Nude Hiking :: Part 2 (NSFW)

February 27, 2019 in Aloha, Adventure, Artist Diary, Inspiration

This may seem an odd place to share this adventure, but I have come to look at my blog as a bit of a journal so sharing this incredible experience with fellow art lovers like you seems somehow fitting….

Hopefully you caught this very special blog post from a few weeks ago featuring myself and two of my favorite sister artists hiking a super high ridge line on the Westside of O’ahu. All of the ethereal photos in that post were by my fellow nude hiker and professional photographer friend Stephanie Stein, but today I wanted to share the other photos from that epic day - the ones we snapped on our cell phones while eating lunch, taking photos, and just generally frolicking around.

As I’m sure you can imagine, this was one of the best, most invigorating, and somehow transformative hikes any of us have ever experienced. To quote Emsy as she was climbing ever higher to stand proudly on teeny ledges jutting out over the valley below, “I’ve never been so naked in my whole life!”

In this artist’s humble opinion, being comfortably naked is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. Too often in modern consumerist society we are told about all the imperfections that buying random products can solve without being lauded for who we are naturally.

I mean, it makes sense. It’s hard to sell bullshit to people who are content.

So that’s why it’s ever more important to find joys in our own ways in our own bodies. It’s hard to feel sub par within your body when it makes you feel powerful and exhilarated!

So if you can, try and find an unusual place to be naked soon! Whether you try a naked hike like us, decide to find a secret beach where you can sun your buns, or just sip some tea and read next Sunday’s paper in the buff in your backyard, taking a little time to be naked in nature will make you feel like a whole new person. Would love to hear your experiences in the comments!

PS. If you’re curious, we hiked in regular clothes until we felt nicely secluded then disrobed and continued on. We also learned that at least shorts are needed on the way back down or else one must be prepared for a very grass-tickled bottom during steep descent areas ;)

2.27.2019

Life Drawing Demo :: Female on Purple Paper

February 22, 2019 in Acquire Art, YouTube Videos, Studio, Figure Drawings

For the first time ever I’d like to demonstrate how I create my life drawings using pastel and white chalk pencils in my fabulous homemade sketchbooks.

This entire process is incredibly meditative to me, from crafting the books myself to selecting which color to use with which pose, to finally picking the very best deep tone pastel to use with each paper. I am literally in dreamland when I get to draw from life.

Want to know more about getting a handmade sketchbook?

Stay in the loop and see sketchbooks in detail here

Gallery of available figure drawings

My Drawing Supplies:

*any purchases through these links helps support my channel- thank you!

Carbothello Raw Umber Pastel Pencil:

https://bit.ly/2pYbffp

White Chalk Pencil:

https://bit.ly/2BXnLmn

Mono Zero Eraser:

https://bit.ly/2DfU93e

Eraser Refill:

https://bit.ly/2SC64C0

Kneaded Eraser:

https://bit.ly/2WOwYWA

Canson 19x25' Muted Tone Paper Packs:

https://bit.ly/2SSAAJ1

Nude Sketchbook Flip Through:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljpP18HrWPc

See me test out a bunch of these different pastel pencils:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t98oRwjTvu8&t=343s

Check out this video about my favorite erasers:

https://youtu.be/yqcdDrq8Vcg

2.22.2019

Even a Broken Clock....

February 19, 2019 in Artist Diary

'Even a broken clock is right twice a day...'

Don't sell yourself short. Sometimes things don't seem to go the way we want them to, but it's important to remember that even when things feel broken, disjointed, or downright disappointing, there can still be ways to find a positive edge - even if it is a bit silly and brief.

Now I am all about breaking up any stressful or 'oh-this-is-all-impossible' moods whenever I can with whatever positivity I can muster because sometimes as a small business owner it can feel like soooo much effort can yield such tiny results. However, I continue to remind myself that real growth is incremental.

I find that it helps to look at other areas of one's life where teeny tiny baby steps and slow growth have ultimately produced solid and definable results. When I find myself feeling despondent about the rate of growth for my small business, I honestly remind myself of my fitness journey and how after 5 years of taking it seriously I'm now in the best health of my life, or (as silly as it sounds) my dreadlocks, which have been growing for almost a decade and half and how long it took them to come to their full potential.

I would love to hear about how any other creatives handle patience with incremental growth. Or tell me about something you've been patiently working on for a long time and is now coming to fruition. Yay! Let's inspire each other with positivity and growth!

PS. I’ve recently had a few requests for my life drawings lately so I just posted a whole bunch of my latest ones in my Shop for only $28-48. See more here!

2:18:2019

3D Oil Painting Timelapse :: The Sun, the Moon, and the Heartbeat In Between

February 15, 2019 in Oil Paintings, YouTube Videos, Studio

Today I'm bringing you a 3D oil painting timelapse demo of my latest painting, 'The Sun, the Moon, and the Heartbeat In Between.' This has been one of my largest resin layer paintings to date at 12x15 inches and I have really enjoyed incorporating the found Luna Moth and the doily held with her elevated left hand into the third dimension.

You can see the artwork up close and even grab a signed print of this piece here:

Here are the other tutorials I mention:

Skin Tone Painting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfVn2X2NpN8&t=368s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVQIncWs6eY&t=217s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe1-bPUg6Qo

Improve Your Drawing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1N2fZphjt1I&t=16s

Painting Dreadlocks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKUVLeCLmFw

Pouring Resin Layers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxmP_I9gEvM&t=415s

2.14.2109

Nude Hiking Photoshoot with Fellow Goddesses - NSFW

February 11, 2019

Well I can happily cross at least one thing off my bucket list - hiking in the buff! I’ve never felt so free or so perfectly natural in all my life.

