Akiko Kotani
Hawaii-born fiber artist Akiko Kotani (b. 1940) is professor emerita of art at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania and resides in Gulfport. She was named Pittsburgh Artist of the Year in 2013 and in 2019 Artist Laureate by Creative Pinellas. From her massive site-specific installation pieces crocheted with plastic trash bags to minimalistic stitched works that distill impressions of nature and landscape Kotani’s art exemplifies the boundless innovations taking place in contemporary fiber arts. She has significantly contributed to redefining fiber arts' relationship to the fine arts transcending the customary boundaries between the two. Stitch by stitch she integrates traditional women’s handcrafts into stunning contemporary artwork.