photo by Haley Nord
cat palmer • 801.510.0827 • cat@catpalmer.com
Cat Palmer took a leap and made Salt Lake City her home at the tender age of 21, just in time for the original Olympic excitement. Hailing from the vibrant music and poetry scene of Orange County, California, she spent her teenage years capturing the raw essence of punk legends Spoon and Squid on the bustling streets of Los Angeles. Her 20s and 30s were shaped under the guidance of the esteemed Al Thelin, a former U of U photography professor whose own mentor was the legendary Ansel Adams.
Now in her 40s, Cat juggles raising two teenagers with her grassroots
advocacy work on Capitol Hill. Her creative spirit thrives at The Bogue Foundry art studio in downtown Salt Lake City, where she’s often immersed in her latest projects.
A true renaissance human, Cat pens a monthly column titled “Small Lake City” for City Weekly and makes regular monthly appearances on the ABC lifestyle show, Good Things Utah. She spent years volunteering with the VA teaching photographing with a recreational therapy class and now she is mentoring a high school teen in photography, for their SLCSE Capstone Project.
During the pandemic, Cat eloped in a cozy, private ceremony in Pat Bagley’s backyard with her best friend, M. You can follow their gardening and cooking adventures on Instagram @TheArtOfQueerCooking.
Cat is available for hire for headshots. (She has resigned from family portraits, events, & weddings.)
LGBTQ+
Awards
Invited Artist for The Utah Arts Festival 2007
Best Photographer • 2007 • Artys City Weekly
Best Photographer • 2008 • Artys City Weekly
Best in Show for 2-D Mixed Media, at Utah Arts Festival 2009
Best Photographer • 2011 • Artys City Weekly
Best Photographer • 2016 • Fabby Award From QSalt Lake Magazine
Best Visual Artist • 2016 • Fabby Award From QSalt Lake Magazine
Best Feminist • 2016 • Salt Lake City Weekly Best of Issue
Best Visual Artist • 2017 • Fabby Award from Q Salt Lake Magazine
Best Visual Artist • 2017 • Best of Sat Lake City Weekly
Best Visual Artist • 2018 • Best of Salt Lake City Weekly
Best Visual Artist • 2019 • Best of Salt Lake City Weekly
Best Visual Artist • 2021 • Best of Salt Lake City Weekly
Best Visual Artist • 2023 • Best of Salt Lake City Weekly
Publications & television
2024, City Weekly, UQFF 2024 Preview, Scott Renshaw
2024, KUTV, Fresh Living
2024, The Daily Chronicle, UQFF A conversation w Cat Palmer
2024, The Utah Review, Utah Film Center UQFF
2023, Good Things Utah, creative gift ideas segment, Dec
2023, City Weekly, Break traditions that stress you out, Cat Palmer
2023, Good Things Utah, beginner’s guide to collecting art segment, Nov
2023, City Weekly, Distraction - dress code, Cat Palmer
2023, Canvas Rebel, Meet Cat Palmer
2023, Good Things Utah, making art segment, October
2023, City Weekly, Pride Month, Hey Ladies!, Cat Palmer
2023, City Weekly, Small Lake City, Middle Age, Cat Palmer
2023, City Weekly, Small Lake City, UPC lost the plot, Cat Palmer
2023, City Weekly, AI & the arts, Scott Renshaw
2023, 15 artists to watch in SLC, City Weekly, Cat Palmer
2023, SLUG Pride issue June, centerfold images
2023, Mother Knows Best, City Weekly, Cat Palmer
2022, Good Things Utah, Pride segment
2022, Episode 135, Artifice
2022, Centerfold of SLUG Magazine Pride Issue
2022, Human Stories Podcast, Episode 106
2022, Good Things Utah, manifesting segment
2021, Why Cat Palmer Inspires Us To Be Brave, Got Beauty
2021, Good Things Utah, organizing your photos segment
2020, Good Things Utah, kids & activism segment
2019, Smog Lake City, City Weekly, Scott Renshaw
2019, Good Things Utah, activism through art segment
2017, The Hill, Protestors spell out "Go Home Trump"
2017, Democracy Now!, Thousands Protest
2017, Salt Lake Tribune, Protestors "Go Home Trump"
2016, Episode 210, I Am Salt Lake Podcast (live)
2016, City Weekly, Q&A with art activist Cat Palmer, by Andrea Harvey
2016, SLUG magazine, Stranger No More, by Mariah Mann Mellus
2016, The Utah Daily Chronicle, Cat Got Your Tongue, Julie Hirschi
2016, Episode 9, Your Cr8tivity podcast
2015, Episode 177, I am Salt Lake Podcast
2015, Utah photographer sets table for edgier take on Last Supper, by Sean Means, Salt Lake Tribune
2015, Let’s Go Eat Podcast with Bill Allred
2015, Episode 189 The Last Supper, I am Salt Lake Podcast
2015, Tightrope to the Sun Blog, Be Prolific, Emma J Phelps
2015, The Salt Life, Empowering Women Through Art by Deena Marie
2014, A Star Wars Art Exhibit for May the Fourth, by Sean Means
2013, Cat Palmer has hundreds of secrets, by Paul Duane
2013, Nomad Nouvelle, by Mandy
2012, Salt Lake Tribune, by Sean Means
2012, 15 Bytes, by Shawn Rossiter
2012, Finding Empowerment with Cat Palmer
2012, City Weekly, You Don't Own ME, Bill Frost
2012, Salt Lake Magazine Blog, The Utah Arts Festival
2010, SLUG magazine, Gallery Stroll, by Mariah Mellus
2010, The Salt Lake Tribune, A bold look at bald, by Daisy Blake
2010, Salt Lake City Weekly, Cat Palmer: Age of Aesthetics by Brian Staker
2010, ABC4, Interview for age of aesthetic shoot
2010, Fox 13 News, Interview for age of aesthetic shoot
2010, KUTV News, Interview for age of aesthetic shoot
2010, In This Week, Arts: Cat Palmer's Close Shave, by Daisy Blake
2009, The Rock Salt, Interview with KUTV, by Gavin Sheenan
2009, In This Week, Cover Story, Artist Profile, by Ryan Michael Painter
2009, Salt Lake City Weekly, Synergetics, by Brian Staker
2008, Women's Week 2008 Political is Personal: Activism Embodied
2008, Salt Lake Magazine, Words to live by (cover story)
2008, Salt Lake City Weekly, Photography
2008, The Daily Chronicle, Women’s Week: Camera critiques social issues
2007, The Salt Lake Tribune, To Hell & Back
2007, The Daily Chronicle, Art as Activism
2007, City Weekly, Gavin's Underground; Cat Palmer
2007, Deseret Morning News
2007, Catalyst
2007, Standard Examiner, The Human Factor
2007, Standard Examiner, Go!, Flashes of beauty…power…grace (cover story)