Thinking of You show at Fern Croft, Buffalo, NY - Sept 2019

Elmwood Village Mural - July 2019

Hallwalls Drawing Rally - July 2019

Dancing Rainbows gif - 4.2017

Rainbows on Design*Sponge! - 1.2107

Interview on Carve Out Time for Art - 4.2016

Marissa Huber and Heather Kirtland  are on a mission to share inspiring stories of artists (who are also mothers) who are able to find time to create, despite hectic and full lives. I was honored to be contacted by Marissa and my interview was just published online - you can read it here: Carve Out Time for Art: Cassandra Ott

New Project - #100scallopedpatterns - 3.2016

I'm taking part in the 2016 version of The 100 Day Project started by Elle Luna. I am committing to creating 100 scalloped patterns... one a day for 100 days. Here are a few sketchbook pages that spawned the idea for the project. I'll post pics daily on instagram... you can follow along here: instagram.com/cassiott

Write up in The Buffalo News - 4.2016

The Consequence of Small Decisions, Solo Show - 4.2016

My solo show at Pausa Art House opened. It features loads of new work. Here is the statement - 

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.

Creative Unblock no.4 - 4.2015

Month 4 - following along with the Jealous Curator's creative unblocking projects. This is Kate Pugsley's assignment:

“Make a little sculpture using a found object. Find something around your house, at a thrift store, a wacky junk store, anywhere! An object that is about as big as your hand or smaller is probably the best size to start with, so it’s not overwhelming. And make sure it’s something you don’t mind ruining. This is just suppose to be fun after all! And then transform the heck out of it! Paint on it, glue things to it, cut it in half and glue it back to itself, or glue it to something else. Use the objects color and shape to inspire you.”

Baby Names - 4.2015

I have been making artwork for sweet new babies recently and was so happy to get these beautiful photographs from a friend last week. I'm honored to have such a lovely place in Conway's awesome nursery!

Creative Unblock no.3 - 3.2015

Month 3 - following along with the Jealous Curator's creative unblocking projects. This is mixed media artist Cassandra Smith's assignment:

“When I’m in a creative rut, this simple activity always helps me to get excited. Start with a stack of white or off-white papers. Sometimes I use scraps or sometimes I take large pieces of drawing paper and cut them into pieces around 8×10 inches. Then get out your watercolors, acrylics or other paint and mix up some of your favorite colors. Paint the surface of the papers. Sometimes just seeing all the lovely colors together on the papers inspires me. Once the painted papers have dried, get some scissors or an x-acto knife and cut out some shapes. They can be totally arbitrary, or they can be recognizable as objects, animals, faces, etc. Open your sketchbook or get a blank sheet of paper and start arranging shapes. Just play with the shapes and colors, layering until you see interesting combinations. You can start gluing them down in your paper or book, painting on top of them, or just save the pieces you like. I keep envelopes around full of colored pieces for loosening up when I am stuck. Working with these painted shapes helps me see things that I may not see just drawing or painting directly because my mind wanders and there are always a lot of surprises.”

Wow, this was my favorite yet. I have always loved the work of Henri Matisse, and this project connected me to his simple shapes that repeat and overlap. This exercise is for sure getting my creative juices flowing... and I see a new series emerging!

Creative Unblock no.2 - 2.2015

Second month following along with the Jealous Curator's creative unblocking projects. The second exercise is based on Portland based artist Kate Bingaman-Burt:

Catalog the contents of your medicine cabinet/bathroom shelf : Draw, paint, photograph, or collage everything you have, and then make a poster or small book about the objects. {constraint = creation}

I thought I would overlap these pieces made on duralar, but ended up loving them as a diptych. The right side is an illustration of all the items in my medicine cabinet, and the left is a gouache painting of the same items. It was a great project!

Creative Unblock no.1 - 1.2015

I am following along with The Jealous Curator's Creative Unblock exercises from her awesome book, Creative Block (Christmas gift, yay!). This first project is based on NYC artist Trey Speegle's interview and assignment:

A SEASON FOR NO REASON : Make a drawing in black and white {or use a found image} and then photocopy the drawing onto card stock 50 times – or enough copies so that you won’t “worry” about how many you’ve used. {Take your time and draw or find an image that you really love, and will like working with over and over} Then, alter the image in as many different ways as you can think of with colored pencils, paint, cutting, whatever. You can modify this idea and change it in whatever way you like but the important thing is to turn off your brain and just play with a repeated form and let your mind see where no ideas or thought process takes you. 

Here are my pieces:

Pillow! - 9.2014

I hand painted a pillow for a recent fundraiser for POWER, and it turned out great!

365 Artists / 365 Days feature - 2.15.2014

Click here to read about my work and recent projects that was featured on the 365 Artists / 365 Days website!

UncommonGoods iPhone contest - finalist - 6.12.2013

My design was ranked in the top 5 voted items and is moving on to the next round of judging for the UncommonGoods iPhone design contest.  Thank you to all who have voted to get me this far!!!