About Kirsten
Connection is at the root of my work.
I create art to connect with myself and to connect with the world around me. Through making, I seek to understand myself and others, to share my own stories and uncover the stories of others, and to celebrate our shared, imperfect humanity. In a world that is increasingly dehumanized, my artistic practice serves as a means to rehumanize, placing value on our lived experiences and expressions. I achieve this through various mediums, including drawing, painting, illustration, comic strips, portraits, fiber art, and text, as well as through interviews and conversations. Above all, I strive to create art that is both meaningful and accessible to everyday people.
Kirsten Ervin is a Pittsburgh-based artist exploring the intersection of illustration, fiber, and community. Ervin created collaborative fiber art projects with the public during artist residencies at Contemporary Craft, Fanny Edel Falk Laboratory School, Rivers of Steel, and The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh.
Another central theme in her work features portraits and interviews of everyday people, as evident in her project Drawn Together, co-created with artist Suzanne Werder, and in artist residencies at Kelly Strayhorn Theater and Pittsburgh International Airport. Ervin’s work has been featured at SPACE Gallery, Three Rivers Arts Festival, and UnSmoke Systems. It is available for sale at Argyle Studios and Contemporary Craft. Ervin teaches fiber art classes at Contemporary Craft and mentors artists with disabilities at Studio Forget Me Not. Ervin co-founded Creative Citizen Studios, an organization supporting artists with disabilities. She was also one of the founders of Handmade Arcade, Pittsburgh’s largest independent craft fair. She is a member of the Fiber Arts Guild of Pittsburgh, Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Creative Corps, and Group A. She and her husband, Willard Simmons, coordinate The Silver Apple Gallery, one of Pittsburgh’s smallest art venues.