ALUMNA ARTIST CAITLIN GREENHILL CALDERA Takes Up Residence At GDS
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ecalling her days as a student at GDS, Caitlin Greenhill Caldera ’10 (CJ) said, “I was never happier than when I was in art class.” Fast forward several years plus an undergraduate degree in Studio Art and Art History from Wellesley College and a fellowship from the Melton Foundation, CJ is back on campus serving as an artist-inresidence at GDS, which she fondly refers to as “the most wonderful place.” As an artist-in-resident at GDS, CJ spent the 2014-15 academic year performing high school art workshops in painting and print making, mentoring student groups in public art projects, and creating oil paintings, notably Ex-voto para Mi Mamá y Alex (at right). Using a piece of upcycled wood originally used in a GDS high school theater production, CJ covered the wood in copies of photographs from her childhood that depict the amazing childhood CJ’s mother provided for her and her younger brother Alex, who suffered from a traumatic brain injury at birth and lives with cerebral palsy. Using oil paint, CJ painted over the canvas images of her mother embracing her brother Alex. In her personal statement about the inspiration and stories behind this painting, CJ writes, “This image is not only a thank you to my mother and Alex but also my way of sharing their inspiring journey so that others who have and have not suffered similar challenges can know that the impossible can be achieved and that unconditional love is the greatest weapon of resistance.” Read CJ's full statement about her painting online at www.GDS.org/HSArts. CJ entered the portrait into the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition held by the National Portrait Gallery. CJ initially came to GDS because of the school’s rigorous academics and arts programs, and within her first semester, she quickly proved that her work ethic and confidence were tough as nails. Within her first semester, CJ made it clear to her teachers that she was here to grow and become her best. High School arts department chair Michelle Cobb recalls a discussion she had with CJ about her artwork: “CJ, a little tiny thing, looked at me and said, ‘You’re not being straight
with me. You need to be tougher on me. … If you never tell me the truth, then I’ll never get better.’ And it changed the way I teach.” “When someone tells you the truth, he or she is demonstrating that he or she really respects you as a person and more importantly, believes in you and your ability to achieve your potential,” explained CJ. This mutual respect for one another’s opinions and art launched the duo’s partnership, which remains strong almost a decade later. While her mother’s embrace inspired the creative direction of this painting, CJ credits Michelle Cobb and Edward Loper for the technical inspiration. Edward Loper, Michelle’s mentor, visited CJ’s high school art class and demonstrated the technique of underpainting, which she said drove this piece. “Michelle taught me the method of painting that Edward Loper taught her. You paint one color next to another to realize a complete composition of light, line, color, and shape. I am truly grateful to both of them for teaching me to see color and have the skills to capture it.” Over the course of her residency at GDS, CJ invested endless hours painting in the HS art studio and talking to students about her process. Grateful for CJ’s commitment to the school and her art, Michelle Cobb said, “For me as a teacher, to see the method we teach in 9th grade develop over the years into a professional level of painting is so rewarding.” As CJ wraps up her artist-in-residence position at GDS and her internship with the Curator of Latino History and Culture at the National Portrait Gallery, she is already planning her next steps as an artist, art history researcher, and art educator. She is busily working on paintings for an exhibition of her work. CJ is also involved with mural projects for the GDS HS Enviro Club and GDS HS Library. CJ’s presence, however, will remain a part of GDS, as her artwork is displayed throughout the high school, including four large landscapes of the Nicaraguan Rainforest from her 2013 solo show.
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