Connie Cassani-Beard
Signature Member
My art career began when I was a child painting Christmas Scenes on the windows of the elementary school I attended. Always focusing on art in highschool and advanced education, the places that inspired me the most were the creative classes in high school and courses I attended at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN, the Art and Design Program at the University of Kansas and mentors along the way.
After a career teaching in Missouri and Kansas and raising three creative children while living in South Bend, IN and Colorado Springs, CO, I focused on freelance work in textile design and graphic arts.
I returned to more creative interests after I retired in 2013 from years as an educator and medical social worker. A trip to Provence, France inspired me to explore pastel art. Pastel artist, Linda Curell, became my mentor and teacher as a beginner. Continuing with on-line demonstrations and attending workshops from pastel masters, I became even more passionate with the colorful, vibrant intensity of pastels that make the painting come alive. As a Signature member and former Board member of the Pikes Peak Pastel Society, I have been inspired and have grown in style and technique and remain open to new possibilities in incorporating other mediums with pastels.
I have been fortunate to receive awards for my pastel paintings. Today when I pull out a piece of pastel paper and tape up one of my photographs, I begin fresh and explore with new techniques to paint more freely.