Cat Crotchett

Cat Crotchett (she/her) is a painter, teacher, and explorer of materials, patterns, and possibilities. For over 36 years, she has been transforming traditional techniques into innovative, abstract works that push the boundaries of wax, paint, and surface. Her artistic curiosity spans continents: from solo exhibitions in Chicago and Baltimore to Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Cat’s work reflects a global engagement with process, pattern, and experimentation.

Trained with BFAs in Painting and Art History from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and an MFA from Bowling Green State University, Cat has shared her knowledge widely—through presentations and workshops across the U.S., Canada, and Southeast Asia. She has been recognized with grants, fellowships, and residencies, including a 2022 experimental residency at the Golden Foundation for the Arts, and her work is held in public and private collections.

A committed educator, Cat has shaped generations of artists at Western Michigan University’s Gwen Frostic School of Art, earning accolades such as the 2021 Distinguished Faculty Scholar and the 2015 Roehrick Distinguished Professorship. She continues to live and work in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and is represented by Addington Gallery in Chicago.
Cat’s practice is a dialogue between tradition and invention—a continuous search for the unexpected in pattern, wax, and paint.

Pre-Conference Workshop:

• Wax Matters: Batik Tools, Encaustic Marks with Cat Crotchett