Artist: Margalit Palermo
Artist, Margalit Palermo
Meet Margalit Palermo, an abstract and contemporary artist. Her art is geometric, abstract and colorful. With her mother as an artist, perhaps having a subconscious influence on her, Margalit picked up a paintbrush 18 years ago and hasn’t stopped painting since. Her artistic talent doesn’t stop there, she also creates handcrafted jewelry.
“Margalit was my inspiration to start this Artist Spotlight series. I was invited to Margalit’s home for a party and when I saw all the beautiful artwork on her walls she informed me she painted them. I knew in that moment I had to photograph Margalit with her artwork! We spent a lovely Saturday morning together capturing portraits and "in-action” photos of her creating. I am so excited to share the final photos, and more importantly this in-depth interview where you can get to know Margalit a bit more! ENJOY!” - Miranda
Behind the scenes of photographer, Miranda Boller and artist, Margalit Palermo.
Margalit, where did you grow up, and do you feel like this has affected your art?
I was born in Hawaii and spent my childhood there, moving to the Washington DC metro area when I was 12. I don't think I've ever considered if Hawaii necessarily made an impact on my art. Later, in my formative and then early adult years, exposure to art in museums in Washington DC and then backpacking across Europe definitely expanded my view of what is art.
Margalit Palermo at home with her painting, “The Blue Garden”
Tell me 3 interesting facts about you:
Interesting is such a subjective adjective. I suppose I could say that:
I've traveled to 50 countries, and experienced a wide array of cultures through my profession as a diplomat.
I am also a federal special agent, so I've served arrest and search warrants, testified in criminal trials, and dealt with some very unsavory, unscrupulous people or people who made bad choices at the wrong time.
On a lighter note, I am obsessed with yoga inverted positions, so I am always challenging myself to learn a new pose or transition and finally get to the point that I can do a press-up handstand (I can only do it as a headstand).
Explain your background in art:
My mother is an artist and that is the extent of any background I have in art. I am completely autodidactic although I do wish I would have had the chance earlier to take art classes to have avoided some of the things that I had to learn by trial and error. There's still time to get art classes, especially as I continue to explore with new mediums.
Margalit Palermo painting with acrylic inks in her studio in Montevideo, Uruguay
Who are your biggest artistic influences?
Picasso, Miro, Kandinsky, Matisse, so many of the Impressionists (they were my first true art loves), Mondrian, Dali, Beatriz Milhazes and so many more.
Tell me about your favorite medium to use:
Acrylic paints on canvas, but I am also now loving acrylic inks and incorporate some up-cycled materials often.
Margalit Palermo with some of her up-cycled art, created with Nespresso pods
Do you focus on one type of medium or different kinds?
I guess I just answered that above! I do focus on acrylic paints on canvas, but now I'm in a zone creating works with acrylic ink on acrylic or watercolor paper. I also make handcrafted jewelry!
Margalit Palermo creating jewelry in her studio
How long does an average piece of your art take to create?
It depends. In my highly geometric styled pieces, sometimes 20-40 hours. In my recent work with acrylic inks, only an hour or so depending on how fast everything dries in between layers.
Artist, Margalit Palermo in her art studio
Where do you find inspiration?
Colors, lines, shapes. I am pretty obsessed with circles and they feature in most of my artwork. I also like color combinations, especially bright, modern colors, although I do break from that style every one in a while to use a more muted palette. I do like to introduce overlapping shapes that transition from one color to another creating a visual trick of the eye.
Artist, Margalit Palermo at her current home in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Three words that describe Margalit Palermo’s art:
geometric, abstract, colorful
What's your favorite piece of art you have created and why?
There are two. One is a very fluid, abstract large acrylic paint on canvas piece that is hanging above the fireplace in my sister's home. I love that piece for two reasons--first, the ease in which the piece flowed from my brain to the canvas, and second, for the final visual effect which received a lot of positive comments. My other favorite piece is one of my paintings titled "The Garden." I painted the first one, and then did a custom almost-copy for my husband as he wanted one too. It was one of my first large artworks in a highly geometric, bright color style, using a lot of artistic elements that I continue to use today. So I guess I could say, it was the OG for what I feel is a true reflection of me as an artist.
Artist, Margalit Palermo with two acrylic paintings “In the Garden” and “The Garden”
Describe your dream project:
I would love to paint a large mural (anywhere really). I would also love to have a larger studio with the ability to work on much larger canvases.
Do you have any advice for those interested in becoming an artist in your same medium?
Just pick up a brush and try it out. That is exactly how I started out. My boyfriend and I at the time had visited the Modern Museum of Art in Washington, DC and we saw several lovely pieces of art that appeared to be quite simple to design and paint. So we left the museum, went to a Michaels, bought two 18x24 canvases, a few brushes and a handful of primary color paints and tried out our hand at painting art. He ended up creating a gray blob and I ended up with a bright yellow and orange landscape (which I still have today). But I remember loving the feeling of mixing the paint colors and that first touch of the brush on the canvas. So I just kept going from there, learning, experimenting and improving my skills and here I am today, 18 years later and still thoroughly loving my craft.
Artist, Margalit Palermo currently living in Montevideo, Uruguay
Where can people purchase your art?
Anyone can contact me via Instagram @artistmargalitpalermo to purchase my art. When I am based in the United States, I have an Etsy Shop (Margalit Palermo) and sell my art and jewelry on that site.
Margalit Palermo with her painting
Just for fun, what is your favorite quote?
"A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one." William Shakespeare
Anything else you want me to know?
I guess I like the above quote, because between my profession (my day job), my artwork and my jewelry work, and other hobbies, I have never felt that I am a master of anyone skill or craft, but a multifaceted individual. I used to hear the above quote misstated many times as "A jack of all trades but a master of none." Full stop. I remember feeling that I needed to just specialize in one thing and stop chasing other hobbies, skills. So years ago, when I heard the full quote, it was an "aha" moment for me, inspiring me to be comfortable in accepting my multidisciplinary-ness.
Miranda Boller with her newly purchased artwork, “In the Garden” by Margalit Palermo
“I 100% AGREE with Margalit on this. I think we can all apply this quote and thought to our own lives…. Chase all those dreams and continue to do what makes you happy! On a side note, what made me extra happy that day was Margalit Palermo’s painting, “In the Garden” so of course I purchased it to add to my own personal collection of art. I am sooooo excited to have this beautiful piece hanging in our home.” - Miranda