The importance of Stephen Blumrich’s contribution to the mid-20th century fiber arts resurgence in the United States is yet to be fully appreciated. Blumrich studied weaving in Linz, Austria, where he opened a small weaving workshop as a teenager. In 1958, he relocated to the United States when his father, an aircraft designer, accepted a job at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in Huntsville, Alabama. Unable to find work as a weaver in Huntsville, Blumrich moved to New York City, where he weaved custom sample fabrics for The Woolmark Company (1960-1961). Later, Blumrich returned to the South, where he worked as a draftsman for engineering firms, including Martin Marietta. Blumrich would later move to San Francisco with his wife, Terry Blumrich.