Questions / Contact

What is a photoquilt?
A photoquilt is a quilt made out of photographs.  I take pictures, have prints made, cut the prints into different shapes, and sew them into quilt blocks and full 4′ x 6′ quilts.  Many of my photoquilts explore pattern, repetition, reflection, and symmetry.  The larger Ohio Star photoquilts include subtle changes to the way each photo is cropped so that the pattern evolves from one end of the quilt to the other.

Where did you get the idea to do this?
My Bachelor’s degree is in Art & Art History.  During my undergraduate work, I was exploring the masculine and the feminine, including fiber arts that had once been primarily male occupations but are now predominantly female.  I’ve also always loved geometric patterns and designs.  These interests led me to the vast history of quilt patterns.  When I read that Andy Warhol had done some sewing on some photographs, sewing photographs together into quilt patterns seemed like the next logical step.  Instead of a quilt containing the story and memories of a hundred treasured fabric remnants, I could capture a photographic subject for each piece of the quilt pattern.

Have you received any awards for your work?
Fall Colours was awarded the Merwin Medal for Best in Show at the McLean County amateur art competition.  Ohio Star: Wexner Center was awarded a Leader Award as the Provost’s favorite work in the 2014 Ohio State University Staff Arts and Crafts show.  Ohio Star: Thompson Library received the President’s Award in the 2014 Ohio State University Staff Arts and Crafts show.  Ohio Star: RPAC was accepted into the Inaugural Juried Exhibition at the Riffe Gallery.  Some of my photoquilts have also won prizes in the Ohio State Fair including Ohio Star: State Fair (2016 Juror’s Choice award) and Ohio Star: Columbus Museum of Art (2017 Crow Timber Frame Bart Art Retreat Scholarship).

Is anyone else making photoquilts?
I have seen traditional fabric quilts made with photographs which have been transfered to fabric, but I do not know of anyone else making quilts by sewing photographs together.

Are your photoquilts for sale?
Most of my photoquilts are for sale, with a few exceptions.  Prices are listed in the description of each work.  12″ blocks are available in almost every pattern.  Sets of 4 blocks sewn together (24″ x 24″), which I call maquettes, are also available.  Blocks and maquettes are available framed or unframed.  Full-size quilts (typically 4′ x 6′) typically hang on the wall unframed.  For more information, visit my Buy Art page or email me at chris.mercerhill@gmail.com.

2 thoughts on “Questions / Contact”

  1. Hey Chris,
    You came to our meeting at AQA and I really think you did a great job. I’d like to talk to you. I’m interested in having photos taken of some of my finished quilts, but being a really DYI person, I’d like to learn how to shoot my own photos. Is that something you might be interested in helping me with?

    Also, I like how you talked about the critique process and how important it is. Would you be willing to returning to AQA and do a critique session for the group? We could have 4 or 5 that you’d review and critique. It’s a thought for Sept or Oct???

    Thanks!
    Donalee Kennedy

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