ABout Cara


Cara Wood Ginder, Studio Director and Lead Artist

Cara is Austine’s daughter and began as Austine’s art assistant and then ultimately her close artistic collaborator for over 35 years. She had begun taking the reins at the studio over the past few years.

An accomplished fine artist in her own right, Cara’s paintings have shown in prestigious New York City galleries and her murals adorn museums, libraries and schools including the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, CT and the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa, FL.

Now, Cara leads the crew at Austine Studios into the future, creating new Polage artworks along with Austine’s other daughter, artist and writer Erika Wood and Austine’s husband and longtime collaborator David Comarow.


Small Selection of Cara’s Polage Artworks for Maui Jim Sunglasses

Small Selection of Cara’s Polage Artworks

Small Selection of Cara’s Paintings


Artist CV

EDUCATION
1980-1985Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
1985-1986University of Nevada, Las Vegas

EXPERIENCE
1985-Present — Austine Studios, Las Vegas, NV - Artist/Studio Director
2011-2018 — Masque & Mime Drama Society, R.C. Ketchum High School, Wappingers Falls, NY - Set Designer and Props advisor
1996Jeff Koons Productions, New York, NY - Painting assistant to Jeff Koons
1990-1995Terry Dintenfass Gallery, New York, NY. -Gallery Assistant

EXHIBITIONS
2022AMP Utility Cabinet Painting Public Art Project, City of Las Vegas, NV
2017Grinnell Library, Wappingers Falls, NY - Children’s room wall murals
2010OK Harris Works of Art, New York, NY - Show of small works on wood
2010Van Brunt Gallery, Beacon, NY “Winter Group Show”
2009Myers Corners Elem. School, Wappingers Falls, NY - painted 25’x8’ lobby mural
2009Sheafe Road Elem. School, Wappingers Falls, NY - 48’x10’ climbing wall mural
2009Lora Schlesinger Gallery, Santa Monica, CA - “Toy Show II” Group show.
2009Fresno Metropolitan Museum, Fresno, CA - “I Want Candy” Group show.
2008DohrMor Art Space, Wappingers Falls, NY - “Holiday” Group show.
2008Hudson Beach Glass, Beacon, NY - Solo Show in 2nd floor gallery
2007Hudson River Museum, Yonkers, NY - “I Want Candy” group show
2006OK Harris Works of Art, New York, NY - small paintings on wood
2006Millbrook Vineyard & Winery, NY - Two person show with Tilly Strauss
2004OK Harris Works of Art, New York, NY - small paintings on wood
2001OK Harris Works of Art, New York, NY - small paintings on wood
1999OK Harris Works of Art, New York, NY - small paintings on wood
1996-2001 — Represented by Ryan Gallery, Las Vegas, NV
1996Thomas College, Thomasville, GA - Painting commission for the student art center
1995Museum of Science and Industry, Tampa, FL - painted 10’dia.planet Earth
1995Bruce Museum of Natural History, Greenwich, CT - Assisted on the painting of Discovery Room Murals, approx. 30’x10’ area, oversized mushrooms and flowers and insects painted directly on the walls with acrylics. Also Woodlands Diorama backdrop, approximately 56’ x 18’
1993Barrick Natural History Museum, Las Vegas, NV - Two person show with Robert Beckmann, works on canvas and wood.
1991NASA, Commissioned to do miniature portraits on wood of the Hubble Independent Optical Review Panel (HIORP) 6 members. (Panel was charged with the determination of the prescription for repair of Hubble Space Telescope).
1989First Street Gallery, New York, NY. Group show, Juror: Jack Beal