Biography

Cascade Howe (b. 2001, Portland, Oregon) is an oil painter and interdisciplinary artist pursuing a BFA in Painting at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Her work explores identity, family, and the emotional weight of lived experience, reflecting on how the chaos and tenderness of our pasts shape who we become. Beyond her paintings she brings together materials that don’t naturally belong, finding a balance between structure and vulnerability that mirrors the relationships and tensions she examines.

Artist Statement

As an artist, I delve into the complexities of identity, personal relationships, and the emotional weight of lived experiences. My work reflects both the chaos and unity inherent in family dynamics and trauma, revealing the raw, unfiltered nature of humanity. Through my art, I aim to challenge traditional norms, exposing the dysfunction that often lies beneath the polished projections we create as adults and exploring how our past shapes the people we become and the relationships we fall into.

My process often begins with a vibrant acrylic underpainting, sometimes remaining in a more gestural state, while other times evolving through layers of oil into a more refined piece. This gradual progression builds toward a balance between expressive freedom and intentional detail, mirroring the tension between chaos and unity that defines the core of my themes. 

In other works, I focus more directly on materiality, creating three dimensional pieces that engage with space and form. I pair organic materials with more structural ones, intentionally combining elements that, by nature, don’t belong together. In doing so, I explore how opposing forces can coexist and even strengthen one another, much like the relationships we fall into.