| What
is an Art Quilt & How To Display Them?
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| Art
Quilts |
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| Brief
History. Around the time of the American Bicentennial there
was resurgence in the interest of Quilts, and an exhibit at the Whitney
Museum helped validate Quilts as an art form. Today some 30 years
later, Art Quilts or Studio Quilts are held in numerous permanent
museums collections. Some of these pieces were created by artists
with academic training and degrees in fine art but have chosen to
work in this controversial medium. |
| Debate
Over Definition. Whether Art or Studio Quilts should be considered
Fine Art or Craft is widely debated. Even the basic criterion of an
Art Quilt is debatable. But let me share my criteria and definition
of an Art Quilt with the reader. Some believe if a quilt is made in
a non-traditional pattern, technique or material, it’s an Art
Quilt. I do not. I have more stringent criteria of an Art Quilt. I
believe a piece should be considered an Art Quilt if and only if the
artist’s works meets the following criteria |
| “(the
artist demonstrates) an exceptional understanding of the principles
of composition, color, design, line, texture, pattern and form;
and the work evidences a growth of ideas beyond the mere technical
handling of materials.”
Michael Monroe* |
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| Personally
I’m not concerned or interested in the debates. I consider myself
an Artist. I am self-taught artist. I approach design from an experimental
collage approach. I’m drawn to and compelled to explore line,
shape, and balance - especially asymmetrical. My works are primarily
Art Quilts created with fabric and thread. |
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| *Michael
Monroe. Former curator and director of the Renwick Gallery of the
Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. With former First Lady
Hillary Clinton, Monroe curated the White House Collection of American
Craft and wrote the book for the national tour. Monroe served as executive
director of the American Craft Council. |
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| Display
and Installations |
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| Matted
Collage |
| The
matted artwork I offer comes packaged in a clear protective envelope,
and is ready for framing. You can display your artwork in the protective
envelope until your ready to frame it according to your preferences.
Collages layered with quilt batting may require a shadow box type
frame. If you need any additional information about framing my matted
pieces, email me. |
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| Quilt
Art Tapestries |
| Depending
on the size of the piece, my Art Quilts can be displayed either |
Framed
or
Hung as tapestries from a either a hidden
or decorative curtain/tapestry rod.
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| Framed |
- Shadowbox
Frames.
Quilt Art Tapestries with a layer of quilt batting may require
a deeper framed called a shadowbox.
- Clear
Acrylic Frames. Some
large scale or public art pieces are displayed behind clear acrylic
frames or encased within acrylic cases, usually custom made.
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| Tapestry
Style Installation |
My
large and some of the small art quilts are constructed with a
4" long sleeve sewn along the top edge, and extends along
the width of the top to allow insertion of a tapestry rod. These
art quilts can easily be hung as a tapestry from either a hidden
curtain rod or one of the many decorative metal or wood
curtain rods on the market. A few basic tools
and hardware are required.
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Standard
Installation or Hidden
Rod Installation
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| Standard
Installation |
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| My
art quilts are constructed with a 4" long sleeve sewn along the
top edge, and extends along the width of the top. |
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| 1.First
extend the rod to the desired width. You can measure the rod directly
up against the top of the quilt. |
| 2. From
a height sufficient for the length of the piece, place the extended
rod up to the wall and adjust placement with a level. |
| 3. When
the rod is level, using a pencil lightly mark a point on the wall
at each end of the rod corresponding to the placement of the nail
to hold the rod. Then set the rod down. |
| 4. Hammer
the nails into the wall leaving enough of the nail out in order to
hold or support the rod from beneath. |
| 5. Insert
the rod into 4 inch sleeve, and place the ends of the rod to rest
upon the nails. |
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| Hidden
Rod Installation |
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| For
the hidden rod installation, the rod does not extend past
the edge of the quilt, and consequently is not visible from the front
when the piece is hung. |
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| 1.
For the "hidden" rod installation use an expandable metal
curtain rod which when expanded is less than the width of the pieces
so it won't be visible from the front when hung. |
| 2. Now
precede to step 1 of the Standard Installation
instructions. |
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| Installation
Tools & Hardware Required (not included) |
- Hammer,
- Pencil,
- 2
nails appropriate for the substrate of your walls,
- A
carpenters level. Available at Home Depot, or Menard's for about
$10,
- Curtain
or decorative tapestry rod. The rods show above are expandable
tension rods I purchased from Menard's.
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| How
to Care for an Art Quilt. Coming Soon !! |
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| Copyright
© 1997 -2005 Linda M. Olszanski. All rights reserved.
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