Artists I like: Gunta Stölzl

Outside of quilting, I don't have much experience in the fiber arts, but I secretly fantasize about owning my own loom and knitting machine one day.  I even periodically check craigslist ads just to see if there's a "meant to be" sale (shh, don't tell my husband).



And then the logical side of my brain eventually kicks in, and I realize that I don't have the space or time to learn another art form.  So I wait, and I continue to drool over amazing wall hangings like these.

 

What is it about textiles on the wall that make me so weak in the knees?  Kathrin from Annekata first introduced me to the works of Bauhaus artist Gunta Stölzl, and my heart skipped a beat!  How could I have not known about Stölzl's art after years of art history courses?  I questioned the academic integrity of my alma mater for a moment while I was in utter awe of Stölzl's works.  

Everything about Stölzl's wall hangings excites me- the colorful palettes, the dynamic pattern displays, and the various woven textures.  It's hard to believe that the works shown here were created in the 1920s.  They still look so contemporary in design.

Stölzl's wall hangings span over six decades.  I love these two pieces completed in the later years of her career. In the second piece, the movement of lines is so much more organic.  And the colors pop against a neutral background, creating a sense of dimension. 

Stölzl's beautiful wall hangings and fabrics are catalogued here.  Also included are Stölzl's design studies.  Here are a couple of my favorites.  The one on the right looks like it could be a quilted piece.  I can see different block patterns, like the flying geese and the nine patch block.