Bio

Katie Luo is a fine artist in oil painting focusing on nature and landscapes to celebrate the light, openness, and energy found in the natural world. Transitioning from a background in mechanical engineering, Luo moved to full-time artistry, a shift stemming from the realization of engineering cultivated her respect for structure, while fine art unlocked a deep emotional connection.

Luo began studying Painting and Art History at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) in 2016 and dedicating herself to her art studio practice in early 2023. Grounded in her signature style, Living Impressionism, she combines structural discipline with heavy texture and dynamic palette knife work to create tactile, luminous landscapes.

Katie Luo keeps an active presence in the Midwest art community and participates in numerous group, juried, and competition exhibitions. Her work has earned significant recognition, including Best of Show, Honorable Mention, Judge’s Award of Excellence, and Theme of Show awards. Held in both private and corporate collections, her painting invites viewers to pause, reconnect, and experience nature as a living, joyful world.

Artist Statement

“Art does not merely change a wall; it changes a life.”

Working in rich oils on canvas, I create luminous, atmosphere-driven landscapes that explore the profound connection between color, light, and human emotion. Rather than rendering literal depictions of flowers and trees, I paint the moment, feeling, and soul of a scene by using expressive palettes to evoke an immediate, emotional response.

Influenced by Impressionist light, I use lush hues and tactile brushstroke to build a language that bridges landscape and connects with human emotion. Grounded in my signature approach, Living Impressionism, I combine structural discipline with heavy texture and dynamic palette knife work to create tactile, luminous landscapes.

Rooted in a belief in the powerful connection between luminous landscapes and human emotion, I seek to share my vision to encourage viewers to reflect and connect with their own feelings. By opening this window, I invite them to experience the vital energy and transformative power of art.

Curriculum Vitae

Katie Luo

www.katieluoart.com

katieluoart@gmail.com

SELECTED AWARDS & HONORS

Judge’s Award of Excellence, Destination Unknown, Frankfort Arts Association, Frankfort, IL (2024)
Honorable Mention, First Impressions, Bloomingdale Park Museum, Bloomingdale, IL (2023)
Theme of Show Award, Wildflowers, La Grange Art League, La Grange, IL (2023)
Best of Show Award, Fall into Color, Elmhurst Art Museum, Elmhurst, IL (2022)

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2026: BREATHING IN COLOR: LANDSCAPE IMPRESSIONS, Elmhurst Art Museum, Elmhurst, IL (Upcoming: October 2026)
2025: WIND & SKY, Burnham Park, Chicago, IL (July 2025)
2025: PETAL, LEAF, & BEAUTY, Gallery Seven, Lockport, IL (May 2025)
2023: NATURE & BEAUTY, Birch Road Club, Chicago, IL (April 2023)

SELECTED GROUP & JURIED EXHIBITIONS

2026: Later Impressions, The Art Center Highland Park, Highland Park, IL (August 2026)
2026: BAC’s 14th Annual Juried Art Competition, Bridgeport Art Center, Chicago, IL (May 2026)
2026: Gold Medal Show, Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Arts, Chicago, IL (March 2026)
2026: Spring Exhibition, Mana Contemporary, Chicago, IL (March 2026)
2025: Ten by Ten, Jackson Junge Gallery, Chicago, IL (November 2025)
2025: Winter Show, Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, IL (November 2025)
2025: From Our Perspective, Lewis University Wadsworth Gallery, Romeoville, IL (August 2025)
2025: Instant Classics (Six-Artist Show), Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Arts, Chicago, IL (2025)
2025: Nature in Abstraction (Three-Artist Show), Bridgeport Art Center, Chicago, IL (2025)
2025: Go Big, North Shore Art League, Winnetka, IL (May 2025)
2024: Contemporary Art Show, Alma Art and Interiors, Chicago, IL (September 2024)
2024: Kaleidoscape, Tall Grass Arts Association, Park Forest, IL (August 2024)
2024: Community Arts, Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills, IL (June 2024)
2024: Winter Exhibition, Zhou B Art Center, Chicago, IL (January 2024)
2023: Winter Art Expo Evanston, Evanston Art Center, Evanston IL (November 2023)
2023: Dada Unleashed, Triton College, River Grove, IL (October 2023)
2023: Juried Art 2023, Robert F. DeCaprio Art Gallery, Palos Hills, IL (June 2023)
2023: Angels and Demons, Stola Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL (February 2023)
2022: A 135 Year Legacy Continues, Bloomingdale Park Museum, Bloomingdale, IL (October 2022)
2022: Art in Library, La Grange Public Library, La Grange, IL (October 2022)
2022: Frankfort Found, Studio C, Frankfort, IL (September 2022)
2022: Art Inspired by Artists, Fulton Street Collective, Chicago, IL (February 2022)

ART FAIRS, COLLABORATIONS & SPECIAL PROJECTS

2026: A CRY FOR PEACE (Collaborative Art Event), Downers Grove Choral Society, Downers Grove, IL
2026: REMEMBER ME COMMUNITY PROJECT, Evanston Art Center, Evanston, IL
2025: THE OTHER ART FAIRS CHICAGO (by Saatchi Art), Ravenswood, Chicago, IL
2024: CITY OF HOPE, Health City Hope Center, Magnificent Mile, Chicago, IL

COLLECTIONS

Works held in private and corporate collections across the Midwest