Cara Marie Lynch

Printmaking Alumni Interview – Neiman Center 25th Anniversary Catalogue

LNCPS:  Printmaking at the Neiman Center is community driven.  What was your experience of community at the Neiman Center and did it have an impact on your experience as a student in the MFA program at Columbia?   

Cara Marie Lynch:  Being a printmaker at Columbia was one of the best parts of my MFA experience. Beginning to work there was like automatically inheriting a group of best friends or new family members. You get really close to people that you work with in this kind of team environment. Many of my favorite memories of the MFA program happened in the Neiman Center. We have a lot of fun, silly times, and get the incredible experience of working with world renowned artists. It is a really special place and I am so grateful to have had this opportunity. It is my favorite job I’ve ever had.

LNCPS:  Do you have a favorite project that you worked on as a Fellow?  What made it memorable? 

Cara Marie Lynch:  My favorite project was William Cordova’s boom box project. We worked on it mostly over the summer in between my first and second year, and it was a really fun moment. The project was insanely labor intensive and William asked us to do a lot of things that wouldn’t be traditionally considered print techniques- like stapling thousands of staples and melting glass and bending coat hangers- for his project. Every day was different and exciting. Some of the techniques we developed to try to mimic what William had done on his BAT were totally wacky. There was a lot of trial and error to the whole thing. It was like we were working on a big puzzle together. It felt like a huge accomplishment when we completed the edition. He was also a great artist to work for. He was fun to talk to. I feel like he really appreciated our work on the project and it meant a lot to him. 

LNCPS:  Did working at the Neiman Center influence your artistic practice?

Cara Marie Lynch:  Absolutely. It really expanded my idea of what printmaking could be. It made me think differently about collaboration, and helped reinforce how important it is to be part of a community of other artists. It also exposed me to the work of many established artists, and I got a chance to see how their brain works for a few weeks at a time. This was a really invaluable part of the experience, and helped shaped the way I thought about my own work and what I want out of my practice. I think the Neiman Center, while they do produce fine art editions, does this in a really experimental and open way that is focused on producing innovative, really exciting projects. I hope this is something that has made or will make its way into my work. 

LNCPS:  What was your experience working collaboratively with a master printer, invited artists and your peers to edition artists’ projects?

Cara Marie Lynch:  Nathan Catlin is the best boss. He came up with a plan with each artist about how their project would take shape and how it could be executed. He is really open to letting students listen in on or participate in these conversations, allowing us to ask questions about choices that are made, make suggestions, and learn different ways that print projects develop. It was a great opportunity to get to learn from him. There were a few moments where we would take the lead in a small way- like mixing a few colors for an artist to choose from- and these were really exciting moments where I really felt like I was taking part in the work we were making. He is really good at making students feel like they are valuable and contributing in some way. 

Many afternoons we would have a family lunch if an artist was in, either picking up takeout or getting delivery, or making sandwiches and salads together. These were also great moments, where we could sit casually with an artist and talk about the project and how it was developing or what other things were happening in their studio, career, or life. 

We all felt really responsible for the work that we were helping to produce, and it was really fun to be part of this team. I learned that some of my peers have incredible strengths and it was really nice to be able to learn from them as well. It was nice to have friends around to lean on and work with. I think this is why the MFA printmakers all get so close. 

LNCPS:  Was there something that you learned at the Neiman Center that has stayed with you even after graduation?

Cara Marie Lynch:  I learned so much. I hope to have a job I love this much again.