Look carefully and you will realise this is a print of one of my quilts, “Afterglow” onto white fabric, which is then pinned to my cream pinboard. My dear son, bless him, has dreamed up yet another way to enhance my quilt designing and making career, and had this sample done… and despite any personal doubts on the wisdom, or indeed the marketability of this idea, I have so far have consulted two very leading art quilters, and found opposing views. I have yet to be convinced that anyone at all would be interested in buying a print of an art quilt to layer and quilt themselves, sort of like a contemporary art quilt cheater cloth…. Granted you could only do this for something you intended to keep in your own collection, right? … so what do YOU think? 
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What a fabulous idea! The more people turned on by art, the better. Those who don’t have the wherewithall to make their own art quilts would surely love to have the vicarious pleasure of quilting a lovely print of a compelling quilt by someone else. Give your son a big smootch and a special dinner of his favorite foods for this cool idea….
Allison
Alison,
Are you saying that I couldn’t buy your quilt fabric, chop it up, sew it together with other fabrics and make somehting new out of it?
That’s what I’d do with the piece…
And I’d really like to try.
I think its a great idea. People buy art prints all the time so why not art quilts to make thier own?
It’s a wonderful idea. I for one would love to have a print of your work. I could frame it or quilt it, buy many and make a bed quilt, a garment, curtains…
I am sure we can think of problems as well. But where would we be if we didn’t go ahead anyway?
There is an interesting article in the lastest issue of Art Calendar about giclee prints. General summary is that if you can’t sell originals then why the heck do you think you can sell prints. The idea is that if you are looking to improve sales then improve the artwork – don’t just make prints and try to sell the work for cheaper.
Now what you are talking about is a different subject but to me it is also related. Sure – the technology and the marketplace are there for this to work. But the question is “why?”. What would be your goal in doing this? Would it increase your value as an artist or would it decrease it as you are now know as the “paint by numbers” artist.
I heard MJ has cheater cloth out for his old style of work. His claim was that he might as well do it before someone else ripped off his work (or at least that is the rumor I heard – I have NOT confirmed this). As he is a big big name will his value as a serious artist be more or less hurt/enhanced by this move?
You wanted opinions – personally – I think it cheapens both the art and the artist. But if the goal is to make money (which is most definitely a very important issue not to be ignored or invalidated) then the idea has merit. I believe there would be a marketplace for this.
Personally I would never do it (10 years from now I wonder if I will eat my words) but given the technology I would not be surprised if we see quite a bit of this happening in the next 5 years.
Lots of artists sell prints of their work, and I think it makes the art more accessible to people who cannot afford the original. Is it the same? No, but it is a viable commercial option and allows a wider audience.
Lots of artists also design fabric lines based on their artwork. Another great commercial option that allows for wide accessibility.
If you have a work that is widely reproduced, does it make the original less valuable? In my opinion, no. Jen
If I did this, I would see it as a way to sell some of my work without having to part with it. Since I can’t bear to part with things I’ve put so much time into, selling a copy, whether on fabric or on paper, would allow me to have it both ways!
Hmm, at first I didn’t like it, but I see definite possibilities. I think it can work, as stated, for the artist who a) doesn’t want to sell the actual piece, and b) wants to make some money (nothing wrong with paying the mortgage), AND it gives the option of using it as is or as an ingredient. The price point question may be tricky – if it’s priced around the same $/sf as hand dyed I think it might sell, maybe could go a little higher. Definitely an interesting concept – thanks for sharing!
I don’t have strong feelings one way or the other about this. I think it is an interesting experiment and your own feelings about it are the most important. The question that came to my mind after reading all the comments is “how is this different than making posters, notecards, or postcards of a finished piece?”
Is it because it is fabric and can be manipulated in a way other than originally intended by the purchaser? Or, perhaps, be “passed off” or “mistaken” for (your) original work by someone with less than good scruples?
I know from years of working to sell crafts as a source of income, that any way to only have to make one or two items rather than a lot is of interest to me. Being able to market images of my designs, in whatever form, would certainly be something I would consider. I would, however, likely try to go for the numbered series concept in order to make them more valuable.
To follow this concept along…. would you only do this for works remaining in your collection? I think that someone who bought the original piece would certainly have some “issues” if fabric copies of “their” work started appearing.
Sorry to go on so long, but the questions just started flowing once I started writing.
Thanks for posting this on the QuiltArt list, it gives us all food for thought.
Louise in SW Saskatchewan
Here is the point where art quilts take on the operative word ‘ART’ and run off to open up a new genre! Go have a series of a few hundred lithographs signed and with serial numbers. Framed or not, matted? Mounted? Your imagination will tell you. Think about Louis Tiffany, if they had never considered ‘mass production.’ I realize much of the essence of quilts is in the textile, and if not for textile there would be no quilt… ask any painter if ‘paint’ has the same sentiment to her or him, bet they agree… and yet a painter who choses to reproduce’ gives the greatest art to the people (Peter Maxx, you name whoever.) And in another analogy: Bruce Springstein live performances are said to have a dimension all there own, yet – millions of his musical recordings bring palpable dimension, meaning, & feeling to listeners who will never see a live performance. People L*O*V*E QUILTS! and yet – countless people will never won an original art quilt, who – I bet_ would not hesitate to have a large reproduction hanging on the wall – if it is done just right. Last point: I am just a home quilt- designer if you can call it that… what I mean is, *I have as yet NEVER completed a quilt*. (One is almost being ready to quilt, though.) But I have scores of completed designs! I Love my designs, and have thought – some day when I retire I am going to take acrylics on canvas, and I am going to ‘make the quilts’ in paint. look through your own skectch book, and think about how much you love the ‘makings’ of the art, this idea you posted sparks a lot of feelings about the art of quilts, I believe there is a real place for ‘production’ on some level. (I am, oddly, though, less inclined to agree with the thought of reproducing a particular whole cloth to be quilted. What I would more likely imagine, however, is the whole cloth being re-interpreted in a fine fabric as a Wall Cloth, if there is such a thing. Reasoning is – I don’t expect somebody elses’ stiching or embellishment to particularly complememt your personal art – and if I was you the artist, seems better to conserve the integrity of your art in one of the ‘reproducton’ methods mentioned above.) [ps, I am Karen from California. Are you a US expatriate? How is life in Uruguay?]