Art by CaSSandra - Creative chaos shares imaginative worlds

     Slidell artist Sandra Seefeld brings multiple skills to the table. Her award winning mixed media work lends texture to her vision. Vibrant colors fill her fine art pieces. Whimsical dolls take shape from her needle, accompanied by her creative writing detailing the stories of their origins.

Award-winning mixed media shares the wall with two of her fantasy creatures

      Yet the artist known as CaSSandra hasn't been creating art all of her life. Her art career only began at age forty. A tremor in her hands when she was younger interfered with her painting for many years. Her father advised her to paint larger subjects so the tremor's effects wouldn't be so noticeable. So the self-taught artist began to work on giant canvases, painting classic automobiles. The oversized paintings incorporated aspects such as reflective medium incorporated into the paint which gave the works added depth under black light.

     Seefeld has since overcome the tremors. Her subjects have become more precise, the canvases sometimes a little smaller. Many of them have appeared in Louisiana based movies such as Dracula 2000. She rents out her paintings and mannequin-based figures as well as many other props of the fantastic to the movie industry.

     Her art often incorporates “found” objects and her home studio reflects many of her passions. She has acquired items such as several hundred preserved alligator heads, cow skulls, and mannequins. As part of her preparedness, she collects interesting shapes like large plastic bottle caps unusual picture frames, and a large variety of fabrics. Any of these items may find their way into the next project.

Enchanted Minikins dolls take many forms

      Her Enchanted Minikins dolls represent creatures which evolved from “aliens who came to Earth at Mardi Gras… Once Mardi Gras was over, they didn’t fit in anymore and went into the swamp to avoid being seen.” Once there, they mated with various plant and animal life and the products of those matings became the dolls. Each one has a story of its own to tell, a story delivered with the soft-sculpture doll. With fantastic creatures such as a CrawAlligator and Tomato Bimbo, Seefeld lets her imagination run wild.

     Seefeld often begins her drawings by closing her eyes and sketching with a pencil. Once she opens her eyes, she ponders the sketch until she sees the character within the lines. She then adds color and details until her creation is completed. Some of the drawings will provide inspiration for dolls.

      “No matter how unusual or strange my art is, three-quarters of it is based on history or fact,” she says, when asked how she wants people to view her art. Whether she is talking voodoo dolls or paintings of classic cars, she promises a fresh look at the subject.

     Her website shares many of her images. She has a vivid imagination and employs it in all of her artistic avenues. View her work at Artists’ Galleries de Juneau at 2143 First Street in Olde Towne Slidell, LA, as well.

© 2016 Mary Beth Magee

 

Artist Alvin Christopher shares his passion through his art

     Alvin Christopher takes a passion for social justice and channels it into dynamic mixed media art which reminds viewers of how fragile life can be and the importance of treasuring each moment. His dapper appearance belies the struggles of his life.

     “…since I was a child…since I can remember picking up a pencil,” he answers, when asked how long he’s been creating images. He considers his ease with art to be a gift from his mother, who encouraged his earliest attempts. He hasn’t stopped since then, honing his skills and experimenting with a variety of forms.

     A first look at Christopher’s work demands a second one. The compelling images seem to deliver news headlines, as he offers thought-provoking depictions of natural and human-made issues. From his horizontal 3-dimensional depiction of the damage wrought on the Interstate 10 twin span by Hurricane Katrina, to the biology lesson of the words we keep in our heart, Christopher pulls no punches in expressing the pain he has personally experienced and his anger at the pain endured by others.

     His love of mixed media leads him to take things which are not typically considered artistic and turn them into imaginative displays of highly artistic content, recycling found items into finished products with the addition of more traditional art media. While no photograph can do justice to his work, the powerful images beg for repetitive, reflective study. Within each piece, a heartbeat of truth grabs the viewer and demands consideration. With bold colors and startling images, Christopher brings people of all races and perspectives to a common table of humanity.

     Ask a viewer to interpret a given piece and the answer may be shockingly different from your own. Each of the images opens doors to dialogues and discussions of freedom, rights and circumstances. Christopher lays his own heart bare in his work and invites viewers to do the same as they relate to each piece. He refuses to be pigeonholed on a single subject, preferring to use his art to walk on dangerous ground with bold ideas designed to make viewers uncomfortable in complacency.

     Christopher is more than an artist creating strong images. He is also a mentor, reaching out to people marginalized by society and encouraging them to identify their own artistic voice. He also works on commission for custom pieces.

     He was born in Mississippi, grew up in New Orleans in the Irish Channel neighborhood and now makes his home in Slidell, LA. Art moved from a hobby to a vocation after the turmoil of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He hopes to eventually branch out into multimedia work, including film. Supplementing his art income as a cook, he brings an artistic touch to his dishes, as well.

     At present, Alvin Christopher’s work is on display at Artists’ Galleries de Juneau at 2143 First St. in the Olde Towne section of Slidell; Connie’s Depot off of Brownswitch, also in Slidell; and a few other small shops in the community. His art deserves a home in private collections and corporate spaces. This isn’t “pretty” art to hang on a wall and ignore; this is art at its most powerful, demanding involvement and action.