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

Artist Biography

Born in 1946 in Abington, Pennsylvania, Warren Seelig is a fiber artist and professor, who has spoken and written on craft and material studies throughout his career. With multigenerational family ties to fiber milling and the textile industry, Seelig was exposed to both textiles and the machines that manufacture them at a young age. He received a BA from Kutztown State College in Pennsylvania (1968) before pursuing a BS from Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science (1972), where he created his first woven works. Seelig also completed a MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1974. In the late '70s, Seelig began producing structural, fan-like works using mylar frames and an innovative double-weave technique. His focus later shifted to suspended spoke-and-axle pieces and wall-mounted shadowfields. With his technically intriguing and eye-catching works, Seelig has been regularly commissioned to create installations for corporate offices and convention centers. In addition to his studio practice, Seelig has held a number of teaching positions throughout his career, including a long tenure at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where he has been a distinguished visiting professor since 1996. Seelig has written for many magazines and journals over the years, including ACC’s American Craft, Fiber Arts, and Surface Design Journal. His work is well-represented within both public and private collections and has been included in more than 30 museum exhibitions around the world. Seelig is a two-time recipient of the individual fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts (1976, 1984) and has also received grants and fellowships from the Mellon Foundation Venture Fund and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. Warren Seelig was elected a Fellow of the American Craft Council in 2001. -American Craft Council