“Not your grandmother’s quilt” is one way in which the work of Bisa Butler has been described. The fiber artist creates startling portraits and scenes with fabric, each its own complicated collection of colors and choices by the artist. And the subjects of each work span various points of history and countries.
“I often start my pieces with a black and white photo and allow myself to tell the story,” the artist has said. “My stories are told in the fabrics that I choose, the textures I combine, and the colors that create a whole new composition. My portraits tell stories that may have been forgotten over time. When you see vintage lace and aged satin it tells you the story of delicacy and refinement of times gone by. When you see African printed cotton and mud cloth it tells the story of my ancestral homeland and the cradle of civilization. When you see multi-colored organza and netting layered you are being told a story of something or someone colorful and multifaceted.”
See more of Butler’s work below.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrWNAJOFiOS/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Brx6E9Wlp3O/
Traditional quilting meets a unconventional use of textile art in 
