Miriam Stern

Biography

Miriam Stern is a painter, printmaker, mixed media, and installation artist. She has exhibited in the United States, Europe, and Israel, and has won numerous awards and prizes. Ms. Stern usually works in a series of prints and paintings on a specific theme. Her art has been reproduced in magazines and books of poetry. In addition to producing art, she has curated several art exhibitions and lectures about the relationship of art to Jewish interpretations of texts and ideas.

Artist statement

The computer has been a great tool enabling me to use my photographs, manipulate them, and transform them. Choosing bits and pieces of photographs I construct layers of abstraction that contain fragments of the original image. These images printed on artist’s paper are the first step toward creating my monoprints. The monoprint is the result of using the traditional printmaking process on top of the digital. Combining the photographic elements with printmaking methods unites two very different mediums. The “clean” process of working on the computer followed by the “dirty” hands-on printmaking process is a wonderful way of creating a one-of-a-kind image. 

The photographs I use are taken on my travels both near and far. Sometimes another artist’s work inspires me and I use photographs of their work and incorporate it with mine. The titles reflect the various places and artists.

My oil paintings are usually done in series that explore contemporary issues in visual ways. My latest Pekelakh series investigated racism, judgementalism, and other "isms" that are hard to face. I put them in bundles (pekelakh) that float in the air but don't leave us unless we are brave enough to confront what's inside.