The shockingly small step Textile artists Can take to be taken seriously in the fine art world

A while back, I had a few of my artworks hanging in one of the largest quilt shows in the USA. My family booked a hotel and airfare for a quick weekend away to enjoy the show. When I arrived, I excitedly headed straight to the convention center to take in the show. When I found my work hanging, I was surprised at what I saw…

Painter’s tape covering my signature!

Now, let me take a few steps back. This particular exhibition was juried, and part of that means that the artists need to remain anonymous. In that respect, it makes total sense that my signatures were covered for the judging process. Yet the prizes were determined long before the show opened, and the tape was left on as the quilts were hung. While covering my signature wasn’t meant as a slight against me, it does underscore how unusual this practice is among quilters.

But why?

Artists sign their work. Paintings are signed. Drawings are signed. Sculptures, you guessed it —signed.

As an artist whose medium is quilts, I’ll admit I never gave it much thought until I saw the remarkable work of Bisa Butler. When I saw her stitched signature on her artworks, it was a paradigm shift for me. Of course her quilts are signed. They’re art! Beautiful, immaculate art!

And listen —I’m not suggesting that a bed quilt or pattern-made quilt ought be signed (though far be it for me to be the signature police). But art quilts? My work is 100% original, and designed to be on the wall. I typically pour hundreds of hours into my fine art quilts. Of course I’m signing them!

Standing triumphantly in front of my quilt, “Morcheeba Amoeba, aka Party in the Petri Dish, after freshly ripping off the tape covering my signature.

I keep hearing about art quilters struggling to be taken seriously in the fine art world. Let’s start by signing our work! It’s a small and (bizarrely) radical step. Let’s claim our work as our own. Up front and proud.

What do you think? If you’re a quilter, do you sign your quilts? Let me know in the comments below!