Cathy Carey Bio
Cathy Carey is a Contemporary Color Expressionist painter and Chair of the Oceanside Museum of Art Artist Alliance. Her luminous, emotionally charged oil paintings explore the deep connections between people, animals, and the natural world. Through bold color, flowing movement, and a sense of mystical energy, her work creates transformative experiences that inspire joy, resilience, and wonder.
​
Born in Virginia and trained at the Corcoran School of Art and Virginia Commonwealth University, Carey began her career blending design and illustration with an active fine art exhibition practice. This dual path shaped her distinctive visual language—her design background informing the clarity of her compositions, while her artistic vision transforms emotion into color, creating visual spaces where viewers feel uplifted, grounded, and connected.
​
Carey’s signature style is defined by glowing underpaintings, radiant layers of expressive color, and energetic lines that convey the living spirit of her subjects. Her gardens become sanctuaries for pollinators, her landscapes honor the preciousness of the earth, and her soulful animal portraits reflect her belief in the emotional lives of all creatures.
Her work has been exhibited throughout the United States, featured in American Art Collector and Southwest Art, and represented by galleries in Taos and Santa Fe, New Mexico, as well as Scottsdale and Tucson, Arizona.
Beyond her studio practice, Carey has been a dedicated leader and advocate for the arts. She has served as Director of Programming at Front Porch Gallery, Chair of the Oceanside Museum of Art Artist Alliance, and President of the Surfing Madonna Oceans Project—roles through which she has championed creative community, environmental stewardship, and the transformative power of art. Through her paintings and her leadership, she continues to cultivate resilience, hope, and joyful connection in the world around her.
Mission
My art is a catalyst for transformation—inviting viewers to see beyond appearances into the deeper magic of life. Through vibrant color and flowing movement, I reveal the hidden connections between nature, animals, and the human spirit. Each painting is an enchantment of joy and wonder, created to uplift the heart, expand imagination, and awaken the truth that we are all part of one luminous, living whole.
Vision
I envision a world and culture of compassion, mindfulness, and reverence for nature—where creativity becomes a source of transformation, reassurance, and love that unites us all.
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.
Leadership & Community
Community is at the heart of my work. As Chair of the Oceanside Museum of Art Artist Alliance, I help create spaces where artists feel seen, supported, and inspired. I believe in the transformative power of creativity—how it brings people together, strengthens resilience, and builds shared purpose.​In addition to my role at OMA, I have served the arts community as Director of Programming at Front Porch Gallery and as Executive Director and President of the Surfing Madonna Oceans Project. Through these varied leadership roles, I’ve worked to cultivate inclusive programs, meaningful connections, and uplifting experiences that strengthen our creative ecosystem.​Through mentorship, advocacy, and imaginative programming, I strive to nurture a community where art becomes a catalyst for connection, healing, and joy.
Cathy Carey Gallery Representation
The Ranch at Taos, Taos NM –
click here to go to their website ​
​
Wilde Meyer Gallery: Two Locations in AZ –
click here to go to their website ​
​
Covet Art Gallery, Oceanside, CA
click her to go to their website
​
​
Landscapes and Animals
The natural world—its animals and landscapes—is the heart of my work. I think deeply about my environment and the creatures that share it, and I strive to show them in a joyful, integrated space. Living with my beloved dogs over the years revealed just how deeply animals feel. Their wide range of emotions—love, joy, grief, loyalty—made it clear that all animals experience life with the same depth and attachment we do. I see them as soul spirits, traveling this journey of life in different bodies, yet connected to us in profound ways.
​
My current work reveals the deep connections between people, animals and nature. I bring to life the emotional essence of a place through expressive color and movement. Each composition is built so that every element—color, form, and movement—comes together to create something greater than its parts, something alive with meaning and feeling. Intellectually, I’m fascinated by the ways we shape our environment and how our actions ripple outward, affecting each other and the spaces we share. My paintings explore these relationships, revealing the beauty, interconnectedness, and resilience of life.
