Avi Cassouto
Avi Cassouto is a self-taught, multidisciplinary visual artist – painter and sculptor.
Born in 1949, he lives, creates and teaches in Jerusalem.
His style ranges from realism to expressionism.
He has taken part in dozens of group and solo exhibitions in Israel and abroad.
At his studio in Jerusalem's Ramat Sharet neighborhood, Avi holds painting workshops with personal guidance, in small groups and in a pleasant, unique atmosphere.
Many of his works are also on display at the studio.
Among other things, Avi has created theater sets, event decor, murals, environmental installations, art prints and stone sculptures, but painting remains his main focus.
The studio is open to visitors by appointment.
Artist Statement
Painting is the ultimate way of expressing my thoughts and feelings.
My artistic expression is influenced mainly by my physical and emotional presence in Jerusalem.
"Earthly Jerusalem," in all its facets, past and present, is my very being, and it is what nourishes my inner world as a person and as an artist.
The city's diverse and complex atmosphere, the fabric of its people, its neighborhoods, markets, alleys and secluded courtyards, the surrounding villages, its landscapes, stone houses, faded olive trees and its unique light are my main source of inspiration.
In my works I try to convey this sense of ease and of blending into the place where I live and create, hoping to share with the viewer the joy I draw from my seemingly ordinary, everyday presence in Jerusalem.
As a person, an artist and an Israeli from Jerusalem, I am of course also influenced by changing moods and by personal and collective events around me, in a wide and endlessly shifting range. So what is true and influential today did not necessarily influence me a year ago, and may not influence me or my work a year from now.
I try to stay "open" to as many new influences as my senses can absorb, yet I remain "captive" to the magic of realist art, and equally to the charms of Impressionism in most of its branches, and I salute many of its masters.
I devote many hours to each work, releasing energy as if I were engaged in exhausting physical exercise. I strive for paintings marked by beauty, volume and precision, achieved by working in many layers. Most of my paintings are oil on stretched canvas, in a mixed technique of palette knife and brush.
My connection to Jerusalem stone, with all its shades and qualities, led me several years ago to sculpt in limestone and marble.
I was once asked how my creative process begins and develops. This is how I put my answer:
Creation
I stare at a white canvas.
My hand hesitates toward a stick of charcoal.
I feel empty, no inspiration.
Water flows through my veins.
A bland taste fills my mouth.
The air stands still…
Silence…
Suddenly it happens.
On its own, my hand scribbles black on white.
The brush, the knife, the colors come together on their own.
My body fills with thick blood.
Sensations, tastes, colors.
Gusts of wind…
Noise…
Painting Workshops
Want to try your hand at painting? Even if you've never painted before, this workshop is for you.
In my studio in Jerusalem,
I hold painting workshops in small groups, in a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere.
The workshops focus on the fundamentals of drawing and on working with color, while improving each student's observation and execution skills.
We work mainly with oil paints.
Topics include: thinning and mixing paint; painting in layers to achieve depth, transparency and precision; using a variety of techniques according to the goal of each work; wet-on-wet painting. We also learn and practice the principles of drawing (measurement, proportion, perspective, light and shadow) as preparation for color.
Guidance is personal and tailored to each student's personality, skills, pace and artistic inclinations.
Private lessons and guidance in preparing a portfolio are also available. Get in touch for details.
Contact
Send Me a Message
Contact Details
Postal code 9690521