Lili Blumenau

Lili Blumenau (1912–1976) was an American fiber artist. She was a pivotal figure in the development of fiber arts and textile arts, particularly weaving, in the United States during the mid-part of the 20th century.

Early life and education Blumenau was born on November 28, 1912 in Berlin, Germany. Blumenau is a graduate of the , the in Paris, and was the first woman to graduate from the New York School of Textile Technology. She also studied at Black Mountain College.

Work and career After her education, Blumenau went on to become an instructor in several schools in New York City including Columbia University's Teacher's College, where she started a weaving workshop. She founded the weaving department at the Fashion Institute of Technology and Design in 1952. which had a significant impact on her field. This text provided technical details and patterns for loom weaving as well as a conceptual approach to the methodologies of hand weaving as "engaging, fully-human, and life-giving". In 1975 Blumenau was awarded Fellow of the Council by the American Craft Council. Blumenau died on September 6, 1976 in the Bronx. and the Museum of Arts and Design.