Hello Atelier 016

Kaffe Fassett

When Kaffe Fassett made plans to journey to London in 1964, he had no inkling that his trip would be extended from a few weeks to over fifty years. The city provided him with a wealth of inspiration that he incorporated into his art. The energy from one of the most artistic and exciting times in London’s history propelled Kaffe on his own creative journey. As abruptly as Dorothy landed in the technicolor world of OZ, his art veered sharply away from neutral paintings of white and grey to the colorful, textural world of knitting, needlework and fabric.

Today, Kaffe is a renowned textile artist, whose signature layering of pattern and color has won him legions of fans in the craft world as well as recognition as a major artist – in 1988 he was the first living textile artist to have a one man show at the Victoria and Albert Museum. However, his efforts to paint (or knit or needlepoint) the world in color doesn’t stop with his artwork. He also spends much of his time traveling the world to teach and encourage his students in their own textile work.

In this episode we discuss those inspiring first years when Kaffe found his calling in textiles, his work as a teacher and his unending drive to create.

What’s happening in Kaffe’s world:

• Kaffe Fassett: See Kaffe’s work and be sure to check out the events page – he might be teaching near you!
• Nepenthe: The restaurant that Kaffe’s parents opened in Big Sur California, still family-run today!
• Bill Gibb: Check out this interesting story about fashion designer Bill Gibb from The New York Times
• Vogue Knitting: A fabulous knitting magazine that often features Kaffe’s designs
• Stumpwork: An introduction to the three dimensional embroidery that inspired Kaffe’s Shakespeare set
• Royal Shakespeare Company: The theater company who commissioned Kaffe to design the sets for As You Like It
• Oxfam: An charitable organization with which Kaffe has worked