Meet Caoilinn McGrath:

Art has always been a huge part of my life. Growing up in Rhode Island, my mom was a graphic designer, so I had access to art and art supplies that most kids didn't. In school, every time I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always "artist" and it never faltered, even into college. In high school, I had an art studio set up in my mom's basement and I would often paint through the night as a way to deal with those wild, intense teenage emotions. Although I ended up graduating with a B.A. in Art History from Rhode Island College, painting was (and continues to be) a huge source of inspiration and comfort for me.

I mostly paint portraits, because I am fascinated with the human form and love the feeling of capturing the essence of a person and the characteristics they take on through paint. I'm a pretty shy person, but my art is one of the rare things I am completely confident in, which gives me the accomplished, satisfied feeling we are all constantly searching for in our lives. Recently, I painted a portrait of a friend that had passed away and gifted it to her family. That experience was so cathartic and powerful for me, it really proves just how powerful art can be. It can heal hearts, start discussions, challenge stereotypes, bring comfort, bring unease, and its all equally important to the human condition. Not many other things in this life can provide us with that