Caitlin Palagi

Artist Statement

As an intuitive artist, I attempt to greet each blank canvas in the present - leaving all creative notions of the day behind and focusing instead on my emotive state. My composition forms through a process of positive and negative space, as shapes begin to emerge before me - spurring a rapid and natural creative cycle that engages my body, mind and emotions in the moment - free from idle perseveration.
Instead of analyzing a composition, I choose to let it unfold through a process of addition and subtraction – observation of the myself and the work in the moment.
Fueled by a lifetime of grasping for control over my own body, due to chronic illness, and an innate tendency towards perfectionism that nearly destroyed my ability to create, I choose to let go of both when I walk into the studio.
I alternate primarily between acrylics and oils, based on the energy I am seeking to release. The fast-paced nature of acrylics allows me to move freely about the canvas, without hesitation – granting me to access immediate emotions. My acrylic work is typically bright and whimsical.
Conversely, the slow-paced nature of working with oils is a welcome relief when the same need is mirrored in my life – a reflective state. As such, you may find my oils are emotive, with a cooler palette, deriving warm undertones. Overall, I enjoy delving into areas unknown or yet to be explore – so I commonly mix mediums and materials. Tactile integration incites an imaginative spark.
My journey to the arts was not a streamlined tracjectory. I pursued an art minor at St. Louis University & St. Xavier University and graduated with a B.S. in Psychology in 2012. After a successful career in software sales, I turned my attention towards home to care for my two autistic children and my own health needs. As both children transitioned to full-time school, I felt a renewed opportunity to transition, as well, to a path once missed.
I began my full-time art practice in 2023, and I am now a Resident Artist, School of Art Instructor and Community Outreach Instructor, as well as the Gallery Manager at Water Street Studios in Batavia, IL. I also work as the Digital Content & Marketing Manager for the St. Charles Arts Council in St. Charles, IL.
I am an active and passionate member of my local arts community, sitting on various arts committees and participating in local art groups, that share my passions.
My artwork has been exhibited at local businesses, galleries, libraries, and art centers around the Chicagoland area. My artwork can be found in several states, spanning the Midwest to the East Coast, thanks to my many wonderful buyers & collectors.