Kate Citrin
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About

 
 

Artist Statement

Kate Citrin asserts societal values focused on subversion, resilience, and bravery by layering traditional portraiture in oil with abstracted forms in mediums such as spray paint or acrylics.

Historically, portraits have been used by the elite to create clout, displaying an individual’s achievements such as a family business or pet project. Kate paints portraits of individuals from marginalized communities or “well-behaved women;” people who form the bedrock of society’s support structure, culture, and innovation. Kate uses portraiture to highlight and elevate traditionally overlooked individuals’ acts of import and intrinsic value. Importance is self-identified by the model to ensure the individual’s values are represented.

Kate’s technique begins traditionally, using home-made stretcher bars, hand-selecting the linen, priming using gesso or rabbit skin glue, and painting figurative works using an “inception” process where the painting is created four times (sketch, color study, tonal study, grisaille) before the first layer of color is applied. During the live modeling she interviews her subjects asking questions like, “What event would you consider most formative to who you are?” to get a feel for their lived experience. When a live interview is not possible she explores what the person is choosing to present visually.

Once the representational portrait and interview is complete she takes a sharp departure from tradition and layers in charcoal, gold, textured gesso, printing, and/or pattern to reflect the subjects’ self-identified (or discovered) acts of import. The portraits lionize the necessity of creativity, rebellion, and self-love in all communities.

Bio

Kate Citrin is a painter in Evanston, IL working mainly in oils. She holds her BFA from Grand Valley State University and has additional training from Vitruvian Fine Arts Academy and Jen Gennari with Drawing America. She has been painting since 2002 and has shown at numerous galleries in Chicago and New York including an exhibit curated by the Guerrilla Girls. She also creates commissioned portraits (both pet and people). Her artwork has been featured in commercial arts including advertisements, album design, and packaging, including
international runs.

CV

Summary:
Figurative oil & mixed media painter exploring societal pressures on identity through traditional and expressive techniques.

 Exhibitions:
Year     Show Type, name of exhibition, Gallery (City)
2007    Group Exhibition, Square Foot Show, The Gallaxie (Chicago) – sold
2007    Curated Exhibition, Who Wants to Be a Feminist, Rhonda Schaller Studio (New York)
2007    Curated Exhibition, The Commercial Woman, Woman Made Gallery (Chicago)
2008    Curated Exhibition, Are We There Yet, Arc Gallery (Chicago)
2010    Curated Exhibition, Ravenswood Gallery (Chicago)
2016    Curated Exhibition, Body Arts, Bikram Yoga Andersonville (Chicago)
2017    Solo Exhibition, Unnamed, Rogers Park Social (Chicago) – 12 artworks sold
2020    Group Exhibition, Grotesque Burlesque Group Show 1, Uptown Underground (Chicago)
2022    Group Exhibition, Grotesque Burlesque Group Show 3, Wayward Arts (Chicago)
2023    Curated Exhibition, It Figures, Wayward Arts (Chicago) – sold 
2024    Curated Exhibition, HOWL, Wild Heart Gallery, (Virtual) – Finalist
2024    Curated Exhibition, By and About Women IV, Regional Center for Women the Arts (Westtown, PA) 

Commissions:
Year     Name of Buyer, Name of piece, size, medium, (City)
2004    Porno Jazz (band), Cheaper Than Therapy, album cover (Lansing)
2005    Donna White, The Bathers, 4’ x 3’, oil on canvas, (Detroit)
2006    Recycling for Charities, Press Kit, 2 Illustrations (Detroit)
2006    The Rice Bowl Project, Hope, 3 illustrations (virtual)
2006    The City of Detroit, TigerTown Logo, illustration (Detroit)
2007    Margaret Schlessiger, Wheat, 20” x 30”, oil on canvas (Houston)
2021    Paulina, Dante, 24”x36”, oil on canvas (Las Vegas)
2021    Virginia Lang, New Snow, 24”x30”, oil on linen (Kentucky)
2022    Nyiah Wiggand, Lilly, 8.5”x11”, oil on linen (Kentucky)
2022    Luba Dovjenko, Adventure Cat, 8.5”x11”, oil on linen (Chicago) 

Professional Experience:
Visual artist trained in oils, watercolor, mixed media, charcoal, graphite, sculpture (wood, ceramics, welding), printmaking (etching, engraving, aquatint, mezzotint, monotype, woodblock). Experienced with figurative, representational, and abstract. Well-versed in art history.

  • Landscape watercolor painting each night for 20 days on Appellation Trail.

  • 30+ pencil and chalk on toned paper drawings in the “Goddess” series exploring balconies and basements of characteristics viewed as feminine weakness and strength.

  • 20+ years’ experience as Creative Director and Designer at numerous agencies and in-house.

  • Artistic travels bi-monthly; Myth Gallery (New Orleans), The Met and MOMA (New York), Singer Sargent murals (Boston), Portrait Gallery (Washington DC), Tate Modern (London), Sargent and Fashion (London)

  • Attends art functions regularly to collaborate & expand influences:

  • 10+ year member of Grotesque Burlesque drawing group

  • Annual artists retreat weekend (MI) with 12 other artists

  • Artists retreat weekend with Jill Thompson and 5 other artists (WI)

  • Artists retreat (Adeline’s House of Cool, WI) 

Professional Organizations:
2004-2006       Bare Bone Women’s Art Studio
2009-2011       Chicago Artist’s Coalition member
2009-2012       Art Institute of Chicago member
2010-current   Grotesque Burlesque drawing group member
2022-current   Host of “Art Loft” monthly figurative drawing group 
2024-current Evanston Made artist community member

Education:
2002    BFA, Grand Valley State University
2015    Figure Drawing, Vitruvian Fine Arts
2022    Drawing America, Jennifer Gennari’s Portrait Painting
2024. Old Town Triangle School of Art, Painting with Joe Taylor