Bold Improvisation: Searching for African-American Quilts - The Heffley Collection

This coffee-table art book presents more than 50 bold quilts collected by Scott Heffley dating back 122 years. A tribute to their soulful beauty, the book shows traditional quilts next to their improvisational cousins, as well as African textiles that demonstrate similarities to this American art. Also included are ways to examine quilts, fabric dating, and the importance of recording the history of these quilts. Heffley offers insightful aesthetic observations as well, an outgrowth of his work restoring masterpieces at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City.