“There is something nonthreatening about fabric—after all, we all wear it and are surrounded by it in our daily lives. I didn’t start out as one who wanted to make art and chose fabric as her medium; I started out loving the process of working with fabric, and grew into the skills and perspective of using that medium to make art,” says US based quilter Diane Perin Hock, who initiated the Twelve by Twelve Collaborative Art Quilt Project in 2007.
The project involves twelve women from various countries and of various professional backgrounds who make a small quilted art piece each—12 by 12 inches—based on a theme or palette chosen by each member in turn, every two months. Themes are as varied as a dandelion, chocolate, water, identity, shelter, illumination.
“At the time, we started with a ‘Let’s just start and see where this leads’ attitude. I don’t think any of us anticipated that we'd still be going, over two years later, with a book about us about to be launched in the US, and exhibits in international venues. More important that the surprising public recognition we’ve received, though, has been the wonderful relationships we’ve struck through the projects,” said Ms Perin Hock.
Before the project Ms Perin Hock knew one of the other twelve women in person, but admired the work of the others who are now part of the group. “I so enjoyed seeing how each woman had responded to the same topic so differently. So, via email, I contacted them and invited them to participate in a periodic challenge.”
The project involves twelve women from various countries and of various professional backgrounds who make a small quilted art piece each—12 by 12 inches—based on a theme or palette chosen by each member in turn, every two months. Themes are as varied as a dandelion, chocolate, water, identity, shelter, illumination.
“At the time, we started with a ‘Let’s just start and see where this leads’ attitude. I don’t think any of us anticipated that we'd still be going, over two years later, with a book about us about to be launched in the US, and exhibits in international venues. More important that the surprising public recognition we’ve received, though, has been the wonderful relationships we’ve struck through the projects,” said Ms Perin Hock.
Before the project Ms Perin Hock knew one of the other twelve women in person, but admired the work of the others who are now part of the group. “I so enjoyed seeing how each woman had responded to the same topic so differently. So, via email, I contacted them and invited them to participate in a periodic challenge.”
