They say that art is supposed to hit you on an emotional level, and while I've always been able to appreciate art in the "ooh, pretty" kind of way, I've never been moved to the point of buying something - until I met Casey O'Connell.
Casey's work evokes an instinctual reaction that is hard to intellectualize - you simply know that you are absorbing emotion: yours, hers, the guy next to you...it almost doesn't matter. Her style is very distinct, yet from what I've seen, has a universal ability to appeal to broadly divergent tastes.
When I finally had her paint a commission for me, I didn't have something specific in mind, so I just met with her and let her follow whatever inspiration she had. The result quite literally blew me away. Since I can't do the piece justice, I won't even try, but let's just say that when I saw it, it was clear that after spending an afternoon with me, she saw me more clearly than most people ever even bother.
Look at her website, go to her shows, and if you are able, have a commission done. I promise you won't be disappointed.
Update: check out a recent review of her - http://www.juxtapoz.com/ read more