Thursday, December 6, 2012

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.

43 comments:

  1. It seems a marvellous book to me from someone who wrote it with a passion for humans and art. A good combination.

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  2. Je suis très admirative comme vous pouvez mettre en pratique un livre !!!

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  3. I love the Actual textile exercise! I have a lot to learn about design principles so I hope I'll win this time.

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  4. This sounds great! This book was very inspiring for you. Wish I will be the lucky one.
    gr. Marjolijn

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  5. This looks a fabulous book! and I love the quilts you've made from it - my amazon wish list keeps getting longer!

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  6. L.K. is an artist who gives inspiration, yet through concrete tips and excercises. I didn't know about this book but I could certainly use it as I am trying to transition to a more design oriented, abstract mode in my art quilts. Thanks for the giveaway, your wonderful samples, and for being in this blog.

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  7. Very nice review and especially showing some of your own work based on the exercises in the book.
    http://holytreasures.blogspot.com/

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  8. Excellent book review. Lyric's work is very inspiring and I would love a copy of this book.

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  9. I love your review, Beth! I have not seen Lyric's book before, but your examples of the small quilts you made following the exercises in her book are very inspiring. Please add me to the drawing, and if I am not selected, I think I will need to buy this one for my continuing education!

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  10. I love to read your review and see the excercises you did. I should like to have this book, greetings from Liesbeth

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  11. I am so glad to read a review of this book because I have picked it up numerous times at my local book store but never actually made the purchase. Now I know that it is a book that I would like to have for my collection!

    ladara at cfl dot rr dot com

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  12. It's a nice book to ad to my collection. Thank you for this review.

    Marina Roos

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  13. This is one of the one's I've been wanting to get. Hope I win! ;)

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  14. This book has been on my "want" list for a while:) Thanks for the chance to win!

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  15. I have the Ebola and love. I am slowly reading the book and plan to go back and work thru the exercises. Lyric is a terrific writer. I loved your review. Mary Ann

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  16. Looks like a fabulous book. Your art really grew through the exercises.

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  17. Wow, my list is growing. Wonderful book.

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  18. The book looks great. Thanks for the giveaway.

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  19. Love the book review, and even more, the glimpse into your artistic head via the show 'n tell of exercises. Lyric rocks, and so do you, Beth!

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  20. I would love to own this book. Thank you so much for the opportunity !

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  21. Thanks for this generous offer. I have checked this book out of the library several times but have never completed the exercises. I would be delighted to own a copy.

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  22. This just what I need to grow with my fabric addiction! I hope I win. Rita

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  23. ohhh I've been wanting this book forever!!!

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  24. This sounds like a great book to own. Thanks for the chance and the review.

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  25. Book sounds wonderful and it would be great for me to work with.

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  26. Do I ever need design exercises to help me become more comfortable making art quilts. Traditional quilt designs come easy for me, but art quilts cause serious angst to set in. Hopefully, this will help me relax and enjoy the process. Thank-you for offering this opportunity to your blog readers. Hugs, Diaen

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  27. Another interesting review of what seems a good book. Please enter me in the draw. Happy Christmas.

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  28. This is a great book.

    If you can't go to a class in person you can catch Lyric teaching this class at Quilt University.

    I have the book and took the class. I did not get the full use of the class because it was alot of information to do in 4 weeks and life got in the way.

    In the new year I hope to pick a book and work through it like you have.

    Great idea to blog about it to.

    Don't add me into the draw. I already own this great book.

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  29. If you review and the work you show weren't enough to convince me this book is a must-have, that quote would surely have done the trick.

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  30. Lyric is very talented and so are you! I like the examples you made using the exercises from the book.

    Susan Parker jdprkr@pacbell.net

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  31. Oh dit boek zou ik heel graag willen winnen!! Ik win nooit iets, dus ik ga het maar kopen! Maar voor de zekerheid wacht ik nog heel even,,,,,

    Petra Kooij. The Netherlands

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  32. the book is great and Lyric is such a good teacher.

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  33. Looks like a great book! lots ideas and inspiration.....thanks for a great giveaway

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  34. Looks great. I hope I win.Annelies
    annelies.mulder@home.nl

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  35. Cool! I would think doing these exercises would definitely lead to some wonderful discoveries of our inner artists!

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  36. okay, Beth, hear what you're saying and just doing the work, putting in the effort will get me where I want to go....so put doubt aside and do it!

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  37. thank you for the revieuw. I would be happy to win this book.
    Great book to help you move from traditioeel to artfully work

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  38. I would love a chance to win this book! It would be great to get the creativity going again...

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  39. What a great review! Made me very interested in this book - I could really use a structured set of lessons to improve my eye. Thank you for the review and the giveaway.

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  40. what a great book to share with the folks that come close to my art and dispare that they can't art, paint,create....... i alwasy try to surplant that bit o faulty thinking wih a positve words. like these!!of course you can't paint like me but if willing to do the work, you can in time paint like You!

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  41. Thanks for this giveaway and for this blog.I would love to win this book because I am a beginer in textile art and I love to learn more.
    Carmina
    (Romania)

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