Behind the Dissociative Looking Glass

by Isaac McCaslin

“I paint in oils to bridge the tangible and the transcendent, drawing from Old Masters like Bosch and Rembrandt while embracing modern tools—photography, video, Photoshop—to reimagine light and perspective. My work explores dualities: chaos and order, innocence and wisdom, the sacred and grotesque. These opposites aren’t just contrasts—they’re interconnected forces. Dreams inform my imagery, echoing in vivid color and fleeting forms. Each painting becomes a threshold between tradition and innovation, waking and dreaming. I aim to capture not just form, but presence—light emanating from within. My practice is a meditation on the Will to Meaning, a way of responding to the existential through creation. If my work serves a purpose beyond expression, it’s to invite viewers into a liminal space where transformation becomes possible.”