You ever struggle painting different kinds of materials, specifically various fabrics, in your oil painting?
Well sometimes I do too.
So let’s figure this one out together! Let’s paint a knit sweater (because I have to figure it out for a commissioned portrait anyways - ha!)
UPDATE: Here it is finished!! I hope by sussing the sweater out on camera it helped us both learn something new:)
12.5.2021
Welcome back to the Nest! One of these days I may settle down and quit moving so much, but until then, enjoy yet another studio apartment/art studio tour!
This one will be different though, because this is the first time in 6 years I’ve been able to have my art and nature collections out on display.. so get ready to see some one of a kind and unusual pieces!
If you love all the organizational possibilities of the the Mollie Ollie caddy as much as I do, pop over to this link with the discount code 10Caleigh https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089RRRJN3#CaleighBirdArt
11.26.2021
I just wanted to pop on during this special day of sharing thanks to tell each and every one of my supporters how much you mean to me. I know I have been a little less active these last few months (teaching college really is a full time job - what do you know?!?) but I am not going anywhere and I appreciate you for being patient.
The rest of 2021 and the first few months of 2022 will be much less hectic for me and I’m looking forward to getting back in the swing of things and back into making art on a more regular basis.
I hope you have had the chance to hug some loved ones this holiday season! Hopefully at least more so than in 2020! xo Birdie
11.25.2021
Woo hoo time for your yearly dose of fresh Caleigh Bird Art!!
This year I have decided not to do calendars for a few reasons, but I am doing a super duper fantastic print pre-sale instead! Each giclee print is a gallery quality 290 gsm with hand applied gold leaf, making each print a one of a kind.
This will be the last time in 2021 to snag a print, and for some of these paintings it may be the only time to get a copy for yourself! Pop over to my shop and grab one for you and one for a gift :)
Every print will be hand embellished with gold leafing making each one an original work of art, and will arrive in time for gifting if you’re being so kind as to give artwork to those that you love.
I only release pre-sale print opportunities a few times a year so this will be it for 2021! Don’t miss out!
11.19.2021
Oh my goodness! Now you know I'mma Bird who loves to oil paint sooo much, but even my patience has its limits! There were so many challenges, obstacles, and learning curves to creating this work of art that I almost though it might not actually happen!
Luckily, a few people and some serendipitous events magically aligned to allow me to make a truly captivating work of art that I honestly can't wait to show off in person. Time to get to work on making that happen next!
Here is my lovely ‘Siren of the Palms’. She measures 15x15” and I could not be more thrilled with how each and every layer turned out. I’m thinking I’ll probably do a limited edition print run before the holidays…
Want to learn all about oil painting? Check out my Complete Guide to Oil Painting playlist on YouTube or as a totally free course on Skillshare:
Here are a few vids on my Layered Resin Art techniques:
A huge Thank You to my collaborator @greatcreatorvision
10.17.21
I’m so excited I can’t wait to share my (almost) finished oil painting of this Palm Princess.. or maybe Palm Siren.. or maybe Zebra Princess… I still don’t know what I want to call her yet.
My last few paintings have been named in some way after Mother Earth, but there’s something a little more intense and a little less nurture-y about this shadow splashed wahine.
And don’t even get me started on figuring out how to do shadow-striped hair! Wowza - that took just as much willpower as it did brainpower!
She’s not finished quite yet, I still have to add in the resin of course… but she’s almost there! Sooo exciting!!
Stay tuned to my YouTube channel because her grand debut is coming out this Sunday!
Thank you to @greatcreatorvision for the collab reference image!
10.13.2021
Do not get sued! Yikes!
Every website these days (yes, even your teeny tiny lil humble artist portfolio) must have five legal items on it to make sure you are compliant for visitors in the US and the EU. I was unaware until recently just how essential these things are, so as soon as I figured out how to be compliant, I wanted to share them with you!
5 Things you Definitely Need on Your Art Website:
Privacy Policy You have to tell folks what kind of data your website tracks and how you’re going to use it. There are different requirements for the US and Europe so you’d better make sure to follow all the rules!
Cookie Banner + Policy Letting people know you are taking analytics and giving them the option to opt out of non-essential monitoring. This is also about the personal privacy of your website visitors.
