10 Flaxen Lane
Asheville, NC 28803
828-274-3578

Bobbie Kelsten Handweaving

Media: Fiber

Weaving is a discipline and a vocation that satisfies many of my deepest needs. I crave color and am fascinated by the interplay of colors in combination. Similarly, the possibility of pattern, in its unlimited forms and variation, engages my curiosity and sense of play. I love the tactile nature of textiles and am committed to the idea of making something indispensable in our lives that is also beautiful.

I began to learn to weave in the mid 1970’s when the craft was undergoing a revival, after being nearly a lost art. The first time I saw a loom, I knew I’d met my match. I had taken art classes all through school and college, and learned embroidery, sewing, crochet and knitting; textiles and thread being a preferred medium. But once I began to weave I found the means for creative expression that has occupied and delighted me for over 30 years. Over the course of several years my study took me into weaving classes, workshops and studios in many states. My work has been through different phases and changes, but has always had the purpose of integrating usefulness with the aesthetic. Most recently I’ve begun to focus on weaving textiles for use in ceremony, ritual, prayer and celebration. This niche bypasses the capriciousness of fashion trends, but even more importantly, it allows me to contribute to the important events and activities in peoples’ lives.