Legally blind artist’s portraits depict qualities she senses in her subjects

A pearl of wisdom that Cynthia Tassio once received about art has manifestations beyond the easel.

An art instructor in Tassio's native Chicago remarked that painting faces was " just a series of adjustments," Tassio recalled.

"I thought, 'That's so much like life,' " she said.

Decades later, Tassio deals exclusively in painting faces but through "a series of adjustments" due to a degenerative vision impairment.

Legally blind after a diagnosis of Stargardt disease, the loss of Tassio's fine vision could have stopped her beloved hobby. On the contrary, it has propelled the Summerlin resident, and she has her first gallery exhibit at the Centennial Hills Library, 6711 N. Buffalo Drive , through Feb. 26.

The 21 original works in Tassio's exhibit could double as a family album.

She enlarges photos -- some historic family snapshots, others she posed recently of her children and grandchildren -- of loved ones and creates a pastel portrait.

"I don't always go for a likeness because physically and medically, that's probably not possible for me with my vision," she said. "I'm going for a feeling of that person or a quality of that person I can sense from the photograph."

One family member not only has been a subject for Tassio but has helped her fine-tune to which medium she best responds.

Each spring, Tassio revisits a 1996 photo of her brother Bob Crowson.

She has numerous charcoal and pencil sketches and paintings in oils and pastels of various explorations of color, she said.

"I call them my Bobs," she said of her collection. "I could make an exhibit of just those pictures."

The original picture resonated in Tassio due to its strong value structure of lights, darks and drama, she said -- all easy for her see with her vision impairment.

"It traces my journey as an artist," she said.

Her brother was able to see his portrait hanging in Tassio's gallery exhibit earlier this month.

Denise Alvarado , coordinator for Las Vegas-Clark County Library District gallery services, said Tassio's exhibit is unique twofold.

"Her medium, portrait pastels, is unusual for our galleries," she said. "And I found (her) to be an artist with her eyesight to be very intriguing. It gives us all insight into how she sees the world."

Alvarado selects about 85 exhibits a year for the 16 galleries in libraries across Clark County.

The program showcases a range of mediums, including handmade crafts, and talent levels, she said. Many exhibitors, such as Tassio, get their first taste of the exhibit process with a library district show.

The exhibits have been a part of the library district culture for more than 23 years, Alvarado said.

"It's about elevating a library experience for our community," she said. "Before we had an arts district, this was one of the ways to see local artists. We try to make it accessible."

Tassio started exploring art more deeply when she retired and moved to Las Vegas in 2004. Her studio sanctuary is her dining room, she said, because it provides the best light.

"When I'm at my easel, I'm not really focused on creating a successful painting, but I'm more focused on experiencing color," she said. "I respond to color . I respect the theories of color therapy. I've used art for that reason in other parts of my life."

The Centennial Hills Library gallery is free and open during library hours : 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

Contact Centennial and North Las Vegas View reporter Maggie Lillis at mlillis@viewnews.com or 477-3839.