Art Exhibit Features Cassiday's Work

For Immediate Press Release
Oct. 29, 2006

Cassiday Exhibits at The Reading Grounds, 40th and Farnam, Omaha, Ne


Known for his watercolors and colorful abstract acrylics, Bud Cassiday’s art is again exhibited at The Reading Grounds during the month of November. This show will feature a number of representational watercolors as well as larger abstract works on canvas. Bud has always loved art, artists, and their contributions to culture but has been working at it for only about 3 years. At the age of fifty-two, Cassiday turned to art. "I’d always wanted to be an artist –so after ending a long time career as a union organizer, I started painting day after day and night after night. A thousand paintings later, I’m still discovering creativity in myself that I thought I had but wasn’t sure about."

Bud says, "I continue to explore the desire for meaning we humans experience—that searching for patterns that we can recognize. I find that many of my pieces exist in that world between the recognizable and comfortable --- and an illusory, discordant mystery of form. Some of my work leans toward the world of comfortable pattern, some includes a light hearted whimsy of creation, and others capture the frustrating lack of clarity and meaning we too often witness or experience."

Bud says, "Sometimes after a long day or week of working on abstract compositions contemplating the meaning of life, the relativity of perception, the inadequacies of language, and the devaluing of knowledge, I need to paint a flower or a sailboat on the ocean, or a landscape, or go play a round of golf."

"I often have fun with the titles of my art, as well," Bud says. "My Simple Gifts series is an example of this. One of my favorite melodies is that American folk tune Aaron Copland used for his orchestral version. Such a simple melodic line contrasts sharply with the complex unrecognizable abstractions in that series. Another of my favorites is ‘Hot Dog Vendor’; and try as I might I can’t find the hot dog or the vendor!"

Bud has been a regular exhibitor at The Reading Grounds. Bud has also been invited as a guest artist to exhibit his work at the Omaha Community Playhouse production of "Always…Patsy Cline" in January 2007. He has also exhibited his work at several fine art galleries in Omaha and Eastern Nebraska. In order to pay some of the bills, Bud teaches writing part time at Metropolitan Community College, plays the saxophone in an oldies Rock and Roll Band, see www.happytogether.info, and sells a painting now and then. The Backwaters Press will feature one of Bud’s paintings on an upcoming publication. Bud’s art can always be seen at his website at www.artbycassiday.com.