'I Can't Believe That's a Quilt': National Quilt Museum Celebrates Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry's Exceptional Fabric Art with New Exhibit, 'Thirty Quilts for Thirty Years'

PADUCAH, Ky., Dec. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Quilt Museum (http://www.quiltmuseum.org) is pleased to host an exhibit of new work from internationally renowned fine art quilter Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry. "Thirty Quilts for Thirty Years: Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry" will be on display from December 6 through March 11, 2014.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131209/PH29193-a)
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131209/PH29193-b)

Fallert-Gentry has made a career of stretching the boundaries of fabric art. The response to her work is almost universal: people are stunned and amazed that she has created such vibrant, dynamic and expressive works of art using fabric as her medium.  "As one visitor said, at first I thought they were paintings," commented Museum Curator/Registrar Judy Schwender.  Visitors to the "Thirty Quilts for Thirty Years" exhibit will experience a collection of thirty new works that shows Fallert-Gentry at the top of her craft.  In addition, visitors will get to see five of the most famous quilts from Ms. Fallert-Gentry's 30-year career. 

"Defying people's expectations of quilts and quilting as an artform is a signature of Fallert-Gentry's work; her quilts are often mistaken for paintings or even drawings, thanks to the sharp, lifelike colors that seem to pop from the surface. We hope this eye-catching exhibit gives visitors a sense of wonder, while expanding their concept of what a quilt can be," remarked Frank Bennett, CEO of the National Quilt Museum.

After learning that Fallert-Gentry's productions are in fact made out of fabric, people typically wonder how she achieves such a magical result. In fact, the process behind each quilt is deliberate and painstaking. Computer software helps refine an initial sketch, after which the finished design is reproduced on freezer paper. Cut into various templates, the freezer paper guides the scissors as Fallert-Gentry carefully trims the 100% cotton fabric that comprises all of her quilts.

Intense color is the most immediate quality of Fallert-Gentry's quilts; she creates her vibrant colors with a variety of old and new techniques, including hand-dyeing, printing and even painting directly on the fabric itself. Her subject matter is often fantastic or inspired by the natural world, and her goal with each new quilt is to evoke positive energy and excitement.

See more quilts from this exhibit http://tinyurl.com/fallert

In her 30 years of innovative, imaginative quilting, Fallert-Gentry has earned numerous industry honors, solidifying her reputation as one of the preeminent fabric artists working today. Among the most noteworthy of these are the International Quilt Festival Silver Star Award for lifetime achievement in 2006 and the Bernina Leadership Award in 2003. Other awards and honors include:

• Masterpiece Quilt Award; 1986
• Best of Show, American Quilters Society Show; 1989, 1995 and 2000
• Master Award for Machine Artistry; 1997
• 100 Most Important Quilts of the Twentieth Century; 2000
• 30 Most Influential Quiltmakers in the World; 2002
• Master Award for Contemporary Artistry; 2002 and 2006
• All American Quilter; 2004
• Best of Show, International Quilt Festival; 2009

Public and private collections around the world currently house the work of Fallert-Gentry. New York's Museum of Art and Design, Vision Art Museum, Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, Bradley University Library, Fidelity Investments, Inc., and Fritz Gegauf A. G. in Switzerland are just a few places where visitors can see her dynamic productions.

"Thirty Quilts for Thirty Years" is the first of many intriguing exhibits that will grace the walls of the National Quilt Museum in 2014. Bennett encourages visitors to Paducah to make time to experience everything the museum has to offer, from innovative and surprising fabric art to quilts that evoke a shared cultural memory. The museum is open Monday through Saturday year round, and also on Sundays from March 1 until November 30.

About the National Quilt Museum

The Museum is the world's largest and most prestigious museum devoted to quilts and fiber art. A destination for art enthusiasts worldwide, annually the Museum welcomes visitors from all 50 U.S. states and over 40 foreign countries from all corners of the globe. The Museum's onsite and travelling exhibits are viewed by over 110,000 people per year. In addition, over 6,000 youth and adults participate in the Museum's educational opportunities on an annual basis. The Museum is located in a 27,000-square-foot facility in historic downtown Paducah, Kentucky. The Museum's mission is to, "Advance the art of today's quilters and fiber artists by making it accessible to new and expanding audiences worldwide." As their CEO Frank Bennett often states, "These are some of the most talented artists in the world and I want everyone to experience their work first-hand." 

Contact:

Amanda Ball, Marketing Director
National Quilt Museum
270-442-8856
Email

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SOURCE National Quilt Museum