“Line is everything. Extending infinitely to the past and future, line forms the basis of our realities.”
I create linear abstract compositions that are often comprised of catenaries or a single, luminous line that meanders, changes color, and seamlessly connects back to itself. As I prepare to paint, I mix up to 100 gradients of color derived from my memories of scuba diving among tropical fish on the worldʼs coral reefs. By repeatedly laying down the colorful gradients one brushstroke at a time, I create radiant, light-filled lines that change color hundreds of times, reflecting a quality reminiscent of the bioluminescence that emanates from sea-life. My work is interactive, inviting the viewer to track a meandering, color-changing path.
I strive to push the historical conversation with line into the contemporary and elevate the integral role it has played in art, design, and the sciences since its early appearance in rock and cave drawings. Science, personal experience, scuba diving, and art history all inform my work. Catalysts for my most recent paintings include geometry, physics, and Renaissance perspective.
Paula Cahill is a contemporary American artist. She is known for her dark blue paintings composed with a single, continuous line reminiscent of the bioluminescent light that emanates from sea-life at deep, dark depths.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Paula relocated to the Northeast where she received merit and academic scholarships while pursuing an education in the arts. She holds an MFA from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and a BFA from Tyler School of Art and Architecture. She also studied at the Art Students League of New York and Parsons School of Design where she received a merit scholarship as a transfer student.
Paula has served as an undergraduate critic and speaker at Temple University. In addition, she was a visiting artist at the Westtown School in West Chester, Pennsylvania and has given artist talks for the Abington Art Center and the Abington School District.
Paula’s award winning work has been exhibited extensively in solo and group shows throughout the North East. Her paintings are included in prestigious private and public collections throughout the United States, most notably the Charles Library Collection at Temple University, the PNC Bank Collection, the Fellowship of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and Brandywine Realty Trust to list a few.
She has worked out of her studio at the historic Crane Old School in the Kensington-Fishtown area of Philadelphia since 2013.
2011
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
MFA, Magna Cum Laude
2009
Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
BFA, Summa Cum Laude
2003 - 2004
Parsons School of Design, New York, NY
Guest Student, Studio Art
2000
The Art Students League of New York, NY
Studio Art
2023
Annual Regional Juried Exhibition, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA
Honorable Mention
2019
Fame 2019, Fellowship of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, HOT•BED Philly, Philadelphia, PA
Honorable Mention
2016
Celebration of Life, The Center For Emerging Visual Artists, Philadelphia, PA
Best of Show
Annual Exhibition, Abington Art Center, Abington, PA
Honorable Mention
Annual Exhibition, GoggleWorks, Reading, PA
Honorable Mention
The Celebration of Life, Perelman Center, Philadelphia, PA
Best of Show Award, Juried by CFEVA
2011
Fourth Wall, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Top Ten Finalist
2010
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Merit and Academy Scholarships
2009
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Merit and Academy Scholarships
2003
Parsons School of Design, New School University, New York, NY
Merit Scholarship
2014
Founding Board Member, Doylestown Art Days, Doylestown, PA
2019
Visiting Critic, Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Philadelphia, PA
Visiting Artist, The Westtown School, Westchester, PA
2011
Graduate Assistant, Digital Imaging, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2010
Graduate Assistant, Anatomy, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Graduate Assistant, Painting I, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
1stDibs
Artspace
Fresh Paint Art and FP Contemporary, Los Angeles, CA
InLiquid, Philadelphia, PA
Susanna Gold Gallery, Bryn Mawr, PA
Fellowship of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Permanent Collection, Philadelphia, PA
Brandywine Realty Trust, Philadelphia, PA
Speakman Hall, Fox School of Business, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Cira Center, Philadelphia, PA
