Caitlin Cartwright is a social change artist whose vibrant narrative works combine painting, drawing, and collage to explore the stories that connect people of all cultures and ages. Although her intimate works deal with themes of loss and isolation, each piece also contains elements of community, comfort, and hope. Many years spent living and working with vulnerable populations in locales such as Madagascar, Namibia, India, and elsewhere influence both the emotional and geographical scope of her pieces. Caitlin earned her BFA from Maryland Institute College of Art, as well as a masters in sustainable international development from SIT, and recently completed a six-month residency at the Pocosin Arts School of Fine Craft in Columbia, NC. In combination with a long career in sustainable development, she uses art as a storytelling tool for economic empowerment, peace building, and healing and wellness. Caitlin is currently based in Ohio, and her works and collaborative community projects continue to be shown both nationally and abroad.

Locality is important to me, and I rely heavily on what’s around me for content and inspiration.  I have spent most of my life living in varied communities in both the U.S. and the global south, which has helped build my visual vocabulary.  My collaged materials are sourced from locally made papers, dollar store finds, and teen magazines.
I work in a narrative format, focusing on snapshot moments that depict an intimate take on larger movements. From there, I build a story with the goal of tapping into commonalities that connect us and showing corners of life that aren’t often represented.  I tell these stories through the lens of stylization and post-colonial slants on exoticism, which contrasts bold visuals and personalized scenes. 

Bio from Caitlin's website.