Artist Bio
Caitie Padilla is a Spiritual Surrealist painter based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and recipient of the 2023 New Mexico Entertainment Award for Top Artist. Rooted in centuries of New Mexican heritage, her work is grounded in a deep sense of place while exploring expansive themes of connection, spirituality, and the human experience.
She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of New Mexico (CumLaude) and works primarily in oil.
Her paintings bridge the personal and universal, drawing from philosophy, Sacred Geometry, and the feminine archetype. Padilla’s work has been exhibited in galleries across Albuquerque and Santa Fe, including Ghostwolf Gallery, Tortuga Gallery, Ricochet Gallery, and Mozaik Gallery. She is deeply engaged in the arts community, working with the City of Albuquerque’s Arts and Culture Department to produce curated artisan markets. She serves as Vice President of the Albuquerque Art Business Association and serves on numerous creative boards
Artist Statement
I am a Spiritual Surrealist painter exploring the relationship between vulnerability and power, and the tension between chaos and control. My work is a vehicle for connection — an inquiry into the ephemeral nature of being, relationships, and the unseen structures that shape our lives. In 2020, my husband was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer and passed after a two-year battle in 2021. This loss transformed my work, pushing me into raw emotional expression and deeper spiritual inquiry. My paintings became a dialogue with grief, love, and impermanence. My process blends meditative detail with dynamic palette knife strokes, reflecting the dualities I explore. I paint live to invite connection and demystify the creative process, creating space for shared vulnerability. My work seeks to capture fleeting moments and ground them in something sacred and human.
