Cassandra Tondro

I am fascinated with society’s castoffs – materials that have been rejected or discarded, and would otherwise go to waste. I work with repurposed acrylic latex paint, also known as house paint, that I rescue from reject shelves before it is sent to landfills. I am amazed at the wide variety of hues and finishes that are available, and I embrace the challenge of working with colors that have not met with approval.

Acrylic latex paint is a fabulously sticky and gooey medium. It flows like thick rivers of molten color and forms intriguing patterns as I manipulate it on canvas. While the paint is wet, I often use tools, washes of water, or my fingers to create marks and designs. The paint dries slowly, and in the process of drying, serendipitous things sometimes occur, such as bubbles that pop to reveal another color below.

I am interested in observing the effects of combining unorthodox materials and manipulating the paint in unusual ways. I push the materials to the max, because I want to see what happens. I am looking for peculiar and curious effects, and it is the process of discovery that intrigues me.

Through my paintings, I am reclaiming that which has been rejected. I take the mistakes and the leftovers, and transform them into objects of beauty.

Cassandra Tondro is an artist best known for her use of experimental materials and innovative techniques. She describes herself as a mad scientist because of her penchant for exploration.

With a concern for the environment, Tondro has a long-standing interest in developing methods of using non-toxic and Earth-friendly materials to create her artwork. To that end, she has been working with plants, Earth pigments and natural processes on paper and canvas. When she uses paint, she finds it on reject shelves, rescuing cans before they are sent to landfills.

Tondro holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from California State University, Northridge and a Master of Arts Degree from Antioch University in Los Angeles, California. She also trained at University of California, Los Angeles and Otis College of Art and Design.

Her work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions throughout the United States, and is in public, corporate and private collections both nationally and internationally.

She is a founder of ARTconnectsLA, a non-profit corporation that serves the Los Angeles area by placing artwork in social service agencies, community centers and non-profit organizations that would not otherwise be able to afford original art. She is also the founder and former owner of WildFiber, Fiber Arts Studio and Store in Santa Monica, California.