International Folk Art Market

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Zsuzsa Zsigmond

Old World Textiles Woven the Old School Way

Zsuzsa Zsigmond’s loom-woven textiles – as meticulously designed and understated as they are – may at first glance look strictly contemporary, but they are rooted in traditional Hungarian folk art, with characteristics that have remained unchanged for centuries. As is customary for artisans of her caliber, Zsuzsa spent years apprenticing to perfect her technique. Although she is trained in classic designs and art-making methods, Zsuzsa is not shy about injecting her own creative, personalized take into each and every textile she makes.

Zsuzsa breaks with tradition stylistically but also from a material standpoint, for example choosing to use innovative types of yarn. From a design standpoint, Zsuzsa will take historically Hungarian patterns and redefine them with unique color pairings. The artist offers a wide range of woven items in linen and cotton, from durable tablecloths to soft colorful baby slings, to environmentally friendly reusable cloth shopping bags.

Every single one of Zsuzsa’s textiles is carefully made by hand, employing traditional loom-weaving methods and using all natural materials. A native of Budapest, where she continues to live and work, Zsuzsa first picked up fabric and needle as a small child under the watchful eye of her mother. Later, Zsuzsa learned a range of art forms, including basketry. For a time, she was also a teacher of arts and crafts. Over the last two decades, Zsuzsa’s textiles have earned her broad acclaim, and she has received numerous accolades and creative awards.