Bernard Kester | |
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| Born | March 25, 1928 Salt Lake City, Utah, United States |
| Died | October 26, 2018 Studio City, Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Other names | J. Bernard Kester, Bernard J. Kester |
| Education | University of California, Los Angeles (BFA,MFA) |
| Occupation(s) | Designer, artist, curator, writer |
| Known for | Pottery,textile design |
Bernard Kester (1928–2018) was an American designer, artist, curator, and writer,[1] known for hispottery andtextile design. He was instrumental in thestudio craft movement in the United States through his work as a curator and exhibit designer at theLos Angeles County Museum of Art, and he worked to elevated craft and fiber works to contemporary art found in museums. Kester founded thefiber art program at theUniversity of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He was named an honorary fellow by theAmerican Craft Council (ACC) in 1980.[2]
Bernard Kester was born on March 25, 1928, in Salt Lake City, Utah.[3] When he was a young child, the family temporarily moved toNewport Beach, California, followed by a move toLong Beach, California.[3] He started making art in kindergarten.[3]
Kester attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and graduated with a BFA degree and MFA degree.[3]
From 1956 to 1991, he taught at UCLA, starting with ceramics and eventually switched to teaching weaving.[1] Kester founded thefiber art program at theUniversity of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Some of Kester’s notable students includedGerhardt Knodel,Maren Hassinger,[4] andNeda Al-Hilali.[1]
Kester worked as a curator andexhibition designer at theLos Angeles County Museum of Art.[1][5] He worked to elevated craft and fiber art to contemporary art found in museums. His exhibition design work was included in the show,The Legacy of Genghis Khan: Courtly Art and Culture in West Asia, 1256–1353 (2003).[6]
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