Initially planning on becoming a musician, Jacquelyn K. Cattaneo has worked as a portrait artist, teacher of portraiture and southwestern landscapes in Gallup, New Mexico, since 1972. She was also an exchange artist for the Soviet women’s committee of the USSR Women Artists and an artists’ delegate in Prague, Vienna and Budapest, Hungary, among numerous other cities. Ms. Cattaneo previously served on the formation committee of the Multi-Modal/Multi-Cultural Center for Gallup, and coordinated the Octavia Fellin Performing Arts Wing dedication at the Gallup Public Library and the art project renovation at the Works Progress Administration of McKinley County, New Mexico.
Prior to the start of her professional career, Ms. Cattaneo pursued a formal education, completing coursework at Texas Woman’s University between 1962 and 1964. Active in her local community, she has served as the Dora Cox delegate to Soviet Union-U.S. Exchange in 1980, as well as the Octavio Berlin Library. Ms. Cattaneo has exhibited extensively nationwide, notably as a solo exhibitor at Gallery 20 in Farmington, New Mexico, since 1985.
Ms. Cattaneo’s greatest professional achievement that stands out for her is just having the studio where she lives because it is like the last frontier in the world. Additionally, she has done many paintings for business, with one that she did that is 7 foot by 4 foot and that is located in the lobby at their local hospital called, “Spirit Ascension”; it is of church rock that looks like steeples, out on the sound stone, and the red rocks with complimentary colors. She has enjoyed painting it. Ms. Cattaneo goes out and she paints on sight, which she loves to do. It can be seen while driving on Route 66 and can be mesmerizing along with the landscape. Of course, she has two extremely talented granddaughters who she is very happy for, as well for herself because it something that will add to their lives.
Outside of her primary trade, Ms. Cattaneo participated in the artist’s presentation of the Pastel Society of New Mexico’s Australia chapter. She also maintains involvement with numerous other organizations including the International Fine Arts Guild, the Portrait Society of America, Landscape Artists International, the Oil Painters of America, the Pastel Societies of the West Coast and America, the Museum of New Mexico Foundation, the New Mexico Architectural Foundation and the National Museum of Women in the Arts, among others.
In light of her exceptional undertakings, Ms. Cattaneo is the recipient of the coveted Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. Most recently, she was also honored at the Rehoboth McKinley Christian Hospital Charity Drive in 2016. Her other accolades include the Award of Merit from the Pastel Society at the Southwest Annual Signature and Distinguished Pastelists Juried Exhibitions in 2006, the First Place Prize, Award of Excellence and Pastel Membership Exhibition Award from the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club in 2004, and the Award for Artistic Achievement and the Preservation of WPA Honor from the New Mexico State House of Representatives in 2001, among others. Ms. Cattaneo was also selected for inclusion in the first edition of Who’s Who of Emerging Leaders in America, as well as several editions of Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in American Education, Who’s Who in the West and Who’s Who in the World.