One of the many joys of having my own studio and gallery is being able to meet the new collectors of my work. I’ve just got back from hand delivering this beauty to a lovely lady who is going to hang the painting in her new holiday home overlooking the water in Pahia, The Bay of Islands. I love this painting so much, it is full of so many happy memories, including setting the intention for New Earth and a world of peace.
“Stop and smell the roses” is an idiom that means to relax; to take time out of one’s busy schedule to enjoy or appreciate the beauty of life. Whether you think of “stopping to smell the roses” as a metaphor, or an actual act of admiring roses, the benefit is the same. Slow down and appreciate the world surrounding you is the message.
Smell the Roses is a painting from the 2020, Soften Series. Created as the world continued to reel from the economic, physical and emotional fallout of Covid-19 the Soften collection embraced GO-LOV 20, the antidote to fear offered by Neuroscientist Dr Joe Dispenza. As my muse Leonardo da Vinci said, “Without love, what is there?”
“Soften” offers an antidote to life’s harsh edges. Created with passion and infused with love the palette embodies pinks, lavenders, ethereal warm whites and sunny, joyful oranges yellows.
For me, and this painting, in particular, the gentle blush of fragrant roses in bloom send so much love. Layered in soft, sultry glazes Smell the Roses speaks to the heart.
I am so grateful and overjoyed that she has found a new home. This painting is sold but commissions are welcome, prints are also available, or you may enjoy viewing the selection of other available floral and love inspired works here:
https://shop.thejoyfulartist.co.nz/product-category/art/floral-series/
WATER SPIRIT, Cassandra Gaisford, 2023
Seductive, sensuous pinks, clarets, greens and oranges uplift, pamper, soothe and delight.
Playful, spontaneous and gestural strokes imbue this painting with new life.
This painting was begun on Matariki. Twinkling in the winter sky just before dawn, Matariki (the Pleiades) signals the Māori New Year. For Māori, the appearance of Matariki heralds a time of remembrance, joy and peace. It is a time for communities to come together and celebrate.
Inspired by the flowers in my garden home to many comings together and celebrations.
I’m leaning into the beautiful flow of rain water infused pigments during the co-creation with Spirit process. Water has an amazing ability to hold, share and live energy. This water infused painting takes a quantum leap from the spring board of Masaru Emoto’s microscopic work with ice crystals. Through macroscopic photography, and a groundbreaking new technique, researcher Veda Austin, allows us to view water as an intelligent force, with the power to respond to human consciousness in ways never before thought possible.
The Water Spirit has a definite feel great vibe.
WATER POEM, Cassandra Gaisford, 2023
“By holding the intention of peace towards water, by thinking, speaking and acting with the intention of peace towards water, water can and will bring peace, to our bodies and to the world.” -Masaru Emoto
48 inch x 48 inch
1210 mm x 1210 mm x 35mm
Acrylic on canvas
Peaceful greens and whites uplift, with accents of gold, blue and lavender, soothe and delight.
LOVE AND GRATITUDE, Cassandra Gaisford, 2023
1120 mm x 1680 mm
“We must begin by learning what it means to have enough… to feel gratitude for having been born on a planet so rich in nature and gratitude for the water that makes our life possible. If you open your eyes you will see that the world is full of so much that deserves our gratitude. When you have become the embodiment of gratitude, think about how pure the water that fills your body will be. When this happens, you, yourself will be a beautiful shining crystal of light.” -Masaru Emoto
This painting was inspired by the studies of water crystals that were exposed to thoughts of love and gratitude by Dr. Masaru Emoto.
as Dr Emoto shares, words hold tremendous power: “In Japan, it is said that words of the soul reside in a spirit called kotodama or the spirit of words, and the act of speaking words has the power to change the world. We all know that words have an enormous influence on the way we think and feel, and that things generally go more smoothly when positive words are used.”
This rain water infused painting holds the energy of love and gratitude from which it draws its name.
The pinks, lavenders, yellows, blues and white palette of Love and Gratitude has a definite feel peaceful, loving, feel good vibe. Bring the energies of love and gratitude into your home with this beautiful transcendental piece.
“We absolutely love the paintings. Just so exciting to be part of the process. So great to work with you with lots of fun discussions too. Would highly recommend commissioning a piece of art by Cassandra as a way to depict a landscape from a mind in such a fun and beautiful way.“
~ Lee and Cliff Whitelaw, 2023
It was such a joy to create two beautiful pieces for such an amazing, truly loving couple as they prepare to move into their soon-to-be finished new home.
The palette enjoys liberal sweeps of happy, warm vibes — summery blues and greens with dashes of sunshine yellows and a splash of hot orange to warm the soul.
Knowles Commission, Beeswax on panel, 1800 x 1200mm
You have remodelled your home, built new, or just feel like an immediate uplift. Perhaps you’ve found an artist whose work you love. Maybe you’ve seen their work on social media or met them at an open studio event or exhibition.
Perhaps you’ve been introduced to their work through a gallery and have never met them but their work speaks to you. Maybe the artist mainly works in a smaller format and you have a large rectangle piece in mind, or there is a particular palette or you want, or a reference to a favourite place that holds so many happy memories.
There can be an infinite array of reasons to want a bespoke piece of work made to your taste and this is where you might consider commissioning a painting rather than purchasing an artwork that is already made.
I love to create bespoke, customised work and create with a range of mediums, including oil paints, acrylic, encaustic, watercolour, gilt and more. I adore the mesmerising colours that come from natural pigments enabling an alchemical relationship between nature and the painting. There is a joy and immediacy to my work too and a direct and absorbing relationship with each piece that is really exciting.
Hundreds of hours of work go into the process of building up the many layers of many of my work. Sometimes a painting can take many years to make and during that process they develop a personality of their own. The minimum lead time on a commission is 3 months but for a large heavily layered piece it is advisable to think in terms of at least one year. I’m trying to capture transcendent beauty and capture this as an antidote to our chaotic times.
My soul purpose is to create something that uplifts spirits and provides harmony, peace and tranquillity. My style is constantly evolving as I keep discovering new paints and techniques and explore the boundless possibilities of colour. I am committed to taking creative risks and pushing things to the edge of possibility—and beyond. I absolutely love working to a huge scale.
Looking for larger art? I love, love, love creating bespoke pieces tailored to your home, lifestyle, goals and dreams.
LEARN MORE HERE>
Dickey Commission
People often ask me, “How do you commission a painting from an artist? How can you be sure you’re going to get what you want? It must take a lot of trust.”
In this video, I share the inspiration and process behind a large beeswax painting I completed in 2021 for a local Bay of Islands family. You’ll see some of the inspiration behind the finished work as well as video footage during the creation process. You’ll also discover how easy, fun and risk-free it is to commission a truly original painting from me.
I share more about the commission process here: https://www.thejoyfulartist.co.nz/commissions/
Thanks for watching and reading. I hope you enjoyed the insight into my creative process. To discuss the possibility of a commission, please don’t hesitate to contact me for an obligation-free discussion. I share more about the commission process here: https://www.thejoyfulartist.co.nz/commissions/ including a few questions to help guide your decisions
Cassandra
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What are some of the stories behind your work?
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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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