There is nothing more exciting for Paige Tighe than creating something that looks colorful and vibrant and having it say something uncomfortable. By documenting her own family she explores the dysfunctional dynamics of American culture.  Taking fabric or paint, oftentimes bed sheets swiped from family members, she makes portraits. In these pieces, the discomfort is tangible. Yet, this discomfort is woven with an undercurrent of joy. Paige tries to understand American culture as a big messy whole while still searching for answers to her and her family’s place within it.  

Paige received a BA in Studio Art and Art History from the University of Minnesota at Morris. Receiving a liberal arts education fueled her interest in women’s rights, environmental issues, and social politics. Studying in Ghana, Africa, catapulted her need to have art explore people’s emotional and physical lives over pure aesthetic. Paige has studied Fine Art at the Studio Arts Center International in Florence, The Museum School, in Boston, and Haystack Mountain School of Craft, in Maine and has participated in the Women’s Art Institute at the Minneapolis School of Art and Design.

Paige continues to explore new media pushing the boundaries of how she communicates with an audience. She excited to expand her knowledge to include video, performance art, and more installations. Current issues and concerns include elder care within the health care system and researching /defining American culture.