Pamela Caughey Biography

Mid-career American artist Pamela Caughey works in watercolor, acrylic and collage depicting florals, landscapes and abstracts.

Caughey is an artist living with her family in Hamilton, Montana. Although she began her serious study of painting in watercolor more than 19 years ago, she has expanded her interests to include all watermedia (watercolor, acrylic, ink, and gouache) and collage. The more unknowns the better, she says, as this creates new challenges which hopefully lead to new solutions. For her, any changing parameter is a new inspiration and there is great satisfaction through discovery. Her subjects include florals, landscapes, and abstracts in a free-flowing style.

“With my paintings, I try to exploit the spontaneous nature of various media. I am fascinated by the cumulative effects I can get when combining say, watercolor and pastel, or acrylic and ink, and I especially like the layered effects of collage. If I am feeling “experimental”, I’ll start a painting from a chaotic beginning of color and texture, with no idea in mind. From that point on, the real challenge begins for me. Once the initial washes or strokes have dried, I continue painting until an image begins to suggest itself. It can be a color, a shape, or even a textured area that triggers an idea. When this happens, the painting begins to take on a life of its own. As the painting progresses, thought and control must take over to transform the loose beginnings into a successful painting. Areas must be molded, shaped, formed and manipulated until the end result expresses the inner mood which began the whole process.”

Caughey holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and has studied art in London, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Montana. She is a signature member and past president, vice president and watermedia chairperson of the Montana Watercolor Society.

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS:

2006
- The Frame Shop & Gallery, New Watermedia Paintings, MT
- Spice of Life, MT

1995
- Gallery 16, MT

1992
- Bitterroot Public Library, MT
- Blue Heron Bistro, MT

1990
- Paris Gibson Square, Center for Contemporary Arts, MT
- Lee Morrison Gallery, MT

1989
- Toucan Gallery, MT
- University Center Gallery, University of Montana, MT
- Magic Gallery, MT

1988
- Magic Gallery, MT
- Ravalli County Bank

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS:

2006
- PicassoMio.com

2005
- Watermedia´05, National Juried Show, MT

1996
- Watermedia´96, Holter Museum of Art, MT
- C.M. Russell Museum, MT

1995
- Watermedia´95, Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art, MT
- Gallery 16, MT

1994
- Sandpiper Gallery, MT
- Watermedia '94, Missoula Museum of the Arts, MT
- La Galleria del Conte, WI

1993
- Watermedia '93, Arts Chateau, MT
- Midwest Watercolor Society's, Neville Public Museum, WI

1992
- Watermedia '92, Hockaday Center of the Arts, MT

1991
- Sutton West Gallery, MT
- Watermedia '91, Northcutt Gallery, MT
- Salmagundi 14th Annual Art Exhibition for Non-Members, NY

1989
- Missoula Museum of the Arts, MT
- Electrum XVIII National Juried Show, Holter Museum of Art, MT

1988
- Watermedia '88, Museum of the Rockies, MT

AWARDS AND HONORS:

1991
- Canyon Creek Gallery Award of Merit