Ask your local bookstores and quilt shops to carry the book. Or--
Click HERE to order the book online at Amazon.com
Podcast Episode/Show 314 on 8-29-16 (beginning at minute 15:00)
Guest: Donna DeSoto
Website Post By Craftsy (August 23, 2016)
http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2016/08/national-parks-quilts/?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=The%20Craftsy%20Quilting%20Blog&utm_content=How%20One%20Quilter%20Is%20Celebrating%20the%20National%20Parks%20Service%20Centennial&utm_term=Blog%20Post&skipMod=1
Story by Robyn Taylor; Photos by Ginger Perry (November 11, 2017)
Article in The Washington Times in Wash., D.C.
By Emma Ann Patton (July 27, 2016)
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jul/27/virginia-quilting-museum-museum-exhibit-takes-clos/
By Emma Ann Patton (July 27, 2016)
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jul/27/virginia-quilting-museum-museum-exhibit-takes-clos/
Article in The Star in Washington State
By Scott Hunter
http://www.grandcoulee.com/story/2016/06/22/news/national-quilt-show-bringing-art-to-coulee/7490.html
By Scott Hunter
http://www.grandcoulee.com/story/2016/06/22/news/national-quilt-show-bringing-art-to-coulee/7490.html
Voice of America Feature
"Quilts Honor US National Park Service Centennial"
By Jessica Berman (June 11, 2016)
http://www.voanews.com/media/video/quilts-honor-us-national-parks-centennial/3371940.html
"Quilts Honor US National Park Service Centennial"
By Jessica Berman (June 11, 2016)
http://www.voanews.com/media/video/quilts-honor-us-national-parks-centennial/3371940.html
Article in the Houston Chronicle
By Alyson Ward (October 26, 2015)
Note: To see other quilts, click on the arrows on the left and right of the first photograph.
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/article/Quilt-festival-exhibit-celebrates-the-beauty-of-6590772.php
By Alyson Ward (October 26, 2015)
Note: To see other quilts, click on the arrows on the left and right of the first photograph.
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/article/Quilt-festival-exhibit-celebrates-the-beauty-of-6590772.php
Website Post By Friends @ Festival (Fall 2015)
Blog post by Suzy's Fancy from Quilts, Inc.:
http://www.quilts.com/sfancy/suzy-s-fancy-centennial-quilts.html
Blog post by Suzy's Fancy from Quilts, Inc.:
http://www.quilts.com/sfancy/suzy-s-fancy-centennial-quilts.html
Notable Blog Posts
The book recently appeared as a best seller in the categories of:
Ecology, Parks & Campgrounds, and Quilts & Quilting --
What people are saying. Book Reviews:
ByAmazon Customeron May 29, 2016
I love this book! Not only do I love our National Parks but I love the different quilts in the book. This book contains so many wonderful personal stories about the National Parks and about the quilts that were inspired by them. It's enjoyable to read and it's fascinating to look at all the different ways the quilts were made. It's artistic, informative and well put together. A great way to treasure our beautiful country!
ByPaul MastinTOP 1000 REVIEWERon May 28, 2016
I love the boundless beauty of our national parks. And who doesn't love a great quilt? Donna Macinkowski DeSoto shows how those two loves can come together in Inspired by the National Parks: Their Landscapes and Wildlife in Fabric Perspectives.
For this project, quilt artists were recruited to create quilts inspired by, you guessed, national parks. These quilts are not your grandma's quilting bee quilts, but real works of art. (I'm sure your grandma made some nice quilts, but, well, they probably don't compare to these.) Each chapter features reflections from a park ranger or other park employee, as well as reflections by the artists. But the real attraction is the quilts themselves.
The quilts are gorgeous and varied. Some are a bit abstract. Most are representational, including both landscapes and wildlife. You will definitely find some favorites. My next vacation may be inspired by Inspired by the National Parks!
Oh, by the way, these all look great in the book. I bet they look even better in person. They may be on display in your area. The schedule is on this web site: [...]
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
ByPrudence C. Kirkpatrickon May 29, 2016
After the Ken Burns PBS special on the US National Parks, this book is the icing on the cake. The book shows such artistry and passion for the parks and for the flora and fauna they protect. The personal stories are so inspiring and informative and the needlework is phenomenal. It will be a source of delight over many cups of tea.
ByS. Tayloron May 21, 2016
Beautiful and talented. I can't wait to see the tour. These beautiful quilts brings the parks to you in the talent of these wonderful quilters.
ByAmazon Customeron May 29, 2016
Not only is this wonderful book full of fabulous art quilts inspired by the National Parks, but it includes touching, funny, and thoughtful stories from the artists who contributed quilts. The addition of narratives from park rangers from each of the parts rounds is a wonderful addition. You will enjoy reading this book and will be inspired to visit the national treasures that are our National Parks.
ByChrison June 6, 2016
This book is not just another quilt book. It is a beautiful tribute to our National Parks with input from individuals representing each of the parks in addition to the interpretations of the landscapes, flora and fauna. It is coffee table caliber to be treasured over time.
My disclaimer is that my work is represented in the book. But as a quilt artist, I am thrilled with the quality of the photography and presentation of each of the 177 quilts. I also saw the full exhibit this past week end and again, the quality of the book does justice to the workmanship in each of the quilts.
