(T3901) Whimsical Flower and Flag Quilts with Tina Curran |
Fast Easy Piecing with Pam Mahshie
art quilt (ahrt' kwilt'), n., 1. a picture or design executed in fabric, thread and batting, 2. a contemporary interpretation of the traditional American art form, more for decorative than utilitarian purposes, 3. a means of artistic expression, 4. a decorative item to hang on a wall
"10 colors don't work, but 100 do." – Freddy Moran, famous quilter (and one of my favorites)
Hello, my name is Tina Curran. My interest in making art quilts was jump-started by seeing my dear friend Sara take a variety of patterned fabrics, cut them into pieces and combine them in such an artistic way. As a life-long sewer (having experienced my first sewing triumph with a skating skirt I made in Girl Scouts), I took to quilting quickly. One of the great thrills with this art form is that my options are as infinite as those of a painter working on canvas -- landscapes, portraits, geometric patterns, abstract impressions, etc. I enjoy both the deep American roots of traditional quilting and the unlimited possibilities today's art quilts present. Combining elements of both extremes is great fun, as I often use contemporary fabrics in century-old quilt patterns.
My art quilts have been on display in multiple art shows and quilt shows as well as in national quilt magazines ("Quilters Newsletter" magazine and "Quiltmaker") over 20 times and in three books (including Ricky Tims' "Kool Kaleidoscopes").
While I have no formal art training, I have taken some wonderful classes over the years. However I know my greatest learning has come in the over 10,000 hours I’ve spent making more than 125 art quilts to date. And it’s exciting to realize that there seems to be no end to this learning curve.
I sell my quilts and quilt patterns online in my shop on Etsy.com (use this link). I’ve sold them to quilt collectors and quilters in all 50 U.S. states as well as in 30 foreign countries (and counting).