Art Quilt Portfolio: The Natural World: Profiles of Major Artists, Galleries of Inspiring Works - Softcover

"National Geographic, take note: the first installment in the anticipated Art Quilt Portfolio series, The Natural World by Martha Sielman, may just steal some of your readers away. With the overarching theme of nature, this book profiles 19 of the world's most respected contemporary fiber artists and the influence that the natural world has on their work. Each artist's thoughts, techniques, and processes are explained eloquently, and their work creates a cohesive gallery of exquisite quilts. Work from an additional 77 artists is also included in this volume, expanding on the themes explored by the profile artists. Quilts of flowers, insects, animals, and more are beautifully presented in these galleries. The techniques used by these artists represent the full range of textile art today-dyeing, painting, embroidery, machine quilting, collaging, and more. If there is one criticism, it would be that some of the pictures are too small. The quilts cry out for a closer look, or even a traveling exhibit. However, the quantity and quality of the photographs in the book are impressive and, perhaps, an acceptable trade-off. Make a space in your library for this one and, if future volumes in the series are as good, you just might need to dedicate a whole shelf in anticipation." --Quilting Arts, Kristine Lundbald "This volume includes work inspired by flowers, trees, water, leaves, animals, insects and birds. Several artists--including my friend Nancy G. Cook--are spotlighted in sections that include several examples of their work. I really enjoyed reading these profiles, as they include information about the artists' inspiration, techniques, and influences." --Susan Brubaker Knapp "The artist interviews were revealing and one of my favorite parts. The artists chosen have explored the natural world in depth, often as metaphors for their own lives and circumstances. This book would be a great gift to a nature lover who perhaps is not familiar with the art quilt. The images are arresting, interesting, and varied. There is very little use of abstraction in the artworks showcased so the volume can be enjoyed by those who just like to look at nature in all its glory." --Virginia Spiegel "Overall, it's a lovely book with a wide range of work and much of it not seen before, a great addition to one's art quilt library--I look forward to further editions in this series." --Elizabeth Barton

This lavish collection of art quilts, all focused on the natural world, inaugurates a gorgeous new series on one of the most popular topics in needlework. Each entry celebrates one of the themes that quilters love best. Every book will feature profiles of the top artists who specialise in that subject, along with nearly 90 amazing gallery images. With the explosion of art quilt exhibits, the blockbuster success of previous books on the subject, and the author's growing renown, quilters will find this inspirational compilation a must-have.