Jesup Gallery
August 2 through October 5
Reception: Wednesday, September 17, 6-8 pm, in the Trefz Forum; click here for more information.
(Reception kicks off at 6 pm, followed by a conversation between Cassetta and Miggs Burroughs at 7 pm.)
Eggs are represented in every piece of art Linn Cassetta makes. Her connection to eggs goes back to some of her earliest experiences as a young girl in western Pennsylvania, where she spent her days wandering in the woods, drawing organic forms of nature, and finding feathers, broken eggs, and nests.
"At my aunt's chicken farm, I'd sit for hours, mesmerized by the eggs going down the conveyor belt, enchanted by their perfection, enchanted by the calm I felt." Cassetta said, speaking to the perfect shape of an egg and the power of what it represents. "As a structure, it has magical qualities. A shape and form that has existed forever, it represents beginnings, hope, and perpetuity. An egg equals creation, simultaneously strong and fragile."
After receiving her BFA with honors from the Rhode Island School of Design, Cassetta became the first American accepted to the fashion department at the Royal College of Art in London, where she earned her MA. Her final show received a standing ovation.
In the first chapter of her career, Cassetta became an established figure in apparel and footwear design. She was the Design Director at Andrew Geller Shoes, based in New York and Civitanova Marche, Italy. She was part of the team that was instrumental in creating the first Calvin Klein shoe collection, and captured the Vogue Shoe of the Year Award.
At 25, she launched her own highly acclaimed apparel label Linn Callahan Designs. Her collection was featured in the windows of Saks Fifth Avenue NYC, which also housed a Linn Callahan boutique space. As Japan was the source of many of the textiles she developed for her label, these relationships led to a global position as Design Director for an international private label development at C. ITOH, a large Japanese trading company. She worked directly with store buyers and executives, dividing her time between New York, Tokyo, Osaka, and Hong Kong. She then lived in Paris for several years doing freelance apparel illustration.
Later in her career, as the mother of three children, Cassetta refocused her talent in the U.S. on interior design, decorative and tromp l'oeil painting, and tabletop design. Her work was featured in Martha Stewart's book, New Old House, among others. She also created an earthenware collection for Deruta of Italy and restored a 1900s French style villa. This work was featured in numerous publications including House Beautiful and Connecticut Cottages and Gardens.
Working from her studio in an artist enclave in Connecticut, Cassetta now focuses her energy on a deeper exploration of the beloved EGG and interior design. Her creations continue to be well informed by her vastly interdisciplinary background.
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For more about the Library art exhibits, visit the Art at the Library page.
