Eileen W. Palmer

Eileen Palmer is a multi-media artist in the broadest sense. Her media include mosaics, collage, print making, painting, metals, clay, jewelry design, glass, and fiber arts. In addition to creating art, Eileen also is a Museum Curator and Program Developer.  She holds a Master’s degree in Museum Studies from Harvard University; her passions include developing  programs for people challenged with disabilities, and collaborating on public works of art with a social impact.

Palmer’s work has been exhibited in galleries and museums in Long Island, New York City, and Cambridge MA; these venues  include the Brooklyn Museum,  Harvard University Carpenter Center, The Parthenon Museum, Nashville, TN, LI Biennial, Heckscher Museum of Art,  Islip Art Museum, Long Island Museum, and other venues throughout Long Island.  Her work is included in private collections in the U.S. and internationally. Eileen has developed Alzheimer’s Programs at the Brooklyn Museum and Long Island Museum.  She has worked with Creative Time on both Nick Cave’s HeardNY in Grand Central Terminal, and Kara Walker’s Subtlety at the Domino Sugar Factory, in Brooklyn, and has collaborated on public murals in South Philadelphia, Patchogue, and Brooklyn. Eileen has received awards from a US Congressperson and NY State Senator for her contributions to Community Arts.

“Much of my work is brightly colored, shiny, occasionally playful, and mischievous. I try to initially attract the viewer with whimsy and fun, and when I’ve got their attention—reveal a deeper concept. The various materials I use  are part of the concept I am developing, be it vintage China, a loved one’s costume jewelry, fractured mirror, or glass shards—each material  has its own language.

When developing a piece, I put much thought into my artist statements. They are usually a key to understanding the concept I’m trying to relay.  If the viewer is not interested in exploring a deeper context, but the art puts a smile on their face—that’s good too!”