"Inked Waiting" Painting

Alana Palomo is a Chicago-based graphic designer, teacher, and multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans painting, illustration, collage, and digital media. She currently works as a graphic designer at Kehoe Designs and teaches at Art City, where she encourages creativity and exploration through the visual arts. Her work reflects on the contrasts of the human experience, the joy and warmth carried in memory alongside the pain and trauma imposed by society. Through her pieces, she invites reflection, growth, and healing. Alana graduated with honors as the fourth top student at Academia Británica Cuscatleca, where she attained her International Baccalaureate. She went on to earn her BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), focusing on Visual Arts and Graphic Design. At SAIC, she was awarded the Presidential Merit Scholarship, the Study Trip Merit Grant, and was accepted into Advanced Graphic Design. She has completed two artist study intensive residencies and she also pursued studies at Lorenzo de Medici institute and Accademia del Giglio in Florence, concentrating on the business of art, fashion marketing, psychology of art and creativity, digital art, and advanced painting. Her work has been showcased widely, including exhibitions at the Chicago Fine Arts Salon, Art City, SAIC Site Galleries, SAIC Art Bash, Monarca, Akwa Art Hub, West Loop Art Fair, Andersonville Galleria, GRIP the Gallery, West Fest, Wells Street Art Fair, and more. Alana’s work has also been published in Divide One Magazine, Collect Artwork Nude Art, Contemporary Artists 101, and featured in both exhibitions and accompanying publications. Her paintings and designs continue to reach audiences internationally, reflecting her ongoing commitment to bridging emotional honesty and artistic innovation.

Art has always been my lens through which I experience the world. My travels exposed me to the rich diversity of global cultures, art, and architecture, sparking a fascination that evolved into a lifelong pursuit. From the intricate brushwork of a museum painting to the ornate details in fashion and urban design, I am captivated by the beauty and complexity in everyday surroundings. Creating art allows me to express emotion and reflect on my experiences. It is both an emotional outlet and a space of healing. Through varied media, I translate my internal world into pieces that aim to inspire joy, wonder, and contemplation.