A Display of Artworks by Mitch Caster
Mitch Caster began his studies at the Rocky Mountain School of Art at the age of 16; he attended Colorado Mountain College as a student of commercial art. He has been a full-time artist since 1990 and has a background in news and courtroom painting. As well as being a full-time artist, Caster is also an instructor for a variety of organizations including the Art Student League of Denver, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, the Denver Botanical Gardens.
Caster works in a variety of mediums and subject matters including figure, wildlife, landscapes, and botanicals. Life drawing and observation are key tools in the construction of his paintings. His use of proportion, color, and value produces astonishing works of sincere beauty.
Caster says in his artist statement, “My joy in painting – my passion – is to capture the essence of the good that is around me. Through gesture, line, tone, form, texture, and color, I express my endless fascination with people, nature, and historic structures.
“I love the gestures of a human or an animal. I also love and appreciate the contours of a mountain, river, or plant, and the form and meaning of lighthouses, adobe buildings, and ancient ruins. My fascination with these subjects stems from my appreciation of the efforts of all cultures to pass on their uniqueness and history to new generations and to other cultures.
“What excites me most about the process of creating art is the play of warm light and shadow, whether the light is soft and diffused, or powerful and direct. To me, warmth is life. Oils, pastels, charcoal, ink, and graphite have become my voice, helping me communicate with the world. I want to use my art and my sense of humor to celebrate the human experience, help foster an appreciation of our natural world, and find the joy and harmony of all that is.”