Second Place at an Art Exhibit!!

My recent painting ‘Splendorifica’ just won second place at an art show at the d’Art Center in Norfolk, VA! Which was even more shocking considering I didn’t enter the art show as a contest, just as an opportunity to share my work. I thought I had already ‘won’ just by being accepted, and then I got an email saying that they actually had a juror pick a first, second, and third place winner for cash prizes, along with three honorable mentions. Color me humbled!

Don’t you just love that natural-light-filled space?!

They were kind enough to share a few images from the art exhibit, and it looks like a pretty nice one! It was specifically a portrait show and there are some incredible entries.

The d’Art Center actually sent me a letter as well, and if you noticed they said there was about 770 entries and I won second place out of all of those… Wow… I’m literally speechless!

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to attend the show because it was a little far away, but this recognition is definitely giving me the motivation to continue to apply to various regional shows and hope to get my work seen more in person, and certainly within distances that I can actually attend. I think after these long two years hiding away, people are finally ready to start coming back out into the world and checking out all of the marvelous artistic things we artists have been working on, myself included!

Here’s a little video of me packing up the painting when I was initially accepted. Hopefully I’ll be able to work with the d’Arte gallery again one day!

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7.17.2022

Featured as an Expert - Woo Hoo!

Hoorah how exciting to be featured as an expert in anything, much less for something I’ve devoted multiple YouTube videos about: creating a fabulous and organized home art studio!

Redfin is always looking for ways to help their clients enjoy the homes they’re in to the fullest so when I got tapped to add in my two cents on creating the perfect personal creative spaces, I was thrilled to help out!

Here’s my quote on maintaining organization in one’s studio, and then you click below to see all the other artists’ great suggestions!

Read the rest of the article here.

3.5.2021

Quarantine Couch Collaboration

Aloha friends I've been working on a big collab for you! I've asked five of my super hardworking and inspiring sister artists to talk about how this global pandemic and social distancing has affected their art business and what they are doing to push through and stay positive.

These women are seriously skilled artists who make part to all of their income through their art-making so they have real world experiences to share and super valid (and luckily bright!) points that can really help keep the rest of us afloat as well. Enjoy!

Definitely find my sisters on social media and give them a lil Hooray, great job! shoutout :)

Find them all here (in order of appearance):

Alithia Gomez @artbyaligo Art By Ali Go YouTube

Sarah Sweeney @sarahannsweeney Sarah Sweeney Designs Etsy

Dané @jetheadedgypsy JetHeadedGypsy.com Jet Headed Gypsy YouTube

Seana McCarthy @theillustratr The Illustratr Etsy

Vee Stein @stephaniesteinphoto Vee Stein Photography Patreon StephanieSteinPhotography.net

Interviewed by Jet Headed Gypsy

I was so fortunate to be asked to do a video collaboration interview with one of my newest sister artists recently! Dané is a world travelin, multi lingual, super bright and helpful fellow YouTuber who found me a few months back. Since then we’ve been big encouragers of each other’s art as well as our love of mentoring other artists.

I think she was taking advice for me at first, but the tables are quickly turning and I am excited to read her blog posts every week now too!

Check out this interview we did as a long distance collaboration she posted on her YouTube this week, and make sure to check out some of her other videos while you’re there. You can also find her super bright and enthusiastic Instagram @jetheadedgypsy.

3.25.2020

September Figure Modeling Sketches

I think I was just gifted my favorite drawing of myself to date by my friend and fellow artist Patrick Mizumoto (@paintedpatrick) during my last figure modelling session at the Museum of Art School here in Honolulu. I’m so honored to be drawn like a little forest fairy nymph..:)

Modeling at these open figure drawing sessions has really helped me connect with a new artistic side of myself. When I'm up on the platform I try to imagine myself from the outside looking towards my poses with a mental eye for lines, composition, and of course lighting and shadows. I try to make an interesting piece out of my own body with the goal of facilitating beautiful creations from the other artists. When they are able to make something unique and lovely, I like to feel like I can share in that win in some small way.

Here are a few more from that evening. (The first one is Patrick as well but the others are by artists with no links).

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originally published on September 24, 2018

Bungalow Shoot with Amanda Leigh

I am always so humbled when I get contacted by a photographer to be a muse for a day:) 

Recently I had the wonderful opportunity to have Amanda Leigh of Bee Leigh Imagery come visit my little studio bungalow and take some gorgeous shots with this incredible morning light streaming in through the palms. We had just 'met' through Instagram (I super love connecting with other creatives btw! @caleighbirdart) and I simply adored Amanda's use of natural lighting to really give her subjects a heavenly vibe. 

