Creating is a means of storytelling, or in the case of Hot Springs-based fine artist Daniel Mark Cassity, it has become a form of story-suggesting. As a free thinker and fierce individualist, Cassity doesn’t just create visual stories, but entire worlds through his work. 

Daniel Mark Cassity in his Hot Springs studio

“I seldom concern myself with popular trends and have no interest in following others. I have a singular vision and clarity,” Cassity said. “If my work is appreciated as fresh or original, I suspect it’s for that very reason.”  

Inspired by who he was as an 8-year-old with an irrepressible maker’s spirit, Cassity has unintentionally become a still life specialist, with a unique style spawning from his commitment to not just fine art, but also to writing fiction, dabbling in songwriting and recording. Classically trained, Cassity committed himself to self-educating in many aspects. He said he would not be the visual story-suggester that he is today if not for the time he took to develop as a writer. 

“For me, still life was not about the typical fruit bowl, but rather an arena to explore artistic ideas. I hope to demonstrate that still life can be exciting and vibrant. It’s about symbolism and metaphor, of course, but I specifically responded to the storytelling element,” Cassity said, likening the process of producing a painting to that of playing with objects as a kid. 

With a lack of brush strokes, Cassity’s works in their final forms have become unique and wildly recognizable. “The Kingdom,” his most identifiable series, was inspired by his wife’s son, who folded an origami dragon from a hamburger wrapper. The origami dragon was eventually placed on a pine board along with two matchsticks and a wine bottle, leading to the creation of “Torches, Tower, and Dragon,” the first painting created for “The Kingdom.” 

He said, “We find origami represented in still life paintings, sure, usually in a predictable way, but Origami Dragons are mine. Generally speaking, I am presenting a representation of physical reality sprinkled with implied fantasy.”

Cassity refers to “The Kingdom” as his imaginary world, with each painting becoming its own world, accompanied by a brief passage of fiction, “Tales from The Kingdom,” which gives viewers insight into the artist’s perspective of each painting. 

“As a visual storyteller, but one who has also written short fiction and produced recordings, I have a real kinship with filmmakers, and suspect cinematographers might appreciate my compositions, and use of light and shadow,” Cassity said. “I motivate myself with the reality that I am competing with filmmakers – and every other creative – for viewer attention, so I better bring the thunder, right? I take that very seriously. I intend to present artwork that is satisfying to the viewer, rewarding them for their time.” 

Over the next decade, Cassity intends to squeeze everything he can from the still life genre as he “…might even turn it upside down and shake it.” Specifically, Cassity will continue with his stipple glazing techniques, dynamic treatment of edges, origami dragons, “luminous” shadows, created props, alternative lighting and his imagination. Cassity, along with his wife Diana, has cultivated and enjoyed the creative environment of Hot Springs. The couple welcomes visitors to their studios. 

DANIELMARKCASSITY.COM / IG @DANIELMARKCASSITY 

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