Quilting Arts Magazine Fall 2022

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Editor’s Note

It’s taken a lifetime, but at this point in my artistic journey it feels like I’ve tried my hand at nearly every art or craft.

Art quilts are becoming more widely showcased beyond quilt shows and specialty galleries. The Quilting Arts Magazine Fall 2022 issue explores how contemporary fiber artists have made their mark on the greater art world, from Quilt National participation, launching solo shows, and creating their own artist residency programs.
Download your copy of **Quilting Arts Fall 2022** today!

Yes, that’s an exaggeration, but when you consider I was born with a needle in one hand, a pencil in the other, and inherited the tendency to hoard art supplies from my mom, the only crafts left on the list involve large equipment and fire (no weaving or welding in my future!) Some of the artists featured in this issue of Quilting Arts share my passion for delving into multiple art forms, while others are more single-minded in their approach. Whichever category you fit in, I’m sure you’ll agree: every time you test the waters in a different medium, you learn something new.

Margarita Korioth’s *Dye Transfer Sheet* technique is next on my list of projects!

It is for that reason that I yearn to set up a quilting studio in a shared workspace with artists who work in different genres. I would love to learn about perspective and composition from a painter; to explore transparency with a glass blower; to discuss art history with a portrait painter; and to throw a pot or two with the guidance of a skilled ceramicist. Along the way, I would share my specialty: manipulating fabric and thread to create compositions nuanced with texture and meaning. Wouldn’t that be fun?

I was able to live that dream surreptitiously recently. In preparation for my interview with Jane Davila and the feature on her workspace I visited her studio and was ‘wowed’ by the depth and breadth of artistry I saw over the course of a few hours. Working in a shared space with dozens of other artists results in an energy that is impossible to recreate on your own. The serendipity of meeting up with another artist at the communal slop sink (an artist’s equivalent of convening at the office water cooler) has so much appeal. Artists need these spaces to gather and talk about art, think about art, and live the creative life. What a gift to work in a creative melting pot. But how can those of us who don’t work in a communal setting make that happen?

Jane Davilia’s studio in Bridgeport, Connecticut is featured in this issue. Photo by Daniel Recinos

For many art quilters, the answer is to intentionally explore options in small groups, share their art with the public, or even working in a different setting. This issue of Quilting Arts Magazine touches on some of the ways communities are built and the individual’s artistry is enhanced. Sometimes spreading the love of an art form is done on a very personal level, such as by Mel Beach’s HeArts are for Giving project, while other times the impact is from a more formal approach. You’ll learn about the long history and impact of Quilt National, one of the most prestigious art quilt venues in the world; explore new artwork from Haven, a SAQA Global Exhibition making its debut at the 2022 International Quilt Festival, Houston; and get some practical advice about showing your work from artists whose experience has led to great success.

Mel Beach shares this lovely project with our readers. It is also the basis for the next *Quilting Arts Reader Challenge* and art swap!

In addition, if you are ready for a more introspective experience that will help you hone your skills, consider applying for an artist in residency. And if you haven’t applied in the past or if that artist residency you applied for didn’t pan out, you do have options. Sue King shares her experience with a focus on self-directed residencies. This option and be a game-changer for some artists.

Quilting Arts has been a big part of each of the greater fiber community since its inception more than 20 years ago. As we delve deeper into new quilting trends, uncover past treasures, and explore opportunities for personal artistic growth, we’re so happy our readers are along for the ride. Every issue brings a sense of hope that with our art, we can learn more about ourselves, our world, and create an artistic legacy in fabric and thread. Thank you to all of the artists who made this issue a reality!

Best,

Free Online Extras!

Check out these free extras from this issue

Learn more about free motion quilting with Ana Buzzalino in the video below.

Download Ana’s Apple Pattern

A Sampling of Featured Articles and Techniques

Show Your Work!

Susan Brubaker Knapp shares her own insight as well as that from other artists about creating solo shows that focus on art quilts.

The Last Word

The story behind Shoni Maulding’s “Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Banner” is a moving example of making quilts with a purpose.

Hearts are for Giving

Mel Beach shares her technique of creating stitched hearts to gift and trade

Apply Bold Texture to Wholecloth Quilts

Ana Buzzalino updates her technique of creating painted and stitched quilts by adding textural quilting in the background.

Bowsers and Wowsers

Check out the amazing pet-inspired quilts from Quilting Arts Readers! “My Little Flower Child” by Patti Louise Pasteur is one of our favorites.

Gossip Backgrounds

Text is the star in Margarita Korioth’s latest surface design technique.

Haven’t picked up your copy of Quilting Arts Magazine? Why not subscribe today and have it sent to your door! Each issue is full of beautiful and inspiring art quilts; cutting-edge techniques to add color, texture, and interest to your fiber art; and interviews with today’s top art quilters. Don’t miss an issue – subscribe today!