Bohemian Goddesses Artist Statement

February 23, 2017 in Studio, Inspiration, Artist Diary, Acquire Art

At last I feel satisfied and confident about the statement accompanying my current Bohemian Goddesses series - woo hoo!! I have been going back and forth on what and how much to share, and I decided to get pretty deeply personal. I felt that it was the only way to really show my audience how much this body of work means to me.

It is of the utmost importance to me that my message of love and admiration accompanying this action to help change the modern art world for the better is heard loud and clear, while at the same time being a sensitive writer to sensitive matters.

After you've read through, I would greatly appreciate any feedback in the comments or you can contact me personally if you have any thoughts you would like to share with me. Artists are almost always a bit nervous of public reception when introducing new works, and this release is no exception, especially because of the message I am trying to spread. In this day and age of uncertain futures of civil liberties and common decency sitting in the crosshairs, I am hoping to be a small vessel of love and inclusion and admiration. Hopefully you, my loyal supporter, will feel positively about the work I am doing, but please know that I am grateful for a thoughtful critique no matter what the opinion.

So without further ado.....

"In my latest series, ‘Bohemian Goddesses’, I am exploring women whose beauty transcends the (crumbling) traditional American ideal standards of perfection. Namely, unique and exquisite women who are not primarily of Anglican descent. Women who may have been marginalized in the past, but today are finding their own powerful voices and loyal audiences and are helping to create a more balanced, in tune, and accepting future.

Growing up and attending art school in the Southeastern US, all of my art professors, live models, and almost every artist we studied, were read more.....

originally posted: February 23, 2017

Getting a nice view of the back of our home valley. O'ahu is so incredibly gorgeous.... — Getting a nice view of the back of our home valley. O'ahu is so incredibly gorgeous....

Just Catching Up

February 10, 2017 in Adventure, Aloha, Artist Diary, Inspiration

Hello loyal readers, I know my posts have been slightly sporadic lately but I have good excuses. I have been extremely busy writing a new artist statement for my current series (which I think is my most important collection yet), as well as getting my financial house in order (taxes, yay!), working on a new painting (and demo), and setting up a Patreon page (more on that soon to come!).

Pluuuuuuus.... my wonderful boyfriend, Tim, and I just celebrated our three year anniversary with a little mini hike here on a ridge in our own Palolo Valley. There are so many ancient volcanic ridge hikes all over these islands and I really need to keep my New Year's resolution and hike more of them!

And to top it all off, I am FINALLY learning how to type properly instead of using my own little 'shorthand' keystrokes (don't even ask) so this has taken me f-o-r-e-v-e-r to type.

But don't you worry, loyal supporter, I will have another great artist spotlight for this next Inspo Saturday coming up and am mustering the courage to create my first video diary about an issue that's very important to me.

Have any suggestions on especially great ridge hikes here on O'ahu? Maybe in the intermediate category? (Folks out here are fearless and scramble around some seriously crazy rocks!) Let me know in the comments:)

originally posted: February 10, 2017

Edmonia Lewis :: Artist Spotlight

February 04, 2017 in Artist Features, Inspiration

As a way to encourage and continue adopting more cultural and racial inclusiveness into my life and into the lives of my dear loyal supporters, I am going to make a habit of featuring a diverse collection of historic and contemporary artists here on my Inspo Saturdays Artist Features. As I'm sure you can tell by my own recent artwork, I have been focusing on celebrating beautiful women of a variety of heritages through my Bohemian Goddess oil paintings and Fabulous Hair Series drawings, so appreciating artists from a variety of cultural backgrounds goes hand-in-hand with the goals of my work's impact.

edmonia lewis the female african american sculptor

So in that vein of inclusive positivity, today's post is actually about a woman I just learned about from a logo feature on Google and became instantly impressed with, Edmonia Lewis (1844-1907). Not only was she an incredibly talented classically trained marble sculptor, but she made a name for herself when women were largely ignored in the professional art world, and acceptance of women of color was virtually nonexistent in the Western art world.

Edmonia was part Native American and part African American, so the deeply heartwrenching past of both of her heritage lines made tremendous impressions on her work as she matured. Growing up, Edmonia was actually known 'Wildfire' until she was twelve years old, living as an orphan in her late mother's Chippewa tribe. Although she had difficulty finding tutelage, Edmonia persevered in getting an education and eventually wound up in Boston in the workshop of a marble bust sculptor who had a number of Abolitionist patrons and decided to take her on as a student and help her sell her first few small pieces.

