American artist Chuck Stolarek calls his work ’embroidered paintings.’ With a background in technical design in the fashion industry he runs his own fashion label while also creating his light hearted and fun textile art that is often quilted. He seamlessly combines a range of elements from digitally printed fabric, to beading and hand and machine embroidery. “I love exploring the overlapping of humour, confusion, belonging, and context – part collage, part reverse mad lib, part absurdism.”

Firstly where are you from and where are live now?

I’m originally from a small town an hour outside of Chicago called Peotone, Illinois. I currently live in Oakland, CA.

What is your background in textiles?

I have a BFA in furniture design from Rhode Island School of Design (2002) but also did a year in the womenswear program at Central St. Martins (2007). A lot of the textile embellishment I do is trial and error – creating swatches and samples that I then pass on to an artist in New Delhi that I have known since my time in London. Last February I went and worked with this small factory for a new project I had in the works. Sourcing in the markets was the highlight along side learning more about new techniques that could support my aesthetic.

How do you describe your work?

I call my pieces embroidered paintings.I love exploring the overlapping of humour, confusion, belonging, and context – part collage, part reverse mad lib, part absurdism. 

What is it that draws you to Textile / Fibre art?

The techniques used physically and literally mend together disjointed ideas and themes.I like the cleanness of thread work and endless possibilities of texture that beading and trims can create.  

Can you briefly describe the process of creating one of your pieces?

I collage photos and clip art together in Photoshop on my computer.After things start taking shape, I move to Illustrator and clean everything up, adding texture, color, and start thinking about how the embroidery and embellishment can work on top of the artwork.The last batch of work I did incorporated digitally printed fabric, so instead of paneling fabrics together like my older pieces, the new stuff is one solid panel of linen that is then embellished.Some of the new stuff is quilted, sometimes I add fake fur, or buttons random objects that can fill out a space.After the panel is done, I then stretch over a wooden frame and then whipstitch rat tail or cording around the outside for a finished edge. 

I know this is a very broad question but how long does a piece take?

Coming up with the story and working, reworking, and reworking  on the computer is about 10 hours.The thread work and embroidery really depends on the piece, but probably 20-30 hours.

Where do you work? 

I work from home doing the artwork, creating the smaller swatches and ideas, but my larger pieces and commissions are executed in India. 

You also run In House label can you tell us more about that? 

In House Label is 10 years in the making. I batch dye end of lot fabrics in San Francisco, draft patterns at home, and sample with a small shop in Los Angeles.   My ’day job’ is in technical design within the fashion industry – working with designers to execute their visions with factories and ensuring fit, quality, and construction are where they need to be – so creating a great fit executing my own design-work really is my strength.

What is your career highlight to date?

My footprint has been relatively small to date and I’m always trying to get my stuff out there – seeing In House Label being worn in the streets is always a highlight or being approached for a collaboration or custom project by a celebrity that I respect is also exciting.

Do you have any advice to aspiring textile artists?

Keep things fun. There is enough dull and boring out there.

Are there any exciting plans ahead? 

I was due to show at The Other Art Fair in Los Angeles before Covid-19 hit.  The show has been rescheduled for April 2021 and I am looking forward to presenting there to a much larger audience that I am used to.

www.inhouselabel.com   

www.instagram.com/chuckstolarek