We Are Upstate NY With Visual Artist Caroline Burdett

INSIDE+OUT recently attended an exciting opening at Pinkwater Gallery for visual artist Caroline Burdett. Having shown extensively in group exhibitions, this was her first solo show, titled “By Moonlight,” featuring magical, surrealistic landscapes of mesmerizing colors and shapes. Stop by Pinkwater Gallery in Kingston, NY, to see this impressive body of work, which is up through January 7th. In talking with Caroline, we were intrigued to learn that Caroline was a recording artist and songwriter until 2010; she then earned her Master of Arts from the University of Chicago, where she focused on studying neuroscience research implications on psychodynamic theory. And she played cello and recorded with Steve Albini! Let’s learn more about this fascinating, creative soul – Woodstock, New York resident Caroline Burdett.

INSIDE+OUT: Where are you from, and how did you wind up in the Hudson Valley?

Caroline Burdett: I hail from Chicago but have lived all over. Los Angeles was home before moving to the Catskills for a residency at Byrdcliffe in Woodstock. During my five-month residency there, I fell in love with Woodstock and also with my now spouse and two stepchildren.

Tell us about your career as an artist–when did it begin, and what was your journey?

I think it actually started in preschool–I went to an arts preschool and loved it so much that I wanted to live there. Then, I went to an arts high school in Chicago, which gave me a solid foundation in painting and drawing. As a teenager, I moved to Mexico, where I worked on figures and abstractions. I still love sitting in on figure drawing classes from time to time. Figures have morphed into landscapes as the lines, subtle curves, and jagged edges changed from one kind of body to another. But to finish answering your question, I stopped painting for many years, lived a life as a musician and then as a grad student, then became a psychotherapist, and only returned to painting in 2018. So, in that sense, I’m pretty new to the game, actually.

Was creativity something you were surrounded with growing up?

I came from a very creative family.  Scattered across my family tree are master gardeners, painters, illustrators, designers, musicians, and entrepreneurs. It was like a big Wes Anderson movie. I was lucky to have had my creativity accepted and to be shown a path to an arts high school.

As a visual artist, you work in multiple mediums. What inspires you, and what is your favorite medium to work in?

I like to work in acrylic because it dries fast and is water-soluble. It’s a challenge to get certain effects with acrylic—much easier with oil—but working with acrylic is worth it to me because I work really fast. When I have an idea, I want to go for it right away. I’m like that in life, too. I’m known for being proactive, and I have a special kind of distaste for laziness.

Are you part of a creative community in the area, and what is that like?

There are so many impressive female artists and entrepreneurs in the area whom I consider part of my community. I feel I’ve only scratched the surface of the collaborations I want to do. It’s such a beautiful thing when art can build community and not just be a solo endeavor (because it can be lonely). I have an upcoming group show with a few other upstate artists, a collaboration with a local fashion brand, and also a continuing wonderful relationship with community builders at places like Ravenwood and Kingston Social.

What are you working on now that you’re excited about?

I’m continuing to experiment with incorporating framing into my work and starting to experiment with new materials, like fabric.

Congratulations on your current show at Pinkwater Gallery at Kingston Social. You’ve participated in several group exhibitions. Was this your first solo show and what was it like preparing for this?

Thank you! Yes, this is my first solo show, and I’m really grateful for it. Since this was my first, I had already completed so much of the work. So, preparing for it was more about getting things ready to hang and getting organized. It was fun to help hang the show!

What is your creative process?

I don’t really have just one. Sometimes, I’m pretty clear on what I want to make, but most of the time, it’s a subconscious process. Kind of like a witchy magic that, when I’m in the flow, conveys feelings for which there aren’t adequate words. I think many visual artists have a hard time putting words to their work. I’m definitely one of them.

What inspires you creatively?

I’m one of those people who gets really excited about random things I see, like the colors in a sunset, the look of the moon, or the way the light hits a random scene. I’ll stop and grab your arm and say, “Oh my god!!! The sky! Look!” It usually happens once a day, at least. I don’t know why I seem to get more worked up about these things than most people. The visual world gets me juiced!

As an artist, how do you market yourself? How do people find out about you?

Oy, the marketing. It’s Instagram @carolineburdettt for me. Connections also get made sort of organically through the community up here.

What do you love about living + working in the Hudson Valley?

So many things. I love fresh air, the quiet, the moving water, the mountains, and the lushness of the landscape. I love the community that makes this region so unique. I only dreamt of finding a place where I could live in the woods AND  have so many cultural resources and intelligent, creative, and kind people in my community. There’s something magical about this area–I think the Buddhist and other spiritual landmarks here have a special influence.

What are some of your favorite places here in the Valley?

Well, Kingston Social, of course. I love Ravenwood in Kerhonkson. Goodnight in Woodstock is my favorite restaurant. As far as towns go, Woodstock has my heart completely.

What is missing in the area that you wish we had?

I would love to have great Thai and Ethiopian restaurants in Woodstock. I wouldn’t say no to a Sweetgreen equivalent, either!

Tell us something about yourself people would be surprised to know.

I played cello professionally and recorded with the late (and great) Steve Albini at Electrical Audio in Chicago. What a treat that guy was to work with.

Wow, that is very impressive! Just in case, let’s share this “FYI…”

INSIDE+OUT: For those that don’t know who Steve Albini is, he was in the indie band Big Black. He was also highly sought-after recording engineer collaborating with notable acts such as the Pixies, the Breeders, Jesus Lizard, Page and Plant, and PJ Harvey to name a few. He recorded, engineered and produced the uber successful album that catapulted him to fame: Nirvana’s In Utero.

What is your current state of mind?

Nauseously optimistic? I’m trying not to be just plain (post-election) nauseous.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

I love this question. My whole life, I’ve answered this question the same way: I’d want to fly. However, I recently got some sense knocked into me and, as such, have changed my answer to Shapeshifter. This way, I could change into a bird and fly and also be able to turn myself into other people so I can see inside their houses, which I am really curious about. Not in a creepy way–I don’t want to spy on people. I just want to see what their houses look like on the inside. I love and am baffled by people who leave their curtains open at night so we can all take a little peek inside. But I myself would never want strangers looking into my house at night. My curtains stay closed.

Photos courtesy of Caroline Burdett + Kingston Social

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Follow/Connect Caroline Burdett via Website | Instagram
Follow/Connect Kingston Social via Website | Instagram @kingstonsocialny | Inside+Out Spotlight
Follow/Connect with Pinkwater Gallery via  Instagram @pinkwatergallery