Cathy Carey Portfolio

Artist Statement

I am a Contemporary Color Expressionist whose passion lies in using luminous color to convey emotional meaning and create visual depth. My paintings are less about describing what the world looks like and more about revealing what it feels like. Inspired by Matisse, I infuse each canvas with joy, vitality, and connection.

 

    The natural world of animals, gardens, and landscapes is my greatest inspiration. I see pollinator gardens as sanctuaries—safe spaces where migrating creatures like monarch butterflies can pause, regenerate, and continue their journeys. These gardens symbolize the importance of creating havens not only for wildlife, but also for ourselves and our communities. Just as butterflies depend on flowers for sustenance, we depend on moments of beauty and care to renew our spirits. Through these paintings, I celebrate the delicate balance of interdependence that sustains life.

 

    I also paint rescue animals as symbols of mutual healing, reminding us that when we give care, we also receive it. My work explores how human resilience mirrors the cycles of nature, and how our role as environmental stewards enriches not only the earth but our own spirits.

 

    Creativity, for me, is both practice and pathway. In the studio, it is how I process experience, emotion, and imagination. In the gallery, it becomes an invitation—a spark that encourages viewers to reflect on their own resilience, discover new perspectives, and connect more deeply with the world around them.

 

    My process begins with observation and playful experimentation—photographs, sketches, and blind contour drawings that capture movement and energy. These become the foundation for oil paintings built layer by layer on linen, often over a radiant base of gold gesso. The shimmering underpaintings unify the brushstrokes and bring the images to life, much like light shimmering through nature itself.

 

    Color is my primary language. By placing opposites—warm and cool, light and dark, saturated and subdued—side by side, I create a pulse of energy that makes each painting vibrate with life. The small dots of detail become the “pollen” of that energy, carrying the spark of renewal throughout the canvas. My goal is to invite viewers into a space where they can feel both the tenderness and resilience of the world, and to offer reassurance that beauty, joy, and renewal are always present.

 

    At its core, my art is about connection: between people, animals, and the earth; between inner experience and outer expression. I believe all matter vibrates with the energy of consciousness, and my mission is to translate that energy into paintings that uplift, inspire, and remind us we are deeply linked through beauty and love.