A Teeny Bit of Art Quilt History
I find that many of my students are recent converts to art quilting and haven't heard of Anna Williams (or even Nancy Crow). Those of us who have been influenced by her are legion. She was 'discovered' by Katherine Watts, who is a friend of Nancy Crow. This was way before that other guy 'discovered' the Gees Bend quilters. (who now have stamps!)
The work of Anna Williams, photographed at Quilt Surface Design Symposium in June 1993.
a close-up of the patchwork style of Anna Williams.
Anna Williams work was a big influence on the art quilt movement, beginning with Nancy Crow.
We all started loosening up and getting wonky, eschewing the use of the ruler and cutting directly into the fabrics without measuring. Squared off designs started disappearing.
A recent work of Nancy Crow. (title/date unavailable)
A recent work of Nancy Crow. (title/date unavailable)
Nancy Crow: Constructions #58
A lingering obsessiveness somewhat related to the obsessiveness in compiling many slivers of fabric as in Williams' work above.
When Nancy taught workshops in Japan, our friend Keiko Goke took classes with Nancy.
Examples of the quilts Goke produced from Nancy's workshops.
When Nancy taught workshops in Japan, our friend Keiko Goke took classes with Nancy.
Examples of the quilts Goke produced from Nancy's workshops.
Keiko Goke in turn influenced many Japanese quilters.
Nancy Crow: Constructions #64
Here is a wonderful interview with Nancy Crow.
Since Nancy has led many, many workshops over the years, the influence of Anna Williams has been passed down and enlarged upon by many more artists, including, Janet Steadman, Carol Taylor, Eleanor McCain, Lisa Call, Leslie J. Riley, Tommy Fitzsimmons, Janet Kurjan and Patty Hawkins.
Nancy's new book. I have had mine on order for three months. I am still waiting.
Cheryl asks ' Does this mean the new book is finally published?' Thanks for the pics Melody.
ReplyDeleteVery nice. I do like Nancy's newer work. She has evolved and evolved and evolved.....It's a good thing she isn't afraid of heights....I've seen pics of her working in her studio. OY!!!
ReplyDeleteGuess I'm going to have to get this book.
teri
I love quilts. I started quilting about a dozen years ago. I have made several most of which have been given away as gifts.
ReplyDeleteCheryl says, Thanks for answering my q. I've had my copy on pre-order since 11/6/05. great post, though I am supposed to be looking for prayers for my Palm Sunday Family Service! How did that lead me here?
ReplyDeleteThanks ever so much for this post. So very informative and interesting. I had never heard of Anna Williams before but knew about Nancy Crow's work. It is all so awesome. I hope I'll be able to find a copy of Katherine Watts' book on Anna Williams.
ReplyDeleteThanks again.
What a great blog entry.
ReplyDeleteI'm waiting for the new Crow book too! Sounds like it's coming in May now...very exciting.
I love Keiko's Crow-inspired quilt. I'd never seen it before (now).
The way you traced inspirations could be done here in Canada based on Caryl Bryer Fallert's show in Burlington (Ontario) a few years ago. It caused a colour, form and machine-quilting explosion of the best kind.
I had never heard of Anna Williams. I have, of course, heard of Nancy Crow and love her work. I had never seen anything other than very traditional quilting before I saw her work and it just blew me away. The first time I saw it I was with three other quilters and I was looking at it with the same expression on my face as someone who has just made a remarkable discovery. The other girls took a glance and just kept on walking.
ReplyDeleteI may never, ever be in the same league as the greats of the art quilt world but that first time I saw those quilts it opened an entirely new world and completely changed my ideas of what a quilt could be.
Thanks for showing us these quilts today. I feel wondrous all over again.
A friend of mine purchased a lovely Anna Williams top years ago in Houston. You're right...she doesn't get much mention anymore with the Gee's Bend phenomena. Time for a retrospective, I'd say!
ReplyDeleteI'm a faithful lurker on your wonderful blog. This was such a helpful and inspirational post I just had to come out and say THANKS for all the information.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for posting the link to the Nancy Crow interview. It is long and I have been reading it off and on all day and finally finished. It is so wonderful and inspiring and informative and surprising! A must read for every quilt artist, I think.
ReplyDeleteThat was an interesting post but what do you make of people who have never seen anything but traditional quilts who have been making work like this for years?
ReplyDeletehttp://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4419/350/1600/BluesBound.jpg
The only reason I have started calling them "art quilts" is that I don't make them big enough to keep warm with anymore and I nail them up on the wall. Before 2000 I probably made one for every member of my extended family and they have been used and abused with the same gay abandon with which I created them. I have seen my quilts in dog beds, under saddles, over bucket seats and one king sized monster hacked in half in a divorce.
Quite sure that everyone was being polite when they accepted the wonky looking things and only turned grateful when the cold winds blew. I used to call them "Hurry-Up-Needa-Gift" quilts because I rarely had a weeks notice.
I think a lot more of this goes on than folks will own up to because
A. ripping (not cutting) up whatever is on hand is easy and fast.
B. sewing it back together to please one's own eye is instant gratification
and all this in the name of expediency. Who knew it was art sometimes?
Deb Lacativa
Thank you Melody for all the wonderful links to the artists. And I especially enjoyed the interview with Nancy Crow. Her barn sounds wonderful!
ReplyDeleteVery informative and educational.
ReplyDeleteMelody, do you know if Ms. Williams is still alive?
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful lesson for us all. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. And I will get my new Nancy Crow book from the lady herself in June!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the quilt history lesson. Like Diane, I had never heard of Anna Williams. I'm doing an Improvisations workshop with Nancy Crow in July and will pick up a copy of her latest book at the same time - can't wait!
ReplyDeleteI never heard of Anna Williams. Thanks so much for all this new information Mel. I really enjoyed the links.
ReplyDeleteRosy
Thanks for putting this wonderful pics on your blog for all to enjoy. Have been a Anna Williams fan for years.
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing these. they are very special!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great site
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