Loja Saarinen

Loja Saarinen (1879-1968) was a Finnish-American textile artist and sculptor who founded the weaving department at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan. She also led her own studio, the Studio Loja Saarinen, which designed many of the textiles used in buildings designed by her husband, the architect Eliel Saarinen.[1][2]

Loja Saarinen
Born
Louise Gesellius

(1879-03-15)March 15, 1879
Helsinki
DiedApril 21, 1968(1968-04-21) (aged 89)
Known fortextile art, weaving, sculpture
Spouse(s)Eliel Saarinen

Background

Minna Carolina Mathilde Louise "Loja" Gesellius was born March 16, 1879, in Helsinki, Finland, and studied art in Helsinki at Taideteollinen Keskuskoulu (1898–99) and Suomen Taideyhdistyksen Piirustuskoulu (1899-1902), and sculpture under Jean Antoine Injalbert at the Académie Colarossi in Paris.[3]

Career

Loja Saarinen started her career in 1928 when she founded the one of the most productive weaving departments in the United States at the Cranbrook Educational Community. Saarinen was heavily influenced by Swedish craft tradition. She was one of the first artists to bring Scandinavian design to America. Her most substantial work was for Kingswood School where her studio designed tapestries, rugs, curtains, and upholstery.[1]

Saarinen's work is characterized by simple geometric designs in subtle light and dark contrasts, with a frequent use of complementary colors.[1]

One-Person Exhibitions:

References
  1. Bentley, Jeanie Huntley; Helms, Cynthia Newman; Rospond, Mary Chris (1989). Artists in Michigan, 1900-1976: A Biographical Dictionary. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, in association with the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, and the Founders Society Detroit Institute of Arts. pp. 201–202. ISBN 0814319076.
  2. "Saarinen, Loja (1879–1968) - Dictionary definition of Saarinen, Loja (1879–1968) | Encyclopedia.com: FREE online dictionary". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  3. "Saarinen Family Papers finding aid" (PDF). Cranbrook Archives. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
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