Ever been to Forager and wondered who does their awesome art?

Let me take you back to March 30th. On that sunny (yet chilly) afternoon, it proved to be an especially Good Friday. I assembled a group of Rochester artists at Cafe Steam which all happen to female. I've written plenty about the men of Rochester's art scene (whether it's music, paint, poetry or any other form of art) in the past, and I felt it was well past time to give the ladies the spotlight too.

TSM Rochester
TSM Rochester
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Meet Cassandra Buck. She's a visual artist and painter from right here in Rochester. She told me, "I was born and raised here. I'm a local arts advocate, artist, and I like to call myself a leader in the arts community." She truly does have the attention of her peers! When I first put the word out about this series, her name was one of the first that was "nominated" by other art lovers in Rochester. "It's been six or seven years now since I've really thrown myself into it." She says, "I'm also a teacher. I like working with local non-profits and local artists - getting people's work shown, and connecting with businesses."

What makes her stand out is her dedication to advocacy. She didn't even tell me about her own art until later.

When she does talk about her own art, she's passionate about art as it relates to women. She explained, "I started a women's exhibit called La Mece Del Done [In English, "A Month of Women"], the first exhibit was in Downtown Rochester. It started with six artists, then it became thirty and there was music. It kept getting bigger! By the fourth year, we opened it up to the state of Minnesota. We had it at RCTC."  Most of you know her work (and have seen it) at Forager Brewing Company. She's also the reason we have Gallery 24. She started it.

"I'm a do-er. If I want something to happen, I'm not going to wait for it," she explains. When Cassandra brought this up, all of the ladies at the table agreed that they felt like they had to take their own initiative in Rochester when it comes to their art. This makes it even more important for them (and all local artists, for that matter) to stick together.

Cassandra is most excited to keep that momentum going.

Next week, it's my personal mission to surprise you with another Rochester woman in art. Know someone who needs to be included? Reach out to me here.

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