Ed Kerns (February 22, 1945) is an American abstract artist and educator. Kerns studied with the noted Abstract-Expressionist painter, Grace Hartigan and through the elder artist came to know and work with many artists of that generation including, Phillip Guston, Willem de Kooning, James Brooks, Ernest Briggs, Richard Diebenkorn and Sam Francis.
Born in 1945 in Richmond, Virginia, Kerns started painting at a young age. He attended the Richmond Professional Institute, receiving his BFA in 1967. He went on to the Maryland Institute, where he studied with painter Grace Hartigan. Here, Kerns received the Hoffberger Fellowship and graduated with an MFA in 1969.
Kerns first gained exposure in 1972, when he was commissioned by art collector Larry Aldrich to paint 100 paintings over the course of the year as gifts. That same year, Kerns had his first solo art show at the AM Sachs Gallery in New York. Over the course of the 1970s and 80s, Kerns formed a close partnership with the Rosa Esman Gallery and exhibited ten solo shows there.
Of his work in the late 1970s and early 80s, gallery coordinator Judith Stein says, “He works slowly, creating no more than ten large paintings a year. His media are acrylic, sand, and thread, the last used to stitch together sections of canvas. Often plywood or upsom board is used as support.”
Kerns began teaching in 1970, as an art teacher at the Bentley School in New York City. In 1972, he became head of the Art Department at the Baldwin School, and 1974, he headed the Art Department of Friends Seminary. In 1980, he left Friends Academy and moved to Easton, Pennsylvania, where he became the Head of Lafayette College’s Art Department. In 1988, he was selected to serve as the first Eugene H. Clapp II Professor of the Humanities at Lafayette College.
In 1989, Kerns collaborated with poet Lee Upton on a series of paintings. The series culminated in a show, A Collaboration of Poetry and Images, which was exhibited throughout Pennsylvania. Kerns has also collaborated with Rev. Ted Loder, illustrating four books written by the reverend.
In 2007, Kerns collaborated with artist Elizabeth Chapman on “Word, City, Mind: A Universal Resonance,” an exhibit that used "paint, text, collage, and image, the exhibit focuses on the resonance between neurological, cosmic, and man-made forms".
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2008 "Word, City, Mind: A Universal Resonance," Skillman Library, Lafayette College, Easton, PA
2007 "Word, City, Mind: A Universal Resonance," Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA
2005 "Ed Kerns, New Paintings," Banana Factory, Bethlehem, PA
2003 "Ed Kerns, Digital Images," Ahlum Gallery, Easton, PA
1997 "Ed Kerns, New Paintings," M-13 Gallery, New York, New York
1995 "Ed Kerns, Small Works: Project Room," M-13 Gallery, New York, NY
1994 "Ed Kerns, New Paintings," M-13 Gallery, New York, NY
1989 "Ed Kerns," William Paterson College, Ben Shahn Galleries, Wayne, New Jersey
1987 "Ed Kerns," Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
1986 "Ed Kerns," Cedar Crest College, Allentown, PA
1984 "Ed Kerns, Drawings," Painted Bride Art Center, Philadelphia, PA
1983 "Ed Kerns, Paintings," Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
1982 "Ed Kerns, Recent Paintings," Morris Gallery, The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
1981 "Ed Kerns, Recent Paintings," Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, New York
1980 "Ed Kerns, Paintings," Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
"Ed Kerns, Paintings," VanWickle Gallery, Lafayette College, Easton, PA
1979 "Ed Kerns," Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
1978 "Ed Kerns, New Paintings," Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
1977 "Ed Kerns, Paintings," Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
"Ed Kerns, New York," Suzette Schochet Gallery, Newport, RI
1976 "Ed Kerns, Paintings," Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
1975 "Ed Kerns," Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
1974 "Ed Kerns, Paintings," Rosa Esman gallery, New York, NY
"Ed Kerns," A.M. Sachs Gallery, New York, NY
1972 "Ed Kerns," A.M. Sachs Gallery, New York, NY
COLLABORATIONS
2003 "Evolution"- Ed Kerns and Tom DiGiovanni, Main Stage Theatre of Williams Performing Arts Center, Lafayette College, Easton, PA
1991 “A Collaboration of Poetry and Images,” Ed Kerns and Lee Upton, University Science Center, Philadelphia, PA
1990 “A Collaboration of Poetry and Images,” Ed Kerns and Lee Upton, Villanova University, Villanova, PA
“A Collaboration of Poetry and Images,” Ed Kerns and Lee Upton, Lafayette College Art Gallery, Easton, PA; Open Space Art Gallery, Allentown, PA
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2007 "Hot Topic: Meditations on Global Warming," The Arts Center Gallery at Germantown Academy, Fort Washington, PA
"Neuroscience and the Artistic Process," Muhlenberg College Center for the Arts, Allentown, PA
2006 "Hypertexturalities:Architectures and Morphologies," Florence Lynch Gallery, New York, NY curated by Lee Klein
"The Mind of Nature: Structures and Processes," Taipei Culture Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan
"Ed Kerns, Lew Minter, Jim Toia Visiting American Artists," Taipei Artists Village, Taipei, Taiwan
2004 "Synthesis: Experiments in Collaboration" Axel Raben Gallery, New York, NY
2003 "Synthesis: Experiments in Collaboration," Lafayette College, Williams Visual Arts Building, Grossman Gallery, Easton, PA
