Karen Bernthal

Artist's Statement
I've taken an American icon, the T-shirt, and re-envisioned it. I seek to elevate them to wearable art status without losing qualities I admire, namely accessibility and comfort. My aim is to keep the tops pure, which for me means without superfluous design. I offer texture and visual tension through the seaming itself, which I call squiggly embroidery. The seaming is created using a "merrow" machine. The raised seams signal design that's unconventional, informal and honest. The thread color or, more accurately, the mix of colored threads in each seam balances the texture and introduces grace notes into the composition, making my version of wearable art into the apparel version of hand-made stoneware; casual, inventive, and strikingly designed, but without the formality of porcelain.

---

Karen's interest in clothing design started after her graduation from college with an art major. Deciding to be an independent artist, she formed her company, Kirke Design Studio, in 1984. Her label Kirke has been featured in many fine specialty stores and wearable art galleries.