Ilse Kilian-Tan

(German, born 1928)

Spokane, Eastern Washington-based textile artist Ilse Kilian-Tan weaves elaborate abstracted wall hangings inspired by nature. She is also a painter and writer.

Kilian-Tan was born and grew up in East Germany. She moved to the United States in the 1960s and received a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts in literature and foreign languages. She also received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Eastern Washington University in Cheney, where she taught foreign languages for many years.