INDIGO ARTISTS

JANE CASSIDY

View Jane's Cactus Paintings

ARTIST'S STATEMENT

All of my cactus paintings fall under one title, ‘Honoring Life's Forms’, with subtitles for each. Why cactus? Living in the desert in New Mexico, I see that even within this barren land, life continues and the cactus represent the miracle and determination of survival. I find that cactus can also mimic our own personal experiences. They cluster together, giving each other support as they form their own community. They also intersect each other's paths, much the same way we can have those special encounters as our lives intersect, momentarily, with others.

BIOGRAPHY

I was born into a family of artists in 1955 in a small farming community in northern Indiana. My mother and sister are both artists, and even my great-great aunt was an excellent oil painter. Art was a part of everyday life as I grew up, with art supplies just within an arm's reach.

My formal art studies began in high school and continued in college at Indiana University. I have been trained in several mediums, but I have always preferred painting with acrylic paints because they are fast-drying and nontoxic. The acrylic is very suitable to my technique, and subject matter, as well. Each painting in the cactus series is created with an initial layer of acrylic and sand. This is just the beginning of several layers which then do not contain sand. The technique creates a textured canvas which is a natural match for the subject matter. It is also an organic way to bring the creative process in direct contact with nature.

I am currently devoting all my time to the cactus series, though I have been involved in an array of creative processes. In addition to canvas painting, I have done a series of murals in Indiana. They can be found in private homes, as well as public settings including Purdue University Memorial Union. My favorite artist has always been Henri Rousseau. Even as a very young girl, I was entranced by his innocent depiction of nature's abundance. I saw mystery and magic in his paintings, and I have always been enticed by nature's beauty - my favorite subject matter.

 

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