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 Old Town Art Center, Vitruvian Fine Arts Academy, and 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. Kate also paints commissioned portraits (both pet and people). Her artwork has been featured in commercial arts including advertisements, album design, and packaging, including international runs.
Muffy
Oil and gold on linen
24″x 36″
Two Diegos
Oil and gold on canvas
59″x 59″
Sisters
Oil and gold on canvas
40″x 30″
The Generation
Oil and ribbon
18″x 24″
Artemis
Oil and gold on linen
18″x 24″
Eks
Oil and gold on linen
40″x 40″
Natanya
Oil and gold on linen
18″x 24″
Stanley
Oil and gold on canvas
24″x 18″
Aura
Oil, chalk, and charcoal on canvas
18″x 24″
Sarah
Oil and Gold on linen
24”x 36”
Sunny
Oil and gold on linen
40″x 40″
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.
Contact Kate for inquiries or commissions
Shop: ShopEvanstonMade.org/pages/seller-profile/kate-citrin
Instagram: at Kate_Citrin