“I have never done something like this before but always thought I would like to!! Something that has been on my mind for so long and now, with your encouragement, I have taken the leap to get involved and explore the wonderful world of art and creativity.”
I admire people who feel the fear and do something new anyway. Many of the participants in my workshops are first-time painters or those yearning to through away perfectionism in favour of finding fun and freedom in abstract expressionism.
Heather also shares, “I’ve been struggling with being brave enough and bold enough to get ‘stuck in’! I feel that I need to plan the time to get my ‘creative fix’ – it’s been in my head for so long so now that I am ‘retired’ I want to get more involved in doing after all: it’s doing it that gets it done.’ I feel that once I do get more into the doing, I will do more and more, and that’s what I am looking forward to.“
The wonderful thing about art is that you are never too old (or too young) to create. I have a painting in my home created by Piera McArthur when she had just turned 90 years young. She is still painting.
Piera writes, “The Battle is always on! Recognition may be desirable, but what if the end of the struggle brought complacency? Surely this is the saddest fate for the creative spirit. There are successes in the painter’s life that do not depend on the public arena. To be a painter is a gift from the Gods and not for a minute may you neglect this great love affair.”
She also writes, “The purpose of one’s existence is to find the next wonderful thing, and I’ll never stop looking.”
Super excited to share my passion and purpose with three lovely soul sisters in my gallery in March. We’ll paint, create, laugh, and sing on my 10-acre paradise overlooking gardens and the sea. What fun we shall have playing!!!
You can learn more about the retreat here.
https://www.thejoyfulartist.co.nz/workshops-around-the-globe/
I first ‘met’ Heather when she read and reviewed my new release, Landscapes From My Mind.
“I have just been on a joyous journey full of love, light, happiness, fun, peace and, of course, joy. This is how I feel, having just read the Joyful Artist Cassandra Gaisford’s book Landscapes of My Mind. Cassandra’s writing just flows, and just like her artworks, it is full of enthusiasm, passion and inspiration. Her positivity shines through and bubbles out of the pages of words just as it bubbles out of her paintings, giving readers and viewers the best experiences. If you are ever feeling a bit down, I recommend picking up Landscapes of My Mind, reading a chapter or two, and you will soon feel your soul filling with joy and happiness.
For me, Cassandra is a perfect example of what the poet Wislawa Szymborska is describing about inspiration: “There is, there has been, there will always be a certain group of people whom inspiration visits. It’s made up of all those who’ve consciously chosen their calling and do their job with love and imagination. It may include doctors, teachers, gardeners — I could list a hundred more professions. Their work becomes one continuous adventure as long as they manage to keep discovering new challenges in it. Difficulties and setbacks never quell their curiosity.”
Having read this book, I now feel that I have been inspired to move forward on my own adventure of positive creativity, exploring bright and beautiful, big and bold, joy and light, and so the list goes on. Cassandra says she gravitates towards joy. To me, she is joy and I thank her for sharing this wonderful attribute through her paintings and words.”
I was so moved by Heather’s review and so delighted she has made the journey to follow the pied piper of delight and come and painting with me.
Landscapes of My Mind: Colour, Light & Beauty
Paint landscapes with feeling, passion and purpose!
I’m feeling super excited with the new release (under the Pisces new moon of my latest passion project. I have dedicated the book to Lee and Cliff Whitelaw who came to my gallery in 2022 and asked me to paint them a landscape from my mind. I shall always treasure the fun we had, and shall continue to have, together.
Here’s the blurb:
Landscapes of My Mind: Colour, Light & Beauty celebrates the joy and beauty of painting the New Zealand landscape seen through the eyes and heart of award-winning artist Cassandra Gaisford. It illustrates the joy of abstract expressionism and shows there is no right or wrong way of painting a scene and no perfect medium.
Cassandra has studied with other artists and is largely self-taught…what she shares are the landscapes from her mind and her love of nature and talent for recreating it in paintings with soul and feeling. Cassandra Gaisford (BCA, Dip Psych) shares insights into her creative process. She is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice exudes an uninhibited, spontaneous spirit. Her artistic output includes a repertoire of decidedly varied formats. Drawing, painting, sculpture, furniture, photography, and other creative pursuits combine playful energy with bright, optimistic themes and colour palettes.
