Carmel Magazine

Getting a Break in the Art World 144-148 Cassandria Gallery_Carmel Mag 4/22/13 8:09 PM Page 2 The Thoroughly Or iginal Rever se Glass Painting of Cassandr ia Blackmore B Y M I C H A E L C H AT F I E L D I nnovative glass ar tist It's finished. She hates Cassandria Blackmore's it. Bef itting her mood, life just begs to be made Blackmore dashes the por- into a movie. A film noir trait to the worn carpet, screenplay of the defining shattering the pane into moment in her profession- dozens of razor shards. al life might read some- "Hmm," thing like this: "Wonder what that would she muses . INTERIOR, CHEAP look like if I reassembled ONE-ROOM INNER CITY it?" Having nothing better to APARTMENT – NIGHT do, she sets about the task. Seattle. Of course it's raining. As her likeness reassem- A cherished black-and-white bles, the artist finds that she photograph sits atop a refrig- is actually rearranging her erator whose door hits the life…and creating a career. bed when opened. The photo A highly successful liveli- depicts a sun-dappled, hood in the notoriously happy long-haired couple; fickle fine art field was the parents of Cassandria born on that dark and Blackmore, the starving artist stormy night in the mid- who calls this room home. 1990s. Today, Cassandria Blackmore sits on the sagging bed, contemplating "We are surrounded by glass in everyday life, but if you break it, it becomes much more interesting." (Left) "Evania" Blackmore's work graces the walls of exquisite while sipping an inexpensive Pinot Noir. Etta James moans the homes across the globe, in addition to many public and com- blues on her stereo. In the past few days, she's been unceremoni- mercial spaces. But success hasn't spoiled this enthusiastic, ously dumped by her fiancé and laid off from her waitressing job— engaging, thoroughly friendly girl who describes her parents as on Christmas Eve. "Berkeley hippies." She's a California girl, more accustomed to sunshine and sea breezes than dreary, drizzly days. Blackmore stares at the photo, "I'm continually surprised by the level of success I've attained," she says in all humility. intermittently illuminated by a blinking red light from the adult As a true child of the 1960s, Blackmore's early years were video store across the street. Red…black and white… red…black rooted in the counterculture prevalent at that time. Her English and white. She catches a glimpse of her reflection in the frame's father and American mother embraced the bohemian ethos of glass: flash! Quickly dismantling the frame, she gets out her paints self-sufficiency, living for a time in hippy ground zero Berkeley and begins to limn a self-portrait. and travelling in a bus up and down the coast before settling C ARMEL MAGAZINE•SPRING/SUMMER 2013 145

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