News
BOOK REVIEWS:
(www.SAQA.com now offers an exciting array of books by members for sale in the SAQA Store, including hard-to-find copies of "Quilting Transformed" and "The Potter and the Muse".
Masters: Art Quilts curated by Martha Sielman, Lark Books, 2008, ISBN 978-1-60059-107-5, $24.95, 414 pages, index.My book has been selling extremely well to excellent reviews. It reached 771st in sales on Amazon.com yesterday, which is unheard of for this type of book. Also, I can now include an actual review, courtesy of Publishers Weekly: "Art quilts have long since moved from covering beds to hanging on walls, and this collection of 40 artists' works, gathered and introduced by Sielman, executive director of Studio Art Quilts Associates and an art quilter herself, is ample evidence why. Ranging from the United States and Canada through Europe to Israel, South Africa, Japan and New Zealand, these quilters show the beauty and imagination of fine art and a vast variety of styles and materials. Noriko Endo's forests look like pointillist paintings, while Susan Shie's pieces are reminiscent of Lynda Barry in the density of image and hand-lettered words. Pamela Allen recycles beads, safety pins and sewing machine bobbins in Crone of Crazy; Wendy Huhn's surrealist dreamscapes include vintage fabrics and stenciled images. Each artist is represented by 10 works, some with details, as well as the artist's comments on inspirations and the works' meaning; many refer to the layering of fabric as a form of layering time, the opposite of what archeologists do. While it's sometimes difficult to see all the texture of these quilts in flat photographs, the wealth of color and pattern is worthwhile in itself. Color photos throughout. (June)"
P.S. It's cheaper to buy this book through Amazon.com, and that helps its sales rankings. However if you buy it through the SAQA Store, I will autograph your copy and 55% of the purchase price will be donated to Studio Art Quilt Associates, Inc.
Accidental Landscapes by Karen Eckmeier, The Quilted Lizard, 2008, ISBN 978-0-9792033-1-2, $21.95, 64 pages, list of resourcesKaren specializes in teaching simple ways to create beautiful landscapes. Each project is described in clear, step-by-step instructions with many suggestions for how to personalize your quilted artwork to reflect your own special landscape image. As Karen says, "This [method is] spontaneous, quick and playful." Each landscape will turn out different and unique. Enjoy!
Contemporary Quilt Art by Kate Lenkowsky, Indiana University Press, 2008, ISBN 978-0-253-35124-1, $34.95, hardcover, 290 pages, resource lists, glossary, notes, indexIf you've been talking to your friends and family about art quilts and getting a lot of blank looks, you need this book. It's divided into three sections with full color images throughout. The first section gives a history of art quilting, the second section profiles 19 important artists, and the third section gives advice about all aspects of collecting art quilts. Profiled artists' careers are described in detail with at least five images of their work in glorious color. Artists included are: Liz Axford, Susan Brandeis, Rachel Brumer, Pauline Burbidge, Elizabeth Busch, Jean Williams Cacicedo, Dorothy Caldwell, Kyoung Ae Cho, Nancy Crow, Nancy Erickson, Carole Harris, Ana Lisa Hedstrom, Marilyn Henrion, Michael James, Jan Myers-Newbury, Rise Nagin, Joy Saville, Joan Schulze and Julie John Upshaw. The third section on buying and collecting is very helpful as this type of information is not readily available. It includes information about some well-known collectors, tips on working with an art consultant or commissioning a piece, as well as advice on where to see and buy art quilts, display and storage issues, and insurance. A beautiful coffee table book that is also an important resource handbook.
Needle Felting with Cotton and Wool by Jennifer Kooy Zoeterman & Linda Lenich, That Patchwork Place, 2008, ISBN 978-1-56477-796-6, $19.95, 64 pagesThis is an interesting approach to needle felting because it combines wool and cotton fabrics together. The authors own a quilt shop and are therefore drawn to both types of fabric. Good, easy to follow instructions on the basics of needle felting are followed by nine projects for using this technique to create quilts, pillows and other decorative objects. My favorites are the two lovely wall quilts, because their larger size seems to work best with the stiffer wool appliqué shapes.
The Quilter's Catalog by Meg Cox, Workman Publishing, 2008, ISBN 978-0-7611-3881-5, $18.95, 598 pages, index, lists, patternsThis is a tremendous book. It has a little bit of everything you'd ever want to know about quilting: history, tools, fabric, shops, books, magazines, web sites, teachers, beginner projects, shows, tours, retreats, museums and more. While most of the photos are in black and white (except for the project samples), it's an absolutely amazing resource for quilters of all types. Keep this book handy for whenever you need to find a source or are looking for new ideas.
