Through October 16, 2011, the Academy Art Museum’s Selections Gallery will feature the drawings and pastels of instructor Katie Cassidy. Drawing and the figure are Cassidy’s real passions. She prefers figurative work and working from life rather than photographs.
Cassidy comments, “I’ve worked in pastels for about 15 years. I like the medium because it is a drawing medium and has an immediate feel to it – one can work quickly using a box of pastels and paper.” She adds, “In the past few years there have been new developments in the grounds for pastel, textured papers and boards in a variety of surfaces and colors.”
According to Cassidy, with these new grounds, she has been able to create underpaintings to many of the pieces in the show, such as watercolor and oil stains. She feels that the underpaintings have added a new dimension to her work, making it more fun and interesting. While not married to specific subject matter, Cassidy enjoys still life and landscapes in addition to her figurative work.
She concludes, “But it must always hold my interest – boys skimming shells at the seashore, a field of buttercups or an old sailboat on cinder blocks.” She adds, “My art director and biggest critic is my husband, Wallace McGarry, who is also an artist.”
Cassidy is teaching three classes in pastels this fall at the Academy Art Museum in Easton. For further information and to register, visit www.academyartmuseum.org or call 410-822-2787.
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