A friend asked me a few weeks ago... why is it so many people don't view quilting as a legitimate art. Noses go into the air and statements are said.
1. It's just a quilt.
2.It's folkart.
3.My granny made quilts, but not like that.
4.That's not fine art.
And on an on..........
Well, in the opinion of those of us that make these awesome works of art, yes quilting can be fine art. Quilts can comfort, but they can also be stimulating. Quilts can open your eyes to the beauty of color, movement, and texture just as a fine painting or collage. Quilting is expensive as a hobby, art, and career. We take our art serious and strive to do our best work that would make our mothers proud.
I have several friends that have been blogging and I've really enjoyed what they've shared. Now it's time for me to get off my lazy bottom and take the time to share also. I'm a great procrastinator and hope that blogging will help me to stay more on task to finish those UFO's screaming to be finished.
From time to time I'll post boring things.
Today I had a friend, Sonya Anderson, over and she was able to quilt on my Gammill quilting machine to finish a gift. While she played, I was able to finish some rust dye fabric that had been aging. They are rinsed and hanging. Here is also a picture of what I've made from a piece of this beautiful rust dyed fabric.
i love the look of the rust dyed fabric and what you did is beautiful. so sad to think it will deteriorate, though. isn
ReplyDeletet there anything to stop that?????
joan in indiana
I think I am one that says "it's just a quilt"... although I know it's also art... an art, a skill, an exercise and just plain fun when it all works.
ReplyDeleteHope you find yourself on target with the blog...
Beth-Near Chicago
The rust fabric in the art wall quilt will last past my lifetime. It is layered and stitched to death never to be washed again. I can live with that with confidence. Sounds like another great idea for a post to question the life of the fabric. Thanks for reading my post.
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ReplyDeleteI just recently attended Art-A-Whirl with Steph and an elderly man who came in asked us this question. "What is the difference between Art and Crafts?" After a lenthy conversation with him, he left me with my new motto that I will never forget. It is "The difference between Art and Crafts is an Illusion." I think this is the best explanation I have ever heard. I think many of you would agree.
ReplyDeleteLee, that is probably the best expaination I've read yet. It's all in the perception of the viewer. Does a painting take any longer or any more skill that creating an art quilt? No. Both take skill, time, resources, patience, etc. When a quilter can sell an art quilt for $40,000+ dollars, I call that mighty fine art.
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ReplyDeleteSorry, I need to re-post the last message because I wrote something backwards from the way I meant it. Here is what I really meant to say.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that the conversation with him really sent me in a different direction. As you and Steph both know, I have never considered myself an artist, only a crafter. After talking with him I realized that Crafting is an Art and truly is in the eye of the beholder. I now believe there is art in everything we do. While I have always admired the longarm quilting you and many other big name quilters do as Art, I never considered what I did was art. I think the word Art should be used to describe everything. For example: Even an author who writes a book could be considered an artist of words. The only problem I now see is that there are too many critics out there deciding what is and isn't art. I think it is time for Artists to Unite and stamp out artistic ignorance.