Ascending such great heights with nothing but the wind and sun on my skin was so cathartic yet ethereal at the same time, and I can’t wait to do it again!

I’m so fortunate for fantastic sister artists that are thrilled to create our own realities together and push societal norms in the name of nature, comfort, and internal growth.

All of these photos are by Stephanie Stein (my super close friend who has been visiting me from Charleston) and you should definitely check out even more photos here as well as her body positive and poignant other works here: www.stephaniestein.net

2.11.2019

3 Essential Erasers

February 07, 2019 in Pencil Portraits, Product Reviews, YouTube Videos

These 3 erasers have become my absolute favorites for pencil drawing. If you need to lighten or totally eliminate your pencil marks, as well as being able to refine detail, then I've got the erasers for you.

If you'd like to add any erasers from the video to your own collection here are the links where you can find them (and any purchase helps support this channel - yay!):

Kneaded Eraser:

https://bit.ly/2WOwYWA

Vinyl Eraser:

https://bit.ly/2DfSDOM

https://bit.ly/2Sxdd6H

Mono Zero:

https://bit.ly/2DfU93e

Eraser Refill:

https://bit.ly/2SC64C0

2.7.2019

I Destroyed a Painting with Resin!

February 06, 2019 in Artist Diary, Oil Paintings, Studio

Oh me, oh my! This is the painting I accidentally destroyed with resin….

Basically I got greedy and poured too thick a layer and the heat from the chemical process burned the oil paint (even through 3 coats of varnish!) and dried horribly unevenly and full of bubbles. Too sad!!

Luckily it's a small painting so it won't take me too ridiculously long to repaint - oh yeah, I'm gonna - and I am able to replace the bees that are hovering over the flower shadows, which was a weird process in itself.

Initially I found both of the bees outside my bungalow, but I haven't found any more and I didn't want my finishing of the remade piece to be contingent on who-knows-when I'll find more bees so, like everything else one could possibly think of, I found dead bees for sale online. They are from beekeepers who find thousands of the lil guys thankfully expired of old age and for some reason there is enough of a market for the bodies that I'm getting three big ones shipped to me for about 17 bucks (in case you're wondering what the going rate for dead bees is these days )

If you'd like to see more about what went wrong with this pour and how to pour correctly here’s the link to this latest tutorial. Trust me, it’s not difficult to pour resin - you just have to be precise!

2.7.2019

How to Resin Layer within Artwork

January 31, 2019 in YouTube Tutorials, YouTube Videos, Tutorials, Oil Paintings

Using acrylic resin layers within your art can be a bit scary and daunting, but it is actually a very simple process. Today I have a step by step tutorial detailing the way I create my 3D paintings, including tips on how to make sure your resin pour is a success.

I've also included a painting I accidentally destroyed using resin which was so sad! But at least I can use it as a teaching tool to show you what NOT to do when layering your own paintings.

There are a number of good brands of resin out there, just make sure you purchase one that is artist grade and will dry crystal clear without turning yellow eventually. This is where I got the kind featured in this video.

As long as you follow the instructions closely you should have no problem creating incredible 3D works of art. Happy Pouring!

You Will Need:

paper towels

plastic mixing cup
stir stick
dust cover

acrylic resin
glue (for adding in objects)
level
heat gun
tweezers

…And a bit of patience!

Before pouring resin on any painting I highly recommend varnishing it. I did three coats with a day to dry in between. Then you also need to give each resin layer 24 hours to cure completely too. It’s not a fast process, but it is very rewarding. I tend to work on 4-5 paintings at once to help make it more worthwhile.

originally published January 31, 2019

Missing Figure Drawing

January 29, 2019 in Artist Diary, Figure Drawings

Finally got back to the figure drawing studio this week. Between the holidays, my modeling for various figure studios, and then being out of town for a few weeks it has been well over a month since I have drawn from a live model. I missed it so much!!

I just love being able to zone out with my thoughts and use my pastel pencil to languidly trace the beautiful curves of the subject in front of me. Thought I would share just a few with you today….

Would you like to own an original Birdie figure?

I just updated my Shop with lots of new figure drawings for only $28-48! Have a favorite you don’t see listed? Drop me a line and I’ll check my sketchbooks for it:)

originally published January 29, 2019

Salvador Dali Museum Tour

January 24, 2019 in Art Vlog, Artist Diary, Adventure, YouTube Videos, Inspiration, Museums + Galleries

I just got back from the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, FL and the collection is as mind-blowing as one could wish! As the world's preeminent surrealist painter it's a real treat to study Dali's works in person. I spent over 4 hours melting into his paintings while learning a lot about his life and the reoccurring symbols in his artwork which I'm so happy to share with you today.

I highly recommend you put this museum on your bucket list and in the mean time you can see and read about the whole collection here.

One of the most important things we can do as artists is to experience other artwork in person and since we can’t all be everywhere at once I’ll be creating more art tour videos to share with you in the future. Enjoy!

And here are the works I feature in the video for you to get a closer look. Click thumbnails to enlarge!

And the photos of Dali and his wife/muse Gala:

originally published January 24, 2019