Dancing Through the Blues #1
Printable version

• Copyright © 2011 Caryl Bryer Fallert
  
• Size: 30" x 30"
• Techniques: Hand painted, machine pieced, machine appliqued, and quilted
• Materials: fabric: 100% cotton  / batting: 50% cotton | 50% polyester
• Owner: Nixon Centre for the Performing and Visual Arts, Newnan, Georgia
• Photo: Caryl Bryer Fallert

Design Concept

This quilt was made in the fall of 2011, when the light was receding toward the winter solstice, and I found myself alone once again. I discovered that it was impossible for me to feel lonely when I was dancing, so as winter approached I took every opportunity to dance. The fabrics in this quilt are all from the various collections I have designed for Benartex. The dancer is quilted in a small meandering pattern, using various colors of blue thread in the head and flesh colored thread in the body. In the background, each fabric is quilted in a slightly different decorative pattern with threads that contrast only slightly with the colors of the fabrics. The design for this quilt began with the outline of a dancer. I printed many copies of the image and played with pencil, trying potential backgrounds. I chose the background that came closest to the feeling I wanted to portray.

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Once I decided on a favorite sketch, I projected the design onto freezer paper and drew the design full size. The freezer paper pattern was cut apart, one shape at a time and the pieces were used as templates for cutting the fabrics. A quarter inch seam allowance was added when the fabric was cut, and each piece was pinned back to the design wall. Once all of the color decisions were made, the pieces were joined using my applipiecing technique. You can find instructions for this technique in several of Caryl's publications, available at Paper Pieces.

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• Bryerpatch Studio, Paducah KY 2011-2013
• 30 Quilts for 30 Years: Solo, traveling exhibition celebrating 30 years of making art quilts.
• International Quilt Market & Festival, 2013, Houston TX, October 25–November 3, 2013
• National Quilt Museum, Paducah KY, December 6, 2013 – March 11, 2014
• Bryerpatch Studio Gallery, Paducah KY March 15, 2014 – May 1, 2014
• Les Jardins de Magali, Lauris, France (12 quilts) May 8 – May 18, 2014
• Visions Art Museum, San Diego, CA, August 1, 2014 – September 21, 2014
• Wisconsin Quilt Museum, Cedarburg, WI, January 14- April 12, 2015
• LaConner Quilt Museum, LaConner WA – July 1–October 4, 2015
• Virginia Quilt Museum, Harrisonburg, VA – October 14, - December 19, 2015
• Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry: 40 Years of Color, Light, & Motion, University Museum, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, January 26 - April 16, 2016
• Fantasies in Fiber & Beads: (two person show) Northwind Arts Center, Port Townsend, WA, May 5-29, 2016
• Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry: 40 Years of Color, Light, & Motion
  • Mitchell Museum, Cedarhurst Center for the Arts, Mt. Vernon, IL, July 31-October 9, 2016
  • Nixon Centre for Performing & Visual Arts, Newnan, GA January 9 - February 17, 2017

Publications

• None as of 6/27/17