COLIN HURLEY (THE PAINTER OF CATS)

Colin Hurley

I’m Colin Hurley, a painter based in Berkeley, California. For as long as I can remember, art has been at the center of my life. Painting is how I explore the world, and often I find myself returning to themes of play, imagination, and, yes—cats.  This has become one of my artist moniker The Painter of Cats.I come from a family of Bay Area artists, and my journey has taken me through many creative spaces across the region. I spent eight years at the Lottie Rose Art House in Oakland, where we hosted monthly exhibitions through the Firehouse Art Collective, and I curated group shows such as “Let’s Hear It For The Cat”, and “pARTy Cats”. I was a lead artists in created the mural next door of a 4 story residential building. Over the years, I’ve exhibited internationally, including a show in Stockholm Sweden centered on art made from found objects, and I participated in projects such as a 2 month cross-country Bus Art Tour called “Know Going Back”. My work has been shown at Art Basel Miami - Art Week, the Reno-Tahoe International Art Fair, and spaces like Cal Shakes Orinda and Mission Clay Arizona. For two years, I held an artist residency at 2727 California Street in Berkeley, a non profit community space, where I continue to be actively involved in curating exhibitions and managing the 16 studio artists on site. My upcoming project, Art Is Everything!, is an animated series about three cats navigating the art world, inspired by the spirit of Bob Ross and my belief that art belongs to everyone. Collaboration has been an important part of my practice, and I’m grateful to the many artists I’ve created alongside with. At the heart of my work is the desire to nurture a universal love of art—whether through paintings, sculpture, or playful explorations like Art Is Everything! I live in Berkeley Califronia with my cat, Cardi C, who keeps me inspired every day.