Architect Turned Artist Creates and Shares Paintings of Historic Homes in Fox River Area
During his very successful career as an architect, Chuck Cassell viewed things through meticulous analytics and design, translating them into lines and angles for remarkable public buildings.
Since his retirement, Cassell, a resident of GreenFields of Geneva senior living community, has continued designing. However, blueprints and floorplans have been replaced by beautiful works of art that combine his love of architecture with artistic flair. Now, a talented watercolorist, Cassell is creating detailed paintings of historic homes, predominantly in the Fox Valley area.
Putting His Interest on Pause
Cassell recalled that while completing coursework for his architectural degree in college, he was required to take art classes. He found that he enjoyed watercolors and tucked that away to pursue later. Cassell spent his 40-year career as an owner of Burnidge & Cassell Architects in Elgin, retiring in 2003.
Artistic and Historic Pursuits
After hanging up his drafting pencil, Cassell meticulously taught himself how to paint with watercolors. It’s a challenging undertaking and one that he treasures. “I like the quality and transparency of watercolors,” he said. “When you paint, the only thing white is the paper, so you have to plan ahead for that and execute the work with that in mind. It’s like architecture, and I like the challenge.” Cassell continued, “I have a hairdryer. When I lay down colors, I get impatient, and the hairdryer accelerates the process so the colors don’t merge. Some of my techniques I’ve learned the hard way.” Pursuing this hobby perfectly combines much of what makes Cassell happy.
Combining his expertise in architecture, interest in historic dwellings, love of painting, and delight in bringing joy to others has provided a perfect pastime.
In the past twenty years, Cassell has entered juried art shows, participated in exhibits, won awards, and shared his work. His artwork graces hundreds of walls in homes and galleries and throughout the hallways of GreenFields. “My three children have no room on the walls in their homes anymore. I’ve donated over 100 paintings, for auctions and fundraisers and keep doing so,” he said.
Initially, he said, “I painted anything that caught my eye,” including landscapes, animals, and more. Eventually, he focused on the abundance and variety of beautiful historic homes around the area. He started painting them and gifting the digital files to area museums and historical societies. They use these to create greeting cards, posters, and more that they’re able to sell. Cassell also gives presentations at the venues, explaining the homes, their history, and his painting process. He’s also presented to his neighbors at GreenFields.
Cassell has worked with the Batavia Historical Society and St. Charles History Museum and has an upcoming show and presentation at the Elgin History Museum.
A Pastime He Treasures
Cassell works on his paintings five or six days each week for 3-4 hours. Each painting, he said, takes 20-30 hours. “I really enjoy it. Everyone has something they can get mentally lost in. For me, it’s painting.”
In addition to enjoying the process, he also gets great pleasure out of people’s reactions to his finished works of art.
“I feel blessed to have stumbled into this. It has brought me so much pleasure. It’s really a gift to me to be able to do something I enjoy so much and that brings joy to others,” he said.
