Aaron Mensik

Born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, I spent most of my young life drawing the fantastic plants and animals that filled my imagination. My cultural background—my father is Mexican, and my mother is Czech—exposed me to vivid colors, patterns, and symbols. My drive to create led me to enroll full-time at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. There I expanded my awareness of the expressive powers of pattern and color and learned to apply them to my new passion, textiles. I was intrigued by the intricate, structured processes involved in creating textiles and by the results which were both textural and full of energy. Teachers and fellow students often commented on my sense of color, describing my use of hue as idiosyncratic and thought-provoking. 

As I continued my education with advanced courses in weaving and screen printing on fabric, I felt drawn to create work that straddles the line between art and commodity. I joined Brentano in 1998 as an assistant in the design studio. In 2000 I was promoted to Designer. At Brentano I created fabrics that were noted for their novelty and unique color profiles. After 19 years at Brentano, I accepted the position of Design Director for Concertex, where I elevated the brand with a new sensibility for design and color. I now work as an Independent Designer, offering companies creative direction and innovative textile designs. My vision draws on contemporary design as well as a deep interest in fashion and art history.