Carly Palmer

Fellow Traveler & Seeker Exploring Curiosity & Creativity Through The Depths.

Artist Biography: Carly Palmer is a Chicagoland-based artist & writer. She primarily works in the visual artistic mediums of hand-cut paper collage and acrylic hard-edge abstracts. She has exhibited in several local galleries in the Greater Chicago Area as part of both group and solo shows. She is a Resident Artist, School of Art Outreach Instructor, and the Lead of Gallery Relations at Water Street Studios in Batavia. She is the co-curator of the new Community Gallery where her aim is to bring a spirit of possibility and purpose for emerging artists. She is a 2021-2023 Jungian Studies Program Cohort Graduate from C.G. Jung Institute of Chicago. Participants studied the fundamentals of Jungian theory grounded in experiential learning. She is currently studying in the Exploring Psychoanalysis Program at the Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute. She was selected to participate in Kolaj Institute’s virtual “Curating Collage Workshop '' which was designed to train artists as curators. The program focused on research and developmental ideas, as well as how to create a bridge between artwork and audience. She presented her research paper "Meet My Gaze: The Art of Mirroring Through Symbols of Transformation" at London Arts-Based Research Centre's "Psyche & Symbol'' Conference, as well as her research paper “The Art of Aesthetics: Symbolism Revealed Through Objects of Fashion” at the Surrealism and Arts-Based Research Conference. Her most personally meaningful work as an artist and writer weaves together elements of depth psychology, surrealism, and symbolism. This is the creative trinity where both she and her art feel most alive. She is also a long-time seasoned professional makeup artist (www.carlydoesmakeup.com) and has run her own business specializing in bridal & wedding work for close to a decade. Her client process focuses on collaboration and connection through co-creation.

Artist Statement: I let the creative process intuitively unfold and invite flow to find me. I have a deep appreciation for re-purposing, re-imagining, and juxtaposing seemingly disparate objects and ideas to watch them interact. I play with veiled patterns in life, art, and everything. Like a moth to a flame, I am drawn to the light, but shadow does not escape me. I am constantly asking the question “why” and letting it unravel the threads to deeper insights and experience. Finding ways to explore, express, and embody my own curiosity invites me to continue to evolve. I am fascinated by the complexity of the human mind, and endlessly inspired by psychology, specifically Dr. Carl Jung’s work. I’ve always been drawn to hidden meanings and scratching at the surface, and because of this my work often hovers at the crossroads of intention and impulse. Hauntingly beautiful patterns of possibility will appear before me. Seizing me awestruck. My eyes are closed yet wide open.