Meet June Artist of the month, Cassy Emmerson!

“I grew up in a creative household’, explained Cassy. “My Mom was an artist and we

started creating as children, myself and my sisters as well. We all created together so it

was a ‘feel good’ time for the entire family. I carry those feelings with me whenever I

create even today.”

Cassy creates in a wide variety of mediums (fairy dolls, wire wrapped jewelry, pottery,

watercolour, acrylic, needle felting) but is there one that speaks to her heart more than

others?

“I think I enjoy painting the most, but I don’t do it as often as I would like. Painting

requires quiet time and a good head space to get me into the zone and there isn’t

always the time for it.” commented Cassy. “It is also harder to sell watercolour paintings,

as they need the glass and framing so the cost is higher. I will always enjoy the fluidity

of watercolour and the ease of taking it wherever I go – those things will never change.”

As long as she is creating something, preferable a three-dimensional item, Cassy is

happy. She does not limit herself to the already explored mediums.

“I have some plans for more concrete projects and am currently working with driftwood.

Recently I took a CLAC workshop on primitive pottery firing and loved the results. I will

be making more whistles and ocarinas soon.”

Cassy manages all this creativity from a very small footprint as far as her home is

concerned.

“I think my biggest challenge is to let go of something I have been doing so I have

space to try something new. I also have very little patience, so I am always working on

multiple projects at the same time. You must be very organized to fit it all into a small

space.”

The items Cassy uses are seldom bought new. Most of them are recycled and she

admits to being a dedicated ‘garage sailer’.

“My grandmother was a big influence in my recycling. She used to take apart old worn-

out items and reclaim anything that was re-usable -- buttons, lace, zippers. I still have

some of her reclaimed lace that I use in my fairies, and I always check what is ready to

be thrown out to see if there is anything I can reclaim.”

When asked if the creative gene had skipped any generations, Cassy laughed. “All my

daughters create in different ways, the gene didn’t skip that generation. I have fun with

my grandchildren creating when we get together so they are going to be creators as

well. I think that everybody has the ability to create, it is just something that needs to be

nurtured. You need to be prepared that creativity will come out in different ways with

each individual. My daughters don’t create with the same materials or in the same ways

that I create. That is what makes it so interesting.”

With all her energy you would think that Cassy would overtake a room when she enters

but that isn’t her style. She graces the room with her smiles and energy but is a quiet

creator and works intensely in her own space. It is partly this quiet work that is so

important to the Arts Centre. Many people don’t realize that it is Cassy who keeps the

space clean and functional. It is almost as if the fairy dolls she creates are working at

night to help as the space appears magically clean after any workshop. There is a

saying that if something is done superbly well then you don’t notice it – that is true of the

work that Cassy (board member, volunteer, landlady, facilitator, workshop instructor

etc.) does for the society. We would be lost without her.

Story by Loretta Puckrin