Karl Stirner (November 14, 1923 – February 18, 2016) was a Germany-born American sculptor known internationally for his metalwork.
[1] Stirner was born in Bad Wildbad, Germany and his family immigrated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
In 1941, Stirner enrolled in the Drexel Institute of Art in Philadelphia to study mechanical engineering.
Stirner served in the Army, where he was deployed to the Philippines and New Guinea from 1943 to 1946 during World War II.
After returning from the military, Stirner opened an experimental machine shop in the present-day Germantown section of Philadelphia in 1946, where he designed precision mechanical devices.
Stirner continued teaching at the Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia, where he taught classes in 1955, despite having little formal education and no real artistic background.
[1] Between 1985 and 2013, Stirner's work was shown in Cedar Crest College (1985), the University of Connecticut Health Center (1987), Fairleigh Dickinson University (1900), The Gallery at the State Theater Center for the Arts in Easton, Pennsylvania (1993), the Grounds for Sculpture show in Hamilton Township, New Jersey (1995), Everhart Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania (1999), the Allentown Art Museum (2000 and 2006), James A. Michener Art Museum (2001 and 2013), First International Steel and Iron Sculpture Festival in Kaohsiung (2002), the Janos Pannonius Museum in Pécs, Hungary (2002), the Pratt Institute Sculpture Park (2004), Tufts University Art Gallery (2005), the American Art Festival in Genoa, Italy (2008), and the Payne Gallery at Moravian College (2013).
Stirner was deeply affected by her death and created "Barbara in a Box," a steel-framed black-and-white portrait from their wedding, as a way to honor her memory.
[1] Karl Stirner also enjoyed traveling to various places around the world to study and display his art.
He also spent time from 1971 until his death traveling to Guatemala, Mexico, Italy, France, England, and Turkey.
[8] Karl Stirner's career with steel sculpture began in 1928, after Catalan sculptor and painter, Julio González taught him welding.
[4] Stirner's work is intentionally abstract (refined and gritty; thick and thin; smooth and rough).
[4] Stirner and his work greatly influenced Steve Tobin, causing Tobin to organize exhibitions at the Payne Gallery of Moravian College and the James A. Michener Art Museum to present Stirner's life work.
The trail extends from the Delaware River, through historic downtown Easton, and along the banks of the Bushkill Creek.
[9] The arts trail contains works by Karl Stirner and other local and international artists, including Willie Cole, David Kimball Anderson, and Patricia Meyerowitz.
[10][11] It has been stated that the philosophy of the Arts Trail includes environmental sustainability as well as public stewardship of an urban "green infrastructure.
[14] The trail now includes the "Young Masters Wall" which exhibits the paintings of area youth on a rotating basis.
[16] The other seven sculptures include three pieces of Willie Cole's Grace Gate, Jack & Jill and The Jungle; Loren Madsen's Nobori; David Kimball Andersen's Nitrogen & Hydrogen; Patricia Weyerowiz's Ellipse; Paul Deery's Water Way.
[17] Also, at the end of the trail there is an ongoing community project between the youth of Easton schools and organizations called "The Young Master's Wall".