Byron Caplan was born and raised in Frederick, Md.  He received his Bachelor’s degree (BFA) from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and his Master’s degree (MFA) from Yale University, School of Art, in the late 1970s.  After graduating from Yale, Caplan moved to Philadelphia, PA where he had his first one man show at the Race Gallery, then at Lehigh University in 1982.  It was around that time that Caplan began working in television news in Philadelphia as a cameraman and editor. 

For the next 30 odd years, Caplan focused his energies on television/video production and teaching digital cinema at the college level.  It was his main creative outlet, and during that time, he produced several award winning news stories and video productions, including a Boston/New England Emmy for producing.  Still, his art ideas were never far from his consciousness. This was a period of distillation and leavening.

Having retired from video production and teaching, Caplan now lives in Jacksonville, Florida and returned to his original passion, bringing with it a renewed sense of vigor, dedication and maturity to his art.  It is interesting to note that the ideas that propel his art today are a continuation of the same ideas he first formulated while in graduate school (see artist statement).  It has been a long strange journey with many detours and a few dead ends, but as Caplan enters this new stage of his life, he is dedicated, energized and eager to develop a unique style of art that is sure to make one think and smile.