ABOUT KARREN...
My passion has always been textiles and making them. I describe myself as a MAKER, I derive great pleasure from making textiles. I spin, knit, weave, sew, embroidery, and dye. During my previous career I still made things from cloth. I remember getting up before work so that I could sew...nothing else could get me out of bed so early. I’m not very interested in images, I find patterns far more fascinating. Mostly I make things to wear. I like transforming the 2-D cloth into a 3-D wrapping for the body. I have spent a lot of time thinking about the cloths we wear as our most intimate environment and the façade we chose to present to the world.
Making cloth has been women’s work for 20 000 years, and they did it by hand most of that time. I feel a connection to these previous clothmakers when I use a process they used or I see even a fragment of cloth that is still blessed with its makers life force.
I started ENTWINEMENTS IN 1983 to market my hand-woven clothing. In 1989-90 I began selling my shibori. Pleated silk shibori was new to the market and there were many obstacles to over come. I did a lot of research and innovation to make the design and caliber of the work something I’m proud of and a delight to see and wear. I have built the publics’ confidence in my work by consistent quality work and guarantees. I have a Ph.D. in chemistry and use my technical expertise to select quality dyes and tested procedures.
ENTWINEMENTS shibori is known for its sophisticated coloration. The pleats are one color on the top of the pleats and another in the valleys, so as the silk moves and spreads the color that you see changes. So by wearing the Entwinements silk you give it a new facet, iridescence.
I am the author of SHIBORI, creating color and texture on silk. I write articles for several publications on topics such as discharge, dyeing with acid dyes. I lecture and have taught weaving, dyeing, shibori. I am a member of American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists, American Craft Council and Color Marketing Group.
In my previous career I was affiliated with La Unversidad del Zulia, Maracaibo Venezuela, École Polytecnique, Paris, France and Antioch College, Yellow Springs Ohio.
If you want to know more you can download a complete resumé and artist's statement.