Definitely check out [this] article for more very interesting detail of Edmonia's struggles and artistic heroism both in the US and in Europe.

After studying in Boston, Edmonia traveled through Europe and settled in Rome where she could study the great Renaissance masters and have access to high quality marble. She worked incredibly hard to excel at her craft and create a name for herself, and because of that, Edmonia was recognized with high esteem during much of her life. Now her works reside in some of the best art collections in the world, such as the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.

I absolutely love hearing stories about other creatives, especially women, who find ways to make a living and gain respect by following their passion, creating from the heart, and always working "harder than the next guy!" Those are the winning features I see time and again in success stories like Edmonia's, who I will certainly be emulating in my own practice!

Sources:

http://americanart.si.edu/collections/search/artist/?id=2914

https://www.pinterest.com/albehenderson/edmonia-lewis-biography/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmonia_Lewis

Are there any artists that you are inspired by whose rise to fame was particularly harrowing or oppressive? Please share them with me in the comments, I love learning about determined creators!

originally posted: February 4, 2017

Painting an Olive Skin Tone (with Freckles!)

January 25, 2017 in Studio, Tutorials

The name says it all! I've been working really hard on not only painting this (of course!) but also filming and editing. Whew! These things always take about four times as long as you think. I bought new lighting, a tiny mic, and more memory sticks for my camera in order to step my demo/ tutorial game up, so I hope you enjoy!

Here's what's on my palette:

Brilliant Pink
Permanent Alizarin Crimson
Violet Colbalt
King's Blue
Chromium Oxide Green
Prussian Blue
Sap Green (not pictured)

Payne's Grey
Raw Umber
Burnt Sienna
Yellow Ochre
Titanium White
Lemon yellow
Cadmium Orange

< These are my mixed skin tones using mostly the bordering colors you see here (white, ochre, cad orange, brilliant pink, as well as a little chromium oxide green and sap green to help balance out the warmth). The lighter shades have more white and lemon yellow and the tiniest hint of king's blue. The darker shades have a little raw umber, cad orange, and violet mixed in.

For great instruction on how and how much oil paint to mix, check out my Guide to Mixing Skin Tones for detailed advice:) [here]

A few process stills taken from the vid:

This is a combination real-time and speed demo showing my contemporary realism style of painting portraits. (There's also a short vlog about creating content as a professional artist tucked in there too!)

As always feedback and questions are welcome! Hope you learned something! Have any thoughts on my little vlog in the middle there? Thanks for watching :)

originally posted: January 25, 2017

Hawai'ian Surfboard Art :: Update

January 21, 2017 in Artist Diary, Studio

Last week for my birthday I was surprised with a gift of three of the mini surfboards with my featured designs from my first art licensing deal! So remarkable to see my artwork in this new format!

They are actually made by hand, if you can believe it (they're so smooth!). The process entails shaping the boards by hand, then printing my images on rice paper and affixing it to the boards while dipping them in a fiberglass type sealant. Last, but not least, a small sculpted fin is attached with adhesive and viola! The most realistic miniboard you could imagine!

Hope there are more opportunities like this in the future! Have you ever had a chance to design something that would be licensed and reproduced? Let me know in the comments:)

originally posted: January 21, 2017

tutorial about making art studio shelves

Create the Perfect Art Wall

January 17, 2017 in Studio, Tutorials

Super simple step-by-step instructions on how to create your own skinny shelves that are perfect for displaying and playing with your artwork or art collection.

My 33rd Birthday!!

January 10, 2017 in Adventure, Aloha, Artist Diary

Hooray! It's my time of year again - New year, new age, new goals, new me!

I've been asked before what I think about aging or what age I wish I could be, and I always answer that I am happy being the age that I am currently because every year gets better and better. I strongly feel that as long as one is continually growing and advancing and learning, then there is always something to look forward to and therefore aging is a blessing rather than a curse.

