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Graduation?! I tried not to think about it, didn’t want the painting interrupted. However that’s how it goes, ready or not - next chapter. This era was largely solitary, by choice. In the bright morning silence was the looking, the watching. That something inside was stirred and sparked - boom. Here we are. Can’t stop, the magic was felt. A labor of love and ongoing curiosity.
Thank you, deeply - to my professors - you guided me in language, thought, process and more. It meant everything. Thank you to my family and friends for the space and support. It is all so so appreciated.
Back to the studio!!

Graduation?! I tried not to think about it, didn’t want the painting interrupted. However that’s how it goes, ready or not - next chapter. This era was largely solitary, by choice. In the bright morning silence was the looking, the watching. That something inside was stirred and sparked - boom. Here we are. Can’t stop, the magic was felt. A labor of love and ongoing curiosity.
Thank you, deeply - to my professors - you guided me in language, thought, process and more. It meant everything. Thank you to my family and friends for the space and support. It is all so so appreciated.
Back to the studio!!

Graduation?! I tried not to think about it, didn’t want the painting interrupted. However that’s how it goes, ready or not - next chapter. This era was largely solitary, by choice. In the bright morning silence was the looking, the watching. That something inside was stirred and sparked - boom. Here we are. Can’t stop, the magic was felt. A labor of love and ongoing curiosity.
Thank you, deeply - to my professors - you guided me in language, thought, process and more. It meant everything. Thank you to my family and friends for the space and support. It is all so so appreciated.
Back to the studio!!

Graduation?! I tried not to think about it, didn’t want the painting interrupted. However that’s how it goes, ready or not - next chapter. This era was largely solitary, by choice. In the bright morning silence was the looking, the watching. That something inside was stirred and sparked - boom. Here we are. Can’t stop, the magic was felt. A labor of love and ongoing curiosity.
Thank you, deeply - to my professors - you guided me in language, thought, process and more. It meant everything. Thank you to my family and friends for the space and support. It is all so so appreciated.
Back to the studio!!

Graduation?! I tried not to think about it, didn’t want the painting interrupted. However that’s how it goes, ready or not - next chapter. This era was largely solitary, by choice. In the bright morning silence was the looking, the watching. That something inside was stirred and sparked - boom. Here we are. Can’t stop, the magic was felt. A labor of love and ongoing curiosity.
Thank you, deeply - to my professors - you guided me in language, thought, process and more. It meant everything. Thank you to my family and friends for the space and support. It is all so so appreciated.
Back to the studio!!

Graduation?! I tried not to think about it, didn’t want the painting interrupted. However that’s how it goes, ready or not - next chapter. This era was largely solitary, by choice. In the bright morning silence was the looking, the watching. That something inside was stirred and sparked - boom. Here we are. Can’t stop, the magic was felt. A labor of love and ongoing curiosity.
Thank you, deeply - to my professors - you guided me in language, thought, process and more. It meant everything. Thank you to my family and friends for the space and support. It is all so so appreciated.
Back to the studio!!

Graduation?! I tried not to think about it, didn’t want the painting interrupted. However that’s how it goes, ready or not - next chapter. This era was largely solitary, by choice. In the bright morning silence was the looking, the watching. That something inside was stirred and sparked - boom. Here we are. Can’t stop, the magic was felt. A labor of love and ongoing curiosity.
Thank you, deeply - to my professors - you guided me in language, thought, process and more. It meant everything. Thank you to my family and friends for the space and support. It is all so so appreciated.
Back to the studio!!

Graduation?! I tried not to think about it, didn’t want the painting interrupted. However that’s how it goes, ready or not - next chapter. This era was largely solitary, by choice. In the bright morning silence was the looking, the watching. That something inside was stirred and sparked - boom. Here we are. Can’t stop, the magic was felt. A labor of love and ongoing curiosity.
Thank you, deeply - to my professors - you guided me in language, thought, process and more. It meant everything. Thank you to my family and friends for the space and support. It is all so so appreciated.
Back to the studio!!

We are also happy to announce Courtney is the recipient of the Karl Benjamin award! This fellowship is provided through the Art Department in honor of CGU alumni, Karl and Beverly Benjamin. The fellowship is awarded to a second-year student in art who has a major emphasis in the study of painting! Congratulations!!

Courtney Colgan (b.1988 Linden, NJ; lives in Long Beach, CA) is a contemporary artist whose work explores a state of emergence through light, color, and materiality. Colgan grew up taking the train to New York City, closely observing the wetlands and swamps. The urban landscape was alluring in its paradoxical state. She took visual note of the synthetic colors seen in the water, harsh chemical smells, and overall muck. Stillness and motion, nature and industry, the power of opposites in a condensed space.

In 2015 Colgan moved to Long Beach, California and immediately noted a similar paradox in the coastal landscape. In the studio Colgan observes how the paint sits into or on top of the material and closely notes the moment something begins to emerge. In some works, color boldly pushes forward out of canvas. While in other works color seeps in from the edges and slowly dissipates across the surface. Colgan keeps the work in a state of emergence offering a viewer experience that transcends the sensorial.

Outside the studio Colgan holds a 10+ year career in Fine Art Services and is an avid animal rights advocate. Colgan earned a BFA in Painting with a minor in Art History from Pratt Institute in 2010, and an MFA from Claremont Graduate University in 2026.

