Description
‘Undertow’ by Cassidy Rae Marietta
Artist: Cassidy Rae Marietta
Title: ‘Undertow’
Medium: Gouache, Micron and marker pens on Bristol board
Dimensions: 14″ x 11″
Framing: Framed in a thin black matted frame with a hand-embellished mat boarder (frame size: 20″ x 16″)
Year of Creation: 2024
About the Artwork:
“When we love someone, we invest a lot of ourselves in them. We set up mostly unwritten rules about that person’s role in our lives, and we begin to have expectations that they will always be there. Of course, as we all know, these expectations are bound to fracture when the relationship ends or that person dies. We grieve the emptiness left by their absence. Their unique gifts and essence cannot be replaced, and new memories cannot be made. We become attached to people we love and suffer when they are gone.
Although sadness and grief are natural responses to the loss of someone we love, it can be difficult to process in a culture that is uncomfortable with emotions associated with death. We don’t often acknowledge the reality of death—that the cost of loving is grieving, and that we grieve with the knowledge that loss is common to humanity. Recognizing the invisible life balance that every moment is precious and every second of loving is urgent, we learn to express our love more regularly, sincerely, and deeply. That is the hope, anyway.
The undertow of thought surrounding life and loss, death, and rebirth, and how it influences the way we live and behave, was the inspiration for this piece.
Moreover, this is a meditation on the recent losses affecting me and those closest to my heart.” – Cassidy Rae Marietta
About the Artist:
(Artist Bio)
1985, OH USA Cassidy Rae Marietta is a visual content curator, illustrator, and painter working out of her mid-century modern home in Columbus, Ohio. With sheets of velvety hues, ornate designs, and expressive figurative elements, her work is focused on creating striking images that showcase the modern woman, dotted with botany and psychedelia. Recurring themes in her work include censorship, social normality, and the raw and undying characteristics of human nature. Her keen eye for color and detail has helped blossom a career that includes collaborations, design, and graphic work for clients around the globe.