Inspired by the National Parks, by Donna Marcinkowski DeSoto

Rocky Mountain N.P.

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: http://www.npscentennialquilts.com

Saguaro N.P.  One of the more light-hearted entries.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!