This Friday, April 15th (have you got your taxes done?), Wilton Manors Main Street will be hosting a third artist.
Thom Cassotta will join us from 7pm until 10pm at our office with his characteristic works of texture. These works are in mixed media and can be creations of art of whatever catches his eye.
In the artist's own words:
Texture Works
These original works began with a combination of acrylic paint and textured papers, most of which I have made myself. Using stipple brush, sponge, tissue paper, rages, crackle paint, burlap, metallic paint, rice paper and miscellaneous findings, I cut and arrange the papers before applying an acrylic gel.
Some work is totally original from start to finish.
Some work has a photographic base with additional paper cuttings applied over it. Because this 2nd step is always different, no two pieces are exactly the same.
Some work has been reproduced into Art Prints.
My inspiration harks back to the 2nd grade of school, where the teacher encouraged me to just have fun with crayons. Next she passed out watercolors and instructed me to apply them over the crayon sketch. The wax-crayons resisted the watercolors and produced vibrant textural results which were amazing. This visual stimulation never left….and put me ion a lifelong search for new color and texture combinations.
A few decades later….
I graduated from Paier College of Art, did a summer semester at the Palazzo Gallenga, Perugia, Italy and did a “Sketching Tour” of Brazil through Pratt Institute.
Now in my late 50’s, I’ve lived my entire adult life supported by the sales of my artwork. And with this newer textural work, it feels like I’ve made some departure back to the 2nd grade…..and loving it.
Thom Cassotta
