Quilts are a familiar part of America's past. Almost everyone can recall a family member or friend who made these decorative bed coverings. Today, art quilters have expanded that traditional form of quilting in an effort to express their personal visions in unique and imaginative ways. In doing so, they have created a respected contemporary fabric medium.The Art of Quilting, airing on PBS as part of the March 2007 membership drive (check local listings), honors the artistry and diverse techniques of America's contemporary art quilters by visiting art quilt exhibitions across the country and through personal interviews with nationally and internationally noted fabric artists.The program highlights the quilts and artists of Quilt National –– a biennial show held for nearly 30 years at the Dairy Barn in Athens, Ohio –– the premier exhibition of contemporary art quilts in the country.Viewers will visit Featured Artist Jane Burch Cochran at her home in Rabbit Hash, Ky., where she demonstrates her unique beading and embellishment techniques. Cochran, who began making small bead and fabric collages in 1978, created her first large quilt in 1985. She describes her passion for art quilting as a combination of her training in painting, and her love of fabric and the tradition of American quilting.Bob Adams, a traditional artist and art teacher, discusses his fascination with fabric as a medium. He explains how his art quilts begin with a vision that evolves as he produces an expression of that mental image with fabric and thread rather than paint.Meet the Chicago School of Fusing's Laura Wasilowski and Melody Johnson in their home studios. Both are innovative art quilters and garment artists who create their art quilts by using a quick fuse method.At her studio in Springfield, Mo., Pam Rupert is in the process of creating her latest "cartoon quilt" featuring her alter ego PaMdora. Rubert talks about her unconventional approach to quilting –– an entertaining one that appeals to a wide range of tastes.In Philadelphia at the biannual Art Quilts Philadelphia exhibition, meet several artists including Pat Kroth whose abstract art quilts have a collage quality that she achieves by arranging small bits of fiber fragments and paper in a random fashion.Carol Krueger, a former hairdresser and makeup artist, is using her knowledge of design, color and balance to expand her artistic expressions in fabric. Krueger's extraordinary art quilts are created via computer-digitized machine embroidery.The many artists and quilts highlighted in The Art of Quilting offer insight into how traditional quilting has expanded in new and different ways. Through their visions, and unique and varied techniques, contemporary quilters have developed an art form that has become appreciated and esteemed worldwide.The Art of Quilting is made possible by the Alberta Kimball Foundation and by contributions to PBS stations from viewers.Producer/Presenter Wisconsin Public Television. Executive Producer Gary Mills. Producer/Director/Writer Laurie A. Gorman. Videographer/Editor Frank Boll. Sound Recordist Kerman Eckes. Digital Production Support Tom Micksch. Designer Jennifer Hadley. Format: CC STEREO.Web site: http://www.pbs.org/quiltsCONTACT: Lynn Brockmeyer, Wisconsin Public Television Tel.: (608) 263-3364; Fax: (608) 263-0429; E-mail: [email protected]