Carol Larson
BIO
Carol Larson was born into generations of women whose hands manipulated cloth; as seamstresses, quilters, knitters, embroiders, weavers and spinners. She learned to sew her own wardrobe at the age of 11 and has been captivated by the magic of the cloth since.
Her work is in the corporate art collections of James Irvine Foundation in San Francisco, CA, Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Santa Rosa, CA and John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, CA.
Her solo exhibition history includes: Visions Art Museum, San Diego, CA; National Quilt Museum, Paducah, KY; and LHUCA Art Center, Lubbock, TX; Park Natl Bank Gallery, UC Clermont College, Batavia Township, OH and Wiseman Gallery, Rogue Community College, Grants Pass, OR .
Juried exhibitions include George Washington University Textile Museum, Washington, DC; American Foundation for Arts & Sciences, Paris, FR; Michigan State University Museum, East Lansing, MI; Quilt National, Athens, OH and Underground Railroad Freedom Center Museum, Cincinnati, OH.
She is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area.
ARTIST STATEMENT
As a storyteller, I layer text onto fabric, combining cloth, images, ephemera, and stitch to explore social and cultural values like women’s issues, sexual assault, racism, gun violence, and climate change. My work is often fueled by outrage with a drive to challenge perceptions and to inspire change.
Paint, technology, and stitch are my tools; with intricate layering of text—whether digitally or screen-printed—adding color, pattern, and meaning. Stitching, both by hand and machine, brings texture and depth, turning mere fabric into a story.
My creative process involves research, sketching, and contemplation, letting ideas "ferment" until construction begins. Once started, the work generally progresses quite quickly.
Screen-printed fabric for Tall Girl series
