Casey Cook

We met Casey Cook about 15 years ago.  I was on the hunt for an artist who might be able to work with Jessica who craved creativity.  She was really into drawing at the time.  I met Josh Abelow who was drawing and painting.  I asked him he would be interested in working with Jessica once a week.  He was in the midst of something and said he would introduce me to his friend Casey Cook.  I had just seen Casey’s work at a gallery so I wasn’t sure she would be interested.  Ends up she was thrilled.

Jessica would meet with Casey once a week in her studio that was then located in the garment center.  Then she moved out to the last stop of the L and Jessica would go out there weekly.  That was in 2002 or 2003.  Not the Brooklyn that is it today.

The following year Casey would come to us and work in our basement with Jessica.  On occasion Emily and Josh would join in the festivities.  It was really an incredible experience…for everyone.  We bought a great piece of Casey’s during that time.

Then Casey left NYC for North Carolina.  She was living in this artists community that was affiliated with a gallery.  She had a show in NYC at one point and we went and I purchased another piece of her work.

Fast forward, Casey sent me jpegs of a show she was doing at Light Art + Design in Chapel Hill, NC.  I really loved her work but what we zeroed in on was these sculptures made out of cardboard.  I asked her if she could make this one sculpture be something that could live outside.  We are going to get delivery of that piece in a few weeks and I am really excited.

Casey was interviewed about these pieces for the Nasher Museum at Duke.  Here is our piece above in the final stages.  It is called Whoa Nelly.