Artist Statement
By taking inspiration from paintings of the past and replacing the people with animals, I seek to have my audience reconnect with the traditions of portraiture. My art spans the centuries between the original and today, but with a surrealistic twist. Pairing an unexpected animal with an image from the echelons of past society creates a visual paradox that inadvertently
“humanizes” the portraiture and often makes people smile. The use of humor is a valuable way to break down barriers between people and art.
I work in acrylic and oil, and my goal is to reproduce the rich, lush colors of classical portraiture. Each of my hand-chosen vintage or antique frames is a talisman to an imagined memory and provides impetus for the painting. The frame or reclaimed wood item, which I often restore myself, creates the impression of an art movement or time period, which in turn guides me to the appropriate portrait. I then brainstorm to find the right animal to create the perfect painting. The final product allows the audience to feel reconnected with classic portraiture, but from an imagined society of animals. They feel included, amused, and ultimately curious.
CV
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
"The Portrait Show X" Group Exhibit at Modern Eden Gallery, San Francisco, CA
(June 2022)
"Echo All the Worlds" Group Exhibit at Wow x Wow Online Gallery
(June 2022)
"Microvision 5" Group Exhibit at Wow x Wow Online Gallery
(May 2022)
"100 Trees" Group Exhibit at Modern Eden Gallery, San Francisco, CA
(April 2022)
"The Listening Room" Group Exhibit at Robert Lange Studio, Charleston, SC (April 2022)
"Familiar Strangers" Group Exhibit at Wow x Wow Online Gallery
(March 2022)
"Within the Static" Group Exhibit at Wow x Wow Online Gallery
(February 2022)
"Size Doesn't Matter" Group Exhibit at Glave Kocen Consulting, Richmond, Va (January 2022)
"Surreal Salon 14" Group Exhibit at Baton Rouge Gallery curated by Carrie Ann Baade, Baton Rouge, LA (January 2022)
"Homeward Bound: Juried Triennial" Group Exhibit at Taubman Museum of Art, Roanoke, Va (December 2021-March 2022)
"Labyrinth of Dreams" Group Exhibit at Wow x Wow Online Gallery
(December 2021)
"Salvaged Renaissance" Solo Show at Glave Kocen Consulting, Richmond, Va (November 2021)
"Lore" Group Exhibit at Modern Eden, San Francisco, CA( October 2021)
"Outwit the Monster" Group Exhibit at Wow X Wow Online Gallery
(October 2021)
"I Love Hue" Group Exhibit at Robert Lange Gallery, Charleston, SC
(October 2021)
"Cult of Meow V" Group Exhibit at Gristle Art Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
(September 2021)
"Monochromagic 4" Group Exhibit at Wow X Wow Online Gallery, United Kingdom (July 2021)
"The Portrait Show IX" Group Exhibit at Modern Eden, San Francisco, CA (July 2021)
"Toadstools" Group show at Gristle Gallery, Brooklyn, NY (April-May 2021)
"Ruffly Painted Animals" Mini solo at Robert Lange Studios, Charleston, SC (April 2021)
"Put a Bird On It" Group show at Glave Kocen Consulting, Richmond, VA (April 2021)
"Small Works" Virtual Group Exhibit at Glave Kocen Consulting, Richmond, Va (January 2021)
"Surreal Salon 13" Group Exhibit at Baton Rouge Gallery curated by Thinkspace Projects, Baton Rouge, LA (January 2021)
"The Price of Everything and the Value of Nothing" Group Exhibit, Immersive SCOPE Miami Beach Art Fair, Thinkspace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA (December 2020)
"Trading Card Art Show IV" Group Exhibit at Gristle Art Gallery, Brooklyn, NY (December 2020-January 2021)
"What Would Heironymus Do?" Group Show, The Secret Gallery, Astoria, Oregon (November 2020-January 2021)
"Cordial Creatures Portraits" Solo Show, Curly Tale Fine Arts, Chicago, IL (October 2020- January 2021)
"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)
*represented by Glave Kocen Consulting and Guest Artist at Robert Lange Studios