Jim Bassler of Palm Springs, California, is a well-known weaver. He has a BA and Master’s from UCLA. He participated in the Small Works in Fiber traveling exhibition in 2002, taking him to East Hampton, New York, Chicago, and Tokyo. He also exhibited in Off the Wall in 2019 in Philadelphia and the Feather Project in 2016 in the Textile Museum, Oaxaca, Mexico.

“Weaving is at the center of how I attempt to understand and respond to this changing world,” Bassler said. “It takes a lot of time.  Sometimes the outcome is not nearly as interesting as the journey to get there.”

“Drawing on complex weave structures with historic reference, Bassler unites the past with the present in responding to contemporary political and environmental issues, bringing nuance and humor to his sophisticated artwork,” said ACC Awards Committee Member Pat Hickman. “Driven by ideas and process and using very simple tools, he celebrates the honesty and beauty of the hand made—in his work and in his life.”