Lorien Stern-Eggs to See

Exhibition: August 2 – September 1st, 2019
Reception: Fri. August 2, 8-11 PM

Katie Kimmel and Lorien Stern

Eggs To See

La Luz De Jesus Gallery is pleased to present Eggs To See, a two-person exhibition featuring works by Lorien Stern and Katie Kimmel.

Stern and Kimmel’s friendship began first with the egg and not the chicken. After a late night of star-gazing and extra-terrestrial lore, I sat with the two women and watched their friendship crack open over semi-runny eggs at the local breakfast buffet in Inyokern, California.

Both conversed about how eggs were incorporated into their childhood upbringing– some of the stories steeped in family tradition, others poached in coffee. The conversation went something like this:

Stern: “Eggs have always been one of my favorite foods…I originally got pet ducks just for their eggs.”

Kimmel: “Every morning my Great Grandfather would poach an egg and paint a portrait on the eggshell. To this day his bedroom remains as he left it- lined wall to wall with eggs… I’ve been thinking a lot about the shape of eggs and the shape of peoples’ heads… ”

Stern: “My Dad used to give my grandma an ‘art egg’ every time he visited her. So after he passed, my Grandma gave me one of his art eggs every time I visited her.”

Kimmel: “I was surprised when I saw your Ukrainian eggs lined up in your home because it’s something I had never seen outside of my family’s home. I like that they sit cozily together in their little seats. I like to imagine they’re all buddies.”

Stern: “When I got older I made my own style Ukranian eggs with portraits of my deceased family members and pets. I also made a short comic-style story about the life and death of my pet chicken using Ukranian egg method.”

Kimmel: “We should do a show about eggs.”

The Mojave Desert is where Stern and Kimmel call home.

Lorien Stern received her BFA from California College of the Arts in 2013 as an Individualized Major. Katie Kimmel received her BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2015 where she studied ceramics, video, and painting.