...the following is an excerpt from the Artists' Portfolio of The Guenther Gallery (Jim Thorpe, PA)...
Tristan Robin Blakeman became a quilt artist almost by accident. In the midst of his 30 years spent in the theatre as a director, actor and costume and set designer, he needed a quilt for a show...and so he made it himself. It was love at first stitch. In the few years since that first creation, Tristan has worked full time as a quilt artist. His work has won prizes in exhibitions across the United States.
In the quilting world, there are 'traditional' patterned quilts, and free-form 'art quilts'; Tristan has been described as a 'traditional art quilter.' He starts with classic block patterns; then the block becomes his medium for communicating a specific mood or story by the way he abstracts the original pattern. "I don't like labeling myself," Tristan says, "Taking myself too seriously can spoil all the fun. But if I had to label my work, I guess you could say I treat a quilt like a piece of abstract expressionism."
Tristan's quilts are sometimes "quilts within quilts." He takes one type of pattern, and combines it with another, as if stitching together not only the blocks themselves, but the contrasting styles of the different shapes. Shapes that might seem incongruous together find harmony with Tristan's needle and thread.
Another important dimension to his work is his bold use of color. "The one rule I follow is: Break the Rules," he explains. "I think the worst thing to teach people who are beginning to make quilts is that 'this color goes with this one but not this other one.'" Pushing the proverbial envelope with color combinations that are surprisingly pleasing to the eye helps give Tristan's quilts their recognizable look.
His extensive training and experience in theatre seems to lend an element of drama to his craft. Having designed sets and their accompanying costumes within the context of a particular emotion or event, Tristan is sensitive to the ways that color and form can communicate specific intentions. He draws upon this experience and instinct in his fabric art. "Sometimes I watch a play," he says, "and there will be a certain color sky against a certain type of bridge, or I look at how a costume gleams upon a sofa that sits against a certain wall, and I'm blown away. I try to inject that same dramatic quality into my quilts. I want people to walk away thinking, 'I never quite thought of that before, but now that I have, it makes perfect sense!'"
About the Artist
content copywrite 2002 Guenther Gallery, all rights reserved
Portfolio
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Recent Exhibition History
2004
Ellen Traut Collection Gallery – Fiber Revolution Group Exhibition
Hartford, Connecticut

Charter Oak Cultural Center – "Visions of Women"
Hartford, Connecticut

Out of the Sewing Closet – Juried Group Exhibition
Little Rock, Arkansas

Yale Art Place – Invitational Group Exhibition
New Haven, Connecticut
Rathbun Free Memorial Library – Fiber Revolution Group Exhibition
East Haddam, CT
Brodsky Gallery – Fiber Revolution Group Exhibition
Princeton, New Jersey
Martucci Gallery – Fiber Revolution Group Exhibition
Irvington-on-Hudson, New York
River Street Gallery at Fair Haven Woodworks – Fiber Revolution Group Exhibition
New Haven, Connecticut
Long Beach Island Foundation of Arts and Sciences – Fiber Revolution Group Exhibition
Loveladies, New Jersey
Expressions in Textiles – Juried Group Exhibition
New Haven, Connecticut
2003
NY Quilts! - Juried Group Exhibition
Troy, New York
(Awards: 2nd Place Modified Traditional Wallhanging / 3rd Place Theme Contest)
Quilt Plano - Group Guild Exhibition
Plano, Texas
(Awards: 1st Place Machine Quilted Wallhanging / 2nd Place Pieced Wallhanging)
National Quilt Association "Flights of Fancy" - Juried Group Exhibition
Columbus, Ohio
(Awards: 2nd Place Machine Quilted, Pieced, Wallhanging)
Pennsylvania Annual National Quilt Extravagana - Juried Group Exhibition
Fort Washington, Pennsylvania
Pacific International Quilt Festival XII - Juried Group Exhibition
Santa Clara, California
Schweinfurth Art Museum - Juried Group Exhibition
Auburn, New York
(Awards: Judge's Choice Award)
CHIP Center at University of Connecticut –
Storrs, Connecticut
2002
Guenther Gallery - Solo Exhibition
Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
Traveler's Rest Plantation - Juried Group Exhibit "Man Made Quilts"
Nashville, Tennessee
NY Quilts! - Juried Group Exhibition
Troy, New York
(Awards: 2nd Place - Theme Category / 3rd Place Modified Traditional Wallhanging)
Art Place - Yale - Invitational Group Exhibition
" Featured Artist" New Haven, Connecticut


2001
Gallery 105 - Juried Group Exhibition
Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
Mauch Chunk Museum and Cultural Center -Invitational Group Exhibition
Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
2000
Earlville Opera House Gallery - Solo Exhibition
1999
Down to Earth Studio -Group Exhibition
Bar Harbor, Maine
Quilts, Ltd. - Juried Group Exhibition
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Poolville Store Arts and Crafts - Solo Exhibition
Poolville, New York
Village Artists and Craftsmen - Juried Group Exhibition
Hamilton, New York
(Awards: "Most Creative Use of Fabric"; 1stPlace "Innovative Wallhanging")
Old Forge Art Museum - Juried Group Exhibition
Old Forge, New York

Village Artists and Craftsmen - Juried Group Exhibition
Hamilton, New York
(Awards: "Most Creative Use of Fabric"; 1stPlace "Modified Traditional")
Earlville Opera House Gallery - Group Exhibition
Earlville, New York
Zig Zag Quilt Gallery - Group Exhibition
Hamilton, New York
Earlville Free Library - Solo Exhibition
Earlville, New York
Old Forge Art Museum - Juried Group Exhibition
Old Forge, New York

Publications

Quilt Almanac 2002 - January 2002


Big Blocks - Spring /Summer Edition - April 2002


Big Blocks - Fall/Winter Edition - November 2002


Quilt Almanac 2003 - January 2003


British Patchwork & Quilting – May 2003


Jersey Alive! – January 2004


Little Rock Free Press – May 2004


The Sand Paper – August 11, 2004