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Improvisation becomes art in this collection of powerful quilts, Bold Improvisation by Scott Heffley. Guided by an eye trained for art restoration, Scott Heffley has searched for unique Aftrican-American quilts over the past 20 years and has found quilts dating from the last 120 years. The resulting collection is a tribute to the creative spirit. Enjoy the vivid color, bold use of pattern and imagery and improvisation of this rich collection.

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Bold Improvisation
Searching for African-American Quilts

Author: Scott Heffley
Pages: 124
Page size: 10" x 12"
Publisher: Kansas City Star Books
Cover: Hard
Item Code: 4HG0120
Weight: 2.4lbs.

20% off: $23.96
MSRP: $~~29.95~~

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Introduction

This art book presents more than 50 bold quilts collected by Scott Heffley's search began well before the current fascination with Aftrican-American quilts, and his collection is a tribute to their soulful beauty. Comparative images are provided also, showing traditional quilts next to their improvisational cousins, as well as African textiles similar to this American art. Also included are Heffley's observations about African influences, ways to examine quilts, fabric dating and the importance of recording the history of these quilts.

He offers insightful aesthetic observations, an outgrowth of his work restoring masterpieces at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City.

About the Author

Scott Heffley began collecting African-American quilts 20 years ago. His fascination with American folk art and textiles led him into this uncharted territory long before the current popularity of these quilts. When not pursuing his avocation of collecting, Scott, restores paintings at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri. He uses his experience of working on paintings by such masters as Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Sargent when he looks at quilts and discusses their color relationships, artistic merit and aesthetics. He loves to immerse himself in the beauty and history of objects, whether at the museum, in the antique markets or at home. Scott graduated from Bucknell University in Pennsylvania with degrees in chemical engineering, chemistry and studio art. His conservation graduate degree is from the Cooperstown Graduate Program in New York.

Table of Contents
Contents: About Bold Improvisation	2
The Collection - 1880s
Praise the Lord	14
Nine Patch, Pinwheel etc.	16
Triangle Strip Doll	18
1910s
Schoolhouse	20
Cross Crazy	22
1920s
Applique Crazy Quilt	24
Biblical Story Quilt Top	26
Ice Spike	30
1930s
Lone Star	32
Flower Basket	34
Tiger Cloth	36
Freeform Geometric	38
Rectangles and Squares	40
Log Cabin Improvisation Quilt Top	42
Red and Blue Pig Pen Quilt Top	44
Red and White Log Cabin Improvisation Quilt Top	46
Streak of Lightning	48
Rolling Wheel Quilt Top	50
Hearts	52
Embroidered Housetop	54
1940s
String	56
1950s
Saw-Tooth	58
Octagons and Holes	60
Black-Eyed Susan	62
Money	64
Hourglass	66
Ocean Wave Variation	68
Improvisational Four-Patch	70
1960s
Nine-Patch Variation Strip Quilt Top	72
Checkerboard Variation	74
H	76
Diamonds and Squares	78
London Step Improvisation	80
Triangle Slip-Side	82
Triangle Hip Chick	84
Monkey Wrench Quilt Top	86
Double Wedding Ring	88
Botanical	90
Fan Applique	92
Figure "8"	94
Primeval Star Quilt Top	96
Pig Pen "M"	98
Pinecone Housetop	100
Bright Color Strip	102
Lazy Gal Quilt Top	104
1970s
Red, White and Blue Pig Pen	106
Diamond Quilt Top	108
Fan Variation	110
One-and-a-Half Log Cabin Square	112
Button Quilt	114
1980s
Digital Flowers	116
AME Star	118
Flower Pot	120
1990s
Figures and Animals	122
African-American Quilts - Selected Bibliography	124