Nothing gets the creative juices flowing more than a little friendly competition. Over the course of two years, an online community of 12 quilt artists from around the world challenged one another to create handcrafted quilts based on 12 changing themes. The results of their individual interpretations are documented in the new book, Twelve by Twelve: The International Art Quilt Challenge (Lark Books, $22.95). With each chapter devoted to one of the themes, including passion, identity, illumination and chocolate, the book combines personal narrative and creative exploration, resulting in 144 amazing 12×12-inch quilt creations. The book also includes helpful sidebars on how to start your own group, as well as quilting tips.
Vincent Van Gogh’s most famous work may be an interpretation of a starry sky, but throughout his career many of his lesser known drawings and paintings were focused on the tranquility of outdoor spaces. Vincent’s Gardens: Paintings and Drawings by Van Gogh by Ralph Skea (Thames & Hudson, $19.95) surveys the gardens and parks that were most dear to Van Gogh, from the garden of his childhood home in the Netherlands and blazing flower beds in Provence, to the asylum gardens that provided the artist with seclusion and calm in the final months of his life. Divided into sections based on the stages of Van Gogh’s artistic career, this book is a must-have for gardeners and art lovers alike.
The ingeniously accordion-folded volume Glimmering Gone (University of Washington Press, $60) is a visual feast for the eyes. Part book, part exhibition, it explores the collaboration of Swedish artist Ingalena Klenell and American artist Beth Lipman on three large installations on view through Sept. 6 at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Wash. In works titled “Landscape,” “Mementos” and “Artifacts,” they examine concepts of landscape, both physical and symbolic, and material culture. Interspersed between images of the glass installations are essays by Andrea Moody, Melissa Post and Anders Stephanson about the artists and their inspirations. Packaged in a black slipcase, it is a welcome addition to any glass lover’s library.
Jewelry by Artists: In the Studio 1940-2000 by Kelly H. L’Ecuyer (MFA Publications, $55) surveys American studio jewelry over the course of 60 years. Experts in the decorative arts, design, fashion and adornment explore the short and rich history of studio jewelry—one-of-a-kind pieces made by artists in independent studios—in five essays. Accompanying the essays is a lavishly illustrated catalogue of more than 150 examples, from bracelets to brooches, selected from in the Daphne Farago Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. More than just a book, it is a guide for any collector, artist or teacher of studio jewelry.
