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creative collabKatherine Bernhardt X J.CrewThe vibrant artist makes her mark on a limited-edition Garments for Good capsule collection, featuring NYC and back-to-school motifs. For every item sold, 50 percent of the retail price will be donated to DonorsChoose to support education across American communities in need. 

When people wear this artwork I hope they think about New York and some of the best elements of America.
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Shop the collabWe’re proud to donate 50 percent of the retail price to DonorsChoose in support of arts education programs across the country, including Grand Center Arts Academy in Katherine’s hometown of St Louis.
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It’s fun collaborating because everyone thinks differently, and everyone brings in new ideas and objects to work with, to think about and to paint.
A quick Q&A with Katherine
Tell us about your ideal studio setup…KB: I like working in different places, so I could really work anywhere. I like working outside too. After 22 years in New York, I now live in St. Louis, Missouri. I’m enjoying my new studio because it’s huge and has lots of light and space. In my ideal studio, I would be listening to Bad Bunny.
How do you begin a new painting?KB: I pay a lot of attention to everything around me all of the time. I think about objects and then start with ideas about their shapes, and how they could potentially fit together on a flat surface.
Is there a piece or project you’ve done that you’re especially proud of?KB: Back in 2012, I did a show of pattern paintings. This represented a major change for me and a great risk because they were completely different from the paintings I had been making the previous 10 years. It went well, and I’m proud to have taken that risk.
Tell us about the paintings you created for our collaboration...KB: One is a mix of the Statue of Liberty with pizza and the iconic “I Love NY” symbol: New York, freedom and liberty. When people wear this artwork, I hope they think about New York and some of the best elements of America. The other is all about going back to school, and I painted things that could be found in any elementary school classroom.
How does New York fuel your creativity?KB: New York definitely fuels my creativity for many reasons: the energy, the fast-paced nature of it all, the great people-watching… And also just being able to walk around the streets and look around at an exciting city. Obviously, the art scene is a major inspirational draw too. I love going to friends’ studios, art galleries and museums—I can do it for days on end.
Want to see more of Katherine’s artwork?You can find her work on view at the Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden in Washington, DC, the Brant Foundation in Greenwich, Connecticut, and the Jewish Museum in NYC, as well as a new gallery show coming in spring 2022 to David Zwirner Gallery in London.
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Katherine and her son, Khalifa.
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