Bio
Carolyn Misterek (b.1985) is a painter living and working in Maryland, United States. She graduated with a BFA from the University of Minnesota in 2007, followed by an MA in Art History from the University of St. Thomas in 2011. After many years of running her handbag label MATINE, Carolyn returned to a full-time studio art practice in 2020. Carolyn’s work meanders back and forth between explorations of the natural world and intuitive mark making.
Since 2020 Carolyn’s work has found collectors in over 30 countries, and has been featured in solo and group shows throughout the Washington, D.C. area and internationally in galleries in the U.K. and France, and public displays in Hong Kong and Macao.
Artist Statement
My painting practice is an exploration of the delicate interplay between memory, place, and identity. I draw inspiration from the beauty and complexity of both the natural and material worlds of my daily life. I have a particular interest in the concept of transience; how the briefest moments and memories can deeply shape our understanding of self.
Negative space plays a vital role in my paintings as well, mimicking the pauses and reflections I strive to find in daily life. Those moments where clarity often emerges from chaos. In many of my works, the dialogue between the organic and the constructed serves as a reminder of how our perceptions can blur the lines between reality and imagination. My hope is that each piece sparks conversations about the stories we carry within us, the landscapes we navigate, and the beauty available to us where we choose to notice it.
Recently
2025
Chateau Orquevaux Residency and Denis Diderot Grant, Orquevaux, France
2024
“SQFT”, Group Show, Washington, DC
2023
Meadow Gallery, Mylo Art Summer Show, Stockbridge UK - Inquire Here
The American Scholar, Portrait of the Artist
2022
“Other People’s Flowers,” Solo Show, Homme Gallery, Washington, DC
“Everyday Occurrences” Solo Show, Salon Studio, Washington, DC
2021
”Still/Life” Group Show, Monochrome Collective, Washington, DC
“Women in The Arts” Group Show, Latela Curatorial, Washington, DC
“Fun Size” Juried Group Show, Jen Tough Gallery, Sante Fe, NM
The Rulebreaker Podcast, Episode #39
Friend of the Artist, Studio Project
“Her Weight in Gold” Group Show, Visionary Arts Collective
2020
“Into Nature” Juried Group Show, WBCA, Minnesota