BIO

Cathy McClure is a Seattle-based artist whose antidisciplinary practice explores the intersection of metalsmithing, mechanical engineering, and optical phenomena. She gained significant early momentum immediately following her MFA as the recipient of the Seattle Art Museum’s Betty Bowen Memorial Award for her original body of work, which included the pivotal zoetrope, Carnival of Life. McClure is now noted for her forensic excavation and metallic resuscitation of disregarded objects, alongside complex mechanical works and large-scale commissions, such as A Place in the Woods.

McClure’s early career featured solo exhibitions at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and Bellevue Arts Museum. Her trajectory accelerated with New York representation by Neuhoff Edelman and Murray Moss, leading to exhibitions at the Nassau County Museum of Art and Art Basel Miami Beach, with critical acclaim in The New York Times, Financial Times, and Metalsmith. From 2016–2024, she served as the sole Artist Consultant for the $1.9B Seattle Convention Center Summit, curating a $7.75M public art program while simultaneously advancing her studio practice.

A recent fellow at the McColl Center and Pilchuck, she has been selected for the upcoming 2026 Uncommon Art Residency at Teton Artlab. Represented by Traver Gallery, her work is held in the permanent collections of The White House, CCS Bard, Hinton House (UK), and the Port of Seattle. Her work is also featured in prestigious private collections, including those of Joshua Rechnitz, Lana Jokel, the Pace Collection, and the Breteau Foundation.