The Natural World

I have gotten a chance to review this wonderful addition to my library. I have been perusing this lovely book for about a week and I have to give kudos to Martha Sielman for coming up with another beauty. It was interesting to read many of the profiles of the artists and of course the art work is gorgeous. Some of the artists included in this book are Paula Chung, Betty Busby, Dominie Dash, Barbara McKie, Ruth De Vos, Pamela Allen, Kathy Briggs, and Roxanne Lessa to name just a few. The front of the book says it is an Art Quilt Portfolio. I was actually disappointed that so few actual art quilts really were included. Don't get me wrong, the quilts are all gorgeous but they are not what I expected. I was hoping for more abstract designs and less quilted to death pieces. Maybe it is my definition of art quilts that is the problem. What I mostly see represented here are typical landscape quilts, quilts from digital images, zillion paper pieced quilts, and what I have come to think of as modern quilts. I really didn't see some of the more artistic use of materials and execution that I expected. Perhaps it is my expectations that are out of whack. That said, the book is really beautiful.