Aleksandra Kasman

I love creating something beautiful out of seemingly useless things. Before making an artwork from old buttons, beads and broken pieces of jewelry, I look at their colors, feel their texture and while doing this, an idea of a future picture forms in my head. I make several sketches on small pieces of paper, and after that everything is simple – just drawing with buttons!

I was born in Russia and while living there received a bachelor’s degree in Architecture. In 2003 I moved to United States and got interested in human physiology and medicine. I graduated from California State University Los Angeles with bachelor’s degree in Nursing. I’ve been working as a registered nurse for 11 years when I injured my knee and had to stay home on disability. At this time my mom brought me a lot of old buttons given to her by a friend hoping I can find a use for them. It was a wonderful idea! I’ve always been crafty and staying home during my recovery; I had plenty of free time to give a new life to the old buttons. Using artistic skills I learned at the Academy of Architecture, I started making mixed media artworks. My relatives and friends, who saw my initial art projects, started bringing me knick-knacks that were lying around in their house. Besides buttons, I received jewelry pieces, beads and even some semi-precious stones which I used in my works. I like variety in my projects. Sometimes, I combine buttons and acrylic painting. Sometimes, I work on canvas and sometimes on cork.