Casandra Allen

Artist Statement

Casandra L Allen is a fiber artist who resides in Antioch, TN. She began quilting in 2005, after the loss of her youngest brother. It became a form of therapeutic activity and also an exploration of her feelings of grief and ways to process what she was feeling. It was self-soothing and essentially soul fulfilling. Initially, she used traditional patterns, but found her niche using Afrocentric fabrics and embellishments with cowrieshells and beads. Her fabric wall hangings also implement traditional fabrics and batiks. Her quilted creations are art stories. Casandra L Allen is a fiber artist who resides in New London, CT. She began quilting in 2005, after the loss of her youngest brother. It became a form of therapy and also an exploration of her feelings of grief and ways to process what she was feeling. It was self-soothing and essentially soul fulfilling. Initially, she used traditional patterns, but found her niche using Afrocentric fabrics and embellishments with cowrieshells and beads. Her fabric wall hangings also implement traditional fabrics and batiks. Her quilted creations are story quilts with a faith-based twist. They inspire and uplift and include hidden messages and metaphors. The messages are discovered upon closer inspection. Her quilts can focus on historical civil rights activists or everyday cultural experiences or themes from self-care, self pride and cultural traditions. Her quilts inspire and uplift and also encourage those who may be going through difficult times in their lives. Casandra's husband was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia in 2015. She found herself unable to quilt in 2016, and had to take a hiatus for 3 years. After he passed away in 2018, she found that her gift became dormant and she was uncertain whether it would return. After much encouragement from her children, family and friends, and a lot of prayer, she regained her gift of creativity and resumed quilting in 2019. She continues to use bold colors and large figures in her quilts, suffused with textural embellishments.