"Thinking in Line: A Survey of Contemporary Drawing," University Gallery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
"Hyper Texture: Fabian Marcaccio, David Reed, Pia Fries, Ed Kerns, and Roy Lerner," The Florence Lynch Gallery, New York, NY curated by Lee Klein
"Michael Goldberg, Grace Hartigan, Mary Frank, and Ed Kerns," Seraphin Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2002 "Gallery Group Exhibit: Ed Kerns, Phoebe Adams, Grace Hartigan, Leon Golub, and George Herms," Seraphin Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
"Post-Systemic Art," Hunterdon Museum of Art, Clinton, NJ
2001 “Lafayette College Faculty Exhibit,” Easton, PA
2000 “Howard Scott Gallery, Artist” New York, NY
1999 “Howard Scott Gallery”, New York, NY
1998 “Faculty Plus,” State Theatre Gallery, Easton, PA
Ruffino de Tamayo Print Museum, Mexico
1997 “Gallery Artists,” M-13 Gallery, New York, NY
1996 “White,” An exhibition of white paintings, M-13 Gallery, New York, NY
1993 “Collaboration, Kerns, Kessler, Greenberg, Boothe and Hassay,” Lafayette College, Easton, PA
1992 “Ed Kerns, Small Works,” Open Space Gallery, Allentown, PA
“Friends Seminary Benefit,” with Stella, Sultan, and others, New York, NY
1991 New Arts Program Group Exhibit, Kutztown University, Kutztown, PA
“Mayfair,” Muhlenberg College, Center for the Arts, Allentown, PA
1989 “Summer Exhibit,” Villanova University Art Gallery, Villanova University, Villanova, PA
1988 “Summer Group,” Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
1987 “Art Against Aids Exhibition,” Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
Group Exhibition, Lehigh University, Wilson Gallery, Bethlehem, PA
1986 Group Exhibition, Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
1985 “July Group Exhibition,” Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
“Fall Exhibition,” Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
“Summer Exhibition,” Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
1984 “Gallery Group,” Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
“Faculty Exhibition,” Lafayette College, Easton, PA
“New Abstract Painting,” Joint Exhibition, Lafayette and Muhlenberg Colleges, Easton and Allentown, PA
“Group Exhibition,” Karl Sterner Gallery, Easton, PA
1983 “Gallery Artists,” Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
“Visiting Artists Exhibition,” Maryland Institute, College of Art, Baltimore, MD
1982 “Contemporary American Art,” The Commodities Corporation, Princeton, NJ
“Tenth Anniversary Exhibition of Gallery Artists, The Russian Revolution to Post Modern,” Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
“Pennsylvania Artists,” Freedman Gallery, Albright College, Reading, PA
“Chicago, Art Expo,” Rosa Esman Pavilion, Chicago, IL
“American Abstract Painting of the 80’s,” Randolph Macon College, Lynchburg, VA
1981 “Visiting New York Artists,” Maryland Institute, College of Art, Baltimore, MD
“Gallery Artists,” Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
“Art in Pursuit of a Smile,” Center for the Arts, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA
“Artists Make Architecture,” Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
1980 “American Painting,” Mueso Civico e Gallerie D’arte Moderna, Udine, Italy
“Gallery Artists,” Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
1979 “Structure and Painting,” Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
“Summer Summary,” Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
“Collage,” Goddard Riverside Gallery, New York, NY
1978 “Graffiti,” San Francisco Museum of Contemporary Art, San Francisco, CA
1977 “Small Master Works,” Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
“Skin,” Dayton Art Institute, Dayton, OH
“American Artists,” Basel Art Fair, Basel, Switzerland
“Art of the 60’s and 70’s,” Center for the Arts, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA
“Summer Show,” Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, New York
1976 “The Material Dominant,” Penn State University Museum of Art, University Park, PA
“American Artists,” F.A.I.C., Grand Palis, Paris, France
“Large Works,” Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
“Project Rebuild,” Grey Art Gallery, New York University, New York, NY
“Contemporary American Painting,” Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA
“Works on Paper,” Image Gallery, Stockbridge, MA
“Gallery Group,” Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
“Group Show,” Albright Knox Museum, Buffalo, NY
“Small Master Works,” Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
“Art on Paper,” Weatherspoon Gallery, Raleigh, NC
1975 “New York Artists,” Etienne De Causans, Tableaux Contemporains, Paris, France
“Gallery Artists,” Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY
1974 “Group Show,” Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY
1973 “Image of Movement,” Stamford Museum, Stamford, CT
“Gallery Group,” A.M. Sachs Gallery, New York, NY
“Reflection,” Larry Aldrich Museum, Ridgefield, CT
1972 “New York Artists,” Jacobs Ladder Gallery, Washington, D.C.
“Works on Paper,” Herter Hall Art Gallery, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
1971 Larry Aldrich Associates, New York, NY
“Today,” Maryland Institute, College of Art, Baltimore, MD
“New Talent,” A.M. Sachs Gallery, New York, NY
“The Baltimore Museum of Art, New Talent,” Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, MD
