The Art of Kerstin Heinze-Grohmann - Threads of Past and Future
- ARTISTIC HUB MAGAZINE
- 5 days ago
- 9 min read
SWITZERLAND
When art interlaces the memories of the past with the possibilities of the future, a distinctive visual language begins to form, one that carries both emotion and narrative. Kerstin Heinze-Grohmann is not simply an artist. She is a storyteller whose work blends painting, textile techniques and deeply human themes.
Her compositions are not frozen moments but living scenes where perspectives shift and the line between reality and imagination begins to dissolve. Using thread graphics and needle painting, she doesn’t just bring textile traditions into contemporary visual art. She opens doors to stories that are still waiting to be told. For her, art is more than expression. It is a bridge that connects tradition, modern life and the intimate stories that shape us.
You’ve followed a fascinating path, from working with fabrics and fashion textiles to becoming a multidisciplinary artist with a voice all your own.How did that shift from textiles to fine art happen for you, and how have your early skills and experience influenced your work today?
As a child and teenager, I taught myself various knitting and embroidery techniques and started experimenting very early. Even in my early years, during the time of the GDR where I was born, friends and relatives who visited us would quickly notice my abilities. Some brought back glossy magazines from West Germany with small reproductions of famous paintings and asked me to recreate them in full size using tapestry techniques. That was my first window into the world of art. Access was limited in the GDR, where the only accepted art served the system. Van Gogh and Monet were simply not part of the picture. My very first piece was Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, and the last from that time was Monet’s Poppy Field.
At sixteen, I began formal training in textile design, where I developed a deep understanding of materials, fabric structures, patterns and ornamentation. That sensitivity to surface and texture continues to shape my work today. But I never wanted to stay within the boundaries of textile art. There was so much more that intrigued me. That’s when I started blending textile elements with painting. Since I never aimed to be a classical painter, I developed a comic-inspired visual style that felt more natural to me. It took a long time to get to where I am now, but that journey was essential.
Many of my works feature thread structures created through thread graphics and needle painting. Anyone looking closely can easily trace my textile background in these details. At the same time, I began embedding stories in my pieces. And often, not just one. Some works carry two or even three narratives layered into the composition. That interplay of threadwork and visual storytelling has become a signature in my art.
Exhibitions, competitions and independent projects helped me move from applied textile art into contemporary visual practice. I never considered leaving textiles behind. Instead, I found a way to weave my knowledge into a new, more open form of expression.
Your works blend everyday scenes with surreal elements, creating dense, multilayered narratives.Where do you draw the inspiration for these imaginative worlds? How do you manage to turn ordinary moments into powerful visual stories?
I play with both fantasy and the reality of life. Life is so rich and full of nuance that all it takes is a closer look to uncover the stories within it. Much of my work depicts scenes from daily life. People in their homes, spaces they love and where they feel completely at ease. But I also paint people in public settings, out on the street, lost in thought or engaged in small moments of interaction.
For me, these scenes are not just reflections of reality. They are starting points for deeper stories and inner landscapes. In my mind, visual sketches are already forming, just waiting to be translated onto paper or canvas. People sometimes say I have too much imagination. Especially when I talk about my ideas, that impression often comes up.
I observe people wherever I go. On holiday, at exhibitions, even at art fairs. When people don’t feel watched, they behave more naturally. That’s when their most honest moments emerge. What truly fascinates me is the connection between the visible and the invisible parts of life. That’s what I try to capture in my work.
What truly fascinates me is the connection between the visible and the invisible parts of life. That’s what I try to capture in my work.
One of your signature techniques is "painting with thread" where fine silk threads are physically woven into your compositions and fused with the painting.What does this fusion of textile art and painting allow you to express that traditional techniques cannot? How do the embedded threads shape the viewer’s experience of your art?
Or perhaps the better question is this. Why do most people still paint only on canvas or paper and leave textile art aside? That’s something I often ask visitors at my exhibitions. In the end, it’s the combination of painting and textile that truly draws attention, especially when someone takes a second or third look at the work.
I believe traditions should be preserved, not forgotten. In today’s fast-paced world, craftsmanship is at risk of disappearing entirely, and that’s a real concern. By incorporating silk threads, I introduce a tactile quality that’s completely unique. The luster of silk has a striking effect on anyone standing in front of the piece. There’s also a delicate sense of depth that begins to emerge, just enough to add another layer of perception.
The threads interact with the painted scene. They connect the figures and wrap them gently, almost protectively. This interplay creates distorted perspectives and gives the impression of movement. These unexpected details invite the viewer to pause, to reflect, to ask questions, to wonder why.
For me, using textile elements creates a rare combination of traditional craftsmanship and contemporary visual language. My works are tangible. In some ways, they even lean into the third dimension. That tension between the tactile and the visual is where I feel most at home. It is, in many ways, an expression of who I am.
You work with a wide range of artistic media, from painting on handmade paper combined with silk threads, to textile portraits and sculptural installations made from recycled materials.How do you determine which medium or technique suits a particular idea best? In what way does constant experimentation with materials inspire and energize you?
For me, the question of which medium to use doesn’t really come up in a conscious way. It unfolds naturally during the process. In the beginning, I worked exclusively with thread graphics on handmade paper, which was already quite a specific approach. Handmade paper is incredibly delicate and requires great care. As we all know, paper tears easily, and since the thread graphic elements are always added as the final step, the work demands complete precision and calm.
