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“In the 60’s, there was a taboo against ‘serious’ artists dabbling in
crafts,” recalls Kaffe, who until age 28 mostly painted still lifes and
portraits. A visit to a Scottish wool mill changed all that for this
California-born ex-pat. Smitten with luscious skeins of yarn, he learned to
knit. “My first thought was, ‘How can I make a living from this?’”
Soon
after, he began producing books that fairly vibrate with exuberant patterns for
multiple needle arts, including quilting and patchwork. Wild success followed.
He is, for example, the first living artist to have a one-man show at the
Victoria and Albert Museum and has also designed sets and costumes for the Royal
Shakespeare Company.
fan of Japan
No one ever accused Kaffe (rhymes with “safe”) of being a
minimalist. (e) Textiles displayed in layers include a fan
needlepoint, handpainted Japanese kimono, and “rice bowl” pop art quilt by Kaffe
himself. (f) Embroidery patterns for sewing machines. (g) Swatches spark ideas for
future collections. (h) Experimenting with colorways for his new “Verbena”
pattern.
fruits of his labors
(i) “Planets” design is
all
about “playing with different scales of spots and dots.” (j) Prominently
displayed near the entrance to his townhouse/studio, the
Kaffe-designed,
orchard-themed needlepoint wingchair was purely a labor
of love, handstitched
over a period of six months by four people. (k)
Spontaneous brushstrokes of roses on
the living room wall turned out so
well, they inspired a fabric for the UK-based
Designers Guild. Kaffe
has licenses with Rowan Yarns, Dash & Albert, Pine
Cone Hill,
Westminster Fabrics, and Husqvarna Viking.
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