About Bj Stern

Bj Stern is a contemporary fiber artist based in Detroit, Michigan. Working from her studio at the historic Russell Industrial Center, she creates labor-intensive, large-scale textile works that explore the intersections of identity, vulnerability, and the human form.

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Her practice is anchored in the conceptual and physical mutability of the red thread. Operating simultaneously as anatomy, scar, memory, and connection, the thread becomes a material language for mapping the landscape of the body and the psyche. Through deliberate scale, repetition, and the tactile nature of stitched textiles, Stern builds environments that feel both intimate and monumental. For Stern, the iterative, rhythmic act of sewing functions as a continuous practice of meditation, processing trauma, and emotional restoration.

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Stern holds her formal art training from Kendall College of Art and Design. Her work has been recognized in selective regional and international juried exhibitions, including the Scarab Club’s prestigious Gilda Snowden Memorial Exhibition in Detroit and juried presentations in Venice.

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Curriculum Vitae (CV)

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Education

• Kendall College of Art and Design | Grand Rapids, MI

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Selected Exhibitions

• 2025 | Gilda Snowden Memorial Exhibition, The Scarab Club, Detroit, MI

• 2025 | International Juried Exhibition, Venice, Italy

 

Studio Practice & Residencies

• Active Resident Artist | Studio 323, Russell Industrial Center, Detroit, MI

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Professional Affiliations

• The Scarab Club, Detroit, MI

• Surface Design Association (SDA)