I am in the prime health of my life, am in the happiest relationship ever, and am moving forward by leaps and bounds in my artistic career (not to mention currently living in paradise!), and I know the best is still yet to come. Living a personally successful life takes a lot of time and thankless energy, and the returns are slow moving in the beginning, but I have found that having an inherently positive attitude is my greatest ally, which has brought me as far as I have come already, and I know will continue to see me though in the future.

I always try to remember that each day is a brand new day with a brand new set of decisions as to how I want to lead my life....

So bring it on, 33. I am READY!

originally posted: January 10, 2017

artist blog interview with a glass artist

Inspo Saturdays :: Interview With An Art Glass Jewelry Creator

January 07, 2017 in Inspiration, Artist Features

Janelle Wilfong of Janetics Ink

Janelle is an extremely talented, multi-tasking artist and creator who I am so proud to call a close friend. She has been an glass art making, jewelry designing and creating, wife and mother of three for a number of years now and her dedication to crafting and expanding her knowledge all while taking care of her tribe and her small-town Vermont community is utterly impressive and heartwarming. Janelle wholesales as well as craft show vends her handmade jewelry and watercolors locally and all over the East Coast.

I'm not sure where she even gets a minute to think between all her obligations, yet Janelle is constantly coming out with new designs and metal-working skills, and always sharing pics of having a blast with her beautiful and well-rounded kids.

Website: www.JaneticsInk.com

Currently Residing In: Proctorsville, VT

Currently Working On: Memorial pendant jewelry that encases cremated remains inside of glass

Word That Describes You Well: Effervescent

What's your creative process like?

I rarely plan on paper. My work, no matter what the material, has a very organic and free-flowing process. I swim in my supplies grabbing at whatever may work for the task at hand.

Has your style changed over the years?

Absolutely. The more I work, the more defined my aesthetic becomes.

What’s been your greatest artistic success?

Being able to live several years as a legit full time artist, while being a mom and wife too.

[Janelle's colorful tribe]

Do you have any advice for less experienced artists?

Don't take yourself too seriously.

Success is not measured in dollars.

The hustle should never be ignored. There are many artists out there who feel that they could be the next best thing yet they do not know how to present their work, sell their work, take criticism of their work, nor do custom work that could potentially be uninspiring. Anyone can be an artist but not everyone can sell themselves and their work. Learn how to do both.

Beaming Janelle in front of her jewelry booth at a hula hoop festival [Photo by Red Light Photos]

Anything else you would like to share that I didn’t ask?

I'm a hooper. A mom. A wife. I'm a Trinidadian American who absolutely loves living in Vermont. I'm also a substitute teacher and I consider myself a Neverbored. Last but not least, I have pink dreadlocks and drive a hand-painted pimp van named ChurchVanBetty.

Right now Janelle is working on her latest endeavor of encasing cremated remains inside of one-of-a-kind wearable glass pendants. These are a truly thoughtful and special way to keep a lost loved one close in spirit. I'm sure plenty of folks, like myself with my late father, are always craving ways to keep fond memories alive so I could see these really taking off for Janelle. It only takes a small amount of ashes to create each cabochon, yet look at these cosmic designs that are the result of firing the ash within the glass at 1700 degrees for ten hours. Wow!

Janelle shares lots of progress and behind-the-scenes shots on her Instagram @janetiks_ink as well as hula hoop videos and daily life in her tiny town of 450 in beautiful sunny and snowy Vermont. Check out her work and let me know what you think in the comments :)

Here I am with Janelle and two other close friends, Ashleigh and Stephanie, at our favorite hula hoop festival Return 2 Roots in 2015. Sigh.... fond memories of summer shenanigans that you just wish could last forever.....

originally posted: January 7, 2017

2016: A Fond Look Back

January 05, 2017 in Studio, Oil Paintings, Figure Drawings

While I'm busy putting my resolutions to actions and preparing for my most productive year yet, I figured I'd share a few of, what I think, are my best works from 2016. Enjoy!

The first three women in my Bohemian Goddess series! I've got my artist statement in the works for this portfolio which I'll be sharing here soon!

I feel like I really made some great strides this year on my shorter term figure session drawings. I was forced to really step my game up when I started attending the weekly figure drawing session here at the Honolulu museum of Art School because they don't do any longer than 20 minutes for each pose. I'm used to having hours to do a drawing, but these little sketches in my homemade sketchbook are quite pleasing for the most part.

