From 1965 through today, the art quilt movement has grown to become one of the most exciting art forms of the 21st century. Until now, there has not been a comprehensive, chronological history of the studio art quilt, which has become an international phenomenon. This feast for the eyes offers full-color images of 400 masterpieces along with engaging interviews and profiles of 58 influential artists, key leaders, important events, and significantcollections. Organized by decade, an additional 182 international artists' works are featured. An introduction by Janet Koplos, former senior editor of Art in America, and a conclusion by Ulysses Grant Dietz, emeritus chief curator of the Newark Museum, help us to understand the impact and the future of the art. This publication originated with Studio Art Quilt Associates, a non-profit professional organization founded in 1989 and now serving 3,500 members in nearly forty countries.

A pictorial showcase of the work of 40 contemporary art quilt masters from around the world. Up to a dozen quilts by each artist are shown, along with commentary by each artist.

These engaging works of art represent a range of styles across the abstract art spectrum. 300 gorgeous art quilts, bursting with color and excitement, capture the work of 124 major quilt artists from 18 countries. In-depth interviews with 29 of the artists help us understand their inspirations, their techniques, and their challenges. Learn about how Denyse Schmidt makes her color choices. Find out how Fumiko Nakayama first discovered the mola techniques for which she is famous. Discover why Sue Benner is drawn to plaids and why Deidre Adams likes old books. Participating artists come from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, the UK, and across the US.

Rachel May’s rich new book explores the far reach of slavery, from New England to the Caribbean, the role it played in the growth of mercantile America, and the bonds between the agrarian south and the industrial north in the antebellum era—all through the discovery of a remarkable quilt. While studying objects in a textile collection, May opened a veritable treasure-trove: a carefully folded, unfinished quilt made of 1830sera fabrics, its backing containing fragile, aged papers with the dates 1798, 1808, and 1813, the words “shuger,” “rum,” “casks,” and “West Indies,” repeated over and over, along with “friendship,” “kindness,” “government,” and “incident.” The quilt top sent her on a journey to piece together the story of Minerva, Eliza, Jane, and Juba—the enslaved women behind the quilt—and their owner, Susan Crouch. May brilliantly stitches together the often-silenced legacy of slavery by revealing the lives of these urban enslaved women and their world. Beautifully written and richly imagined, An American Quilt is a luminous historical examination and an appreciation of a craft that provides such a tactile connection to the past.

Learn how our creative development is shaped by experiences that isolate us from other people. The insightful words of 97 contemporary quilt artists combine with evocative photos of their quarantine creations during the COVID-19 pandemic's first months. Giving us a fascinating perspective, these visual and personal stories of concerns, despair, and ideas can help connect our own experiences with pandemic to the larger world of creativity. Topics include Coronavirus Circling the Globe; Home Is Where the Art Is; Be Smart, Be Vigilant; Pandemic Patterns; Pandemic Landscapes; and Politics and Protest. Learn from makers' notes, their reactions to and experiences with COVID-19, and the visual results of creators' new ways of thinking.

This high-powered mix for all who make and appreciate contemporary art quilting begins the creativity-inspiring series Exploring Art Quilts with SAQA. Its book-and-journal-blend format with 350 photos reveals today's latest work and designs and also serves as a long-term creative reference. Be inspired by interviews, gorgeous art quilt photos, and current creations by members of Studio Art Quilt Associates, Inc. (SAQA), the renowned international organization dedicated to promoting the art quilt. Meet 16 artists living around the world, including stories on their beginnings as art quilters. Peer at every detail in photos from four of SAQA's recent exhibitions, showing the range of content being produced today. A series of articles examine art being made in various locales; France, Japan, and the United Kingdom are included in this volume. Finally, learn from the work of SAQA's Juried Artist members in 10 themed image galleries highlighting the range and complexity of their art.