The Ohio Artist Registry (OAR) is an exciting opportunity for artists to share their work, connect with the creative community, and establish an online presence—all on a free, virtual platform! The OAR encourages artists working in all art forms, throughout Ohio and beyond, to create a profile, which allows them to better promote themselves and their work. Being listed in the OAR provides artists with new opportunities to share their work with clients, galleries, patrons, and audiences. A listing in the OAR does not confer an endorsement, approval, or verification by the Ohio Arts Council.
For more information, contact Kathy Signorino, artist programs director, at kathy.signorino@oac.ohio.gov or 614-728-6140.
2024 Ohio Artist Registry Juried Exhibition
Shannon Casey
Bio
Writing and drawing have always been closely intertwined for Shannon Casey and now her drawings and paintings tell a new narrative. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and minor in Studio Art at Kent State University and spent the first part of her working life as an advertising copywriter, dabbling in art on the side. The trajectory changed when she started taking portrait painting classes with Joseph Cintron at the Cleveland Institute of Art. She studied with him for several years as a non-degree student and has been honing her craft ever since. The opportunity to create — pastel on paper and oil on canvas — is a life-long pursuit. She’s been glad to encourage students of her own along the way.
Casey’s artwork has been included in local exhibitions and juried shows in Northeast Ohio including pieces at Cleveland Hopkins Airport, the Cleveland Botanical Garden, Peg’s Gallery at the Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation and Summit ArtSpace.
Artist Statement
I enjoy creating figurative paintings and drawings that tell a story and often my inspiration comes from the night sky. I imagine Copernicus in a star-chart sweater, a procession of constellations, and scores of whimsical moons. The night sky never fails to inspire me and my work reflects some of the individual stories of the heavens as drawn from mythology, the Bible and my imagination. Central to my artwork is Psalm 19 which begins, “The Heavens declare the glory of God.” I seek to create work that challenges people to consider the natural world and its Creator, the keeper of the stars.
Creating art also becomes a way for me to illustrate concepts like memory and time. I love using bits and pieces from local history as a jumping off point for work — like an old autograph book from 1883 with messages written to a little girl named Lydia. Or a summer-long hunt that led me to discover the story of a mastodon jaw found a mile from my house. Or the mystery of living in an old house as a child and finding Native American arrowheads in the garden and a signal tree in the woods. All of these resulted in paintings or drawings that tell the story visually.
I work primarily in oils and enhance my paintings with mixed media like gold and silver metal leaf and sheet music. Family, friends and imaginary characters are all incorporated in my work. Some compositions come fully formed and I just put them on canvas or paper. Others are worked and reworked, revealing themselves over time. Pastel and charcoal portraits are a joy to do and I particularly enjoy the connection I make with the sitter during this little slice of time.