Best. Quilt. Book. Ever. (and Giveaway)

If you have to be stuck on an airplane with one quilt book, here's the one you want: Martha Sielman's People & Portraits.

I know, because last month I was stuck on a trans-continental flight from LA to JFK, on Virgin, with this as my only book. (I won it from Linda Teddlie Minton's awesome art quilt blog - thanks, Linda!)   The book arrived just as we were leaving town, so I threw it in my backpack on the way out the door.

But, to tell you the truth, although I am always thrilled to win something (anything!), a book of portrait quilts would not have been on the top of my wish list. For one thing, some portrait quilts are a little odd. Take mine. Please.

Photo of beautiful young lady, my DD, taken years ago by my friend Liz (thanks, Liz!):

My resulting quilt. 

Okay, for a first try. I worked directly from the photograph, following the same easy procedure as for my tree portrait. But what's up with the reaching Dementor arms in her hair? And is she running a fever? The rosy, almost malarial, cheeks are so much subtler in the photo (and real life.) Let's not even discuss what's happening where her shirt sleeves end. 

Fortunately, my husband loved it and claimed it for his office, so I don't have to contemplate its flaws on a daily basis.

It is a real challenge to make a portrait that sings. And to get really good at it - like anything else - you probably should make a lot of them. YOU really should. Having gotten one that one out of my system, I figured I was done with human portrait quilts for a while. 

Until the plane ride. 

As I was reading The Book, I thought to myself: I have a LOT of quilt books. In many respects, this  might actually be The. Best. One. 

Although it's softcover and small enough to read in a cramped airplane seat, in spirit it's a coffee table book. 

For one thing, it's lavish. Who the heck publishes 200 page quilt books? With one or more color masterpieces on virtually EVERY page? The portraits range in style from photographic to cartoonish, thread-drawn to pointillist, and everything in between. There are even artists who pretty much leave facial details out completely - no eyes, no nose, no mouth - an approach that I feel has tremendous potential for my particular skill set.

The cover photo, is Marie Elkins' Windblown, (also on the book cover at the top of this post). What Elkins did with the quilted feathers in the hair and background is breathtaking.

Among the 88 artists whose work appears in the book, some are famous, and many are not.  My favorite quilt in the book is by Maine quilter, Holly Hascall Dominie, called 'Irrepressible.'

Holly Haskell Dominie's quilt, 'Irrepressible.' Used with permission of Sterling  Publishing.  See this and another of her astonishing portrait quilts by scrolling halfway down on this page.   

I had a ton of other 2nd favorite quilts and quilters in the book. These include the elegant nightlife quilts of Colette Berends, an extraordinarily creative textile artist who sadly died last year, according to her website; Sherry Davis Kleinman; Margene Gloria Ray; Phyllis Cullen, Marilyn Belford, and on and on. I'm randomly picking another favorite quilt to show you, because I'm a sucker for glassblowing, and for blue-and-orange color schemes.

Jenny Bowker's 'Hassan and the Glass'. Used with permission  of Sterling Publishing. 

What's unusual even for a coffee table book are the extensive chapters, about 21 portrait quilters, discussing their art, influences and techniques in well-edited detail. There are no projects, but the technique information is enough to go on if you want to try. 

Author Martha Sielman is head of the Studio Art Quilters Association. She and the creative team at Sterling/Lark - editor Amanda Corestio, the designers and the producers - should win prizes for this  book. I send them all my thanks for a job done to perfection, and for making my plane ride as pleasant as it could be.

Now if only they could arrange for more leg room.

GIVEAWAY WINNER UPDATE: 5/18/13: The randomly-selected winner is of the book is the 17th commenter below, Marilyn. Congrats, Marilyn, and thanks to all who came by! (You're welcome to comment some more, but the giveaway is done!)