Visual artist Cathy Dailey is the featured speaker for the “Inside the Artist’s Studio” series at Princeton Makes in the Princeton Shopping Center on Thursday, October 24, at 7 p.m. Dailey, a Princeton Makes cooperative member, creates vivid, whimsical images of cats, dogs and birds, as well as abstract art, in a variety of media, including colored pencil, oil pastel, and collage. In her talk, titled “My Artist Road Trip,” she shares her 30-plus year artistic journey.
“My plan is to quickly show and tell my life story, and then focus on my artistic life, which feels more like a road trip to me than a journey,” she said. “It will be fun to talk about how my work has evolved over the years.”
Dailey, a Princeton resident, grew up in northern California where her mother, an artist herself, taught her watercolor, design, and composition. Her father fostered her love for animals and nature by teaching her to observe birds, a hobby she continues to this day.
“I have such a passion for animals, nature, and art. I get a lot of joy from bringing them together and making people smile in the process,” she said.
Dailey earned her B.F.A. at Mississippi University for Women (MUW) in Columbus in 1990. Soon after, she moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where she began creating watercolors of imaginary people inspired by her time overseas. She later moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina,where she continued to develop her style while managing an American craft gallery. In 2000, she relocated to Athens, Georgia, to emerge as a highly recognized local artist. Dailey currently lives in Princeton with her husband, Andrew Cole, and their cats, Dora and Elsie.
This month Dailey is the featured artist at Princeton Makes. Her work is highlighted in the front window and retail space. The “Inside the Artist’s Studio” talk series, part of the cooperative’s programming initiatives, offers the public a monthly opportunity to learn about and from its creatives.
The event begins with a reception and light refreshments at 6:30 p.m. Artwork by all cooperative artists will be available for purchase.
Princeton Makes is a cooperative of more than 40 local artists who work across a range of artistic genres, including painting, drawing, stained glass, sculpture, textiles, and jewelry. Customers will be able to support local artists by visiting their in-store studios and shopping for a wide variety of art, including large paintings, prints, custom-made greeting cards, stained glass lamps and window hangings, jewelry in various designs and patterns, and more.
Inside the Artist’s Studio, Princeton Makes, Princeton Shopping Center, 301 North Harrison Street, Princeton. Thursday, October 24, 7 p.m. Free; refreshments served. www.princetonmakes.com.

"Staring Contest" by Cathy Dailey.,
