Shelter Me - My MFA Thesis Exhibition

Hi all, sorry about the absence lately, I've been busy as a bee putting together my thesis show the last few weeks.  It is now finally installed and up!
Here is a sneak peek:

I will post some more images of the show in it's entirety soon, but I want to keep it a bit of a surprise for those coming to see it.
The show will be up the rest of the week 10am-4pm in Gallery 214 @ Northern Illinois University (In the Art Building).  Also, right after my show comes down, I am installing part of my thesis work at the former I-Space Gallery in Chicago for our MFA Graduate Group Show.  It is going to be a crazy few weeks!
Also, in other big news, Nate helped me revamp my website last week, and I'm really happy with it now!

Here is the link if you are interested:   Cassie Marie Edwards
Now, back to work!

"Majestic!" - Nina Rizzo's Solo Show @ Linda Warren Gallery

Last night I was in Chi-Town with some good friends to go to the opening of Nina Rizzo's solo show, Majestic!,at Linda Warren Gallery.  Nina is one of my professor's at NIU, and I've got a massive crush on her work. 

It was so great to see everyone come out to support Nina! 

Michelle Bosak, myself, and Ann Flowers

Me, Amanda Voltz, and Brikena Boci

This is my favorite painting in the show, Toothball Island.  It is partially based off of a part of the book The Life of Pi where the boy in the story finds teeth on a floating island that he is shipwrecked on.  It is a really great book, especially for artists, because it is so vivid in its descriptions of place. 

And of course, a shot of Nina and myself.  :)

That's all for now, and this may be my last post before my thesis show goes up in two weeks!

I love it how chairs can stand in for figures.  I've been having a lot of fun in the studio these last few days.

Instability

A week and a half ago, I took this picture outside of my studio window:

And today it was 80 degrees outside.  I love the midwest.
My good friend Ann and I had a picnic today to celebrate the warm weather, and take a break from our stressful MFA show preparations.  It was great to sit in the sun and not have to think of all the things I've got to get done in the next few weeks. 
I've been working hard on a bunch of little things.  Lets hope everything comes together swimmingly.
Here are some progress shots:

Dollhouse Project Progress

Progress on the dollhouse is going slowly but surely.  I am going to spend the rest of the day in the studio, so hopefully I will get a lot done this weekend.  The picture above was a test photo playing around with the lighting and furniture.  

I've also finished the flooring for the other half of the downstairs and re-installed the stairs.

 The furniture is also slowly coming together,  I've figured out how to make the furniture upholstery look a lot more streamlined by using stretch fabric around thick pieces of craft foam.  It doesn't have the bulky look that dollhouse couches tend to have. 

Last, but not least, I've been finishing the cutting and installing of the sideboards to really give the rooms a finished feeling.

Dollhouse Carpet Installation

Over this week I've been getting a lot of little loose ends tied up with my studio work.  I did a lot of painting, but don't have a lot to show for it yet.  I like to have a bunch of projects going at once, and bounce back and forth between them.  It is a slow process sometimes. 
I did get the dollhouse carpeted though!

I used ultra-suede fabric for the carpeting, and it turned out really well I think!  It was easy to cut, and lays nice and flat. 

I just glued it around the perimeter just in case I ever have to take it out. 

I've still got to put in the sideboards to really finish it off, but this is a huge improvement over the scuzzy towel carpet that was in there beforehand!
Lastly, here is a shot of the flooring I did earlier installed in the dollhouse:

I love the way it turned out.
Now to finish the furniture....

Muah!

I love my cats, 'nuff said.

Other than spending time with them, I've been plugging away on my show!  I'll have some things to share within the next few days. :)

Materiality Show @ ARC Gallery

This last weekend Nate and I went to Chicago for the opening of the Materiality show at ARC Gallery. 

We had a good time, and got to talk to some really great people.

This is one of my pieces from the show, titled 'Three Sisters"


I have a crush on this piece - 'Field of Flowers' by artist Kristi Kohut

The show was juried by Jeanne N. Long, an Independent Curator and the Associate Director of Special Exhibitions at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and,  "explores the place of material in contemporary art practice, encouraging innovative approaches to working with material-including but not limited to traditional domestic crafts, fibers, building materials, found objects, and trash."
The show will be up until the 27th of this month, so if you are in the Chicago area, make sure to check it out!