Looking to the Horizon with Caitlin Swindell

To a painter, the horizon line can be essential. Whether the work of art is a Vero Beach sunset scene or a Renaissance masterpiece, there is a good chance the painter began with the horizon line. The painting developed from there, perhaps acquiring a sense of three-dimensionality and vibrant, flamboyant color. New possibilities were opening up for the artist to explore.

Likewise, at the Vero Beach Museum of Art, new horizons are beckoning, with a major expansion planned. A new chief curator, Caitlin Swindell, brings enthusiasm and flair, and she is eager to explore what the future holds.

What is involved in being chosen chief curator of a museum? Swindell comes to Vero Beach from the Lowe Art Museum, a fixture in the Miami arts scene, where she served as curator of collections and exhibitions. Prior to that, she was senior curatorial assistant in modern and contemporary art at the Denver Art Museum.

But there was more involved than an exemplary résumé. As part of the interview process, each candidate faced a high-pressure challenge called the “collection analysis.” This meant that Swindell had to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the permanent collection of the Vero Beach Museum of Art—even though she had not yet been chosen as chief curator.

Nevertheless, she sailed through this challenge with flying colors. VBMA executive director Brady Roberts recalls that Swindell showed “a remarkable understanding of our collection.” He adds, “It’s remarkable that in so little time she could be so systematic.”

Of course, such a perspective does not come out of nowhere. Although she is new to VBMA, art has been interwoven with Swindell’s life. “I was always really interested in museums,” she says with an enthusiastic smile. She grew up in Alexandria, Virginia, and she and her family would visit the great museums of Washington, D.C. She has an uncle who is a retired art history teacher and a painter. And Swindell herself says, “I thought about pursuing a career in fine arts.” Painting and drawing especially interested her.

However, when she became part of a special program for high school students at the National Gallery of Art, her love for museums took a different turn. “We would pick a piece from the collection and research it,” she recalls. “I picked a Cezanne.” Her study of the renowned French Post-Impressionist painter sparked a love for art historical research, which continued with internships at the National Portrait Gallery, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Swindell’s career has an international flair, as she spent time in Budapest, Hungary, as a representative of the Denver Art Museum. The goal of the program was to help contemporary Eastern European artists become more well known internationally. “It was amazing,” she says. “You’re meeting with artists, writers, critics, and museum professionals,” all in the eclectic galleries of a historic city.

Now that she has settled into her new role in Vero Beach, what does her daily schedule look like? In a sense, there is no typical day. A gallery may look like a placid, tranquil place, but museums have a lot going on behind the scenes. For example, whenever a new exhibition is being planned, Swindell makes a scale model that shows how each work of art will be displayed. Though the model itself will never be seen by visitors, it provides the initial conception of what the entire exhibition will look like.

The current show is one that Swindell herself arranged: a solo exhibition by artist John Miller, a contemporary glass sculptor. At the time of Swindell’s interview with Vero Beach Magazine , the exhibition was still in the planning stages, and the scale model was perched on a table in her office. Its details revealed how carefully she was strategizing about the best way to incorporate the colorful glass sculptures into the gallery space with sculptures ranging from glass tools and car keys to classic diner food.

Swindell smiles as she speaks of the playful nature of the Miller exhibition, which features “oversized glass sculptures of food—diner food. The food objects are larger than life.” For example, one marker on the scale model represents an enormous glass cheeseburger.

While Swindell appreciates the touch of whimsy the subject matter shows, she also offers insight into what motivates the artist. “He grew up near a diner and would go there with his dad, so for him this is nostalgia.” With her own natural exuberance, Swindell realizes that whimsy and emotion are quite compatible.

Swindell is also interested in getting to know the museum docents and enhancing the data on the permanent collection—for example, by “making sure that everything has an image in the archive.” She also wants to make sure the museum is responsive to people’s interests. “I’m excited about being at VBMA,” she says, “and I’m continuing to get a sense of what people expect from the museum. People often ask me, ‘Who are your favorite artists?’ But my favorite artists, that I might want to see day by day, might be different from what I want to have at the museum.”

In any case, planning future shows is a major part of Swindell’s work as chief curator. The selection of traveling exhibitions involves such avenues as “researching and seeing what’s available, being in touch with curators at other museums, and putting together original shows from artists I love.”

She also has the goal of using the permanent collection for an intriguing new exhibition. “We’ve typically highlighted recognizable names,” she explains, and while she acknowledges the value of that, she also wants to be creative. “I’m excited by conversations between works.” For example, displaying traditional portraits along with contemporary ones can be a way to explore how portraiture—and perceptions —have changed.

Swindell has arrived at the museum during a dynamic time. With the planned expansion, Roberts says, “We’re going from 10,000 square feet of gallery space to 20,000 square feet of gallery space.” That’s right—double the size. What does that really mean? “We will be able to stagger exhibitions and have the permanent collection on view. That’s a game changer.”

Currently, the museum has one exhibition at a time. And if it’s a major one, that sometimes reduces the size of the permanent collection displays in some of the smaller adjacent galleries. By doubling the gallery space, the museum will be able to host multiple exhibitions at the same time while also displaying works from the permanent collection. Thus, visitors who come for a special traveling exhibition will also be exposed to the museum’s own works of art. Furthermore, with different exhibitions going on simultaneously, perhaps featuring very different styles and topics, the museum has the potential to draw in considerably more visitors.

Highlighting Swindell’s ability to lead the museum during this time, Roberts notes, “Caitlin worked at the Denver Art Museum while they were going through a major transformation.” She also has experience with organizing successful exhibitions.

Roberts notes other assets the museum has in place: “We have the great art educational program, and the Athena Society is growing, taking on a life of its own.” The Athena Society funds and selects new works of art, so “that’s all fuel for Caitlin to take the exhibitions to the next level in a museum that is expanding.”

And then there’s the human factor. “The other thing we all like about Caitlin is that she’s a nice person to be around.” In a community like Vero Beach, “chemistry is important. And Caitlin is terrific.” All in all, Brady says, “These are exciting times.”

Adding to the excitement is a major exhibition opening in February titled “French Moderns: From Monet to Matisse, 1850–1950.” It will feature great Impressionists such as Monet, Morisot, and Renoir, as well as other beloved French artists, including Degas, Manet, Corot, and Matisse. Not to mention an artist who has special meaning for Swindell: Cezanne, whom she studied when she was a high school student exploring the National Gallery of Art, helping to spark her love of museums. It’s a full-circle moment in a career that’s really just beginning.

For the new chief curator, and for the Vero Beach Museum of Art, the horizon is bright.