Other People’s Pictures started as a 100 Day project designed to build on my 5/52 Project - a mixed-media series layered on found photographs. I bought several lots of vintage photographs which offer a moment of a stranger’s life captured into a image. These photographs became foundations with which to interact and create a new narrative and explore digital drawing methods.

Below are some of the pieces that came out of the project. Additional images can be seen by searching #100daysofotherpeoplespictures on instagram (@cassiott)

The foundation of vintage postcards along with captions such as “A Scene in…” is a Launchpad for fantastical destinations. This series of work created on stylized (sometimes mundane) locations explores our unique interpretations of places and our desire to share the beauty of those experiences with others. This series was turned into beautifully reproduced sets of postcards available for sale in my shop.

Synthesis

1. 1a :  the composition or combination of parts or elements so as to form a whole

This series of mixed media botanicals are created by pulling floral elements from memory. Assorted leaves and petals combine organically to create new species that play on a stark white backdrop.

ANTIDOTES : September 8 - October 14, 2017 (Argus Gallery, Buffalo NY)

Show Hours are 12-3 Saturdays, or by appointment - please contact me to schedule a time.

Evening Hours & Artist Talk: Thursday, October 12 from 5-8pm (Artist talk at 6pm)

Show Closing: Saturday, October 14 from 12-3pm

In an atmosphere where news and media are moving at a disorienting pace and content is vastly negative, I am seeking respite in moments of beauty. Biology and physics tell us that plants growing and rainbows appearing are not magic, but they inspire those feelings; that mysterious elements are at play - enchanting and aesthetically powerful. In this age of technology, information is presented at an alarming rate and it is becoming more and more difficult to pause and deeply connect with our surroundings and tangible environment. By producing works that highlight themes of beauty and wonder, I am consciously capturing the ephemeral and magical moments of life. This exhibition offers a space slow down and reset, providing visual antidotes that showcase the power of perspective and counter the negativity present in our current climate. My hope is that this work will inspire conversation about ways of seeing, common ground, and the beauty inherent in daily life.  -Cassandra Ott

The Rainbow Perspective is an ongoing project that incorporates rainbows into vintage photographs. I read that no two people can see the same rainbow. The light bouncing off of your raindrops form a different arch than the person standing next to you, creating a different image. This series looks at the ways we document and remember events, hindsight and how that affects moving forward. So much of life is about perspective, both our own and that of those around you.

Additional images can be seen via #therainbowperspective hashtag on instagram (@cassiott)

Each day we are faced with countless small decisions, many of which become second nature or habit over time. Each choice we make, ranging from large and looming to seemingly inconsequential, is an important component of the lives we build. My latest body of work is an attempt at visualizing and methodically making sense of the complicated systems and networks of decisions in life. Each piece starts with sets of elements made through meditative painting - focused on aspects of color, pattern and mark making on paper. These foundational components are cut up into repetitious forms, creating two sets of symbolic outcomes – the planned shape and the unplanned consequences or negative spaces in-between. The pieces are then sorted, reconfigured and combined in groups to become balanced compositional architectures. Repeating elements branch in all directions, creating unpredicted yet suggestive forms. I find both the process and the resulting outcome soothing and meditative. I love the practice of making small tangible decisions and visualizing the consequences of their growth and evolution.