Meghan Noe writes writes about Catharine Cary's Air Cake Performace at the EAC on July 16th, 2024:
Welcome to the "Magical Creations" themed week at Evanston Art Center’s summer art school, where young campers gather in the sunlit downstairs lobby bursting with creativity. Catharine Cary sets the stage for a whimsical day by inviting the children to suggest frosting flavors for an “air cake”: "raspberry!", "cotton candy!" campers shout. Amidst her dynamic freestyle musical storytelling, her audience is transported alongside characters Leila, Grecian, and Manu on a summertime adventure in France, romping through fields and sands of imagination.
Themes of adventure, anxiety, and compromise are infused into Cary’s freely associated stories of her young characters, yet presented non-didactically and disattached from the adult world. Her characters and captivated audience dash through daisy fields, visit beaches, and create islands, speeding up and slowing down in sync with Cary's words—sometimes spoken, sometimes sung. The wide-eyed children nod their heads and gesture along, their engagement amplified by an improvised drum performance that punctuates the excitement or builds the tension beneath Cary’s melodies. These background beats hold the key to enveloping the audience in the scene. Drummer Eyvin Bamford uses a variety of sticks, brushes, and mallets to create a delicious variety of sonic accompaniments. Reflecting on his creative process in an interview, Bamford likens musical improvisation to “a language.” Just as we all learn phonetics to express ourselves, he uses his understanding of techniques and sounds in his musical performance to create fleeting expressions that vividly convey the emotions of the lively stories.
The EAC’s campers and staff alike were fortunate to experience the vibrant songs of Cary’s debut album with the extra gift of embodied performance art that further celebrates the boundless exuberance and energy of youth. In her artists’ statement, Cary pinpoints her creative approach best: "With my body, and through my hand, I live at the crossroads of painting, calligraphy, and performance, to break the promise of permanence, and render the silent risk of improvisation palatable.”
Cary’s art and her spirited debut album capture a sunny, effervescent essence to be enjoyed by anyone. Listen to and purchase the album, "Air Cake and Other Summery Occupations," through the links below:
Listen to Air Cake and Other Summery Occupations on any of your favorite channels here :
https://catharinecary.hearnow.com/air-cake-and-other-summery-occupations
Buy it and some cool merchandise here:
https://catharinecary.bandcamp.com/album/air-cake-and-other-summery-occupations