Terms + Conditions This tells folks that if they are on your website, it’s on your terms. This lets people know what to expect so they can’t get upset and sue you for being offended by your content, or if they simply don’t like the way you do business. This part tells people, hey , if you don’t like it, then leave because by staying on my website you are agreeing to using my website in the way that I, the creator, see fit. This also let’s folks know that they cannot take your content off your website and use it as their own, but if they submit comments or images to your site, then you can use them for anything.
Disclaimer The disclaimer tells people that your website and its content are your opinion and any instruction or advice they get from you is their own responsibility and you do not guarantee everything to be perfect or without flaw. It also let’s people know that you do not guarantee any company, product, or third party that may be featured on your website either.
Refund Policy Definitely essential if you ever want to sell goods or services, that way there is no question should an issue ever arise. This one can be written by you in casual, understandable English according to however your particular policies are and don’t need to be written in legalese.
I am not affiliated with them and get no money from you using their services, nor can I legally bind myself to or guarantee their products. This is just a simple recommendation of what I am using for my website.
https://www.websitepolicies.com/
10.3.2021
Aloha is definitely the right way to start this post off today!
I’ve been sharing more and more of my interesting found specimens (even before they get to go into my work!) and folks really seem to like them so here we go: some perfectly dried purple orchids I found clinging to my bf's potted plants.
I honestly don’t have a lot of information to share about these orchids other than I just can’t believe how beautiful they are and how incredibly perfectly they dried!
I’ve actually never tried drying an orchid before. Mainly because this central area is very 3 dimensional which I think would be lost if it was dried in my flower press. I also feel like if I was to pluck a flower and leave it to dry on a table it would just decompose, so I feel like finding these dried specimens in such perfect condition really is quite lucky!
I would really love to use these in the resin work, but I know that some things that are slightly translucent can turn out pretty much transparent when mixed in with the resin. It can change objects in very unexpected ways. Like for example one time I used a peacock feather in a resin painting and before the resin it had a beautiful green iridescence and after it was set in the resin it was a dull dark green with no shine at all. Who would’ve thought?!
Have you ever tried drying an orchid flower? If so, did you dry it like this naturally or did you press it?
9.29.2021
Yikes! Dealing with trolls, haters, and just plain negative people online can be totally stressful and disheartening! Hopefully you haven't experienced much of it so far, but it never hurts to be prepared for the future.
The more we put ourselves out there the more susceptible we are to online bullying or harassment. Today I've got 7 emotional and actionable ways you can deal with any negativity that gets thrown at your artwork or content. And remember above all else, don't let anyone online get you down - they don't even know how awesome you are in real life!
See if the negativity is just a poorly delivered helpful critique. Believe it or not sometimes negativity does come from a place of frustration that gets aimed in the wrong direction. If there is a real and specific complaint, perhaps try to see what point the critic is making removed from the anger. You may even be able to address the comment in such a way that makes the critic feel heard, understood and treated with respect and then they will do the same back.
Have a few positive responses on hand to consult or reuse as necessary. Even if you may be able to win this person over, never allow yourself to negativity - it’s just not worth it because…
Realize you can't please everyone and that is OK!! You can never please everyone so don’t even try - it won’t work and you’ll just get frustrated. Realize that no one famous or otherwise has ever been able to please everyone. I’m sure you could even find critics of Mother Theresa so do not stress yourself out over it. Remember, you cannot control how others perceive you, only how you can carry yourself so just be and do things that you can be proud of and you’ll naturally stop caring about those who treat you as if you should be some other way.
If someone really wants to troll and hassle you, there are three emotional ways to handle negativity....
4.1. Laugh it off. Literally give off a laugh and a shrug because this person took the actual time to get their whole panties in a bunch over some free content you posted online - what a loser!!
4.2. Cry it off. Ugh every once in awhile someone either by chance or by seriously sick and specific proclivities knows just what to say to right under your skin to really make you feel bad/inept/stupid/unskilled so if that happens, allow yourself to feel your feelings for a few.
4.3. Pity them! And feel relieved that you are not them and neither is your significant other. They may give you and unpleasant 15 minutes but realize that that person is way unhappy in their own lives, and they have to be around themselves 24/7! Yikes!
