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West Gallery: July 5 – August 10, 2024
Opening Reception: Friday, July 5, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
I feel art has the power to convince and communicate. I use this power to bring the viewer provocative, multilayered work that address issues of race, religious persecution and concerns that explore profound impacts of cognitive diseases.
The topic of my early work in this exhibition rose from my ten year research into the Holocaust while tracing my family history. There are three parts of the Holocaust series: Early History of the Jews, Children of the Holocaust, and Eugenics. Eugenics was the Nazi’s plan to rid of the inferior that didn’t fit the profile of the Nordic, American, or Anglo-Saxon type. The Eugenic series titled “Natural Selection”, was included in a course that was taught at the Sage Colleges, in Albany, NY. An exhibition of my work on this topic was shown at the Rathbone Gallery with a catalog of the work with the following excerpts: my artist statement, “The Temptation of Euthanasia”, by Christopher D Ringwald, author, “American Eugenics, 1880 – 1950”, By Harvey Strum, Ph.D, Professor of History and Political Science and Chair of the division of Social and Global Studies of the Sage Colleges and “An Excerpt from the Holocaust Series”, by Patricia Rosoff, arts writer, critic, curator and educator, now deceased.
In the final paragraph of her essay Patricia Rosoff wrote; . “Like a medieval sculptor, Caldwell’s strategy is to give physical form to demons in order to contain them. Interestingly, however, increasingly she does this as a housewife might – drawing on domestic, rather than formal artistic tradition. Elements are basted together, woven, sometimes, and mentally sifted-ingredients for a felt rather than cerebral response. Caldwell’s involvement is first of all personal and secondly subjective – a matter of emphatic projection and physical exploration. For all its intelligence, this work will not play out in straightforward, linear fashion. And this is precisely the inherent power not only of her method, but also of her forms”
In an earlier review of my work , Patricia Rosoff noted ”Caldwell’s elaborate composite images have a whimsical quality. Her figures are like dolls, angular and attenuated. The ghostly children stretch out flat, silhouetted and frontal like drawings of children. They are pieced together and other elements – some of which even have little square tabs like paper doll clothes overlaid. Numbers thread across the field of reference behind string-bean skinny girls who jump rope. But this is no childhood fantasy .Caldwell’s subject is the Holocaust——“
For the last ten years my work has been influenced by my interest in the human condition, specifically the vulnerability of the human body. Currently I am focusing my concerns on the complexities of the brain and its functions under duress and disorder. I am particularly interested in neural activity, how the brain ages, processes and stores information and how experience is translated and memory recalled. The idea of fragility and translucency are constants in my work.
Both of these series has received recognition by two fellowships from the State of Connecticut, the Puffin Foundation, Millay Colony for the Arts resident fellowship, and support from the New York State Council on the Arts.
Harriet Caldwell was born in Brooklyn, NY, and has lived in Rhode Island, Maine, Massachusetts, Kansas, and presently ni Connecticut, and was educated in NY, RI, and Maine. She received her art degree from Hartford Art School, University of Hartford.
Caldwell has received many awards for her work, which includes a 2012 Fellowship from Connecticut Commission of the Arts and a 1996 Painting Fellowship from the the Connecticut Commission of the Arts, a grant from the Puffin Foundation, a Millay Resident Fellowship, and a grant support in part for the exhibition and programs at the Rathbone Gallery, Sage Colleges, Albany from the NY State Council on the Arts : Decentralization Program – administered by the Community Arts Connection of the Albany/ Schenectady League of Arts, NY.
Her work has been shown in galleries from the east coast and through to the west coast. She was also was included in a book titled “Tu non uccidere”,
,’ Thou Shall Not Kil) humanity and timeliness of evil, Damian editor, (published in Bologna, Italy), released: June 2008, and Poetica Magazine, Holocaust Edition 2014.
Caldwell retired as an adjunct professor after 18 years at Hartford Art School, University of Hartford.
Collections include Gerald Huggs, Corp. Shreveport, LA; Town of Harwinton, CT; City of New Haven, Board of Education and many private collections.
