Uncommon Threads - The Art Quilt Movement
I recently joined an art quilt group and spent all day yesterday in a class about painting textiles. It was great fun using the various methods and seeing the results. It would be easy for me to think I am taking part in something new. But in truth I am finally getting involved in a movement that started decades ago.
Another assumption we may have is that art quilting was a result of quilters turning to art. Gayle A. Pritchard's book, "Uncommon Threads: Ohio's Art Quilt Revolution", tells a far different story. We discover that after World War II there was a renewed interest in the arts and crafts. The country was prospering and people could afford to collect art. Art departments in universities and other schools expanded as more and more students chose art as their future profession.
These new artists were eclectic in their art using a great variety of materials. It's not surprising that they began to view textiles as a medium for works of art. A look at some of the early art quilters reveals that several were weavers first. You can see how it was just a short step to move from weaving to art quilts. By the mid 1970s the movement was well underway.
This and so much more fascinating information can be found in this book. If you are interested in the roots of art quilting "Uncommon Threads" will reveal the story. Go to Ohio University Press to read reviews on this book and to order it. Be sure to check out the links under Book Resources to view some fantastic art quilts! They are a sampling of the fascinating quilts you will see in the book.