At first, I framed these pieces behind glass, but that completely diminished the effect of the threads. So I had to find another way. I began applying the works onto materials that didn’t need to be enclosed in glass, which allowed the three-dimensional aspects to come through. You grow with every challenge, and the next step was even more complex: mounting the handmade paper onto canvas to enhance the visual presence. That was a tough process, and it demanded both patience and persistence.
I’ve always believed that as an artist, you need to keep evolving. Standing still is not an option. In 2020, I rediscovered the technique of needle painting. It is a historical embroidery art that originated around 700 BC and later faded into obscurity. Needle painting is done with silk threads and, from a distance, can appear like a traditional painting. Only when you come closer do you realize how it was actually created. The brilliance of the threads and the tactile quality of the surface are what convinced me. The fusion of painting with this ancient technique felt completely new and exciting to me.
Some gallery owners have called it niche art. I call it distinctiveness.
As artists, we naturally seek out new challenges. For me, the next step was to bring both of these textile techniques into harmony with painting, all within a single work. I combined my comic-inspired painting style with needle painting and thread graphics. The result was something that truly spoke for itself.
I believe every artist should have something instantly recognizable in their work. And people have told me many times that this is exactly what they see in mine.
Your works often resemble a stage where multiple stories overlap. Scenes begin and break off to make space for something new, and perspectives seem to shift constantly. What artistic intention lies behind this layered narration? What kind of thoughts or emotions do you hope to evoke as viewers immerse themselves in these multifaceted scenes?
Life itself is a stage, and we all play our roles on it, no matter which phase of life we’re in.
What I hope to do is invite viewers to go deeper into the work, to ask questions, to reflect on themselves or simply to be drawn in completely. I play with the intersection of fantasy and real life, and we are all the protagonists within it.
The narrative elements in my work are meant to offer subtle clues, little anchors that help guide the viewer into the story. At the same time, I want to leave space for interpretation. Emotion is the key word here. It is what draws people in and encourages them to engage more closely with the piece.
Since the beginning of your artistic career, your work has been shaped by a dialogue between painting and textile art, especially through thread graphics and the integration of real thread into your compositions. Do you still feel inspired to explore new ways of combining these media, or do you see your artistic focus shifting in a different direction?
The way things are right now feels right to me. My visual language will continue to evolve and deepen in terms of content, but textile elements, especially thread graphics and needle painting, will remain a central part of my practice.
There will always be series of works where my comic-like characters are absent. At the moment, I’m working on pieces inspired by the past, some of which depict only objects or scenes. These are what I call my “still lives.” I also have a series focused on the richness of flora and fauna, created half in paint and half in needlework.
Some works will be entirely textile, using needle painting alone. This includes my cityscapes and interior spaces. Rooms reveal a great deal about the people who inhabit them, and the stories behind these spaces are full of tension and curiosity. Viewers are naturally drawn to them.
Streets and cities are constantly changing. Through my work, I try to document that transformation in my own way, as a kind of visual archive. One example that comes to mind is the old spa complex of Beelitz-Heilstätten in Germany. Once a sanatorium, it now stands almost entirely abandoned. Over the years, the buildings were neglected, eventually becoming what people today call a “lost place.”
History matters. It’s important that future generations are able to see and experience the decades and centuries that came before them. But we have to ask ourselves how much longer these spaces and cityscapes will exist in their current form. As I mentioned before, traditions are being swept away, and old cities and buildings are vanishing along with them.
We all remember the Bauhaus. But how much of it still remains? Without preservation and storytelling, even the history of something as significant as the Bauhaus would disappear.
In addition to your artistic work, you are also deeply committed to social causes. You serve as an ambassador for the Swiss Children's Hospice Foundation and have founded the mobile gallery project "Vielfaeltig." What motivates you to engage in social initiatives alongside your art? How have these experiences shaped your view of the role of art in society?
Everyone should try to contribute socially, in whatever way they can and within their own means. Social engagement is an essential part of life. There are many people who don’t have the same opportunities or comforts we do.
As an ambassador for the Swiss Children's Hospice Foundation, I try to raise awareness for the situation of seriously ill children with limited life expectancy. But it’s not just about the children. Their families are affected too – parents, siblings, grandparents. They all carry a heavy burden. Families need moments of relief, places where they can experience joy and lightness, even if only for a short while. Right now, a new space of this kind is being created in Fällanden, called the Flamingo Children's Hospice.
These thoughts and experiences find their way into my art as well.
With my mobile project “Vielfaeltig – a producer’s gallery,” I aim to give artists a platform to present their work. It’s about encouraging artists to become visible, both in their own communities and internationally.
Because only those who are seen can truly be recognized.
Kerstin Heinze-Grohmann remains true to her artistic path, continuing the dialogue between painting and textile art. Her works are more than visual compositions. They are archives of emotion, memory and lived history, woven into every thread. While the world shifts and traditions begin to fade, she gives them new life through her art, preserving and reinterpreting them in her own way. Her pieces do not offer simple answers. Instead, they invite the viewer to discover personal narratives within their layered forms. In the end, her art is not only a reflection of what once was. It is a thread that connects what has been with what is yet to come.