September: A Fast Month Passing

As has probably been your experience as well, much has transpired during the past month. This is an update describing some of my adventures, as well as how I have been spending my time since school began in early September. I hope you enjoy reading and looking. XO Caetlynn


Before I had made new canvases to work with, I decided to explore ink and watercolor on paper. I made the images above during mid-September.


This diptych is my first painting in oil (other than a portrait of my classmate, Paul DeMuro that I finished for a group show at Nexus in Philadelphia--sorry, no image right now!)


Being a graduate student at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers is awesome! My classmates and professors are amazing, as is my studio (pictured above), the resources, the proximity to NYC, etc.... I'm biking to school every day, and my work study assignment is at the Brodsky Center for Innovative Editions ( www.brodskycenter.org ). I'm really enjoying helping with art marketing at the BCIE--and it's very conveniently located in the same building as my studio and all my classes. This semester I'm taking four classes, three that focus on painting and group and individual studio visits with my classmates and professors, and a Visiting Artist class. Two weeks ago, the visiting artist was Josephine Halvorson , a Brooklyn artist whose paintings are worth taking a look at. She gave an inspiring presentation about her work and philosophy, and provided me with some great feedback about my own work.


I thought I'd throw this image in as an example of some of the lovable bits and pieces at the Civic Square Building where all this magic is taking place.


This is the view when exiting the building at night--the hotel across the street in downtown New Brunswick.


One of the best things about living in Central Jersey is the NJ Transit line that drops you at Penn Station in NYC in 45 mins. if catch the express. (There are some other things too, but this is pretty high on the priority list). The following are some photos taken at The New Museum during a recent visit.




Tyson. Head on.


Tyson. From above.


Tyson. From below.

And the Met!!! The following are a small sampling of some paintings that caught my eye recently.

Unfortunately I don't have the journal with me that would reveal the name of this artist, but I loved this strange arctic composition.


And this detail of "The Heart of the Andes" by Frederick Church--intimate dappled view of nature's nooks & crannies.


Unknown artist.


Who paints better than El Greco? In my opinion, no one.


NYC. On our way to NYMOMA to see the James Ensor show. Fantastic.

On another note, recently, classmates Jessica Bottalico and Alan Prazniak and I ventured into the wilderness of the park along the Raritan River for a night drawing session. The following are photos captured along the way.



View of New Brunswick at night.



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But I won't pretend that the transition has all been easy. Both Tyson and I have had many nostalgic moments about the home we left in SF (below are pictures from our back porch), and long to see our many friends and relatives again soon, hopefully for the holidays.





Lastly, yesterday, Tyson and I went into NY to galleries in Chelsea. We saw too much to mention everything (like 20!!!), but one of the best was Amy Stein at ClampArt . Check it.

I will try to post at least once a month, and am working on some larger paintings now, so will include them in the next one, as well as reviews of more gallery shows that strike my fancy. Until next time, XO CJB