Downtown Painting

Creating art is about seeing in new ways, developing an individual approach, and translating that onto canvas—in a unique way for each artist.

The philosophy of Downtown Painting is that art class can give students the skills to translate what’s in their mind’s eye onto the canvas. In the best art classes, technique and vision go hand in hand.

I’m Charlotta Westergren, I’m a working artist as well as a dedicated teacher. Both of those matter immensely to me, and that should matter to you. Students come to me looking not just for help in mastering techniques, but for another set of eyes to develop their own vision.

My solo shows have been reviewed in the New York Times and the Huffington Post, and my work has been featured in Harper’s Bazaar, the New Yorker, and the Paris Review. While I’m mainly a painter, I've worked in all sorts of media, including installation and video. I started out as an architect, with a degree from Columbia, and then studied art at the Museum School in Boston.

I've taught at the New School, the School of Visual Arts, Tufts’ Museum School, and other programs. As a teacher, I always try to highlight my students’ work.