Harriet Goldman Caldwell
redone1958@optimum.net
http://www.harrietcaldwell.com
A W A R D S
2023 Maxwell Shepard Arts Fund Award
2021 Best in Show The Crow Show, The Studio Door
2012-13 Artist Fellowship, Connecticut Office of the Arts, Dept. of Economic and Community Development
2000 Support in part for exhibition Selection: From the Holocaust Series, and related programs. NY State
Council on the Arts: Decentralization Program – administered by the Community Arts Connection of
the Albany/Schenectady League of Arts,
1998 Puffin Foundation LTD. Grant
1995 Connecticut Commission on the Arts – Artist Fellowship
1994 Millay Colony for the Arts, Resident Fellow
1993 Florida State National, Merit Award
1992 Florida State National, Merit Award
1991 Four Person Exhibit, Northport/BJ Spoke Gallery
Huntington, N. Y. (EXPO X COMPETITION)
1988 Gallery on the Green – Juror’s Choice
Barbara Podorowsky Memorial Award
Ernest A. Dudley Award
1987 Artworks Gallery – First Award in Exhibit
Connecticut Women Artists – Painting Award
Gallery on the Green – First Award in Exhibit
Birken Manufacturing Drawing Award
1985 Northwestern Connecticut Community College Foundation Award
S E L E C T E D O N E P E R S O N E X H I B I T I
2024 Mind & Nature, Canton Gallery On The Green, Canton, CT
Five Points Center For the Arts, (July, 2024)
2020 Holocaust + 1.5 million + Children, Five Points Gallery, Torrington, CT
2014 Five Points Gallery, Torrington, CT
2006 Vision Redux, Hunt-Cavanagh Gallery, Providence College, Providence, RI
2003 Recesses of the Conscious Mind, Seton Gallery, University of New Haven, New Haven, CT
Catalogue
2002 Beds & Other Works, Foreman Gallery, Hartwick College, Oneonta, NY
2000 Selection: From the Holocaust Series, Rathbone Gallery, Sage Colleges, Albany, NY, Catalogue,
Requested by the Library of Congress
1998 Newspace Gallery, Manchester Community College, Manchester,CT
I Never Saw Another Butterfly, Lincoln Theatre, New Haven, CT
1997 We Are Just Children, Discovery Museum, Bridgeport, CT, Catalogue
The Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, Grand Rapids, MI
1996 The Synagogue Space, NY, NY
Central Connecticut State University, Samuel S.T. Chen Art Center, New Britain, CT
1995 Children of the Holocaust, SOHO 20 Gallery, NY, NY
1993 Silent Shadows, Louisiana State University, Shreveport, LA
1990 Charter Oak Cultural Center Gallery, Hartford, CT
1989 UMASS Medical Center Gallery, Worcester, MA
1988 Joseloff Gallery, University of Hartford, West Hartford, CT
S E L E C T E D G R O U P E X H I B I T I O N S
2023 Cultural Center of Cape Cod, So.Yarmouth, MA
2022 62nd Anniversary Exhibition, Gallery on the Green, Canton CT
Call of the Wild, San Fernando Valley Arts & Cultural Center , Tarzana, CA
2021 The Crow Show, The Studio Door, SanDiego, CA
Call of the Wild, San Fernando Valley Arts & Cultural Center , Tarzana, CA
2013 Loss/Gain, Exhibition of Artist Fellowship Recipients, The Gallery at Constitution Plaza, Office of the
Arts, Hartford, CT
2021 The Crow Show, The Studio Door Gallery, San Diego, CA CatalogCall of the Wild, San Fernando Valley Art & Cultural Center, Tarzano, CA
2018 No Man’s Land: Women and Abstraction, Five Points Gallery, Torrington, CT
2016 Barnes-Franklin Gallery, Farmington, CT 3 person Exhibit
Five Points Gallery, Torrington, CT
2015 Open NNE, Brattleboro Museum, Brattleboro, VT
2014 Judaica Now, City Lights Gallery, Bridgeport CT
2013 Loss/Gain, Exhibition of Artist Fellowship Recipients, The Gallery at Constitution Plaza, Office of the
Arts, Hartford, CT
2012 Infinite Connections, 4 person invitational, (ArtSpace) Five Points Gallery, Torrington, CT
2011 I Think It’s Conceptual, John Slade Ely House Center for Contemporary Art
Women’s Work, Windsor Art Center, Windsor, CT
2010 Identity , Samuel T. Chen Gallery, Connecticut State University, New Britain, Connecticut
2009 Go Figure. Hans Weiss Newspace Gallery, Manchester Community College, Manchester,
CT (invitational)
2008-2009 Archaeology of Wonder, Real Art Ways, Hartford, CT (invitational)
2008 Out of the Blue, Attleboro Museum, Attleboro, MA
In The Zone II, Brattleboro Museum, Brattleboro, VT
2007 Being Open: 30 years, 30 artists, 30 Careers, Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, Grand Rapids,
Michigan 30th Anniversary Exhibition Invitational, (artists exhibitions that left a lasting impression)
101 Dresses, Artspace, New Haven, CT Catalogue
Ephemera, (3 women exhibition), Lascano Gallery, GT Barrington, MA (invitational)
2006-07 Joseloff Gallery, University of Hartford, West Hartford, CT
2006 Texture, ALL Gallery, New Haven, CT
2005 Christopher Horton Tribute Exhibition, Silpe Gallery, University of Hartford, Hartford, CT
(Invitational)
2003 International Sculpture Center, Grounds For Sculpture, Hamilton, (Princeton), NJ,
International panel of curators, installation sculptor Helen Escobedo, Mexico & Germany; Steve
Nash, Director of Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas, Texas, and chief curator for
the San Francisco Fine Arts Museum; Carter Ratcliff, critic and writer, New York. Catalogue
2001 Four Views/The Holocaust, Gallery 401, JCC RI, Providence, RI (Invitational)
1999 Erase Hate/Create a New World, Puffin Foundation Ltd. Cultural Forum, Teaneck, NJ (Invitational)
1999-2017 Annual Hartford Art School Faculty Exhibition, Joseloff Gallery, University of
Hartford, Hartford, CT
1999 Hartford Art School Alumni Show, Joseloff Gallery, University of Hartford, Hartford, CT
1998-99 Combined Talents, Appleton Museum of Fine Arts, Ocala, Fl (Traveling exhibition)
