| Kaffe Fassett | |
|---|---|
| Born | San Francisco, California |
| Nationality | American |
Kaffe Fassett (b.1937) is an American-born artist who is best known for his colourful designs in the decorative arts—needlepoint, patchwork, knitting, painting and ceramics. "Colour is his very medium, whatever the substance he uses."[1]
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Born 1937 in San Francisco, California, Fassett received a scholarship to the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston at the age of 19, but shortly left school to paint in London and moved there to live in 1964.
Fassett's work attracted a considerable following. His work was the subject of a 1988 one-man show at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the first time a living textile artist had such a show there. The show toured nine countries.
Being more concerned with colour and design, Fassett has collaborated with quilter and teacher, Liza Prior Lucy, on the construction side of things since the 1980s. Working as a team has enabled Kaffe to design quilts, fabric, stage sets, and costumes for the Royal Shakespeare Company, while staying engaged in making rag rugs, knitting, tapestries, and mosaics.[2]
Author of more than 30 books, Fassett concentrates on teaching the color and design stages of craftwork rather than the construction stage. In addition to books, he has hosted craft-related television and radio programs for the BBC and Channel 4, including his own show, Glorious Colour.
His fabric prints are largely for the patchwork market along with Indian stripes fabric and shot cotton fabric range.
An exhibition of Kaffe's quilts, knitting and needlepoint at the Modemuseum Hasselt, Belgium in 2007, followed a multimedia solo show in 2006 at the Prince Eugen's Waldemarsudde, Sweden. Kaffe made a workshop tour of Australia and New Zealand.
He is a fabric designer for Rowan Patchwork and Quilting and the primary knitwear designer for Rowan Yarns.
Fassett has resided in England since 1964. He lives with Brandon Mably: his partner and studio manager.