Artist Alia E. El-Bermani stated in an interview "... I hired Cassandra who I had drawn from at local groups. She was becoming a semi famous Los Angeles artist’s model. I started the painting purely for the love of paint and the human form. I was hoping a deeper meaning would emerge as the painting progressed but, unfortunately nothing ever came. Perhaps part of that was not having a connection to the model; not knowing her inner thoughts. I like to get to know my subjects well enough to put more into the work, but this model, although beautiful and strong, didn’t offer more of herself than the outward shell. During breaks, she sat in the corner of my studio quietly texting or reading. It was sort of uncomfortable."
Just how personal can a painting of a professional model be?
top to bottom: John Asaro, Hong Ly, Steve Assael, Alia E. El-Bermani, Adrian Gottlieb
I'm getting to this party a little late, but I'd just like to leap to Cassandra's defence here. I've been drawing her since about 2001, and have hired her privately for five paintings. It is true that, of the models I've worked with, she is one of the most difficult to get to know - but it is possible to know her, and once you do, it turns out she's been present all along and simply requires a different observational skill set than the ordinary one. She offers more than Alia suggests; it takes patience, but is well worth the time.
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