Cheryl Calo

Los Angeles, United States

Biography

Cheryl Calo is a Southern California artist whose vibrant acrylic landscapes celebrate the beauty of light, color, and the fleeting moments that connect us to nature. Raised in Connecticut, she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design from Pratt Institute, where she represented the United States in an international young designers competition in Paris before launching a successful career in fashion.

Her creative path eventually led her to Hollywood, where she built a distinguished four-decade career as an Emmy-nominated makeup artist, working in television and film. Throughout those years, painting remained a constant passion, and in 2017 she returned to the canvas full time, combining the keen eye for color, composition, and storytelling developed throughout her artistic career.

Working primarily in acrylics, Cheryl is inspired by California's coastlines, seascapes, and landscapes. Her paintings capture the ever-changing effects of light and atmosphere, inviting viewers to pause and appreciate moments that are often overlooked. Whether depicting ocean waves or peaceful natural settings, her work reflects a sense of optimism, tranquility, and wonder.

Based in Los Angeles, Cheryl draws inspiration from her close-knit Italian family, her travels, and the beauty she discovers in everyday life. Her paintings are held in private collections and have been exhibited throughout Southern California. She welcomes commissions and continues to create artwork that brings warmth, joy, and a lasting connection to the natural world.

Artist Statement

I create expressive landscape paintings and mixed media artworks inspired by nature, memory, and the emotional power of light, color, and texture. Whether painting expansive landscapes or transforming everyday materials into abstract mosaic compositions, my work celebrates the beauty found in both the natural world and the familiar objects that surround us.
My mixed media pieces pay homage to my decades-long career in the makeup and hair industry through the use of repurposed sponge hair rollers, acrylic paint, and resin. By giving these everyday materials a new purpose, I bridge two creative worlds while exploring themes of transformation, reinvention, and connection.
Through both painting and mixed media, I invite viewers to pause, reflect, and discover that light, color, and even the most ordinary materials can evoke memory, emotion, and extraordinary stories.