About The Artist

Catherine Forster’s work induces viewers to slow down and spend time with each piece. Her interests lie in the inconsistencies and contradictions of every day life, banal moments that add up to something else. Forster’s trajectory as an artist began with careers in microbiology and business, each experience presented a pathway to her current practice. Observation and authenticity are the bedrock of her work. As a microbiologist her preferred medium was a microscope; today it is a camera and a paintbrush. Forster’s fascination with the world beneath the microscope transformed to the extraordinary arena played out beyond the lens. She is forever fascinated by the capacity of the “third eye” to capture what is missed or denied. Catherine Forster is an artist, and independent curator based in the Chicago area. She received an M.F.A from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her artwork has been shown at the Grand Rapids Art Museum, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Chicago, Merwin Gallery Illinois Wesleyan University, Freewaves, City of Louisville Colorado Sculpture Garden, Carnegie Art Museum, South Bend Regional Art Museum, Flint Institute of Art, Orange County Contemporary Art Center, Exit Art (NY), Hyde Park Art Center Chicago, and the Contemporary Art Centre in Vilnius, Lithuania, to name a few. Films by Forster have been screened at the Sao Paul International Short Film Festival, East LA Intl film Festival, Chicago REEL short film Festival, the Other Venice film Festival, CA, Echotrope New Media Arts Festival (Omaha), Simultan Media Arts Festival (Romania), Echo Park Film Center (LA), Magmart Film Festival Casoria International Contemporary Art Museum (Italy), Directors Lounge (Berlin), and San Diego International Women Film Festival. Forster is also the founder and director of a non-profit nomadic new media art space, the LiveBox Gallery.