Know there is nothing wrong with simply block-report-delete. This person has disrespected you so you owe them exactly nothing in return. Do not allow this person to bully you into a response, especially if that response would require you to sink as low as their level - ew!
The very best way to deal with negativity online is to have a mantra ready so you have a swift and confident inner-dialog answer for any time some awful comment sneaks up out of nowhere and completely derails whatever awesome thing you were about to do. Do not allow those trolls any power over your mindset, goals, or accomplishments.
Above all else remember that H.A.T.E.R.S. are just losers who Have Anger Towards Everyone Reaching Success. They are not productive contributors, pumped on accomplishing their own goals - no. They are miserable little wastes-of-space without enough creativity to produce anything notable on their own. They’re succubi. They’re leeches. They are not worth any time and we don’t even know who they are. They know who we are, but they are so insignificant that we don’t even know who they are. Just understand that haters only come after those who are doing something noteworthy and interesting. Along with fame comes haters - it’s a very backwards compliment but trust me, it is one.
Any purchases through my special links helps to support this channel at no extra cost to you. Thank you!
And yes, these gouache mushrooms are available for purchase in my Shop right here.
9.19.2021
I’ve always been slightly enamored and mystified by the myriad of funky fungi I’ve encountered throughout years of adventuring outdoors, but have never been interested in learning more about wild mushrooms due to my lifelong distaste of Portobello or baby bello mushrooms found at any random grocery store.
So as you can imagine, going out to enjoy a lovely solo hike in Chattanooga to get some fresh air and coming home with a large sampling of one of Mother Nature’s most nutritious, sustainable, and, as I later learned, delicious offerings completely unexpectedly has really opened up a whole new world for me.
You’re probably wondering what possessed me to pluck a random, though beautiful, unknown cluster of fungus from the woods and take it home to eat with practically no experience in the matter, especially knowing how dangerous decisions like that could be….
Well, two things: for one I had just seen that amazingly edited and incredibly interesting documentary Fantastic Fungi with the world famous mycologist Paul Stamets who really explained just what miraculous entities mushrooms are and how truly delicious they can be, which reminded me of the only time I have ever foraged and eaten a wild mushroom previously, and made me yearn to try again.
My first time eating a wild forage was with my good friend Jimi who is an old pro and knew exactly what he was doing. We collected this lionsmane mushroom together, then sautéed it with butter and salt n pepper and it was EPIC! It literally tasted like a meaty, succulent cross between a squash and a shrimp.
Happening upon that perfect specimen and then eating it less than 3 hours later felt all the more epic because my whole life I always had to let people know that I didn’t like mushrooms if they were providing a shared meal.
But I digress.. the reason I even gathered this particular mushroom was because it was so beautiful I took a pic and sent it to my friend who watched the movie with me and he immediately came back telling me it was a delicious mushroom called Chicken of the Woods and I should collect it. I had a hand towel with me so I broke it off the decaying branch it was growing out of and kept on my hike. My friend and I continued to check with a few folks to be sure it was safe and good and I watched a few videos on YouTube too.
I brought it home, cleaned it off, and sautéed half of it in a little Bragg sauce then included it in a veggie Thai lemongrass meal (see me cook and taste it in this quickie video here>>). And wouldn’t you know it, the Chicken of the Woods was epic too, and so aptly named!! The next day I did a barbeque olive oil recipe I found online and yummmmmmm! The consistency is so spot on and it just the mushroom just really takes on whatever seasoning you’re trying to give it. I’m hooked!
All in all though, I am seriously grateful to have a new healthy food group to enjoy. So much so that I even took the plunge and included some oyster mushrooms in my Misfits Market box this week. I found a recipe for those with just olive oil, garlic, green onions, salt n pepper, and lemon juice that was quite delightful. I’d have to say I liked the foraged fungus better than the oysters, but they were pretty good and I’ll definitely eat them again. At some point I’d like to see about growing my own, I hear it’s not that difficult.
You see those lil brown dots at the base? They’re tiny mushrooms! My mushrooms are growing their own mushrooms - ha!
Do you like wild mushrooms? Have you ever foraged your own? How about grown your own? Let me know or share tips in the comments!
9.16.2021