Oil on Canvas
36” x 36”

#colorcolorcolor #newpainting #theglow #contemporaryart

Oil on Canvas
36” x 36”

#colorcolorcolor #newpainting #theglow #contemporaryart

Between this year and last I dove deep into linen. Many different linens. They are different in tone, texture, and weight. I loved this material and had to keep some of it visible - incorporate it as part of the work.

In some works color seeps in from the edges and slowly dissipates across the surface. An invitation to unveil. Awhisper. A slow dusting. Painting that requires listening.
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12 Paintings on Linen
16” x 16” each
The Watching
MFA Thesis Exhibition

#oilonlinen #materality #mfathesis #contemporaryart

The Watching

Thesis Exhibition

A body of work that explores a state of emergence through light, color, space and materiality. Color comes from both the palette and moments where nature and industry meet. Expansive, atmospheric space within the object we know as a painting. The emergence of 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 ✨

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#thesisshow #MFA #contemporaryart #painting

The Watching

Thesis Exhibition

A body of work that explores a state of emergence through light, color, space and materiality. Color comes from both the palette and moments where nature and industry meet. Expansive, atmospheric space within the object we know as a painting. The emergence of 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 ✨

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#thesisshow #MFA #contemporaryart #painting

The Watching

Thesis Exhibition

A body of work that explores a state of emergence through light, color, space and materiality. Color comes from both the palette and moments where nature and industry meet. Expansive, atmospheric space within the object we know as a painting. The emergence of 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 ✨

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#thesisshow #MFA #contemporaryart #painting

The Watching

Thesis Exhibition

A body of work that explores a state of emergence through light, color, space and materiality. Color comes from both the palette and moments where nature and industry meet. Expansive, atmospheric space within the object we know as a painting. The emergence of 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 ✨

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#thesisshow #MFA #contemporaryart #painting

The Watching

Thesis Exhibition

A body of work that explores a state of emergence through light, color, space and materiality. Color comes from both the palette and moments where nature and industry meet. Expansive, atmospheric space within the object we know as a painting. The emergence of 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 ✨

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#thesisshow #MFA #contemporaryart #painting

The Watching

Thesis Exhibition

A body of work that explores a state of emergence through light, color, space and materiality. Color comes from both the palette and moments where nature and industry meet. Expansive, atmospheric space within the object we know as a painting. The emergence of 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 ✨

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#thesisshow #MFA #contemporaryart #painting

There are truly no words to accurately express the immense gratitude I have to everyone who supported this journey.

So grateful and deeply indebted to my professors, colleagues, family and friends. Thank you 💙

Sharing this work and the magic I feel in the studio, in the making, in the painting - it means everything.

Onwards🎨🎨🎨

#MFA #mfathesis #newpainting #contemporaryart #colorcolorcolor

Thank you, @voyagelamag !🌻

Really enjoyed talking about how things came to be and whats going on in the studio.

Link to this article is in bio and 👉🏽

https://voyagela.com/interview/check-out-courtney-colgans-story

#lavoyage #southbay #artistinterview

Thank you, @voyagelamag !🌻

Really enjoyed talking about how things came to be and whats going on in the studio.

Link to this article is in bio and 👉🏽

https://voyagela.com/interview/check-out-courtney-colgans-story

#lavoyage #southbay #artistinterview

Next Tuesday Courtney Colgan’s MFA show…

THE WATCHING

Join us for a reception on Tuesday 3/31 from 5-7pm
East Gallery
925 N Dartmouth Claremont CA

Studio Sunday!!

Pink (𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙠- 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙡𝙪𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙠) is a color I have not used outside of a portrait! That has been a new constant as of lates - using colors I would generally find repulsive - hard to work with -and bringing them into a space where they boldly emerge as part of something greater.

#studiosunday #oilpainting #abstractpainting #pinkpainting

Studio Sunday!!

Pink (𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙠- 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙡𝙪𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙠) is a color I have not used outside of a portrait! That has been a new constant as of lates - using colors I would generally find repulsive - hard to work with -and bringing them into a space where they boldly emerge as part of something greater.

#studiosunday #oilpainting #abstractpainting #pinkpainting

Join me Tuesday, March 31st 5-7pm 🎨🎨

THE WATCHING

MFA Thesis Exhibition
East Gallery
925 N Dartmouth
Claremont, CA

Let’s look at some paintings!! 🎉🎉

#MFA #mfathesis #letsgo

In the still of the cold

Vanish Mode
Oil on Linen
16” x 16”

#painting #newpainting #whitepaintings #light #vanishmode

In the still of the cold

Vanish Mode
Oil on Linen
16” x 16”

#painting #newpainting #whitepaintings #light #vanishmode

In the still of the cold

Vanish Mode
Oil on Linen
16” x 16”

#painting #newpainting #whitepaintings #light #vanishmode

You never know what direction your life will take. What you will have to endure. You will be pulled this way and that way. Hard choices, sad choices, losses, have to be had. Nonetheless the studio awaits with open doors. My happy place, where the bright light lives. Onwards.
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#laboroflove #studio #lifeswork #paintersgonnapaint #savinggrace