Artist Profile - Kristen Palana

Kristen Palana is an American/Portuguese interdisciplinary artist, nomad professor, and UN design consultant currently based in Malawi. She creates images that can be used to visualize things like health, love, abundance etc. She aims to use colors that evoke strong emotions and to utilize symbols that have cross-cultural significance. She's drawn to the patterns and colors found in African and Asian textiles, baskets, and handicrafts. Western influences include stained-glass windows and the bold dark outlines found in comic books. 

She's held senior leadership positions as a tenured Associate Professor of Digital Media and Program Director at The American University of Rome and has taught at universities on four continents. Her animated films have screened in galleries and museums worldwide and in more than 75 international film festivals attracting numerous "Best Animated Short Film" awards.