1998 Combined Talents, Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts, Tallahassee, Fl Catalogue
1997 Art Space, New Haven, CT.
Connecticut Commission on the Arts Gallery, Hartford, CT,
Bonds of Awareness, 1995 Visual Arts Fellowship Exhibition
1996 Artspace, Raleigh, North Carolina Two-Person Invitational
Art & Text, Gallery 53, Meriden, CT and Stamford Museum,
Stamford, CT Traveling Exhibition (Invitational) Catalogue
1995 4+4+4=95, Charter Oak Cultural Center Gallery, Hartford, CT (Invitational)
Connecticut Invitational IV: Curator’s Choice, John Slade Ely House Gallery, New Haven, CT
Jewish Women Artists – Creativity and Spirituality, Nathan D. Rosen
Museum Gallery Boca Raton, Florida (Invitational)
1994 Order and Chaos, Artspace Gallery, New Haven, CT (Invitational)
Matrixes, SOHO 20, NYC (Invitational)
Combined Talents: Florida State National IX, Florida State University Museum, Tallahassee, FL
Catalogue
1993 Small Works Invitational, Artspace Gallery, New Haven, CT
Re: Connecting, The Radisson, Alexandria, VA (Invitational)
1993 Sisters Women of the Americas and Beyond, The College of Staten
Island, Staten Island, NY
Inner Power/Breaking Out, Artspace Gallery, New Haven, CT
Combined Talents: Florida National VIII, 1993, Florida State University
Museum, Tallahassee, Florida Catalog
1992 Small Works Invitational, Artspace Gallery, New Haven, CT
Lite Rail Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Florida National 1992, Florida State University Museum, Tallahassee, FL
Catalogue
Art For Human’s Sake, Taub Hall, University of Hartford,West Hartford, CT (Invitational)
1991 Toward’s 2000, Woods-Gerry Gallery, Rhode Island School of Design,
Providence, RI and Hartford Art School Gallery, University of Hartford
West Hartford, CT – Traveling Exhibit (Invitational)
Juxtaposition, Hera Gallery, Wakefield, RI
EXPO X, Northport/BJ Spoke Gallery, Huntington, NY
Premises, Manchester Community College, Manchester, CT (Invitational)
1989 Figurative Perspectives, Zone Art Center, Springfield, MA (Invitational)
1988 The Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts, William Benton Museum of Art, Storrs, CT
Big Works, Gallery on the Green, Canton, CT
1987 Artworks Gallery, Hartford, CT
Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts, Slater Memorial Museum,
Norwich, CT
Open Show, Gallery on the Green, Canton, CT
Connecticut Women Artists, Joseloff Gallery, University of Hartford,
West Hartford, CT
Northwestern Connecticut Community College Exhibit, Winsted, CT
1985 The Figure, M. S. Gallery, Hartford, CT
Northwestern Connecticut Community College, Winsted,
R E V I E W S & P U B L I C A T I O N S
Mahgerefteh, Michal Poetry Editor, and Publisher
Poetica Magazine Contemporary Jewish Writing, Holocaust Edition, drawings and paintings
included in the Fall 2014 Edition
Fur, Paul & Canzoniero, Dominic, included in ‘Tu non uccidere”, (Thou Shall Not Kill) humanity and
timeliness of evil, Damiani editore (published in Bologna, Italy), Released: June 2008
Genocchio, Benjamin, “Collective Strangeness in Hartford”
New York Times, December 21, 2008
Hoffman, Hank, “Diverse Archaeology of Wonder Show at Real Art Ways”
Connecticut Art Scene Blogspot.com, December 10, 2008
Catlin, Roger, “Wonder is at Play in Real Art Ways Exhibit”
Hartford Courant, October 2, 2008
Guyon Lawrence, Amie, “Brave New WorK: Art that tweaks perception and purpose”
Rutland Herald, May 1, 2008
“Summer 2003 Exhibition”, International Sculpture Center Catalogue
Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, NJ, July/September
“Recesses of the Conscious Mind”, Exhibition Catalogue,
Seton Gallery, University of New Haven, October/November 2003
Lefferts, E.L., “Art of Dreams in Harwinton”
Litchfield County Times , Monthly magazine, January 2004,
