Peytin Fitzgerald (they/them, she/her) has a background in traditional printmaking, however their work includes installation, journaling, music, and fiber arts. Fitzgerald says their work is “motivated by the longing to discover myself in order to live a life full of pleasure and understanding; to sit in the trials of my life and of those around me, pushing for growth.” They often explore personal experiences of trauma, pain, feminism, classism, and familial relationships through hand-stitched soft sculptures that they call “pillows.” These forms are organic, relating to the body with rounded edges and fleshy colors—scars, bumps, and blemishes are implied through the use of stretching and layers of fabric. The pillows are often pinned to the wall or resting in small hammocks and set within installations that include hand-dyed fabric and clotheslines, artist-generated playlists, altars, and handwritten notes or journal entries. The spaces Fitzgerald creates are loaded with their own narrative, but done in a way to “give permission for others to speak their own stories.”
Fitzgerald, a Wyoming native, is a new artist to the Peoria-area as of summer 2022. Their work has been exhibited at: Transpace Gallery, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois; Joe McCauley Art Gallery, Heartland Community College, Normal, Illinois; and most recently Our House Entertainment, Peoria. In 2020 Fitzgerald completed a residency at the Stay Home Gallery in Paris, Tennessee. They received a BFA in Studio Art and minor in Gender and Women’s Studies from the University of Wyoming, as well as their MFA in Printmaking from Illinois State University.
The Fall 2022 micro-residencies and exhibitions are sponsored by Big Picture Initiative. Big Picture Initiative is a 501c3 whose mission is to build a thriving & vibrant community for all by using arts and creativity as a driver for social change, economic development, and wellness. They do this by providing arts-based solutions, promoting and supporting artists and arts initiatives, and advancing arts education. Meal assistance for the artists was donated by Radish Kitchen, a “plant-based and vegan hub for the Heart of Illinois.” Radish Kitchen is dedicated to making “plant-based and vegan eating more available and accessible in the region.”
