Halima Cassell was born in 1975 in Pakistan, and now lives and works in England.
Her craftsmanship is impressive, the grace and smoothness of the curves and where the lines meet and join and separate remind me of one of my favorite tile pieces from a few years ago. I like the energy of the lines and shapes, and how deep the carving is.
She has a series built out of shards, the reverse of the carving process. I like that at first glance, the shapes may appear to be carved, but on further inspection they are added together.
She has a number of difference series she works with, tiles, platters, sculptures, wood, and other materials. They all embody her graceful lines and attention to detail, and have a visual dynamism and energy that I am really drawn to.
Looking at these different shapes and textures changed how I was working on my series of figure studies- I let myself get looser and more gestural, and I am super happy with the shapes I achieved. I hope, further down the road, to maintain that more visceral style on the figures, and draw in some crisp carved elements, balancing the loose and the precise.
hanna eastin 