Miriam "Mimi" French

Miriam “Mimi” French was a student at the college from the fall of 1939 to the winter of 1944. She took Introductory and Advanced Weaving with Anni Albers, from 1940 through 1944.

Mimi's mother ran a nursery school and she worked there over the summers before BMC. In her college application, she mentioned that one of her hobbies was making clay busts of her family members. Her application was for the fall of 1939, but it was initially delayed for a semester because of "the tremendous number of gal applicants."

She excelled in her creative coursework and Anni Albers was especially impressed by her in her weaving and textile work. In a course card note from Anni, she noted  "Definitely original-- created a tapestry on her own. Has a delicate and feminine style. Works hard and consistently; needs encouragement. Is much interested in the work.... definitely gifted in hand weaving."

She also took many music and acapella courses while a student. She was offered to return during senior year if she could make textile works and sell them to pay for her stay, and to focus only on weaving. According to her course cards, she wasn't excelling in other subjects, but Anni wanted her to continue working on her textile projects. She didn’t return to the college for these financial reasons.

Mimi’s daughter, Linda Batchelor, is a working artist and is greatly influenced by her mother’s art and stories of Black Mountain College. Her work can be seen on her website.

Biography written by Amanda Hartman.

Alternative names: Mimi French Batchelor

Courses Taken

Fall 1939-1940: Drawing with Albers, Readings in Literature with Kurtz, Introductory Writing with Wunsch. Chorus with Jalowetz, Piano Lessons with Lindsley

Spring 1939-1940: Drawing with Albers, Readings in Literature with Kurtz, Introductory Weaving with Albers, Chorus with Jalowetz, Piano Lessons with Jalowetz, Music with Evarts

Fall 1940-1941: Introductory Weaving with Page, Introductory Spanish withMangold, General Biology with Carpenter, Music with Evarts, Chorus with Jalowetz

Spring 1940-1941: Introductory Weaving with Albers, Music with Evarts, Introductory Spanish with Mangold, Chorus with Jalowetz

Fall 1941-1942: Advanced Weaving with Albers, History of Civilization with Radin, Color I with Albers, Music with Jalowetz, Chorus with Jalowetz, Women’s A Capella Chorus with Jalowetz, Plastic Workshop with Gregory

Spring 1941-1942: Advanced Weaving with Albers, Color I with Albers, History of Civilization with Radin, Music with Jalowetz, Werklehre with Albers, Plastic Workshop with Gregory, A Capella Chorus with Jalowetz, Chorus with Jalowetz

Fall 1942-1943: Color II with Albers, Drawing II with Albers, Seeing of Art with Albers, Madrigal Group with Lowinsky, Survey of the History of Music with Lowinsky, Chorus with Jalowetz, Advanced Weaving with Albers, IntroductoryWeaving (Theory Hour) with Albers

Winter 1942-1943: Advanced Weaving with A. Albers, Drawing II with J. Albers, Color II with J. Albers, Introductory Weaving (1 hour theory) with A. Albers, The Operas of Mozart, Jalowetz, The Seeing of Art with J. Albers, A Capella Choir with Lowinsky, Chorus with Jalowetz

Spring 1942-1943: Advanced Weaving with A Albers, Drawing II with J Albers,Color II with J Albers, A Capella Choir with Lowinsky, Operas of Mozart with Jalowetz, Chorus with Jalowetz, Introductory Weaving with A Albers, Community Work with Wood

Fall 1943-1944: Werklehre with J Albers

Winter 1944: General Design with J Albers, A Capella Chorus with Lowinsky, Chorus with Jalowetz, Advanced Weaving with A Albers