As much as I appreciate the artistry of traditional quilts, I’ve never felt the need to own one. Just not my thing. Today’s artist, however, has turned my head in a big way. These are the remarkable, life-sized quilted portraits by Bisa Butler. They are clearly not your grandmother’s quilts (not that I object to your grandmother’s quilts. I’m sure they’re lovely.).

Butler’s portraits are seriously cool-looking, composed of a mixture of vintage and brightly-patterned modern fabrics, all in unexpected colors. Originally trained as an painter, when Butler had her daughter, she started exclusively using fabric for her portraits because she didn’t want to expose her baby to the fumes associated with oil paints.

“I have always been drawn to portraits. I was the little girl who would sit next to my grandmother and ask her to go through her old family photo albums. I was the one who wanted to hear the story behind every picture. I often start my pieces with a black and white photo and allow myself to tell the story.”

Bisa Butler Artist’s Statement

You can see more of Butler’s beautiful work on Instagram and on the Claire Oliver Gallery website.

All images property of Bisa Butler.