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Photo by Nate Watters

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliancde podcast we’re talking about quilts as fine art with my guest, Luke Haynes.

A chance encounter with a box of fabric remnants sparked Luke’ imagination. His first quilt, measuring 7′ x 10′, led him through years of experimentation and improvements over the years that he has been quilting. Luke uses reclaimed materials from the communities he works within his projects to speak with the textile language of the area.

[The+American+Context+#16]+copy“The American Context #16” by Luke Haynes

We talk about how Luke’s new fabric line, Dapper, with Moda came about and what his goals are when it comes to designing commercial fabrics. Luke reflects on his relationship with “the quilt police” and the traditions of quilting. He shares his background growing up in various parts of the American south, studying at North Carolina School of the Arts, spending a few years at Cooper Union, interning for an architecture firm, and then switching gears to pursue a career as an artist.

Luke has a really insightful way of distinguishing between art and craft and thinking about the different movements in quilting: traditional, modern, and art quilts. He talks about why he likes the current art scene in Los Angeles and about a collaboration he did with Fossil.


In this video, Luke talks about the collaboration with Fossil.

I ask Luke to talk about the help he gets in piecing his quilts. He explains why he hires people to do some of the piecing of his quilts and how he compensates and the degree to which he acknowledges the women who quilt for him (see their work on Instagram using the hashtags #sewingforluke and #sewinglukesprojects).

luke haynes signature

We also discuss how Luke has created a brand for himself by using his name in all caps (LUKE) and signing his quilts on the front rather than using a more traditional quilt label on the back.

[On+my+bed+#3]+2010+86+86A self-portrait quilt by Luke Haynes.

virginiawilcox05One of the 50 log cabin variation quilts by Luke Haynes.

On February 18, 2016, Luke will have an exhibition in Los Angeles showing 50 variations on log cabin quilts. Called “The Log Cabins of Donald Judd” the quilts will hang in the center of the gallery space. This show is part of his effort to establish himself as a sculptor. Luke has chosen to omit the word “quilt” from the title of the show in order to “remove the preconception of bed and private and valueless.” Quilt Con in Pasadena will coincide with the opening and there will be buses available for those who’d like to check out the gallery show.

And, of course, Luke and I recommend great stuff we’re enjoying right now.

I recommend Slack.

Luke recommends Alexander McQueen and wearing shoes from a fine art cobbler he recently connected with.

Connect with Luke on his website or on Instagram where he’s @entropies.

You can listen to the show right here by clicking on the arrow below, or subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher (perfect for Android or Kindle) and listen on the go. If you enjoy the show, tell a friend about it! Thank you so much.

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