ByCynthia S. Grisdelaon June 22, 2016
This is just a beautiful book--beautifully written and beautifully illustrated by the artists (including a piece of mine). It captures the wonder of our national parks through the words of the rangers who work there as well as through the art of people who have visited. And it showcases the talent of so many art quilters. I want to give a copy to everyone I know. Congratulations to Donna DeSoto for an outstanding job.
ByRuth baileyon June 2, 2016
Inspired and inspiring! A magnificent tribute to "America's greatest idea." Elegant creativity, quilting, and love for our parks. I wish the quilt exhibit were coming to my town, but seeing them in this lovely book is the next best thing. The book is a wonderful gift for everyone who enjoys handwork, art, and nature.
ByKarla Vernonon June 4, 2016
The art quilts in this magnificent book are extraordinary. Looking at the landscapes, flora and fauna, and reading about each park makes me want to visit each one. You won't be disappointed!
ByMary Anne Tisleron June 1, 2016
What a delightfull way to visit the National Parks from your living room. I can't wait to see the quilts in person. Thank you Donna for giving us such a wonderful book.
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ByBETH MEENEHANon June 6, 2016
Amazing book by an amazing author! Really shows the joy of the National Parks.
ByMartha G. Measelon June 16, 2016
Wonderful book. Quilts are beautiful. What an awesome job
ByEleanor Balabanon June 3, 2016
Fabulous.
From Goodreads:
COMMUNITY REVIEWS
(showing 1-8 of 8)
it was amazing
I was so excited about the concept of Inspired by the National Parks. The quilt on the cover was a big selling point for someone who loves landscape quilts.
To celebrate the anniversary of our 59 National Parks, Donna Marcinkowski DeSoto brought together quilters to create 177 original art quilts depicting the landscape, flora, and fauna of each park. Accompanying articles by park rangers and park personnel brings to life the people who preserve and protect our cherished shared lands.
Throughout the book the author quotes John Muir, the "Father of the National Parks." Known as the founder of the Sierra Club, Muir was a true devotee of nature as a source of spiritual revitalization. Through his writings he educated America about our natural wonders and called for their preservation.
DeSoto gave the quilt artists a choice of park and category and size restrictions of 20 x 44 or 44 x 20 for landscape quilts and 20 x 20 for the flora and fauna quilts. The artists could not use commercial patterns, so each quilt is an original design by that artist. An artist statement accompanies each photographed quilt.
The quilts are wonderfully varied. With amazing use of fabric and construction there are realistic quilts, interpretive visions, humorous depictions, flowers and animals in natural settings or portrayed apart.
The parks are identified by location, date of establishment, a brief description of high points, and a link to the National Park Service website for the park.
Including statements from park rangers was brilliant. We learn first hand about the park, what the people who work there love most about the park, and the park's attractions for tourists. The joy and love of work shines through the statements.
This is a beautiful book whose appeal reaches beyond quilters, a celebration of our precious natural heritage.
Resources are offered at the end of the book, including links to the Junior Ranger Program, volunteer programs, Artist-in-Residence Program and donating to the NPS.
DeSoto's previous book was Inspired by the Beatles: An Art Quilt Challenge published by Schiffer Publications.
I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
it was amazing
This is an incredibly beautiful book. Anyone who loves to quilt or loves visiting our National Parks would get a lot of enjoyment from this book. It is a compilation of photos of actual quilts that were inspired by our 59 National Parks. The quilts depict scenes from the park or wildlife native to that park. The National Parks are listed from A - Z.
Along with the quilts are stories from the park rangers who work in that particular park. The vignettes are personal accounting's of the ranger's feelings and joy that they have from their job, and the beauty that surrounds them.
I can not even imagine the time it took to create the quilts, interview the Rangers and put it all together. I personally have been to many of the National Parks. Reading the stories and seeing the visions that the quilts are, brought me a lot of joy.
This is the link to the publishers site if you are interested in this book:
I received this arc from Netgalley for an honest review.
liked it
If you love quilting, I think you'll like this book. The same may be true if you love national parks but I think this is more for quilters. I work in Yellowstone so this book appealed to me. I was startled to learn that I knew the woman who did the introduction part of our park. She's a wonderful person and a great writer. Though the same isn't true for every park, it is overall a nice introduction to our national parks and a look at some nice quilts.
I was disappointed that more of the quilters weren't from the parks. There is a large community of people who quilt in Yellowstone (in fact, all longtime employees get a quilt when they leave) and it would have been nice to see some of those featured.
it was amazing
Really a fabulous book, I found the layout very informative both from the workers from the various National Parks but also the creative process buy the art quilters. The quilts are fabulous, it is not easy to depict the feel of a place through fabric - the colour, the movement and the atmosphere - the quilters did a great job. This is not a pattern book but more a coffee table book to be dipped in at leisure. I really enjoyed my tour of the national park both in words and fabrics.
This book was provided to me in return for an honest and unbiased review
it was amazing
I picked up this book to view the original art quilts which are well worth the price of the book. What surprised me were the accompanying narratives that described the parks which inspirited the quilters. The writers talked about parks I hadn't previously heard of and made me add them to my list of must-see places.
