Meet Kimono Textile Artisan Ann Gessert
Each month KyotoKimono.com features one of our customer artisan in our Textile Artisan Program. If you use vintage kimono fabric in your work and would like to be featured, email us directly.
Here’s more about Ann and her work:
How would you describe your art/craft?
I create elegant pieces from re-purposed and new materials. I've been dismantling kimonos for years and using the fabric in artwork, pillows, scarves, quilts and other garments.
What kinds of items do you sell? I sell wall hangings, framed pieces, pillow shams, and pieced bags. Prices vary from $50 to $1000.
How long have you been doing this? Fifteen years. I love to work with beautiful fabrics and find that creating useful and pleasing things is deeply satisfying. I tend to make things in groups, or a series. That allows me to more deeply explore and learn from the materials I am using. I try to balance a respect and reverence for the fabrics I reshape with my practical self, wanting to create beautiful useful pieces.
Have you travelled to Japan? Yes! I went to Japan about 5 years ago, on a tour of Kyoto gardens and cities/towns surrounding Kyoto. It was a small and lovely group of us; I learned a lot about more than just gardens. The Japanese esthetic is appealing and soothing to me, and I am continually drawn to Japanese art and crafts. I very much want to return to Japan with an emphasis on textiles —-but COVID has closed those doors for now.
What is your favorite thing about working with kimono fabric? Since nearly everything I work with is antique or vintage, I like that these old fabrics become something new. From that re-creation, the fabric has a new purpose and life.
What is the most challenging thing about working with kimono fabric? Some worn or stained areas that cannot be used, and the 14” width is limiting.