Modern and Contemporary Craft: Selections from the Robert L. Pfannebecker Collection

Artist Biography

Born in Chicago, Illinois in 1914, Ed Rossbach earned a BFA from the University of Washington, Seattle in 1940 and an MFA in ceramics and weaving from the Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1947. During World War II, Rossbach served in the Aluetian Islands, cementing his interest in fiber arts. Rossbach began his career work in ceramics and weaving whilst evolving into basket making in the 1950s. Rossbach is nationally recognized for his baskets incorporating materials such as plastic and newspaper. Rossbach held teaching positions at the University of Washington, Seattle from 1947 to 1950, and the University of California, Berkeley, from 1950 to 1979. Rossbach’s works appear in public collections such as the Museum of Modern Art, New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the Art Institute of Chicago. Rossbach passed away in 2002 at 88.