Artist Caroline Karp and her boys at her Georgetown art show

Georgetown Experience: Enlightened Artist Blog – Part 1

Caroline Karp Artist at her Georgetown art show
Getting ready for my guests to arrive at my Georgetown show. you can see my started painting in the background.

What a spectacular show in the heart of Georgetown. I couldn’t have asked for more engaging guests and such a gracious host. Since my show was about A Slice of Life, this blog will show a slice of Life: My Georgetown Show which features an intimate look at my Georgetown experience and the audience at my show. It will be a three-part series – this being part 1.

My Studio For The Week

Caroline Karp Artist's Georgetown Art Studio for the week
My Georgetown Art Studio for the week

I rented an Airbnb that served as my studio of the week, which was full of sunlight, quiet and peaceful. I was happy to spend time painting the diptych of sailboats that I would paint live at my event.

It was lovely because my boys came and stayed there with me. While they studied for finals and wrote papers, I painted… just like when they were younger. It was so great being right next to the famous Dog Tag Bakery and a couple of blocks away from Baked and Wired to drink delicious coffee! Not to mention having a view of the Potomac at the Georgetown Waterfront.

About The Host

Professor Anthony  Arend host of Caroline Karp Artist's art show called A Taste of Georgetown: Expressionist Paintings
Professor Anthony Arend (host of my art show) at his home located in the heart of Georgetown, DC

Professor Anthony Arend’s home was the perfect backdrop for my artwork and artist talk. He invited his prestigious friends and colleagues to enjoy an evening of art with me. Tony is a collector and patron of the arts as well as a Professor of Government and Foreign Service at Georgetown University. He sits on the Council of Foreign Affairs.

Also noteworthy is that Tony is an excellent photographer and his amazing photos can be seen on social media – That’s actually how I came to know him, through his keen eye and the photos of Georgetown that he posts.

My Two Sons Nicholai And Sebastian

Caroline Karp Artist and her boys, Nicholai Babis and Sebastian Babis,  at her show art show in Georgetown, DC. Her paintings are in the background.
My boys, Nicholai Babis and Sebastian Babis, and me at my Georgetown show. Sebastian is dressed and ready to perform with the Georgetown University Symphony later that evening.

What made the evening so special was that my son Nicholai graduate from Vassar College traveled in from New York and my other son Sebastian a Georgetown sophomore was in attendance.

Update for attendees of my show… I announced that Nicholai was looking for a job at the beginning of my artist talk. I’m so excited to announce that he was hired by Dentons Global Law Firm and will be working in Manhattan.

It was such a delight watching my sons socializing with my guests as adults and having conversations in German. Both boys had much in common with these guests because of their connection with the world of international affairs.

Plus my boys grew up traveling with me and watching me paint. It was a wonderful feeling being together again for this show! I hope that is will be a regular occurrence from now on.

How The Evening Unfolded: Who,s Who?

Bill Priestap and wife Sabina Menschel talking with Professor Anthony Arend at his DC home while attending the art show of Caroline Karp Artist
Bill Priestap and wife Sabina discussing art with Tony.

The evening began with guests arriving and settling into engaging conversation. The audience was the perfect mix and number of people to make a pleasant evening of connection.

Guests enjoying conversation, wine and cheese before my artist talk
Dan Steen, Maria Kinnane and husband, Mark Fisher and Debbi Minkoff Miller enjoying conversation, wine, and cheese before my artist talk
Caroline Karp Artist at her Georgetown, DC art show.

You’ll have to wait for part 3 of this blog series to hear about my Artist Talk.

Tony brought the guests together to welcome them and introduced me once again to share some commentary about my art. It was then that became the storyteller of my paintings which was Perhaps the most engaging part of the evening. I spoke about each painting which led to a thoughtful discussion amongst the guests. I haven’t been in front of intelligent discourse about my artwork since I was in art school and it was a very welcoming experience.

Caroline Karp Artist at her show called A Taste of Georgetown: Expressionist Paintings - live painting.

Plus learn about the painting that I’m working on in this pic and why it’s so popular by reading part 2 of this blog series.

If you have any questions or comments please leave them in the comments.