Glen Meade Trust, Philadelphia, PA
Charles Library, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Howard Gittis Student Center, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
The Westtown School, West Chester, PA
PNC Bank Headquarters, Philadelphia, PA
Capital One Headquarters, Wilmington, DE
Aramark, Philadelphia, PA
Park Towne Place, Philadelphia, PA
MM Partners, Philadelphia, PA
Londoner, Macao, Taipei
MD Live Conference Center, Maryland
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Washington DC
2023
Bucks County Herald, Bucks County Artist to Exhibit in Solo Show at Philadelphia Gallery, 04 May, 2023
Philadelphia Stories, Fall 2023
2022
New Visionary Magazine, Issue 3, 01 Aug. 2022
Bucks County Herald, Transfigured Reality, 16 Jun. 2022
What Women Create, Paula Cahill, 01 Mar. 2022
2021
Bucks County Herald, Contemporary artist creates paintings inspired by sea life, Jodi Spiegel Arthur, 15 Apr. 2021
Art Review City, Artist Q & A with Paula Cahill, 22 Jul. 2021
2020
Charles Library Art Collection, Temple University, Catalogue, Susanna W. Gold, PhD, 2020, RAD Color Solutions
2019
Manufactured Descent, Interview by Ruth Schanbacher, 2 May 2019
Create Magazine, Sacred Geometry: Interview with Phyllis Gorsen and Paula Cahill, 27 Feb. 2019
Wall Street International, Infusion, 21 Jun. 2019
2018
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Submission Fridays, 06 Apr. 2018
Temple University Howard Gittis Student Center Art Collection, Catalogue, Matthew Hall, Catherine Sirizzotti, Shana Nys Dambrot, & Hilary Jay, Oct. 2018, Temple University
Beneath the surface: Artists seek the deeper truth, The Courier News, Ralph J. Bellantoni, 29 Mar. 2018
Cheryl McGinnis Projects, 15 Jun. 2018, Smart Start, Cheryl McGinnis Curates
Praxis Center for Aesthetic Studies, Line and Color, Give it Away, Carey, Brainard, 19 Jun. 2018
2017
$1 Million Gift Of Fine Art Installed, Art Times, 19 Sept. 2017
Create Magazine, Mar 2017, Issue 3, Curated by Bridgette Mayer Johnson
Progression, 05 May 2017
2016
The Written Image, The Art blog, Michael Lieberman, 15 Dec. 2016
Schira, Ron, "Art Review: GoggleWorks Annual Juried Show One of it’s Best," The Reading Eagle, May 29, 2016
Fresh Paint Magazine, Jul 2016
Past is Present, A panel discussion with Susanna Gold, PhD, Andrea Caldarise, Tess Howsam, and Angelo Jones, Philadelphia Open Studio Tours, 22 Oct 2016
2015
Diversity Displayed in Tyler Exhibit, Temple News; Angela Gervasi, 21 Apr 2015
Intimate, Triage, Reflect, An artist discussion with Jennifer Zarro, PhD and Lauren Findlay, Philadelphia Open Studio Tours, 03 Oct. 2015
Six Artists ‘Speak’ in ‘Form Language’ Exhibit at Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences
2014
Johnson, Pat, "Six Artists ‘Speak’ in ‘Form Language’ Exhibit at Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences," thesandpaper.villagesoup.com, Mar 12, 2014
2022
City Arts Salon, Artist Talk
2019
Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Artist Talk
HOT•BED Philly, Artist Talk
2018
Abington Art Center Solo Series and Artist Talk
Abington School District Artist Talk
2023
Boston Street Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2022
Summer Series, City Art Salon, Philadelphia, PA
2021
Flash Solo: Paula Cahill, Presented by Susanna Gold Gallery on Artsy
2019
Sacred Geometry with Phyllis Gorsen, Hot-Bed Philly, Philadelphia, PA
2018
Solo Series, Abington Art Center, Abington, PA
Seraphin Gallery at the Yard, Philadelphia PA
2017
Progression, Crane Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2016
Past is Present with Andrea Caldarise, Crane Old School, Philadelphia, PA
2015
The Drawing Room, Rittenhouse 1715, Philadelphia, PA
Curator: Seed & Space
Paula Cahill, InLiquid at Courtyard by Marriott at the Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA
Curator: Mat Tomezsko
Intimate, Triage, Reflect, with Lauren Findlay, Crane Old School, Philadelphia, PA
2024
InLiquid Toasts 25, Off the Wall Gallery at Dirty Franks, Philadelphia, PA
2023
Abstract Contours, Perry Lawson Fine Art, Nyack, NY
The Center for Emerging Visual Artists at the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Philadelphia, PA
Regional Juried Spring Open Exhibition, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA
Friends of Muse, Muse Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2022
The Center For Emerging Visual Artists at the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Philadelphia, PA
Now, One With Everyone, Icebox Project Space, Philadelphia, PA
2021
The Tropic of Color, Vestige Concept Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
