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Artist Bio

 

     Kathleen Gallo (she/her, born in 1998) began her art education as an apprentice at the age of eight. After a decade of studying under Chicago-born professional artist Donna Sands, Gallo moved from Chicago to Philadelphia to further develop her skill set. In order to continue her studies, she audited physical anthropology classes at the University of Pennsylvania, and she attended the PAFA Hahnemann Program for cadaver dissections. These experiences furthered her knowledge of human anatomy and appreciation for the field of anthropology. In May 2020, she graduated from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts with a BFA in Fine Arts.

 

     Gallo completed her first post-mortem facial-reconstruction at The New York Academy of Art in January of 2018. This reconstruction would later lead to an identification of the remains with the instruction of her mentor, forensic artist Joe Mullins. Gallo has created reconstructions for the Pima County Police, Penn Museum, Mutter Museum, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Images of her post-mortem facial reconstructions have been published in Expedition Magazine and The New York Times.

 

     Gallo interned at the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology under Dr. Janet Monge. In her internship/freelance work, she created flesh-reconstructions from skulls in their archives, as well as made visual art based on their private collection. One of her college achievements was having the Penn Museum purchase her reconstruction of a Neandertal from approximately 45,000-65,000 years ago. This technically crafted reconstruction is now on permanent display in the main entrance gallery of the Penn Museum. She continues to pursue her career path in both the field of forensic arts as well as fine arts.

 

After returning to Chicagoland Kathleen Gallo had her first solo exhibition, Brushes With Death: Examining the Human Condition, at the International Museum of Surgical Science in 2021. At North America's only museum devoted to surgery Gallo drew 2D reconstructions on skulls in their collection. She is continuing her professional career by showing in galleries, receiving commissions, giving lectures, teaching workshops, and being an art teacher. 

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Curriculum Vitae

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Education

 

  • 2016-2020, B.F.A. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Phila., PA

  • 2019-2020, University of Pennsylvania - Audited Physical Anthropology Courses, Phila., PA

 

Professional Experience

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  • Sep 2022-Present, Fine Art Instructor - The Art Center Highland Park, IL

  • Aug 2021- Dec 2022 - Art Facilitator to adults with learning and intellectual disabilities - TotalLink2Community - Northbrook, IL

  • 2018-2020, Post- Mortem Facial-Reconstruction intern - Penn Museum of Archeology and Anthropology, Phila., PA

  • 2019, Sculptural Reconstructionist (Paleoartist) - Penn Museum of Archeology and Anthropology, Phila., PA

  • 2017-2019, Visitor Experience Associate - The Barnes Foundation, Phila., PA

  • 2016, High School Program Teaching Assistant - Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Phila., PA

 

Guest Speaker/Lectures

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  • 2022, Forensic/Archaeological Art Lecture - ComSciCon, The University of Chicago, IL

  • 2021, Inside the Exhibition: Brushes With Death - International Museum of Surgical Science, Chicago, IL

  • 2021, The Therapeutic Uses of Art - DePaul University, Chicago, IL

  • 2021, Anatomical/forensic art lecture and Q & A - Schuler Scholar Program, Round Lake High School, IL

  • 2021, Anatomical art lecture - Warren Township High School, Gurnee, IL

 

Workshops /Classes Taught

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  • 2022, Écorché Workshop: Sculpting Facial Musculature - ComSciCon, The University of Chicago, IL

  • 2022, Anatomy of a Portrait, anatomical and observational portrait drawing - The Art Center Highland Park, IL

  • 2021, Observational Skull Drawing Workshop - International Museum of Surgical Science, Chicago, IL

  • 2021, Anatomical observational drawing workshop - Schuler Scholar Program, Round Lake High School, IL

 

Grants/Awards/Scholarships

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  • 2022, First Place, Annual Winter Juried Exhibition - Bluemoon Gallery, Gurnee, IL

  • 2018/ 2019/ 2020, New York Academy of Art Forensic Workshop - full tuition scholarship

  • 2018/2019/ 2020, Post-Mortem Facial Reconstruction Grant - Penn Museum of Archeology and Anthropology

  • 2018/2019, New York Academy of Art Summer Residency - full tuition scholarship

  • 2019, Estelle Rubens - travel and full-year tuition scholarship

  • 2018, Violette de Mazia Scholarship - full tuition to attend a class at The Barnes Foundation

  • 2018, John R. Connor Memorial Prize

  • 2018, Mindel Caplan Kleinbard Award

  • 2016, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Merit Award, Academy Scholarship, and Next Step Scholarship

 

Residencies/Workshops Attended

 

  • 2021, Anatomical and Reconstruction Artist in Residence - International Museum of Surgical Science, Chicago, IL

  • 2018/2019/2020, New York Academy of Art Forensic Workshop, New York City, NY

  • 2018/2019, New York Academy of Art Summer Residency, New York City, NY

 

Solo Exhibitions

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  • 2021, Brushes With Death: Examining the Human Condition - International Museum of Surgical Science, Chicago, IL

  • 2021, Anatomical and Reconstruction Introduction Exhibit - International Museum of Surgical Science, Chicago, IL

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Group Exhibitions

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  • 2022, Voices & Visions: Standing on the Bridge Between Health and Disease- The Art Center Highland Park, IL

  • 2022, Guest Artist, Intimate Artworks - Bluemoon Gallery, Gurnee, IL

  • 2022, Annual Winter Juried Exhibition - Bluemoon Gallery, Gurnee, IL

  • 2021, The Thin Line - The Art Center, Highland Park, IL

  • 2021, Winter Juried Show - Anderson Arts Center, Kenosha, WI

  • 2021, Phantasma - EclipseC3 Gallery, Phila., PA

  • 2020, Seeing Red - Blue Moon Gallery, Gurnee, IL

  • 2020, 119th Annual Student Exhibition - Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Phila., PA

  • 2019, Sphinx Gallery - Penn Museum of Archeology and Anthropology, Phila., PA

  • 2019, Reflections - Anne Bryan Gallery, Phila., PA

  • 2018, 117th Annual Student Exhibition - Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Phila., PA

  • 2017, The Magical, The Dark, The Spellbound - The Common Room, Phila., PA

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Publications

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  • 2020, Expedition Magazine - 10 page article about the reconstruction of Neandertal Shanidar #1

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  • The New York Times:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/02/arts/design/new-york-academy-of-art-arizona-border.html

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  • The Washington Post:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/world/ny-art-students-mold-clay-into-faces-of-dead-nameless-migrants/2018/03/10/7d1c2574-23f6-11e8-946c-9420060cb7bd_video.html?utm_term=.af01aff0b058

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  • The Fifth Estate:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=env_3T3sFSg

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  • San Diego News abc10:

https://www.10news.com/news/national/art-class-uses-forensic-sculpting-to-build-faces-of-unidentified-migrants

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  • USA Today:

https://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/nation/2018/03/09/ny-art-students-mold-clay-into-faces-dead-nameless-migrants/32791659/

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https://www.newcity.com/2021/01/13/this-week-in-the-culture-january-13-2021/

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