Zeisler, Claire, 1903-1991

Claire Zeisler (April 18, 1903 – September 30, 1991) was an American fiber artist who expanded the expressive qualities of knotted and braided threads, pioneering large-scale freestanding sculptures in this medium. Throughout her career Zeisler sought to create "large, strong, single images" with fiber. Zeisler's non-functional structures were constructed using traditional weaving and avant-garde off the loom techniques such as square knotting, wrapping, and stitching. Zeisler preferred to work with natural materials such as jute, sisal, raffia, hemp, wool, and leather. The textiles were often left un-dyed, evidence of Zeisler's preference for natural coloration that emphasized the fiber itself. When she did use color, she gravitated towards red. Her work is influenced by and has influenced fiber artists in the 1960s and 1970s, including Kay Sekimachi, Lenore Tawney, Magdalena Abakanowicz, and Sheila Hicks. The resurgence of interest in fiber arts and macrame during the 2000s have inspired a new generation of knotters and creators, including Jim Olarte and Agnes Hansella.