Modern quilting is more than patchwork—it’s a dynamic art form that blends tradition with innovation. Across the globe, artists are reimagining quilting through storytelling, abstraction, and mixed media, elevating fabric into fine art. Whether you’re an aspiring quilter or an art enthusiast, these modern quilting artists are leading voices to follow.
Bisa Butler
Bisa Butler is a powerhouse in the world of modern quilting. Her quilted portraits are life-sized, electric with color, and infused with cultural storytelling. Celebrating Black history, identity, and everyday life, Butler’s work transforms traditional portraiture into vibrant textile masterpieces.
She stitches together cotton, silk, velvet, and African wax fabrics, layering color and texture to create works that are as rich in meaning as they are in hue. Each piece is deeply researched, and her subjects—whether well-known historical figures or anonymous ancestors—are honored through her intricate craftsmanship.
Her quilts have been showcased at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Art Institute of Chicago, and she’s gained widespread acclaim on social media for her unique style and voice in fiber art.
See Bisa Butler on Instagram
Emily Van Hoff
Emily Van Hoff is bringing a bold graphic twist to quilting. With a background in design, she creates modern quilted pieces that blend clean lines, digital aesthetics, and hand-sewn artistry. Her work spans wall hangings, accessories, and soft sculptures—each piece balancing functionality with visual impact.
Her Instagram feed is a celebration of playfulness and experimentation, featuring quilted tote bags, soft goods, and abstract compositions in fresh, muted palettes. Van Hoff’s style embraces color blocking and repetition in ways that feel simultaneously digital and handmade, making her one of the most exciting modern voices in contemporary textile art.
Follow Emily Van Hoff on Instagram
Mary Lee Bendolph
Mary Lee Bendolph is a member of the famed Gee’s Bend Collective in Alabama, a group of women whose quilts are recognized internationally for their cultural and artistic significance. Born in 1935, Bendolph’s work reflects the heart of community quilting, made from recycled clothing and infused with family history, faith, and improvisation.
Her quilts are celebrated for their bold geometric forms and expressive use of line and color—an aesthetic born from necessity that has become revered as a unique form of American abstract art. With a quiet, soulful approach, Bendolph continues to inspire generations of quilters to trust their instincts and value the spirit behind each stitch.
Anna Von Mertens
Anna Von Mertens stands at the intersection of conceptual art and traditional craft. Her work explores ideas like time, light, and cosmic patterns using hand-stitched quilting techniques that elevate fabric to an intellectual and emotional medium.
One of her most recognized series tracks the paths of stars at specific historical moments—embroidering literal maps of the universe in rich, dark quilts. She also explores themes of violence, historical memory, and physical movement, using dyeing techniques to create ethereal gradients across cloth.
Von Mertens’ work has been featured in museums and galleries around the world and is a profound example of how quilting can explore deep philosophical questions.
Joan Schulze
Joan Schulze is often called a pioneer in contemporary quilt art. A prolific creator, her work bridges the worlds of collage, photography, printmaking, and stitching. Schulze’s process is deeply experimental, often beginning with abstract ideas or spontaneous materials that evolve into rich, layered compositions.
For over four decades, she has explored memory, language, and the passage of time in her textile pieces. Her quilts defy conventional formats, frequently incorporating unconventional materials and narrative fragments that challenge what quilts can be.
Schulze’s legacy in modern quilting is undeniable—she has opened new doors for fiber artists and continues to redefine what it means to be a quiltmaker today.
Celebrating the New Wave of Modern Quilting Artists
Each of these artists demonstrates how far the quilting medium can go—beyond utility and deep into the realm of art, activism, and identity. Whether you’re drawn to the visual storytelling of Bisa Butler, the design-forward edge of Emily Van Hoff, or the experimental legacy of Joan Schulze, these modern quilting artists offer endless inspiration.
Follow their work, engage with their stories, and if you’re a maker yourself—let their creativity spark your next project. Quilting is no longer just a tradition; it’s a thriving, expressive art form for the present and future.