About the Artist

About Me

Hi, I'm Caitlin Stainken.

I'm a painter based in Missoula, Montana. I'm endlessly fascinated by the way light transforms ordinary moments and evokes sentimentality and reflection, as well as hope for the future. My work is inspired by the deep emotions of everyday life and the solitary moments that make me feel calm and introspective: afternoon sun stretching across a hardwood floor, plants reaching toward the light, well loved pets, and the landscapes that make me pause along my favorite walks.

I earned my B.A. in English and Painting from Boston College. After college, I moved to Chicago, where I co-founded The Dead Squirrel Project, an artist collective with a dedicated studio and gallery space in Ravenswood. We exhibited our work in Chicago and Seattle, participated in group exhibitions, and completed commissioned pieces for private collectors. During that time, I was also an ensemble member of the Neo-Futurists, where I wrote and performed original theater. Those experiences taught me to pay attention to the small details that tell a larger story, something that continues to shape my painting today.

Although my career eventually took me into the world of technology, entrepreneurship, and business leadership, painting and writing have always been the creative threads running through my life. Returning to the studio has felt like coming home.

Today I paint primarily in acrylic and oil, creating original works that celebrate light, home, and the beauty hidden in everyday spaces. My hope is that each painting brings a sense of warmth, calm, and familiarity to the home where it ultimately lives.

Thank you for visiting my gallery. I'm honored to share my work with you.

Acrylic on canvas 12" x 16"

Orange Street Bridge

The Orange Street Bridge stretches across the Clark Fork River in downtown Missoula, near the end point of one of my favorite walks. It's a place I return to often -  after the farmer's market, between meetings during a work day, while my kids play at Dragon's Hollow or ride the carousel. I'm drawn by the changing light on the water, the quiet rhythm of the river, and the feeling of transition as nature flows through the city, under the bridge, and back out into the wild.

Rather than capturing a specific moment, this painting reflects the atmosphere of that familiar path in early autumn, when the sun is still warm but the air is beginning to crisp. Soft reflections, shifting light, and expressive brushwork invite the viewer to slow down and experience the calm that can be found in an ordinary afternoon outdoors.

Acrylic and Oil on Canvas 16" x 20"

Afternoon Light

Late afternoon sun spills across the floor as a faithful companion settles into a favorite spot by the window. Warm wood, lush greenery, and long shadows transform an ordinary moment into something quietly memorable. This original painting celebrates the beauty found in everyday life. A peaceful routine, familiar space, and fleeting light of a warm afternoon on the porch. 

Acrylic on canvas 11" x 14"

Three Kings

Growing up, my dad had a boat fondly called the Stinky B. It was a repurposed tugboat with little shade, wooden benches for seats, and a handle he'd screwed onto the bow so I could sit up there in my red life jacket, riding the waves as we trolled for kingfish around the oil rigs off Port Aransas.

Three fish rest shoulder to shoulder in after a long hot day, dead but not defeated, each wearing an expression that feels distinctly its own. This painting is a small tribute to those hot Gulf summers, to fishing with dad, and to the soulfulness and personality all creatures possess.