The first group of its kind in Europe, Quilt Art was founded in Britain in 1985 to develop the quilt as an artistic medium and promote its recognition as an art form. Its members are leading practitioners who exhibit nationally and internationally. Many have won major awards and been selected into prestigious exhibitions. Their work has been acquired by public institutions such as the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Museum of Arts & Design in New York and The International Quilt Museum in Nebraska as well as by numerous private collectors.
Most of the artists base their work on the quilt as a cultural artifact with its unique aesthetic qualities and distinctive history, but the interpretation is individual to each artist. Some experiment with paint, dye and print, unusual materials or three dimensions. Some work at the cutting edge of technology, using digitally programmed embroidery or photographic techniques. Others confine themselves to fabric and thread, feeling that their expressive potential is far from exhausted. ll are united by their passion for fabric, stitch, color and texture and the limitless creative and expressive possibilities of the textile surface.
Quilt Art responds to the challenge of keeping the work fresh and innovative by maintaining a small but rigorously selected membership, including Yael David-Cohen, Fenella Davies, Sara Impey, Karina Thompson and Janet Twinn from England, Dirke van der Horst Beetsma, Cherilyn Martin and Mirjam Pet-Jacobs from The Netherlands, Inge Hueber, Gabi Mett and Isabelle Wiessler from Germany, Jette Clover from Belgium, Sue Hotchkins from Scotland, Eszter Bornemisza from Hungary, Dominie Nash from the USA and Charlotte Yde from Denmark.
