Fiber artist and storyteller Karen Hampton to give virtual lecture

Karen Hampton, an internationally recognized conceptual artist who addresses colorism and kinship in the African American community, will present a lecture at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 29, through the Peters Valley School of Craft in Layton, N.J.

The canvas of Hampton’s artwork is a coarsely woven cloth that is aged and imbued with images dating back to a forgotten part of the American story. Using her training in the fiber arts and anthropology, she brings together the roles of weaver, dyer, painter, embroiderer, and storyteller. She has found that historical narratives provides a way to bring these silenced voices into the American landscape.

Hampton seeks to break through stereotypes and address issues related to being an African American woman. Frequently referring to herself as a griot (storyteller), she imparts conceptualized stories about the “other” in society.

Hampton’s artwork is held in the collections of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum, Hamilton College, Clinton, NEW YORK, and the Honolulu Museum of Art, Honolulu, Hawaii and she received the coveted Eureka Prize from the Fleishhacker Foundation in 2008. Hampton is an assistant professor in the Fibers program at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and is a trustee for the Textile Society of America. For more information visit her website at kdhampton.com.

This virtual lecture is made possible by a grant from the Richard L. Snyder Fund and Greater Pike Community Foundation. The lectures used to be held monthly at the Pike County Public Library in Milford, Pa., are are now presented virtually through Zoom every other Wednesday.

These lectures are free to attend but registration beforehand at bit.ly/3eNUaMs is needed to receive the link.