Anu Raud

Anu Raud (born 10 May 1943) is a textile artist, writer and lecturer.

Raud was born in Moscow. She completed Tallinn Secondary School No. 22 in 1961. In the following year, she entered the Estonian State Art Institute, from which she graduated in 1967 in the speciality of textile design.

In 1967–1970, Anu Raud was an artist in the folk art masters’ association Uku. In 1970–1972, she was a postgraduate student at the art history sector at the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences; in 1972–1995 senior lecturer and associate professor at the Estonian Academy of Arts; in 1994–2001, professor at the Viljandi College of Culture, founder of the speciality of Estonian native crafts and head of the department; in 2001–2006, professor of folk art at the Estonian Academy of Arts, from 2009 professor emeritus. She is the developer and custodian of the Heimtali Local History Museum. Anu Raud’s mother was the translator Valda Raud, her father was the writer Mart Raud, her half-brother was the writer Eno Raud.

Along with her work as a textile artist, Anu Raud has written several books. In 1985, she published Jutte, muist muinas-, muist muid (‘Some Fairy Tales and Other Stories’). Anu Raud’s first collection includes a selection of short stories and miniatures on universal themes: kindness, friendship, love of art and nature against the background of modern urbanized society. In 2011, Juturaamat (‘The Book of Stories’) was published, which contains short stories and miniatures from the distant and recent past. The book contains thought-provoking observations, deep wisdom and open-minded perception of life. The stories of the collection Kuue ruuduga aken (‘Window with Six squares’) were written mainly in 2021. The book consists of true stories, experiences from the author’s own life. In Anu Raud’s book Hea karjane: jutte loomadest (‘The Good Shepherd: Stories about Animals’, 2023), there are thirty stories about animals and birds. Alongside them, people are also equal characters. The stories of the humorous collection were written in 2022 and 2023.

In 2016, Anu Raud was elected Academician of the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Estonian Academy of Sciences. Mark Soosaar made the documentary film Anu Raud – elumustrid (‘Anu Raud — Patterns of Life’) in 2002 and Erle Veber the film Pärand. Anu Raud (‘Heritage. Anu Raud’) in 2021.

L. P. (Translated by I. A.)

Books in Estonian

Short prose
Jutte, muist muinas-, muist muid. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat, 1985. 103 lk.
Juturaamat. Heimtali (Viljandimaa): A. Raud, 2011. 204 lk.
Kuue ruuduga aken: jutukogu. Tallinn: SE&JS, 2022. 206 lk.
Hea karjane: jutte loomadest. Tallinn: Kirjastus SE&JS, 2023. 165 lk.