Book Review (and Giveaway) of Art + Quilt--Quilter Beth

Lyric Kinard's "Art + Quilt" is a valuable resource for both the experienced AND novice quilt artist. It combines pictures and narrative to guide the reader through explanations and exercises of many different art concepts including things such as perspective, motion, isolation, focal point, and more. I really like that the book is a hardback, spiral bound version. It lays nice and flat when working through the exercises in the book.

I used the book as a guide when I was transitioning from making traditional quilts to art quilts. I worked through the exercises in the book creating a small quilt each week focusing on the subject I had studied that particular week. I documented my progress on my blog by discussing the week's art concept, my troubles and triumphs of working through the concept, and showing a photograph of my quilt utilizing the concept. I found the process to be VERY helpful.

Here are some examples of the small quilts I made each week as I worked through the design concepts in the book.

 Actual Texture Exercise

 Color as Emotion Exercise--Excitement

Color as Emotion Exercise--Sadness

 Closed Form Exercise

Open Form Exercise

Line Weight Exercise

 Scale Exercise

Unity Through Repetition Exercise

 Lyric was kind enough to send me a quote I could include with my review...
 "Too many times I've been approached by women who have seen my art am told, "I wish I were creative, I can't draw a straight line." I wonder who it is that taught them they couldn't be an artist? If a child is having difficulty reading do we send them away and discourage them from trying? Absolutely not! We expect them to do the work and we patiently help them to master what can be a complex and difficult skill. I wrote this book because I believe that art CAN be taught! It takes work and effort and practice but any one who has the desire truly CAN learn to see and think like an artist. This book helps the reader begin the process of learning to see and understand the basic elements and principle of good design. Where your own artistic journey leads you is up to you but I will tell you this - it is a path full of joy and wonder!" -Lyric, Artist, Author, Educator, www.LyricKinard.com

If you'd like more information about Lyric, you can check out her blog here. She also teaches. You might want to check out her two upcoming retreats - A Week of Surface Design at Quilting Adventures in New Braunfels, TX March 10-15, 2013 (http://www.quilting-adventures.com/spring-quilting-seminars/session2/) and Becoming an Artist in Italy at the Abruzzo School of Creative Art, Italy June 26 - July 2, 2013 (http://www.abruzzoschoolofcreativeart2013.com/lyric-kinard.php)

I have a copy of Lyric's book for my giveaway. Leave a comment on this post before December 13, 2012; I'll pick a lucky winner through a random draw. Be sure your email address is available to me so I can notify you if you are the winner.

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