Cassidy Argo
Cassidy Argo is a figurative painter based in Providence, Rhode Island. In 2021, She earned her BFA in Fine Arts at Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia, PA. Cassidy is currently pursuing her MFA in Painting at the Rhode Island School of Design. In her work, she explores the delicate interplay of comfort and discomfort. Her paintings weave together themes of sentimentality, girlhood, and the fear of the unknown. Guided by fanciful romanticism, Cassidy navigates the eerie realms of horror and dreams in search of something sweet.
Collect Bean: What is the kindest thing someone can tell you about your work?
Cassidy Argo: It warms my heart when someone shares that they've had an emotional connection with one of my artworks. I especially love hearing that a piece made a viewer feel conflicting emotions, like comforted and unsettled at the same time. When someone offers their unique perspective or personal associations about the narratives in my paintings, it makes me super excited about being an artist.
Collect Bean: Tell us about a time when you felt you found your groove as an artist.
Cassidy Argo: At the beginning of the COVID lockdown in 2020, I suddenly moved back in with my family to my childhood home in Rhode Island. Even though the pandemic was such a difficult and uncertain time, the isolation gave me a lot of time to reflect on my art. I was reminded how my childhood memories and my family's fascination with the paranormal have shaped my artistic perspective. I drew inspiration from my family's spooky stories, childhood photographs, and fond memories of playing in the house I grew up in. I think of the paintings I made back then as a love letter to a haunted childhood. It was the first time I allowed myself to create artwork that felt truly personal to me.
Collect Bean: Where are you currently finding inspiration?
Cassidy Argo: I've been thinking a lot about haunted house stories, particularly the metaphors and contradictions within the concept. A domestic space is meant to be a place of safety, yet a haunted house subverts that idea. I’m fascinated by stories that approach this theme in unique and complex ways. Lately, I've been fixated on Shirley Jackson's novel We Have Always Lived in the Castle and the Czech film Alice, an unsettling, taxidermist interpretation of Alice in Wonderland directed by Jan Švankmajer.
Collect Bean: What does an ideal day in your studio look like?
Cassidy Argo: I work best when I can spend nearly the entire day in the studio. Ideally, I arrive early and spend the day obsessively painting. Recently, if I'm working on smaller pieces, I prefer to complete most of the artwork in one session while the paint is still wet, allowing me to paint both additively and subtractively. I also love it when friends visit my studio, whether they are working nearby or just in the neighborhood. Their presence and conversation inspire me and make me feel even more productive.
Collect Bean: Do you have a saying that you live by?
Cassidy Argo: One piece of advice I often remind myself of—and share with young artists whenever I can—is, "You don’t need to be the best artist in the room." It's common for creative people to feel competitive or compare themselves to others, but I think this can be a positive motivation. I believe that surrounding yourself with people you admire, who challenge you to get better is essential for growth as an artist. This is also why building an artistic community and fostering friendships with other artists is so important.
