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Art Quilts

Category: <span>Art Quilts</span>

Art quilts, at first a curiosity in both the quilt and art worlds, are now a contemporary genre of their own. They reflect the artmakers’ vision and creativity as much as paintings do.

Beginning with fabric or other fiber-based materials, quilt artists conceive abstract or representational art. Fiber is their palette. Piecing, appliqué, thread painting, collage and more all play a role. Fiber artists create landscapes, portraits, abstract art or address social justice issues – any image they can conceive.

Art quilters are also referred to as fiber artists or textile artists. They use a wide variety of materials to make a visual impact with their work. Works can include surface design with paints or dyes, raw edge appliqué and a variety of media.

They work with traditional quilting methods or works in an improvisational style. Most of all, they are lifting fiber arts as a visual arts medium.

Browse through the art quilts and quilters for your own inspiration, then make your own.

Applique Art Quilts

Flirting

Spotlight: Karol Kusmaul, Fiber Artist

Karol Kusmaul made her first quilt as a project with her class of third grade students for a school fair. Now she makes graphic art quilts - portraits, landscapes and...

All You Need is Love by Kathy McNeil

Spotlight: Kathy McNeil, Appliqué Quilt Artist

Meet award-winning appliqué quilt artist Kathy McNeil! She began her creative journey as a young child, then later discovered the possibilities of making pictures from fabric. Her most challenging piece...

Lush Summer

Spotlight: Lucy Levenson, Folk Art Designer

Her brave use of color when combining fabric, stitch and paint sets Lucy Levenson apart from the crowd. With intricate details, her fanciful work invites an up close and personal...

Abstract Art Quilts

Touch of Color by Sherri McCauley

Spotlight: Sherri Lipman McCauley, Fiber Artist

A paint flinger. Sherri Lipman McCauley's description of her process does more than hint at her improvisational style. Sherri's art cloth begins with plain white fabric that she transforms into...

Kibun Mood by David Owen Hastings

Spotlight: David Owen Hastings, Textile Artist

David Owen Hastings is a textile artist whose work appeals to those who love organic processes and the beauty of nature, color and texture. David combines his monotype-printed paper with...

American Album

Spotlight: Alexis Deise, Contemporary Quilter

As a contemporary quilter, Alexis Deise works in series to focus and dig deeper into ideas that are important to her, all while honoring the women who built an enduring...

Thread Painted Art Quilts

Compassion

Spotlight: Hollis Chatelain, Textile Artist

Inspired by her humanitarian work in Africa, Hollis Chatelain creates art quilts that raise awareness of the human condition in the third world. Back in the States, she wanted to...

Thread Painting Alice

Thread Painting

Thread painting is a type of free motion embroidery where the thread "paints" images your quilt top - the quilt top is your canvas and the thread is your paint. I...

The Long Goodbye by Lea McComas

Spotlight: Lea McComas, Thread Painter & Fiber Artist

As Lea McComas travels the world and immerses herself in rich and vibrant cultures, her art reflects the human experience. With fabric and thread, she captures moments that highlight the...

Landscape Art Quilts

Rocky Mountain Poison quilt

Spotlight: Luana Rubin, Artist and Creative Entrepreneur

How do you spot Luana Rubin? She's the one with a gazillion balls in the air! Painter, photographer, art quilter, color forecaster, philanthropist, world traveler and fabric industry entrepreneur, Luana's...

Slot Canyon by Vicki Conley

Spotlight: Vicki Conley, Potter and Art Quilter

As a scientist, Vicki Conley loved doing research. It was while "researching" for a new job that she took a pottery class and never looked back. But she kept looking...

Cactus quilt at sunset

Spotlight: Susie Monday, Fiber Artist and Teacher

Raised in a creative home, at the age of 9 with the gift of a "real" artist box, Susie Monday became an Artist-with-a-Capital-A. She believed it, and so it was...

Modern Art Quilts

Homage by Jacquie Gering

Spotlight: Jacquie Gering, Modern Art Quilter

Jacquie Gering begins each quilt with an idea, but lets inspiration lead throughout her process, sometimes taking the work on unexpected, but welcome, turns. Known for her use of clean,...

Meeting of the Geese

Spotlight: Sylvia Schaefer, Modern Quilter

Can art and science get along? Of course they can! With a Ph.D. in marine science, Sylvia Schaefer approaches quilting from a scientist's point of view, always asking, "What if?"...

Flow by Geraldine Warner

Spotlight: Geraldine Warner, Fiber Artist

Fiber artist Geraldine Warner had never quilted, but knew she wanted to somehow paint with fabric. Working mostly with silk, she immerses herself in every part of the creative process,...

More Art Quilts

Canterbury #2 fiber art by Debbie Grifka

Spotlight: Debbie Grifka, Textile Artist

Debbie Grifka writes in her journal almost daily to help her work through details in her pieces. Her work is inspired by the beauty in life, wherever she finds it.…
Earthly Pleasures Reimagined fiber art by Diane Deery

Spotlight: Diane Deery, Landscape Artist

Diane Deery creates her hand-dyed silk fiber art in nature. You'll find her traveling the world to find unique rock formations that she uses to create texture with dyes on…
Jans X quilt by Mary Tabar

Spotlight: Mary Tabar, Fiber Artist

Mary Tabar draws, paints, is a dressmaker and quilter. She finds inspiration from art she sees and makes it her own. You'll find her experimenting with discharge to create her…
Mirror of the Soul fiber art by Mirjam Pet-Jacobs

Spotlight: Mirjam Pet-Jacobs, Mixed Media Artist

Mirjam Pet-Jacobs creates mixed-media art, including fiber, inspired by things she notices in society or things happening around her. Working in a series, you'll find Mirjam creating wall hangings, but…
Fall Fireweed 2 fiber art by Ree Nancarrow

Spotlight: Ree Nancarrow, Quilt Artist

Ree Nancarrow has been interested in art from a young age. She was introduced to quilting, and fiber arts became her medium of choice. A summer job in Alaska changed…
Homage to Alma Thomas for First Lady Michelle Obama at the Request of The Congressional Club in Washington D.C. fiber art by Cathy Fussell

Spotlight: Cathy Fussell, Fiber Artist

Cathy Fussell has been sewing since she was a young child. After retirement, she pursued quilting as a full-time occupation. Her daughter, an art student, came home from college and…
These Paths of Flint and Chalk by Samantha Boot

Spotlight: Samantha Boot, Textile Artist

Samantha Boot is a textile artist and quilter, specializing in the slow arts of hand stitch and natural color. She has always been a stitcher. During the pandemic, her desire to…
Fresh Outlook fiber art by Joan Sowada

Spotlight: Joan Sowada, Fiber Artist

Joan Sowada creates fiber art in a variety of styles, inspired by the people and world around her. She selects fabric combinations for her pieces that help her present an…
Das Grune Band fiber art by Heidi Drahota

Spotlight: Heidi Drahota, Fiber Artist

Heidi Drahota began to lose interest in her passion for watercolor painting. She rediscovered textiles and now creates detailed fiber art using a variety of fiber-based materials. Her work is…

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