Founder's Review

Unraveling Reality: The Surreal Vision of Fiona Catherine Shanahan

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Every so often, a new artist emerges who seems to exist in a realm just beyond the veil of the known—where dreams melt into brushstrokes and the unconscious mind commands the canvas. Fiona Catherine Shanahan is one of those rare creators. This inspirational artist hails from Cold Spring, New York in the Hudson Valley and right by the Hudson River. Fiona is part of a generation of Gen Z visionaries who are reimagining what it means to see, feel, and make art in an age where boundaries are fluid and perceptions constantly shifting. Her deep curiosity for all forms of surrealism and magical realism defines both her artistic identity and her unwavering pursuit of creative truth.

 

Fiona's surrealist journey was ignited in high school, when she encountered German artist Neo Rauch’s haunting visual narratives through the book At the Well. The experience left an indelible mark on her imagination. That spark intensified in college when she encountered Rauch’s self-portrait at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence—an intimate moment of connection between muse and maker. From that point forward, Fiona embraced the beautifully irrational, venturing into the twisted corridors of surrealist thought, guided by a fierce desire to express what defies logic.

 

Working primarily in acrylic, with selective use of oil, Fiona’s paintings echo with disjointed realism and metaphysical wonder. Often integrating three-dimensional elements, her work is not merely to be viewed—it is to be entered, challenged, and emotionally decoded. In a time when so much is curated and filtered, Fiona dares to be raw, experimental, and uninhibited in her execution. There is a mature intensity in her commitment to the surrealist canon, as evidenced by her current studies of literary figures like André Breton and Colette Peignot. She does not just want to create surrealism—she wants to understand it at its roots and reinvent it through her own lens.

 

At Explore Art Magazine, we celebrate artists who push the limits of genre, who follow intuition into the obscure, and who reflect the chaotic brilliance of being human. Fiona Catherine Shanahan is such an artist. Her practice is young, but the vision is ageless—and the impact already undeniable. Watch closely. She is not just painting dreams—she is constructing new dimensions.

 

Stay inspired.
Renée L. Rose

Founder/Explore Art 

https://www.exploreartproject.com/founder

Chicago, Illinois

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