About

The Artist

KAREN CYGNAROWICZ (b. 1988, Maryland) is an interdisciplinary artist, writer & teacher whose work lives at the intersection of fiber, language, and lived experience. Working across textile design, mixed media, sculpture, and installation, her practice is grounded in inquiry, sustainability, and an enduring curiosity about material, place, and process.

In making a career of supporting the arts, Karen has worked in various creative and communications roles with institutions and small businesses, including Vermont College of Fine Arts, WildCraft Studio School, Modern Macramé, and community-based organizations throughout Vermont and the Pacific Northwest. In 2012, she founded WILD LIGHT DESIGN, an evolving art practice and small business that houses her studio work, writing, teaching, marketing services, and collaborations.

Karen earned her MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2017. Her work has been exhibited throughout Vermont and the Pacific Northwest, featured in regional and national publications, and supported by residencies, including Vermont Studio Center, and most recently, she traveled to Japan with Shelburne Craft School.

Her studio and her life with her dog Luck, are based in Montpelier, Vermont.

The Artwork, etc.

Founded in 2012, WILD LIGHT DESIGN (WLD) began as a personal inquiry and has grown into an expansive, interdisciplinary body of work grounded in sustainable practices and slow-making.

  • Fiber & Textile Art
    Textile design, weaving, macramé, basketry, natural dyeing; works range from jewelry-scale objects to large-scale installations and functional art.

  • Mixed Media
    Acrylic and watercolor painting, color theory, photography, collage, and illustration.

  • The Business of Art
    E‑commerce, commissions, wholesale partnerships, web development, marketing, editorial work, and creative consulting.

  • Community & Teaching
    Workshops, installations, collaborative projects, and a commitment to inclusivity and eco-sustainability.

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WLD also serves as a platform to uplift women and gender-expansive artists, makers, and writers through interviews and long-form features published in THE JOURNAL.

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This is a one‑woman studio practice that values slowness and intention. Please order artwork with patience, abundance, and gratitude. Every purchase, share, and gesture of support is meaningful.

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A detailed CV including exhibitions, publications, residencies, teaching, and professional experience is available here.

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Interested in collaboration, partnership, interviews, commissions, or art business consultation? Reach out!