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Rudolph "Rudi" Fuchs Holiday Card Collection, 1961-1985Add to your cart.View associated digital content.

By Catherine Keenan

Collection Overview

Title: Rudolph "Rudi" Fuchs Holiday Card Collection, 1961-1985Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
ID: 01/ AR0877
Primary Creator: Fuchs, Rudolph "Rudi" A. (1905-1985)
Extent: 0.25 Linear Feet
Arrangement: This collection is arranged in two boxes, Box 1: Holiday Cards, 1961-1985 and Box 2: Holiday Card Tapestries, 1961-1985. The folders and items in each folder are arranged chronologically.
Date Acquired: 04/10/2017. More info below under Accruals.
Subjects:
Forms of Material: Crafts (art genres)
Fiber art
Greeting cards
Holiday card
Periodicals
Languages: English

Abstract

This collection contains woven artistic creations by artist and retired art professor of the University of North Texas, Rudolph "Rudi" Fuchs.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Materials consist of holiday themed greeting cards with woven artwork and handwritten messages by artist Rudi Fuchs spanning from 1961 to 1985. Most of the holiday cards in this collection are addressed to "Wendell and Fred." Undated holiday cards, dated and undated tapestries not attached to cards, and a 1975 magazine article featuring Fuchs and his fiber art practice and projects are also included.

Collection Historical Note

In 1957, Rudolph "Rudi" Fuchs (pronounced "Fox") created his first woven holiday card and continued the tradition of sending them for decades due to its popularity with friends and family. He created orginal, holiday themed tapestry weavings attached to handwritten cards and sent them out annually until his death in 1985. He made thousands of the holiday cards over the span of 28 years. The tapestries, or "Rudy's Christmas 'rags'" (as he called it), were handmade miniature weavings created with a traditional looming technique. Earlier versions of the tapestries were created with a less complex 4-harness loom. However, after a trip to Paris where he was inspired by the intricacy of the stain glass rose windows at the Chartres and Notre Dame Cathedrals, he began using a 16-harness loom to develop more elaborate designs. Throughout his career as an artist, Fuchs created numerous functional and aesthetic weavings and fiber creations that earned him national acclaim.

In 1930, Rudi began teaching at North Texas State Teachers College in Denton (now the University of North Texas). He also established the art studio known as Kendolph Terrace in Denton with his partner, Kenneth. In 1938, Rudi traveled to Europe where he studied in Paris, England, Germany, and Sweden. In London he learned ancient fiber art techniques from the Weavers, Dyers, and Spinners Guild of England, Scotland, and Ireland. He also studied at the Chicago School of Design under Laszlo Maholy-Nagy, former Bauhaus professor and contributor to the modern constructivism movement in art. Both Rudi and Kenneth served in World War II. While serving in the war, Rudi worked as a German translator. After the war, he returned to Denton and resumed teaching art at the University of North Texas. In the 1940s, he introduced fiber art and weaving courses at the university and claimed to be the only professor to do so at the time. In 1972, Fuchs retired from the University of North Texas.

Subject/Index Terms

Access Information

Access Restrictions:

This collection is not restricted.

Use Restrictions:

Reproduction and publication of materials in this collection are subject to the policies of the UNT Special Collections department. Copyright restrictions may apply.

Physical Access Note:

This collection is stored off-site and requires a minimum of 24 hours notice prior to use.

Technical Access Note:

The digital version of Box 1: Holiday Cards, 1961-1985 is available via The Portal to Texas History.

Reading Room or Duplication Requests

Depending on any access restrictions noted above, you may be able to request items be delivered to our reading room, or that we make reproductions for you. Just click on either the or icons in the listings below to be routed to our request form.

Administrative Information

Repository: University of North Texas Special Collections
Accruals: 2017-013, 2020-104
Acquisition Source: Richard A. Gunter, James Mathis
Acquisition Method: Gift.
Preferred Citation: Rudolph "Rudi" Fuchs Holiday Card Collection, University of North Texas Special Collections.
Processing Information: Processed by Catherine Keenan 4/25/2017

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Box and Folder Listing
Box 1: Holiday Cards, 1961-1985Box 2: Holiday Card Tapestries, 1961-1985

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