The Whimsical and Introspective; Cici McMonigle
Cici McMonigle’s playful mixed media work fuses Chinese and American folklore to explore identity, cultural storytelling, and imagination through vibrant, creature-filled narratives.
Sometimes, when you look at a painting, you can’t help but think, That looks like it was so fun to make. There’s a kind of uninhibited joy radiating from certain works—the kind that suggests the artist was genuinely playing, fully immersed in imagination rather than weighed down by the pressure of perfection or commercial success. That feeling, that sense of artistic play, is infectious. It turns viewing into a participatory act, a moment of childlike wonder, where we get to marvel at not just what’s on the canvas, but how it might’ve come to be.
There’s a refreshing charm in art that doesn’t take itself too seriously, that leans into the playful and surreal. It reminds us of the creativity that flourishes in childhood—unfiltered, fantastical, and free. When an artist allows themselves to create from that space, the work often becomes more than a visual experience; it becomes emotional, visceral, and alive. That’s exactly what happens in the work of Cici McMonigle.
McMonigle is a mixed media artist whose work feels like stepping into a folkloric dream. Her pieces are populated by an array of fantastical creatures and exaggerated characters, drawn from the rich tapestry of fables and myths. Yet these figures aren't just whimsical for the sake of whimsy—they're layered with cultural symbolism, each one with meaning, humor, and spirit. Drawing from both Chinese and American traditions, her creatures become living metaphors for identity.
What makes McMonigle’s art so captivating is her ability to fuse this deep cultural storytelling with a genuine sense of fun. Her work is an invitation: to enter a world where the subconscious roams free, where personal narrative and shared mythology dance together. There’s a dreamlike quality to it all—both precise and chaotic, considered and spontaneous.
Many of McMonigle’s creatures are rendered with a wild palette of exuberant colors and odd proportions. They're folk monsters and mythic beasts, echoing the visual language of Chinese woodcut toys and American storybook illustrations. By using materials like painted wood cutouts, she pays homage to traditional Chinese folk art while playfully reinventing it through her own lens.
There’s something beautiful in how her art resists simplification. The pieces are bold and expressive, yet filled with nuance. They celebrate the coexistence of her cultural roots, while also inviting viewers to consider their own place in the continuum of myth and memory. Her work becomes a shared imaginative space—part museum, part playground—where folklore, fantasy, and the personal collide.
To experience McMonigle’s art is to be reminded that creativity doesn’t have to be tortured or transactional. It can be lighthearted and profound at once. It can be colorful, wild, and weird—and still speak to something real. In her creatures, we see echoes of our own inner worlds. In their playfulness, we find permission to imagine more freely. And in their celebration of cultural storytelling, we are reminded of the beauty in embracing all the pieces that make us whole.
For more on Cici, follow her on Instagram
With peace & love
xx