“Caldwell Artwork at Sage Ties in With Eugenics”
The Jewish World, February 17, 2000
“Unnatural Selection” Albany, NY: Rathbone Gallery, The Sage Colleges Essays by Patricia Rosoff,
Harvey Strum, Christopher D. Ringwald, Exhibition Catalogue,
Rathbone Gallery, The Sage Colleges February 2000
Coker, Gylbert “Look At “Combined Talents” As An Educational Experience”
Tallahassee Democrat, September 1998Rosoff, Patricia “Just Girls Together”
The Hartford Advocate, March 19
Krissoff, Sylvia “Serious Art Prevails In Two Local Exhibits”
The Grand Rapids Press, January 1997
Sausner, Rebecca “Holocaust Images Stir Torrington Artist”
The Hartford Courant, January 1997
Antonacci, Matt “Harwinton Artist Depicts Children of the Holocaust”
The Register Citizen, January 1997
Josephs, Susan “A Surreal Setting”
The Jewish Week, November 1996
Greenberg, Blue “Sculpture, Paintings Blend Well In Show”
Durham Herald-Sun, April 1996
Schwendenwien, Jude “A Diverse Collection of Regional Art”
The Hartford Courant, March 1995
Harris, JoAnne “Wolves Help Artist Get Message Across”
The Times, October 1993
“Combined Talents”, The Florida National, Catalogue
Florida State University, Museum of Fine Arts, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998
Scalora, Sal “Premises”
Art New England, June/July 1991
Gordon, Alastair “Toughness and Harmony”
Newsday, March 1991
Schwendenwien, Jude “Confrontational Theme Figures Largely at
“Show”,The Hartford Courant, March 1990
Russell, Gloria “Seven Artists Succeed with Figurative Perspectives”
Sunday Republican, April 1989
Tierney, Kathleen “Artist Draws on Ancient Egypt for Inspiration”
Waterbury Republican, April 1989
Schwendenwien, Jude “Big Works 1988”
Art New England, July/August 1988
Peck, Joyce “Artist Launches Career at Good Time”
The Register-Citizen, May 1988
L E C T U R I N G P R E S E N T A T I O N S C U R A T I N G
J U R Y I N G
2008 Visiting Artist, slide presentation, NCCC
2003-04 Juror, Connecticut Scholastic Art Awards
2002 Juror, Wethersfield Art Exhibition
2000 Interviewed by WMAC/Northeast Public Radio, Albany, NY
Visiting Artist, lecture, slide presentation, The Sage Colleges, Albany, NY1999 Art at Steepletop – Meet Former Millay Resident Fellows and Share Their Work, The Millay Colony for
the Arts, Inc. Austerlitz, NY
Work presented by Laura Cloud, Professor, Michigan State University, as part of “Contemporary Women
Artists in the US in Australia at the Sydney College of Art.
1998 Visiting Artist, Slide Presentation, Newspace Gallery, MCCTC, Manchester, CT
1997 Slide Presentation, Discovery Museum, Bridgeport, CT
1996 Visiting Artist, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT
Visiting Artist, Slide Presentation & Gallery Talk, Artspace, Raleigh, NC
1995 Juror, New Haven Public School Exhibition, John Slade Ely House,
New Haven, CT
1995 Juror, Drawing Exhibition, Canton Gallery, Canton, CT
1994 Visiting Artist, slide presentation, Northwestern CT Community College Winsted, CT
1993 Guest Curator, Evergreen Gallery, Litchfield, CT
1991 Juror 1991-92 Exhibition Season, Charter Oak Cultural Center Gallery,
Hartford, CT
1990 Visiting Artist, Louisiana State University, Shreveport, LA
1989 Visiting Artist, slide presentation, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
P R O F E S S I O N A L
2010 Sustained Excellence in Teaching Award, Hartford Art School
1999-2017 Hartford Art School, University of Hartford, W. Hartford, CT,
Adjunct Professor, Foundations and Drawing
C O L L E C T I O N S
City of New Haven, CT Board of Education
Town of Harwinton, CT
Huggs Companies, Shreveport, Louisiana
Private Collections
E D U C A T I O N
Hartford Art School, University of Hartford
Summa cum Laude
France Program University of Massachusetts