And last, but most certainly not least, here are few of my favorite graphite and conte drawings. I just can't get enough of these fabulous people, ya know?

drawing in pencil of a cute girl in pigtails

adorable dog drawing in pencil with a cute girl

You can also view my Fabulous Hair Series or the full pencil portrait gallery :)

Any recommendations for artists I should be looking at in 2017? I sure do love a good introduction! Leave it in the comments

originally posted: January 5, 2017

Inspo Saturdays :: New Year's Resolution Worksheet

December 31, 2016 in Artist Diary, Inspiration

Out with the old and in with the new! Time once again to reevaluate and reassess what's working and what isn't, and do a little mental house cleaning. To be quite honest, I'm not usually the type to actually make New Year's resolutions, as I try to constantly work on self-improvement (see last week's post about improving with intention in your own life and art), but I never turn down an opportunity to learn how to grow as an artist.

I found a few little resolution worksheets online that were kinda cute, but I decided to create my own to be more tailored towards an artist with a blossoming career, like myself. Feel free to click on the picture and download it and use it for yourself for your own artsy ambitions :)

new years resolutions for artists worksheet

Here are my resolutions:

1. Doing my bookkeeping is probably my least favorite task. It's not even that difficult or time-consuming, I just have yet to get in the habit of doing it as I go along so every few months I don't have to sit down with a backlog of email and paper receipts and a glass of wine (or two) and have to get it all organized. To resolve this I am in the process of signing up for Wave after having it suggested by my guru Laura C. George (more on her at a later date:) ) in order to spearhead 2017 finances from day one. Yes! I can do it this time!! (Or at least I say that every year after finishing my taxes on April 12th...)

2. I love love love going to see art in person, either by galavanting through the best collections Europe has to offer, or by going to my local art walk or gallery openings, so this one is a gimme for me. I actually have my first opening attendance at a new place scheduled for the 2nd, so done and done! I really added this one as a sneaky way to share the importance of seeing art in person and being active in your local art community. The technique you will learn and the relationships you can forge will be immeasurable.

My boyfriend and I at the Honolulu museum of Art for my birthday last year

3.Yes! This one actually has been on my radar for a hot minute now. I have been looking around at places to donate either a percentage of sales or (better yet) actual drawings or custom portraits. I've been brainstorming possibly contacting local charity auctions to auction portraits at events I believe in, or maybe donating 5% of every portrait or painting to some kind of art program either in an inner city or a less-fortunate country. In an ideal world, anyone who has anything to give, should. And I would love to help create that ideal world. I heard a great quote once that was something like, 'no one ever became poor from giving.'

A good way to show gratitude for a wonderful life given is to pay it forward and create a better life for another person.

4. Ugh.... why do I do this to myself? I'm a bit embarrassed to share this one publically, but in the name of progress and honesty with my readers, here it is: I fall down the Facebook rabbit hole a bit too often. And let me tell you, it doesn't take much to add up to a lot. Since the election especially, I'll find myself on it sometimes 45 minutes to an hour, or even a lil longer, per day! Not even including posting my art! Blah! Now most of the people I interact with on FB are my friends or art supporters and I love and care about them, but when you add up one hour per day, per month that is like four actual working days worth of time! When I force myself to look at it that way, I think about how much more I could be accomplishing with those hours and it really helps me reign it in. As I'm sure you guessed it, this is one I'm already working (and improving!) on currently.

5. My studio is tiny and I have to clean it quite often, so I'm constantly trying to find little baskets or holders at the thrift store to help compartmentalize and tidy my space. My clerical tidying will be with Wave as mentioned in resolution 1.

6. This one is not particularly art related, but it is beauty-appreciation related and therefore inspirational and thus totally important (my logic is flawless;) ). I want to go on more hikes. I moved out here to O'ahu a year ago and there are so many other-worldly and epic places to hike and I feel like I have not experienced nearly enough. Coming from the flat land of Charleston, SC it has been a bit of a learning curve as far as having the power to jungle hike, but now that I run and bike uphill multiple times a week I have gotten much stronger and have really enjoyed some challenging adventures.

What kinds of improvements will you be working towards this year? Did you find my worksheet helpful? Feel free to share your goals!

originally posted: December 31, 2016