What do Gallery owners, Museum curators and Commercial buyers look for in a body of art work?
Part 2 of “Making Series Quilts”, (Part 1)
Art professionals selecting an artist based on his/her body of work are looking for a group of art pieces that are cohesive. The goal is to display a collection of work that is recognizable. In the case of gallery owners and commercial agents, they have a better opportunity to make a sale when several choices are available.
Judy Choate, acrylics artist, at the James Ratliff Gallery, Sedona, AZ
What are the characteristics of a consistent or identifiable style?
I think there’s a subtle difference between working in a style and working a style. What do I mean by this?
 fugue 2, Gerald Roy |
When she works in a style, an artist develops the original concept by exploring design options of color, dimension, mood, etc. As she works through the original concept, variations on the design options may occur spontaneously or slowly through a number of repetitions. The original concept usually remains fairly consistent. This is what working in a series means. A series could be in development for years if it remains fresh with the artist. |
 fugue 3, Gerald Roy |
An example of a notable quilt artist working in a style is Lisa Call. Lisa develops a unique motif such as a chair shape and then she uses the motif many times in a variety of perspectives, colors themes and sizes. Lisa is noted for her distinctive palette of cotton fabric she dyes herself. Lisa works in a series until she feels she has gone as far as she needs in expressing variations on the basic construction motif. She usually begins a new series with a novel concept while continuing to develop her unique style. This is the case with her new art quilts inspired by her trip to Africa. |
 fugue 4, Gerald Roy |
Deirdre Amundson introduced the Colorwash style of quilt construction. Her brilliant variations in this style inspired many thousands of quilters to follow her lead. Deirdre’s colorwash quilts are distinguishable by the awe inspiring way she creates the illusion of transparent shapes within shapes using an incredible number of tiny pieces. |
Both Lisa and Deirdre work in a recognizable style.
So what do I mean by working a style?
 Lateral Fault, Gina De Lorenzi |
These 3 quite different looking quilts, by Gina De Lorenzi, are all made with the same construction technique: strips of fabric sewn together to form identical sized squares, with the squares arranged with a concept in mind. This idea/concept changes but the construction method Gina uses remains consistent. Gina has worked this style in many dissimilar looking quilts. This type of variation is what she enjoys exploring. |
 Pueblo Traces, Gina De Lorenzi |
In her art quilts Caryl Bryer Fallert has developed and popularized two distinguishing methods – exquisite machine quilted lines enhancing her own dramatic hand dyed fabrics. These two features energize the direction each very unusual quilt takes. She has won many best of show awards for quite dissimilar art quilts using her her sewing, quilting and design skills and her imagination. Caryl likes to explore something new in each quilt. We don’t see Caryl making the same statement twice in the same way. We do see impressive machine quilting and beautiful hand dyed fabrics in all her art quilts. |
 Aspire, Gina De Lorenzi |
Joan Wolfenstrom is noted for the luminosity and transparency she creates in her art quilts. While her quilts vary considerably in construction methods and techniques, she seeks to create the luminosity with fabric selection. |
Therefore, an art quilter’s individual pieces may look quite dissimilar even while she consistently explores something distinctive. That’s working a style. When an artist continues to explore new territory, whatever it may be, her creative process is flourishing.
In my opinion, in 2010, art quilters who feel drawn to work a style through a variety of expressive methods have the greater challenge in becoming recognized as notable artists.
For the professional quilt artist who wants to generate sales, hard work, skill, marketing and perhaps novelty and luck have to come together to be considered notable by the curators and gallery owners in today’s tough art market.
link to Lisa Call
link to Gerald Roy
link to Caryl Bryer Fallert
link to Gina De Lorenzi
link to Joen Wolfrom
Colorwash Quilts
Deirdre Amsden’ book, Colorwash Quilts – no personal website
