The phenomena has always been with us. We have the artists, and we have the art critics. We have the quilters, and we have the art quilters (never the twain shall meet, according to some). Then, we have the quilt historians, who attempt to assess quilts and place them within a context. Many of those individuals are NOT quilters, or have made only a feeble stab at learning to quilt. In summary, there are those who do the actual work of creating something, (quilts), for others to either appreciate, or to denigrate, as suits them.

When is a quilt to be considered art? “Art is in the eye of the beholder,” or so it is said. However, “art” is also in the intention of the quilter.

Today, many people, especially baby-boomers who have wanted a change of direction in their lives, have left former occupations, for both medical and mental health reasons. They have sought creative outlets, and they have found that quilting is a good venue for self-expression. Quilting can garner a few sheckles, too, besides getting these folks noticed via various showings of their work in galleries, etc.

Today’s “so-called” art quilters approach quilting from varying viewpoints, and on a number of levels, but usually need a quick turn-around time for finishing a piece because they want to sell it. This sometimes results in poor workmanship. Mostly, it seems that people who tag themselves with the name of “art quilter” do not often take the time to solidly learn the basics of traditionally acceptable quilting practices. Their goal is mainly to express themselves.

One cannot generalize about a large group of people, with any certainty, but it does appear that they engage in quilting as a way to share their feelings about life’s challenges, disappointments, joys, discoveries, as well as their angst and anger at situations in which they have been victimized: incest, partner abuse, and more. No one shoe will fit all, and I am sure that no person, art quilter or not, would like to be summarily lumped into a category. Above all, they are individuals.

Each person has his/her own reason for making a quilt.

Personally, I am both an artist and a crafter. My early experiences were as an oil painter and needleworker. My formal art training is in art history, not studio art. My certification is as a “master craftsman in quilting.” That means that I learned how to do all types of quilting and embroidery and was able to prove my proficiency in quilting techniques by passing a series of tests. I am happy that I signed up for the national testing program, and I am happy that I now know how to do many needlework techniques, as a result of the motivation the program instilled in me, to learn on my own.

When I made a baby quilt recently, I considered myself a technician, a “crafter,” not because I used anyone else’s design but rather because of the simplicity of the design, (squares), and because I chose to quickly finish the quilt by machine quilting it.

On the other hand, when I design every facet of a quilt, from my own imagination, choosing the shapes, the colors, and the choice of materials, such as I did when I made a wall quilt titled, “On Windy Whispers,” then I consider myself to be quite “artistic,” and furthermore, I think of myself as an “artist.” At that point, it matters not what anyone else thinks of my completed work.

“On Windy Whispers” designed by Pat Cummings

I tend to think of ugly quilts as non-artistic. They show a lack of understanding of how color concepts work. When I see a quilt that is poorly pieced, or poorly quilted, I think – “What a shame that the quilter didn’t know better.” However, I have met quilters who have told me that they slap their quilts together and don’t give a care – the quilts are just made for warmth and that is that.

From what I have seen of antique quilts, I have to guess that an idea like that was more prevalent than we might realize because when we look at old quilts in books and magazines, we are viewing the pristine ones, still in fine condition. We are not seeing the ones with the mice holes, the stains, and the chewed up corners from when the dog was having a tizzy from being left alone.

This is a weighty subject, and also one that many people will continue to think about in light of the current Gee’s Bend quilt issues. Are those quilts truly art, or are they craft? I could go on and on because I am so heavily involved in quilting, as both a hobbyist and as a professional. However, your opinion is as good as mine. The important thing is that we all continue to think.
Pat