Luke Haynes: Merging Art, Design, and Quilting

Luke Haynes is a well known icon in the world of textile arts. He merges contemporary art, design and quilting into one. Recently, he was featured alongside Tula Pink at the Pattern: Repeat exhibition of the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri. His works ranges from iconic images, portraits, and pop culture. Luke uses solids and creates dimensional images by sewing them together into different silhouettes. He also likes to use scrapping techniques to create texture and color gradation in his quilts. 

He's taking quilting and sewing to a new form of not just a craft or a popular hobby, but art, with his vivid images and usage of various textiles.We had a spare moment with Luke and asked him a few questions to get to know his design process and inspiration behind his amazing works.

Christina's World

Q: When did you first began sewing/quilting?
A: I started in 8th grade with an elective. 

Q: Why did you choose textiles as a medium to create your works?
A: Quilting has a history of function and aesthetic, as well as a living community tradition. I think just the method of making quilts can imbue the work with an added element of cerebral intrigue along with the tactile and visual interest associated with wall art. 

Q: What inspires you?
A: Architecture and industrial design. 

Q:  How do you feel when people interpret your artwork differently?
A: I love it. I find gratification in someone taking the time to internalize my work to the point when they have a different reaction. I make work for exhibition so I have to be willing to let that exist in a dialog with the viewer. I have learned a lot watching people view my work. 

Starting from top left: self portrait, Amelie, American Gothic, Material Girl,
Rags to Riches, self portrait, and Summer Evening 

Q: What’s next for Luke Haynes?
A: I am working on a line of home decor objects and designing a line of fabric. That and making lots of quilts so I can learn how. 

Hamburger

Luke is also a longarm quilter but he does not work with templates, rulers or pantographs. When quilting, he says that he is drawing on top of the surface and uses variety of fabrics. He calls his style conversation of textures. Watch as Luke demonstrates his free-motion style of quilting!