Artist Statement:
After graduating from the University of the Arts with a Bachelors of Science in Industrial Design, Karl worked in Philadelphia designing and building museum/trade show exhibits and product prototypes. Simultaneously, he was building a home and studio in Northern Liberties, Philadelphia. When time allowed, he crafted bentwood boxes and taught himself blacksmithing. Ultimately the Design Office environment conflicted “psychically” with Karl’s need to be free to experiment with craft on his terms.
For the next ten years, Karl enjoyed a robust commission-based blacksmith studio and continued showing and selling bentwood boxes, e.g. Philadelphia Furniture and Furnishings Show. He taught metal workshops from his studio and continued woodworking commissions as well.
It was about this time, a change of career was inevitable. An injury made the physical nature of the work impossible. After much introspection and angst, it was time to make a change and continue his pursuit of artistic fulfillment in the Fine Arts; painting, drawing, and most recently, printmaking. The journey continues…
My focus on painting, pastel and life-prints involve distinctly different approaches. Painting is a way to reconfigure external realities to fit my own internal perceptions. Pastels require acute observation to capture likeness, mood and the gesture of an individual. The linocuts are what I call "life-prints." They are more spontaneous and use line primarily to describe. These methods indulge my need to keep it interesting.
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