Klaus Anselm
CONTEMPORARY TEXTILE ARTIST
ARTIST STATEMENT
My tapestries woven in wool on cotton warp have two elements essential for their design, color, and movement. They involve a strong contrasting color pattern and movement through color composition and freely moving structures and lines, while sparse in detail. I feel stimulated by abstractions and the strong colors and simple shapes of the Southwest architecture and landscape.
I enjoy the creative and peaceful process of weaving and appreciate it as a step away from reality.
EDUCATION AND BACKGROUND
Klaus Anselm was born in Eastern Germany, later lived in Bavaria, and then moved to the United States where he practiced medicine until his retirement in 1999.
Always interested in textiles, color and design he started weaving in 1998, attended workshops on tapestry weaving given by Rose Vigil and James Koehler, all in Taos, New Mexico and a course on color and design at Penland School of Crafts in Asheville, North Carolina, also given by James Koehler.
Klaus is a member of the Albemarle Handweavers Guild, the American Tapestry Alliance, Tapestry Weavers South and the Handweavers Guild of America. Klaus is also a member of Belfast Fiberarts in Belfast, Maine.
Aside from his passion for tapestry weaving, Klaus Anselm is an avid traveler and a popular dog show judge.
Klaus Anselm is represented by John Deaux Gallery in Pueblo, CO
PROCESS
All tapetries are one of a kind, woven with 2-ply wool on cotton warp. I get my wool from many sources—New Mexico, New Hampshire, Maine—always searching for the best colors. I start with a design on graph paper which will then be woven on either one of my horizontal looms or on the small vertical tapestry loom.