A Reiki Master and healer, she takes inspiration from the spiritual world and her immediate natural environment: the sea, sky, clouds, flowers, birds, streams and trees. Her work is a call to rebelliousness—to feed our lives with beauty and love, not hatred and fear.
The artist explains landscape paintings in a range of styles and mediums. Find out what inspired the paintings, how each artwork was composed and what techniques were used. An excellent book for artists and anyone interested in art.
Beautifully illustrated with links to videos and other media to deepen your inspiration and understanding.
Landscapes of My Mind: Colour, Light & Beauty will inspire and encourage you to free the artist within, paint intuitively and create art that sustains your life.
Available in eBook and paperback from Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BW87K67D
READER REVIEWS
“I have read and enjoyed your wonderful book!! I feel so inspired now to get back into my sleep out / studio and my creativity.”
“I have just been on a joyous journey full of love, light, happiness, fun, peace and, of course, joy. This is how I feel, having just read the Joyful Artist Cassandra Gaisford’s book Landscapes of My Mind. Cassandra’s writing just flows, and just like her artworks, it is full of enthusiasm, passion and inspiration. Her positivity shines through and bubbles out of the pages of words just as it bubbles out of her paintings, giving readers and viewers the best experiences. If you are ever feeling a bit down, I recommend picking up Landscapes of My Mind, reading a chapter or two, and you will soon feel your soul filling with joy and happiness.”
“Having read this book, I now feel that I have been inspired to move forward on my own adventure of positive creativity, exploring bright and beautiful, big and bold, joy and light, and so the list goes on. Cassandra says she gravitates towards joy. To me, she is joy, and I thank her for sharing this wonderful attribute through her paintings and words.”
NEW RELEASE! EXCLUSIVE TO AMAZON
Nurture your creative self!. Purchase this book today!
Universal Link
https://mybook.to/LandscapesOfMyMind
audio coming soon!
Recently a gorgeous couple came to visit me in my happy gallery, Art@Rangitane and asked me to “create a landscape from my mind” to grace the walls of their new home. It was thrilling, but also perplexing. What did this mean? What were the landscapes from my mind? I thought it would be fun to assemble a montage of some of my fav paintings inspired by the earth, sea, moon and stars. In this video, I share a collage of love-infused landscapes.
“I was reminded today of the book I wrote when my daughter was around 4 and was being bullied. She was happily singing away, and the girl next door called out, “you think you can sing, but you can’t.”
Today Hannah shared a post about a spontaneous call to sing!
This little girl had a song to sing.
Yesterday in a room of over 250 people and the top executive teams from the company I have just partnered with I was invited to sing in a Karaoke competition up on the stage.
Moments before….without knowing it….my mum Cassandra Gaisford sent me this photo.
I teared up a little because it was like the little girl within me from my past wanted to remind me of who I am.
I knew this trip was going to be big. I nearly didn’t get on the plane.
“Our greatest fear is not that we will fail. Our greatest fear is that we are more powerful than we give ourselves credit for”.
I knew I’d come back a changed woman. So yesterday as I channelled my song through “don’t stop believing, hold on to that feeling” I was overwhelmed by the support, encouragement and love in the room.
People I had only just met a few short days ago.
The sisterhood and brotherhood in this company is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in my life.
Unbreakable bonds were made this weekend.
And remember the incredible power that can come from singing your song
YOU MAY ENJOY:
How to do it scared—even if you don’t have the courage of a lion
My story: how my dark nights of the soul awakened my passion and purpose
How to Age Positively in Your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond
Posted in: Blog
ABOUT CASSANDRA
I am an artist, storyteller, intuitive guide, mentor and Reiki master. All my creations are infused with positive energy , inspiration, and light. I believe in magic and the power of beauty, joy, love, purpose, and creativity to transform your life. My greatest joy is helping your realize your dreams. That makes my soul sing!
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P: +64 (0) 21 873 833
E: hello@thejoyfulartist.co.nz
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