Ed Rossbach (1914-2002) was a fiber artist who worked in basketmaking and weaving. Originally from Chicago, he worked and lived in Berkeley, California. He was drawn to nontraditional textile materials including foil, plastic bags, Mylar, twigs, staples, Styrofoam, and twine. He received a B.F.A. from the University of Washington, received his M.F.A. from Columbia University and another M.F.A. from Cranbrook Academy of Art.
He taught at the University of California, Berkeley for 29 years. He authored several books on basketry, notably "The Nature of Basketry" and "Baskets as Textile Art." His work can be found in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Arts and Design, the Renwick Gallery, Oakland Art Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art.
Charles (Ed) Rossbach, Ceremonial Vessel with Shells, 1991, Courtesy of Cranbrook Art Museum, R. H. Hensleigh and Tim Thayer photograph
