In conjunction with his 20th Reunion, Ted Caine ’04 recreated a show of his late mother’s Williston portraits and reflected on her enduring vision
“I like to paint people. I like especially to paint people that I can relate to, that are connected with my own life, people that I love.” So began the artist statement for Elizabeth Solley Caine’s exhibit, “The Many Faces of Williston,” which she created in 2003 when her son, Ted Caine ’04, was a junior. The show—which featured 26 evocative and deeply personal paintings of students and faculty—was rehung in June at Reunion, as a celebration of her life, following Solley Caine’s death from cancer in 2023.
“My mom always encouraged my creative side,” said Ted during his remarks at the show’s opening. “She supported everything I did, which brought her to Williston campus often. She designed outfits for my dance ensemble pieces, posters for theater productions, and the set for our sophomore year musical, Guys and Dolls.” In 2003, Solley Caine embarked on the portrait project, doing 60-minute sessions with each model and, in the process, learning about their lives. “I’m struck by how she was able to capture the feelings behind the model,” says Caine. “It wasn’t all happy—there is a duality at play in the pieces; vibrant youth full of energy and life, and deep, sometimes dark, inner thoughts, worries, and concerns.” Caine, who works as the Chief of Staff of a comprehensive youth services nonprofit in New York City, says he sees this duality often in his own work.
Seeing classmates Solley Caine painted posing next to their original portraits moved many who attended the show. “It was amazing how she captured a spark of each person’s spirit that you can still see today,” said Art Department Chair Natania Hume.
