Welcome to my studio
Fine Art | Illustration | Design
I’m Erika Karl, an artist, illustrator, designer, and recent transplant to Cleveland, Ohio via Brooklyn, New York. I have some exciting new projects brewing. Here is where I’ll share my processes and new collections.
Fresh Paintings…
Germanic Folk Tales
Frau Perchta’s Warning and Berchta’s Gift form a diptych exploring the mythic duality of the alpine goddess Berchta - dark and light, punishment and grace. Just in time for the winter months when the veil is thin darkness reigns .
Berchta is an ancient Alpine goddess, a psychopomp who guides the souls of children who die in infancy across the threshold to the afterlife. Associated with winter’s stillness, she rewards those who complete their work before the cold sets in, bestowing gold coins to the diligent who finish spinning their wool and flax. Known as the White Lady, Berchta is a nature goddess who can shape-shift into a goose-like form. The three keys at her belt symbolize her dominion over birth, death, and rebirth. In early Germanic tales of the Wild Hunt, she leads a host of spirits known as the Perchten through the winter sky.
- 15x18.5” watercolor, gold & silver metal leaf, and mica on heavyweight cold press cotton paper.
With the rise of Christianity, Berchta’s image was darkened into that of Frau Perchta - a hag or witch who punishes the lazy and disobedient. The bright goddess became a figure of warning: an old crone with a deformed goose foot, carrying a knife to slit open the bellies of those who failed in their duties, stuffing them with straw and refuse. Once a bringer of order and renewal, she was transformed into a specter of fear, haunting the forests and reminding mortals of the cost of forgetting the old ways.
The character of Berchta/Perchta influenced the Brothers Grimm fairytales we know and love today. (Mother Goose, Red Riding Hood, Rumpelstiltskin, etc.)
- 15x18.5” watercolor, gold & silver metal leaf, and mica on heavyweight cold press cotton paper.
You can catch a glimpse of these pieces in person at Pinwheel Gallery November 21, 2025 - January 2, 2026. More info below…
Some News…
I’m in a group show where I’ll be sharing some new works… Berchta’s Gift and Frau Perchta’s Warning.
Winter Shadow | Winter Light
A group show at Pinwheel Gallery
November 21, 2025 - January 2, 2026
Before the shine of electric lights extended the short days, before technology peered into all places we are curious about, before the ability to call out for help was omnipresent in our pockets...
When the days got short and the shadows darker and the forest impassable, the imagination built the creatures and monsters that kept the paths empty and quiet in the winter.
In this show we will shine a light on them.
Opening Night – Friday, November 21st 5:30pm-8pm
2019 Broadview Rd
Cleveland, OH 44109
The Oracle Project
New Prints Available
Each piece in this collection is created using my homemade black walnut ink, adding a rich and earthy tone. I painted this Eclipse painting at the shores of Lake Erie under the total eclipse of 2024. This is the latest print from The Oracle Project available for a limited time.
New prints are continuously added until I complete the project and create a full deck of oracle cards. You can see how far I got to date here. If you’d like to have a part of the series for yourself, go to my print shop to find the piece that speaks to you.
In Progress…
OG Goddess
This is the Venus of Dolni Vestonice:
A pre-historic fired clay statue of another lady of fertility. One of the oldest ceramic pieces found in what is now the Czech Republic. This Venus is thought to have been adorned with feathers on her head, evidence of feathers is in the holes on her head, but it's unknown what type of feathers they were. Another interesting discovery is of a child's fingerprint on her body, pressed in before she was fired. I made this ink-wash painting with my black walnut and indigo inks.
Some are familiar with the Venus of Willendorf when it comes to ancient goddess artifacts. But did you know there are many more like her found all over Europe? I’m intrigued by these tiny sculptures carved in the Paleolithic Era, a prehistoric period some 19,000-27,000 years ago. (Don’t quote me on that, I’m still learning about these.) It’s thought they were used as a fertility totem, or perhaps a long-lost Goddess talisman. Most can fit in the palm of your hand. I’ve started painting them.
On My Desk…
Plantalismanic
I’ve been playing around with textile pattern design as a way to utilize some of my design skills. I am by no means an interior decorator, but discovering different ways to create seamless repeats has been a very satisfying way to expand my horizons. It’s a whole new way for me to tell a story with imagery.
I started this collection last month and think I may expand on it. I call it Plantalismanic which uses esoteric symbols, themes, and textures found in nature. It’s an experiment I’m having fun with and hope to have a collection of wallpapers and textiles soon.
Introducing Three Sisters:
Astrid, Gertrude, & Wilma
Three Sisters is a paper doll series found in Erika’s Attic, a place on my website where artistic ideas can be explored, appreciated, and enjoyed by all. Each edition focuses on a unique theme and is hand-drawn by me for you to make your creations as you see fit.
Ink-Making Fool
I’ve been making so much ink I decided it was time to use it for something awesome. The Oracle Project is painted in black walnut ink since its warmth and natural origins lend itself well to this series. If you’d like to try your hand at natural ink-making, I have my black walnut ink recipe up on my blog…
Bottling Black Walnut Ink
Making natural ink can be both rewarding and a cost-effective way to access an art medium. My occasional newsletter will share my process and ink-making tips.
Pokeberry Ink
Buckthorn Seed Ink
Brazilwood Ink