Hi everyone and welcome to my first blog! My name is Cassie Marie Eng and I am from Victoria BC on beautiful Vancouver Island. I was born and raised here, a fourth generation Victoria BC citizen. A local amongst locals as I have heard say many a time. Haha. I am three quarters Chinese and one quarter British from my paternal Grandmother. My known languages however are French, Japanese and of course English.
I learnt French in school (as it was mandatory) and taught myself Japanese after getting into the culture and history from anime and JPop. My skills in those languages are like a fine wine and get better with age and practice but being a musician since I was little really helps matters. I play the clarinet and sing, skills gained from being inspired by Gene Kelly, Fred Rogers and Lawrence Welk growing up. All of whom were playing in the background in my formulative years.
Many would say that also had a hand in me gravitating to dance and I wouldn't be able to deny that fact. BUT I would add that my maternal Grandmother had a hand in that as well as she had a huge choreography binder that she passed along to me after I joined her in her own dance classes. It was a passion that I carried on after her eventual passing last year. Now you may ask how did I go from performing arts to visual arts?
My paternal Grandfather, a World War Veteran. He was a handyman and very artistically gifted. When I was in my formulative years I would spend many a day with him, learning from him and doing art right alongside him. I would draw and paint with stationery he would have on the dining room table at his house. Back then it was pure fun and I would treat it as such. Never did I think of doing it in school or as a career until after High School as I think I considered it too precious a treasure to take into such an establishment.
Instead to express my creativity I would embrace the performing arts and literature leaving art to its safe haven. Soon, however, I couldn't do such a thing. The pull and calling to follow in my Grandfather's footsteps (especially after his passing) was too strong to deny. I drew with more passion and found it had the same power to express my creativity that the written words had done for me but in a different manner. That discerning eye of mine transferring to photography and eventually watercolor painting just as much (to whom I have a Japanese Grandfather as an instructor).
I eventually received my degree at the Victoria College of Arts where I pursued my accreditation in drawing, design, painting, art history and photography. All of which I utilize in my art portfolio to this day. In 2013 I founded my own business CMEVisuals which initially focused on showcasing just my nature photography slowly showcasing my other skills as the years progressed as my abilities grew stronger. Or my confidence grew, whichever came first, haha.
I would hope it was my confidence as the two self portrait illustrations (one in pencil crayon and the other in Copic) can attest to. Which brings us full circle to this point where I have incorporated my other great passion of literature into the artistic mix with this blog. While writing this I feel like I am just putting the bow on what has been a gift to me from my Grandparents over the years. Like I am showcasing all of me, in my purest form.
Thank you for reading and joining me on this creative journey.
XOXO, Casahana-hime.