Mikaela Perry

Mikaela Perry (b. 1992) is a painter working primarily in oil and gouache. Born in Vermont, she holds a B.A. from Middlebury College and an M.A. from NYU. Perry is a multi-generational farmer and explores themes of contemporary agriculture, nostalgia, and connection to place and land through her paintings. After losing her family's farm, she became influenced by artists who paint from memory and use double exposure as a technique for evoking emotion in their work. She layers images of animals from her past with wildflowers from the land she was raised on as motifs of permanence and decay to elevate the larger issue of farmland loss in the United States. From 2016-2018 she lived and worked in rural Tanzania where she implemented multiple youth art classes and a community-led mural project. Currently, she works as a Policy Manager for the American Farmland Trust and teaches painting workshops across New York State. Her work has been exhibited throughout the United States, most recently at Solas Studio, 86 Orchard Street Gallery, and the Annmarie Sculpture Garden Kay Dougherty Gallery. In 2023, Perry was recognized as one of New York City's 40 Under 40 Rising Stars in Food Policy for her advocacy work with farmers and the food system.