Monday 19 May 2014

Discovering The Beauty Of Fiber Art Quilts

By Arline Bradley


Announcing a little-known art form! If you love color, design, and fine craftsmanship, fiber art quilts are for you. If you are an artist, this form of expression can expand your horizons. If you are looking for bold decorations or useful accessories for your home, you really need to explore this niche of fine art.

Go online to learn more about creations made of fabric, thread, and decorative objects chosen by the artist to enhance the effect. You'll find quilts to use as wall hangings or as bed coverings, of course, but also pillows, table runners, coasters, placemats, and other pieced, quilted, and embroidered objects.

Only the imagination of the creator limits the impact these pieced, quilted, and embroidered objects have. Many artists are inspired by nature, but their approach can be very different. Online galleries will show you realism and abstraction in equal measure. You'll see charming silhouettes of birds or ships at sea, garden flowers in full color, or rustic landscapes. Other artists use more abstract shape and color to evoke the emotions nature inspires.

Many of the designs are bursts of abstract color, shape, and energy. Some artists use geometric shapes and lines, either done with color or with stitching. Others use fabrics and thread as freely as the masters used paint to make their work explode off the wall. The variety you'll see in this art form is as wide as in any other.

Many artists have their own websites. By visiting a site, you can learn more about the artist, his or her vision, and the ways they express their view of the world in fabric and thread. Many have won awards at major shows or been honored by having their work exhibited in important public places. The sites may have calendars listing exhibits or shows where works can be seen and perhaps purchased.

Fabrics can be almost anything, but cottons are popular, in batiks and chintzes. Foil-stamping and metallic thread are sometimes used to highlight designs. Different effects are achieved by using patterned, dyed, and painted cloth, and texture is supplied by mixing fabrics. You may see beads, shells, feathers, wire, cording, and other accents as well.

Both machine and hand embroidery are used to make these one-of-a-kind creations. Each artist has his or her own technique and distinctive style of threadwork, as well as color sense and use of shape, line, and texture. One artist suggests that her works be endlessly explored by changing the angle at which they are hung to get different perspectives on her designs.

This is truly art, not a crafter's imitation of it. It really must be seen to be believed by those of us who haven't been aware of this niche. This is an affordable way to bring art into your home, or you may want to visit galleries and exhibits to simple appreciate what artists have achieved using fabric and thread - and, of course, imagination, talent, and skill.




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