? If I sit down and make a wall quilt from a kit, then it's someone else's artistry and my skill, no matter how cool the quilt. But if I take an existing pattern and create something with it that's definitely an original version, like what Goerge Winston does with familiar tunes, then I think that we've moved into the artist category. Musicmaker

It's interesting - dozens of people have told me that they've always wanted to play the piano but there have been reasons not to. I just started a 74 yr old lady who not only has 'ached' to play the piano for herself, she saved an ad from 2006 all this time and finally called. If you're trying to break out - you're doing the right thing for yourself. You're an artist.

Musicmaker

Hello Susan! Welcome to the Land of RCTQ. We have fun here, no moderator, no rules. The only thing you really need to know is that it is very wise to have your chocolate vetted. Just send a pound or two to the Office of the Official Chocolate Taster of RCTQ, which is in my Palace here in Virginia. I will test and taste and report back via email. You don't have to thank me ... this is my unselfish volunteer duty in RCTQ. A tough job, but someone's got do it. :)

Pat In Virginia/USA

Still here Tina. Though not quilting since am in constant pain , cannot do much anymore and on oxygen 24/7. You've made me very happy about your comments about inspiration and I thank you for it. Agree with your 2nd paraagraph totally.

Sherry

Cindy