Destiny Palmer trained as a painter, but her work explores the intersections of painting, history, and color, allowing it to blur the lines of painting, sculpture, and installation. Palmer received her Master of Fine Arts in Painting from Tyler School of Art at Temple University and Bachelor of Fine Art in Painting at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Palmer has participated in exhibitions at Antenna Gallery, The Colored Girls Museum, Automat Collective, Ely Center for the Arts, Lesley University, and Landmark College. Palmer has also hosted workshops at The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts and gave a talk at the Peabody Essex Museum.

Palmer explores and investigates what it means to be an artist, educator, and advocate for the arts. She has worked with various communities to create public art projects ranging from traditional to community engaged and led murals to digitally created murals. Creating art in public realms has been a focus for Palmer. “I love being able to work with a community to reclaim space. It is extremely important that communities consistently see themselves within their own neighborhood and have ownership of it. Many of these communities are undergoing immense change or are at the bottom of their cities’ priority list.” Her murals and community centered art can be seen throughout Boston.

Palmer is currently working at Thayer Academy and most recently was an Assistant Professor at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. As an educator her goals are to mentor students as they develop as young creators, especially in preparation for college and as artistic professionals. “I am aware I may be my students’ first art teacher of color, shifting their understanding of art starts at that very moment.”

Interpret, engage, reminisce, critique my work. Access and question what has been presented, allow yourself to be a part of the painting. Dissect it until you have nothing but questions and self-fulfilling answers. Allow yourself to find comfort in not knowing and maybe not understanding.

My work generates a conversation of confusion or acceptance. I paint because it is sometimes the only thing that makes sense. It describes both a mental and physical space. Layers of space and lines represented by forms of color that are geometric and organic, are represented on one surface. These layers create a space that becomes unlimited regardless of physical scale. The intention of my work serves two purposes. The paintings become the vehicle for my own personal experiences, through the exploration and understanding of my visual language. They strive to become an access point for an audience less likely to engage with “fine art,” yet are inclined to respond and engage through an invitation of color.