Local artist promotes ecology awareness

Cassy Tully, an ecologically friendly artist, took a leap of faith this past June.

She branched out into her own business, Cassy Tully-Fine Art. Her studio is located in her home, located in Plymouth.

The following month was another significant one for the young artist. She was married in July to Brad Feick, a Plymouth High School English teacher. Brad’s mother Sue Feick is a member of the Plymouth School Board.

“I’m actually Mrs. Brad Feick,” Tully explained. “But I’m Cassy Tully in my artist and business name.”

She described her artwork as uniquely blending contemporary painting methods with historic ceramic relief sculpting techniques. Tully uses acrylic gel mediums and fine-art sand to manipulate the paint, like clay.

This increases the level of relief and illusion of perspective in her paintings. Iridescent paint and radiant hues illuminate the richly textured surfaces. Thus, her work presents an appealing sense of warmth and reflects her belief that there is beauty in simplicity.

“I am dedicated to advancing art education – creating uplifting, professional artwork for the betterment of all,” she said.

Her Growing Tree project is one example of this mission.

“All things in nature must begin, grow, change, endure and evolve,” Tully said.

Her five Growing Tree paintings are available in three sizes – 5-inch-by-7-inch, 12-inch-by-16-inch and 16-inch-by-20 inch.

Tully provided a description for each tree in the series – titled “Change,” “Endurance,” “Generosity,” “New Beginnings” and “Traditions.”

. “Change” “As the seasons evolve, change occurs in our lives as well. It is important to find a peaceful place to grow. Although a time of change is turbulent, we can always see our vibrant reflection in the water.”

. “Endurance” “Persistence, patience, tolerance and willpower are essential to persevere. Constant, individual growth and daring to defy all odds reveal true inner strength.”

. “Generosity” “There is goodness in giving. Success may weigh down our branches and require letting go of something dear. Yet, when we give gladly, it allows for new growth and for the sun to shine through our branches.”

. “New Beginnings” “A fresh, powerful, but fragile energy is the essence of a new beginning. Time passes quickly.

“Delicate leaves may change, before filling out branches. Yet, the first branches will support the rest to come.”

. “Traditions” “Blanketed by snow, the evergreen brings forth memories of holiday traditions, past and present. Finding the perfect family Christmas tree, a tradition celebrating timeless shared holiday memories, marks new live, joy and togetherness.”

In keeping with Tully’s devotion toward protecting the environment, “Each Growing Tree painting is created on canvas panel, using an eco-friendly, acid-free core, made from a cellulose by-product and is ecologically renewable,” she said.

In addition, Growing Tree paintings are professionally framed in partnership with Art’s Displays Custom Framing Gallery, located in Sheboygan and with Gina’s Custom Framing, Elkhart Lake.

“Rather than order new custom molding that must be individually packaged and shipped from Italy, each Growing Tree frame is meticulously selected from remnants of Italian molding and carefully pieced together, to provide an elegant look,” she noted.

Tully goes one step farther to advance her cause. With the purchase of each Growing Tree painting, she makes a donation to the Wayne National Forest Plant-A-Tree Program. The Wayne National Forest, a 250,000-acre forest, is located in southeast Ohio, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.

The U.S. Forest Service established the Plant-A-Tree Program to allow people to donate money toward planting trees on national forests, to leave memorials for those they have lost or to commemorate special occasions. Tully participates in that program.

“As a Cassy Tully-Fine Art collector, those who purchase my Growing Tree paintings will receive a certificate from the U.S. Forest Service that recognizes their contributions and specifies they are selected as Growing Tree honorees,” Tully said. “They may choose to celebrate a special occasion, such as an anniversary, birthday or retirement or to honor a loved one’s memory.”

Tully has hired Sun Graphics, Plymouth, to print greeting cards containing pictures of the Growing Trees series.

Her Growing Tree art works are displayed at Reel Yoga, Plymouth; Art’s Displays Custom Framing Gallery, Sheboygan; and Gina’s Custom Framing, Elkhart Lake.

Tully also paints Italian artworks, such as the Tuscan landscape, cypress trees and flowers.

Her paintings of the Whistling Straits Golf Course in Haven, complete with grazing sheep, have won rave reviews.

She also does abstract paintings and custom paintings.

A New Berlin native, Tully earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin- Madison in 2006. She spent the last summer of her college career, completing three credits toward her degree in Florence, Italy.

“I did an independent research project there for my thesis on the evolution of the 15th-ceramic relief artwork,” Tully noted. “My research advisor was UW-Madison professor Carol Pylant.”

Tully also attended art training in New York City and at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Aspen, Colo.

The Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society’s Zillman Award and a national grant supported her art research and her Bachelor of Fine Arts show.

For two years, she taught art lessons at the Monroe Street Fine Arts Center, Madison, and she served as the Plymouth Arts Center educational coordinator for six months.

From January 2008 until this past June, she was the artist in residence at Su Casa Design Studio in Kohler.

“I used my extensive art knowledge and critical eye at Su Casa Design Studio to create original artwork and to shape interior-design spaces,” Tully said.

To date, she has shown her artwork in galleries and has some of her artwork in private collections in Wisconsin Florida, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Ohio and South Carolina.

For Tully, creating artworks is a labor of love. “I enjoy being able to share my art with others and to bring beauty and joy to them,” she said. “When my art means something special to my clients, we share a connection.

“It’s really rewarding when someone values my artwork enough to purchase it and take it into his or her home,” she added. “Creating meaningful art is important to me.”

Tully’s five Growing Trees are displayed, along with samples of her other artworks, on her Web site. It can be accessed at http://web.me.com/cassytully

For further information, contact Tully at 1-262-424-7476. Her e-mail address is cassytully@me.com.