Art is in the Eye of the Beholder

I don't get to talk about art here too much, but on February 15th I went to the opening of a show for rising artist Cassandra Gillens. She is an African-American woman who paints in silhouette which allows the viewer to imagine almost anyone as the subject of one of her pictures. That's how I felt when I saw the painting entitled Mama's Boy. It depicts a woman about to receive a kiss from her son while her younger daughter hangs onto her skirts. The picture really spoke to me since my oldest son, Jared, is graduating from high school in June and leaving for college this fall. His sister, Leah, is just turning 16 and is very vulnerable as she stands on the cusp of womanhood. I had the opportunity to speak with Cassandra about the feelings her painting (or should I say my painting, since I bought it that day?) inspired and she told me how it gave her a chill just to hear that because it was just the type of emotion it was intended to evoke - the swift passing of childhood and the rapid departure of our children out into the world.

I am so glad I had an opportunity to buy one of her pieces. If you are interested in art, please take a look at her work. Although not cheap, her originl works are affordable compared to other more famous African-American artists and will become a very valuable, as well as beautiful, investment.