Few paintings from this period survive, but Caeria's life-long practice of working direct from the subject are already well-established. She cites the influences of her tutors at that time; Ernest Edwards at Wimbledon, Derrick Greaves and Frederick Gore at St. Martins and Carel Weight at the Royal College of Art. Her Royal College of Art thesis of 1961 is entitled "How Man's Instinct for the Workings of Nature Finds Expression in His Creations", the theme of which she never ceased to explore through painting and drawing, and living.