They call me "Dead"

Hi my name is Cassie but I am also known as "Dead" since I was very little I always looked at the world with wonder and felt like I was here to help change it. I felt like I had a calling, that I had to fulfill, I used to say "One person can change the world if only they have the will to do so." I had always been a spiritual medium but I was taught to fear my own abilities and to hide them away from the same world that I wished to save. As I was told by those closest to me that others would never accept or understand my abilities. Yet I remember sitting in front of several sunsets reflecting on my path forward to create the most change.

I had decided to become an artist as I knew that I could help shape the world through storytelling and cause inspiration in others. I have a BA in Media Arts and Animation and worked in the industry for over 2 decades hoping to create stories of inspiration. In 2011 I formed my studio "DeadOn Studios" with the help of a mentor. He had told me I needed to pick a name that resonated with me and was not a name commonly used. I chose DeadOn because I am a perfectionist to a fault and have always been so. I had big plans with my studio but I never got my voice heard working as a professional artist, mainly in freelance, as I just became a tool to move other's visions forward... So I set out on my own creative projects: I started releasing my comic WarDreams, both in printed issues as well as on webtoons. I also started sharing my art live on twitch as DeadOnStudios which is why people started to call me "Dead" as that was my username. I felt like I was making ground but I still longed to reach a wider audience and was looking for my true path of healing and connection.

During 2020 like many, I had a major spiritual awakening and found that the only way forward was to forge my own way and jump into the unknown. Through self discovery I realized I didn't want to hide my medium-ship any more and wished to embrace that part of myself as well. I lost many people along the way as many did not like the new direction I was taking my life. This aspect was extremely difficult, but I knew that I could no longer hide my true self to assist in the comfort of others and this caused me to become a completely different person than I had been prior. I began to learned self love and embraced growth, following my heart even if that meant that my mind might be afraid of these unknowns... When I first started jumping into my medium-ship and Death Doula work I honestly considered changing my name away from "Dead" but I realized that I am attempting to change the view and concept on "death and dying" from one of fear to one of understanding that it is a part of life and needs to be held with the same compassion and love as any other phase of our lives. So I decided to continue to embrace my name as Dead and hoped that people would ask about why I chose to call myself that, to continue opening up to conversations and open minds through challenging a prospective they might hold about the word.

Why Rock Springs

One of these unknowns was finding myself back here in Rock Springs after being away most of my adult life. I had grown up here in Rock Springs Wyoming but I never had thought that I would find myself back here, not until I had changed as a person. My prospective on the world and even this place, in which I grew up in, has shifted drastically as I open myself to hope and I become more present and in the moment. There is beauty all around us if only we are open to look for it.  I want to help others grow and heal like I have and like I still am. To embrace the things that make them uniquely them, not to run from them. When I first left Rock Springs I was attempting to leave a part of me behind, but in returning I am reclaiming my energy and hopefully helping make this a place of acceptance/love and not a place we wish to run from, but toward. I want to bring to this community a place of passion, a place of acceptance, a place of growth and a place of learning together for anyone at any part of their healing journey. Be it at the beginning, middle or the end.. To heal and to grow...

Why a Store Front

This storefront is a large leap in to making this come true... I will use the space to spread passions such as the creation of art which is the expression of our lives journey. Continue providing my medium ship services to the public to help those who choose to let me be a small part in their journey. Provide Death Doula services to the public as well to assist those that want support and compassion at the end of their journey. We are here to experience this world and to grow in all phases of our life and I am hoping that we can create a brighter world one step at a time and this is one of my steps towards trying to do my part and I honestly do not plan to stop here but we have to begin some where. I would love if you joined me in my wish to make the world a brighter place and know that we all have the power to do so if only we have the will.

Why Crowd Funding

I am reaching out to the community locally here as well as to connections wide and far, that believe in changing the world one ripple at a time, one person at a time... My goal here is to be transparent as possible as well so those that support this endeavor know what their funds went towards. So here is the break down: the first goal is 6,500 but we have stretch goals all the way up to 15,000+

Our goal is to raise 6,500 so we can be shop ready with displays, register, stock important products, get community seating for events and a sound machine for more private healing sessions

Our first stretch goal is 10,000 so we can stock more silly and humorous products and create a spoopy atmosphere.

If we can reach our final stretch goal of 15,000, the impact will be enormous and we can add more items, get guest wifi and a sign out front of our business

Here is a further brake down for those who would like to see, how much of their funds go toward covering rewards, products, operation costs (fees/dues related to using the crowd funding platform) as the reason to why each item is priority and was chosen.

Rewards

NEW rewards will be added weekly as the campaign continues including new in-house designs and pre-order items. Below are some of the rewards that will launch with the first week of the campaign. Please check back in as the campaign grows and see what different items and rewards we have to offer.

Donators key-chain

This key-chain is exclusively for donators only and will only be given out if someone is to give $30 or more towards our cause of creating a brighter world. This is an in-house design made by me and were created for this campaign, but will continue to be a part of our business. I am a content creator and over the years I had wished I had something to give those that supported my content creation, small business and built communities. This key-chain will still be available through such platforms such as twitch or pateron beyond this campaign to those who donate. However this keychain will not be available for purchase.

Dagaz Moth Enamel Pin

This is an in house design made by me and is based off of a tattoo and promise I made to myself last year. That being said I know that others might want to make the same promise to themselves so I thought this would be an amazing launching items for this campaign.

"It's more than a pin. it's a promise to always remember that there is so much more out there than the material lives we are currently living. To never forget that every part of our lives is a phase and to be present as every moment dark or light shall pass. That we must find beauty and balance within ourselves and find the beauty in the day as well as the night. Its a promise to keep growing and to take flight towards your best possible self. It's a promise of hope and love within and without!"

I am excited to share this design with our beautiful growing community and hope that it is loved as much as I love it. We are here to grow and some where along the way we have forgotten that but it doesn't need to stay that way.

Comic issue #4 of War Dreams

This is an in-house story and design from DeadOn Studios and it can be read on webtoons in its entirety. https://www.webtoons.com/en/canvas/wardreams/list?title_no=312733 We have been self publishing issues since 2018 and #4 is the latest issue in the series. Its about a girl that is trapped within her own sub-conscience and is attempting to find her way out. Yet she discovers a calling greater than her own as she attempts to free herself. There are several different reward that the comic is tied to including but not limited to: An early bird reward 5 QTY that comes with a print of comic #4 and a donators keychain.