In Textiles students experiment with new materials, technologies and techniques to design and create innovative fabric and fine art. Professors work closely with both graduate and undergraduate students to encourage the development of a personal vision and an understanding of larger artistic, social and cultural contexts.

Students work with the high-end equipment used in the field – multiharness handlooms, computer-interfaced looms and an electronic jacquard loom – to master advanced weaving techniques, and both hand-operated and electronic knitting machines allow for further exploration of knitted fabrics.

“Our approach to textiles is distinct in its technical depth and artistic breadth. Students are encouraged to draw, paint and work by hand, while also learning advanced computer programs and industrial techniques. This combination results in work that is structurally sophisticated yet expressively free. Above all, it’s highly personal. End use is considered throughout the creative process, often resulting in entirely new discoveries for apparel, interior and fine arts applications.”-Anais Missakian, former Department Head