California and the Fiber Art Revolution

The 1960s and 1970s were critical years in the development of American fiber art. One of the major and most exciting centers of change was California. This paper will look at California’s transforming role in the fiber revolution. One noteworthy indicator of change in fiber art was the series of twelve exhibitions entitled California Design. They were held at the Pasadena Art Museum from 1954 to 1971 and at another venue in 1976. Exhibition catalogs were published for the last five exhibitions (1962, 1965, 1968, 1971 and 1976). The catalog pages document the movement within the fiber area - away from functional textiles and towards two dimensional wall pieces and sculpture, from design to fine art. For this presentation, the work presented in the catalogs is juxtaposed with social and political events in California and those in the field of fiber art to provide context