2021 Fellowship Annual, Gross McCleaf Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
8th Annual Benefit Exhibition: Tools for School and Education Works, Bridgette Mayer Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
The Center For Emerging Visual Artists at the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Philadelphia, PA
Summer Love, Era Contemporary, Philadelphia, PA
Online Summer Exhibition, Robert Berry Gallery, NY, NY
Summerhouse, Hot·Bed Philly, Philadelphia, PA
Annual Members Juried Exhibition, The Center For Emerging Visual Artists, Philadelphia, PA
2020
21 Gems, Artsy online, curated by Susanna Gold, Phd
Summer Pop: Medium and Messages, Hamptons Virtual Art Fair, Morton Contemporary, Hamptons, NY
Opening Exhibition, Morton Contemporary, Philadelphia, PA
Art in Isolation, North Dakota Museum of Art, GrandForks, ND
The Center For Emerging Visual Artists at the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Philadelphia, PA
Congruence, I Like Your Work Summer Juried Show, Online,
Bridgette Mayer and Erika B. Hess, Jurors
2019
Endless Summer, FP Contemporary, Culver City, CA
Holiday Pop Up, Center For Emerging Visual Artists, Philadelphia, PA
Geometry, Site:Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY
Infusion, FP Contemporary, Culver City, CA,
FAME 2019, Fellowship of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, HOT•BED Philly, Philadelphia, PA
Collector’s Month, NoBA Artspace, Bala Cynwyd, PA
The Universe, How Vast, How Small, Arete Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2018
Strong Lines, Delaware Contemporary, Wilmington, DE
NoBA, Bala Cynwyd, PA
Submission Fridays, Online Exhibition, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, CA
Into The Light, Philadelphia, PA
Kind of Blue, Carpenter 1421, Philadelphia, PA
Flat Files, Arete Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Art of the State 2018, The State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA
Inside Out, InLiquid Gallery, Crane Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Transforming Jazz - A Visual Experience, Art at City Hall, Philadelphia, PA
Dig, Hamilton Street Gallery, Bound Brook, NJ
2017
Strong Tender & True, Brob Din Gnag International, Phoenixville, PA
Regional Exhibition, Chris White Gallery, Wilmington, DE
Try to Understand, Brooke Lanier Fine Art, Philadelphia, PA
Celebration of Life, The Center for Emerging Visual Artists, Perelman Center, Philadelphia, PA
The Four Elements, Arts & Cultural Council of Bucks County, Doylestown, PA
Doylestown Arts Festival, Arts & Cultural Council of Bucks County, Doylestown
2016
Annual Contemporary Exhibition, Delaware Community College Gallery, Media, PA
The Written Word, Bryn Mawr, PA
InLiquid Projects, Murano Condominium, Philadelphia, PA
Annual Exhibition, GoggleWorks, Reading, PA
Lydia Panas, Curator
Annual Exhibition, Abington Art Center, Abington, PA
Leah Modigliani, Ph.D, Curator
Celebration of Life, Penn Towers, Philadelphia, PA
Center for Emerging Visual Artists, Curator
2015
Victory for Tyler, Icebox Project Space, Philadelphia, PA
Curator: Anthony Elms
A Celebration of Life, Center for Emerging Visual Artists, Perelman Center, Philadelphia, PA
Old Enough to Know Better, Women’s Caucus for Art, Crane Arts Gallery 105, Philadelphia, PA
Eileen Neff and Diane Burko, Curators
Doylestown Art Days, Doylestown, PA
2014
71st Annual Painting Show, Cheltenham Center for the Arts, Cheltenham, PA
Richard Rosenfeld, Curator
Form Language, Long Beach Island Foundation for the Arts and Sciences, Loveladies, NJ
Doylestown Art Days, Doylestown, PA
2013
Victory for Tyler, Icebox Project Space, Crane Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2011
Selby Gardens Payne Mansion Designer Showcase, Sarasota, FL
Prelude Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
MFA Exhibition, Samuel V. Hamilton Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2010
Gallery Eight, Philadelphia, PA
Annual Juried Exhibition, Manayunk Art Center, Philadelphia, PA
2009
Gallery 128, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2016
Philadelphia Open Studio Tours, Crane Old School, Philadelphia, PA
InLiquid Benefit, Ice Box Project Space, Crane Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2015
Philadelphia Open Studio Tours, Crane Old School, Philadelphia, PA
Benefifteen, InLiquid at Crane Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2014
Philadelphia Open Studio Tours, Crane Old School, Philadelphia, PA
InLiquid Benefit v. 14, Icebox Project Space, Philadelphia, PA
2013
InLiquid Benefit v. 13, Icebox Project Space, Philadelphia, PA
