STORIES / QRA
AT HOME IN THE WILD
Artist and friend Cassandra Bickman collaborated with Raquel to create a very personal piece inspired by recent RA seasons. Raquel touches base to chat about creativity, family, + art
Images captured by Cassandra Bickman
"My greatest project for now is brewing baby #2, which is popping very soon, raising my big boy, finishing building our house in a new country while learning to speak a new language, along with my many unfinished film projects I am hoping to find time to edit before the baby comes" - CB
RA: Cassandra!
CB: ROCKY!
RA: How are you? How are your creative days being spent?
CB: These days the focus is more on growing my fruit trees and starting my giant vegetable nursery, nesting, getting back into my experimental music which I have missed dearly, and trying to find time to start on some sculptures and paintings I have in mind. It's family time / home zone for me these days and soon, boobie duty!!!
RA: In the live collage piece you created, you have your little guy with you. I love the feeling this gives me personally as the viewer. My inner child totally wants to come play dress-up with you! I’d love to know what it’s like to create art with your little One? Is that out of desire and intention? Necessity? Storytelling?
CB: Playing dress up RULES!
How is it to create art with my little guy?...spontaneous, often incomplete, always ending with a surprise.
RA: Living as remotely as you do must have some interesting effects on your creativity. Can you share a little about this?
CB: Limiting yet entirely free.
The jungle backdrop is so cinematic & mysterious, peaceful yet wild, and gives so much space for the imagination to roam.
Yet with very limited resources, there is a need for an open mind to experiment with new materials and ideas, and that I enjoy, as I improvise my way through it all nonetheless
RA: We miss you here in Topanga! Any thoughts about moving back to us in the States?
CB: As much as I love you and Topanga....no! Raising my babies here in the jungle is all that i can forsee for now...now, come visit me!
Muse, Mama + Mentor: Cassandra Bickman
