Trude Guermonprez

In a photograph taken by her late husband, photographer Paul Guermonprez, in 1938

Trude Guermonprez (1910–1976), born Gertrud Jalowetz, was a German textile artist and designer. She was born in Danzig (modern Gdańsk). Her parents were Austrian and were active in the arts.^[1] She took on weaving while living in Halle, Germany, where she attended the Municipal School of Arts and Crafts. She was married to a photographer, Paul Guermonprez. He died while fighting in the Dutch resistance. Guermonprez worked in the Netherlands and then, after six years, relocated to the United States, with the support of Anni Albers.^[2]

She started teaching at Black Mountain College. Then she moved to Guerneville, California, to teach at Pond Farm Workshops. She remarried, marrying John Elsesser. The couple moved to San Francisco. She served as chair of the craft department at the California College of Arts and Crafts. She also worked at Oakland College. Throughout her career, the majority of her work was private commission.^[2]

Notable exhibitions

• The Tapestries of Trude Guermonprez,, 1982, Oakland Museum of California^[3]

References