“What Would Heironymus Do?” Group Show, The Secret Gallery, Astoria, Oregon
“The Price of Everything and the Value of Nothing” Group Exhibit, SCOPE Miami Beach Art Fair, Thinkspace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Trading Card Art Show IV” Group Exhibit at Gristle Art Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
“Cordial Creatures Portraits” Solo Show, Curly Tale Fine Arts, Chicago, IL
“Surreal Salon 13” Group Exhibit at Baton Rouge Gallery curated by Thinkspace Projects, Baton Rouge, LA
“Small Works” Virtual Group Exhibit at Glave Kocen Consulting, Richmond, Va
“Homeward Bound: Juried Triennial” Group Exhibit at Taubman Museum of Art, Roanoke, Va
By taking portraits from the past and replacing the people with animals, I seek to have my audience reconnect with the traditions of portraiture, spanning the centuries between the original and today. Pairing an unexpected animal with the upper echelon of past society creates a visual paradox that inadvertently “humanizes” the portraiture, and often makes people smile. Implementing humor is essential in breaking down barriers.
I paint my portraits in acrylic with oil glazing on masonite or canvas and work to reproduce the rich, lush colors reminiscent of classical portraiture. Each of my hand-chosen vintage or antique frames is a talisman to an imagined memory and provides inspiration and direction for the painting. The frame guides my research for the appropriate portrait as it creates the impression of an art movement or time period. The portraits then inspire brainstorming for the right animal to create the perfect portrait for each frame. The final product allows the audience to feel content as they reconnect with classic portraiture. They feel included, amused, and ultimately curious.
EDUCATION
BFA in Communication Arts and Design with a focus in Illustration, from Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA (2003)
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Trader Joe Artist (2003-2016)
Self Employed Artist 2016-present
EXHIBITIONS
“Cult of Meow IV” Group Exhibit at Gristle Art Gallery, Brooklyn, NY (September-December 2020)
“Painting for the Puppies” Charity Auction,The Secret Gallery, Astoria, Oregon (July 2020)
John Henley “Artists” Group Exhibit at Glave Kocen, Richmond VA (June-July 2020)
“No Pants Required” Group Exhibit at Gabba Gallery, Los Angeles, CA (May-July 2020)
“We Will Survive” Group Exhibit and Fundraiser at Glave Kocen Gallery, Richmond, VA (May-June 2020)
“Knights and Monsters” Group Exhibit at Gristle Art Gallery, Brooklyn, NY (May-July 2020)
“Bird of Paradise” Group Exhibit at Gristle Art Gallery, Brooklyn, NY (March-May 2020)
“From Me to You” Group Exhibit at Glave Kocen Gallery, Richmond, Va. (Feb. 2020)
“Size Doesn’t Matter” Group Exhibit at Glave Kocen Gallery, Richmond, Va. (Jan. 2020)
“Under The Rafters: New Work by Cassandra Kim” solo show at Glave Kocen Gallery, Richmond, VA (Nov 2019)
Current Art Fair, Group Exhibition, Glave Kocen Gallery, Richmond, VA (Oct. 2019)
“Configurations: a curatorial project” group show at Glave Kocen Gallery, Richmond, Va (Sept. 2019)
“Summer Splash” group show at Glave Kocen Gallery, Richmond, Va (July-August 2019)
“Hear Me Roar” group show at Eclectic Gallery, London, England (Feb.- April 2019)
“Hung Juried” group show at Glave Kocen Gallery, Richmond, VA (Mar. 2019)
“All Media Show” group show at Crossroads Art Center, Richmond, VA (Nov. 2018-Jan. 2019)
ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE
Chilkoot Trail Artist in Residence- Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park & Parks Canada Chilkoot Trail National Historical Site, Skagway, Alaska and Yukon, Canada (July 2013)
AWARDS/PUBLICATIONS
Trekell Pet Portrait Competition, Winner of the “The Greg Simkins Award” for Acrylic (Sept. 2019)
Pikchur Magazine: Blog featured Artist: “Replacing People with Animals in Classic Portraitures-Artist Cassandra Kim” (May 2019)
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