Your Art Is Fine and So Are You
- What it takes for a fabric artist to become a fine artist.
The words “fine art” encompass far more than just artwork alone. Fine art is a subject, a style, a method, a pedigree, an atmosphere, a venue, and a culture. The artwork is just the genesis for the entire world of fine art.
It’s a struggle for fabric artists to break into this exclusive community. Fabric is too often mistaken for or assumed to be a craft because it’s not a traditional fine art medium. But there are standards and expectations of the art and artists included in the realm of fine art. Fabric artists who follow those expectations will show the world, “Fabric art belongs here, too!”
I am a fabric artist and quilter who grew up in fine art culture. My unique perspective as both a child of fine art and an art quilter gives me insight into the struggles facing the fabric art community as a whole as well as the knowledge of what needs to be done to gain acceptance into exclusive fine art society. In this presentation, I will share:
- Why fabric artists should want to be fine artists
- Why viewers’ quick recognition that an artwork is fabric is important
- What are some traditionally accepted fine art subjects and styles (and how they relate to fabric)
- Why having a consistent body of work is important
- What archival materials are and why they should be used
- What “provenance” is and how to establish it
- How to make a collection of artwork look good together
- How to look and act like a fine artist
- And much more!
