Customer Reviews

500 Art Quilts: An Inspiring Collection of Contemporary Work (500 Series)

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My copy arrived in mid January of 2010. It is a fantastic book for the textile artist, art collector, and gallery owner. The book has 500 images of art quilts produced by 346 textile artists. The book features work from 1989 to 2008 by expert fiber artists from across the US.

Many pieces also have detail images to show some of the minute detail that is missed in the full size images. Representational, abstract, social, political, and environmental artworks are presented in this book with full contact information provided for all of the included artists.

A must have book and a great visual experience of color, design, texture, and inspiration.

This is a "must have" book for any art quilter, quilter, artist, and art/quilt enthusiast. I keep the book close to my favorite chair so that I can pick it up on a whim. Every time I look through the pages I see new and amazing things. A beautiful book that I hope will become a regular or semi-regular publication from Lark.

Whether or not you are an artist working in the medium of fiber and thread you will find it hard not to be swept away into the pages of this book. You'll find yourself having a wide range of emotional responses as you turn each page. Some images will make you smile, some will make you reflect on moments of your own life and some will make you stop and think not only about how the quilt was created but the "why" behind it. Shot on a pure white background the images are clear and and sharp with some close up views to highlight surface details.

Karey Patterson Bresenhan, the juror of the selected works in this book says in her introduction "To me, each of the art quilts in this book comes with a hidden life - a life that is ours to interpret and enjoy. The pieces on these pages are imagination personified" As you flip through the pages of this book it's easy to understand that statement because it truly is like taking a peek inside the artists imagination as you look at each quilt. This book belongs on the coffee table of every quilter, fiber artist and art lover where it can be picked up and savored over and over again.

This book is a beautiful collection of art quilts of all types, techniques and themes that will surely inspire and delight even the most experienced art quilter. Although I already own many publications of art quilts and fiber art, this book surprised me with new work of familiar quilt artists, coupled with images of innovative and unusual work by artists new to me. My only criticism would be that the pages aren't larger, and the quilts pictured have no personal comments from their makers. Nevertheless, this is a book well worth purchasing, to see such a vast array of styles and techniques, and to get an idea of the work being made in this medium around the world. As expected, Lark doesn't disappoint.

I received my invitation to partake in this book and was very honored when it arrived and saw my quilt on page 165 in all its glory. How proud I am to share this book with the other artists that are part of it. A great reference book for inspiration and reflection. A book for all of us to grow with. Thank you to the publishers for this opportunity. Hope to see more editions of this book.
Proudly I sign my name on this,
Wendy Strumwasser

This 8×8' book fits my great-to-look-at-in-bed criteria (not too big to hold up to peruse while reclining gracefully) and most of the art quilts are shown one per page. Each artwork is featured with the name of the artist, title, date, size (in inches and centimeters - a nice touch), materials and techniques. A lot of thought was obviously given to the placement of facing art quilts for maximum compatibility.

This IS a great book for those seeking inspiration; it is almost overwhelming seeing so many art quilts. 500 Art Quilts is the kind of book to keep at hand and peruse just a few pages at a time; there would always be something new and interesting with each turn of the page.

I did notice, whether due to the technical demands of printing or just as a sign of the times, that almost all of the artwork is in very saturated colors. The dates for the art quilts go back to at least 1989. I don't think art quilts from more than ten years ago are intrinsically more or less interesting than those made in the last two or three years, but I would have liked to have seen newer work from all the artists.

This comment should be read as a mere quibble beside the fact that such a fine survey book that can only bring more exposure to art quilts. Beautifully designed and beautifully printed, 500 Art Quilts will definitely entice those unfamiliar with art quilts to learn more, inspire those new to art quilting, and be a must-have addition to the library shelves of any fiber art enthusiast. Topping out at 432 pages, 500 Art Quilts is an uber-bargain with retail around $25.

I love this book. Though, surprisingly I have not seen many of the quilts in this book, I keep it on my nightstand to peruse before I go to bed. It is self explanatory - inspiring - and laid out so that the art piece speaks more than the words. The pieces in here are amazing and though I think I could never be an art quilter (as opposed to a quilt artist), there is much in here to encourage me to explore beyond my own boundaries.

500 Art Quilts showcases the breadth of the art quilt medium. A huge variety of styles and techniques are exhibited all in beautiful color. Quilts are created using commercial fabric, hand dyed and painted fabric and digitally designed and printed using modern technology. Then they are whole cloth, pieced, appliqued, painted, stitched upon by hand and machine. Besides being a treat to those of us who create in this medium, it wil raise public awareness of the art quilt. I am honored to have 3 quilts in this book including one, Lady of the Wood: Liberation, with a two page spread. Martha Sielman, executive director of Studio Art Quilt Associates wrote " there is something new and engaging to discover on every page page .... a must-have for every art lover, quilter, and fiber enthusiast." and I agree wholeheartedly.

Bought this book for my wife and a friend of hers, both free-motion quilters, because it is probably the definitive bopok on modern quilts. They both love it.

500 Art Quilts: An Inspiring Collection of Contemporary Work packs in gorgeous quilt art and offers a display of masterpieces perfect for any quilter seeking artistic inspiration. Many look almost like paintings as they provide photo-printed inspirations, landscapes, abstracts, geometric designs and more. A lovely collection, this stands out from the usual 'how to' quilter's guide offering plenty of artistic inspiration!