Marcella Hempel

rdf:langString Marcella Hempel

rdf:langString Marcella Augusta Hempel, (birthname Tilg, first married name Tilg-Senff) (29 December 1915, Berlin, Germany– 9 December 2010, Canberra, Australia) was a textile artist, second generation Bauhaus master weaver and lecturer in textiles. She was one of many émigré artists who came to Australia after the second world war, bringing training and expertise from Europe. She became a respected leader in the Australian Crafts Movement. Hempel designed and wove products such as rugs and scarves which were commissioned or exhibited by Australian companies, private collectors and craft and art galleries. Her work received a gold medal award from the Australian Wool Board. She lectured in Dresden then at the University of Applied Arts in Berlin, taught textile design at East Sydney Technical College, was the inaugural lecturer in textiles at the Riverina-Murray Institute of Higher Education (formerly Riverina College of Advanced Education, now Charles Sturt University-Wagga Wagga campus) and was conferred with a Honoris Causa award of Bachelor of Arts (Visual Arts) after retirement. Her woven travel rugs are held in national art collections.