So when she told me how much she loved my studio tour and felt inspired to shoot me in my Nest I was beside myself with excitement! Yay!! I love to work with photographers and am especially thrilled to work with a female photog that was close to my own age. 

It's just so much fun to see yourself through the eyes of another artist! And I am beyond impressed what Amanda was able to do using nothing but natural lighting  - no flashes, no reflectors and totally spur-of-the-moment setups. 

It's hard to get a good, candid laughing shot!

To my fellow Hawaii residents,  Amanda is available to book for elopements and portraits. Seriously go check out how talented she is right here. 

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originally published June 18, 2018

Feature on 'Jain Says' Female Empowerment Blog

Yay! I am always so eternally grateful for folks who want to help me share my art with the world. So lucky me when just a week ago a blogger who features women doing wonderful things and showing their strengths featured me and my Bohemian Goddesses!

Jain Ravensun, of Jain Says, has this to say front and center on her blog (I was tempted to paraphrase for brevity sake, but her mission is statement is both beautiful and succinct enough in its importance that I don't want to take anything away):

"This is a safe place where women can speak their truth and be validated. Life can be tough, but life can be so beautiful if you have the strength to open your eyes and see it! We are nothing short of superhero goddesses; let's support each other rather than tear one another down. The weight of the world doesn't feel as heavy when we have gentle hands to help us hold it up."

She features women from all walks of life and I've been grateful to take part in a sharing space. Go ahead and peruse a few other posts after you check out mine ;) I promise you won't be disappointed!

See the full article here!

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originally published June 10, 2018

An Unexpected Loss...

Hi friends, I am writing today about a personal as well as community loss. A dear friend and incredibly skilled amigurami artist passed away a few days ago and upon learning of her death today I have surprised myself with how deep a loss I feel in knowing she is gone.

Did I mention that I never actually met her in person?

Chelle, aka @poenut35, was a sharp witted and bright spirited fellow artist/crafter that I met through Instagram in 2016. She had posted some really beautifully worked wearable crochet items, and since that is one art form I have not had the patience to learn, I managed to finagle a trade for a portrait drawing for an absolutely gorgeous pair of white crochet shorts. 

Upon which I learned she had recently had her breast removed due to cancer...

I hadn't realized until then that's why she was rockin' (and I genuinely mean rockin'!) that cute ultra short pixie haircut.  

Anyway, long story short, Chelle trusted me with a few photos of herself revealing her scar and her remaining breast and allowed me to create one of the most meaningful pieces of artwork I have ever created to this day. 

Chelle told me that my portrait made her feel beautiful in a time when she was questioning her own beauty and I will forever be so grateful that I could help someone realize how incredible they already are.

I was feeling so full of emotion and sadness that I felt I wanted to share this loss with others in the artistic community as an example of how much we can touch each other in small and big ways through our artwork. But more importantly, today, I want to make sure we all remember Chelle and the encouragement and joy she brought so many others.

I made a short video just after I had learned the news because I felt compelled to share her story with my artistic family at large. Forgive the vertical orientation, I made it firstly to share on my Instagram Story and then I felt that I wanted to share here on my blog too. 

Thank you as always for allowing me to share what's deep in my heart, friends. I know we have all suffered loss so we can all appreciate the need for connection after doing so. xo

Mad Love to My Artist Cousin Jake

Ok friends, today I have to shout out to one of my closest family members who also happens to be a young artist overflowing with creativity, determination and potential. My Canadian cousin Jake Bowen is at his last year at the University of Guelph-Humber and he is KILLIN' IT already!!! 

I think I've shared with you friends that I was actually born in Toronto to a Canadian dad and an American mom (I know... so exotic;) ) who then relocated back to Charleston SC where they initially met, when I was three. Jake is my dad's sister's son, and he and my aunt Missy are the relatives I'm closest with on my dad's side. Side note: my dad passed away a few years ago so they make me feel very connected with him....

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Anyhoo, Jake was recently featured in a short film about his love and experimentation with photography, both digital and analog, as well as taking up painting. It is so exciting to watch a fresh artist just begin to take on the world - and he's already had some real successes! Not only was he hired by his university to be a sports photographer, but he has already had a very successful solo art show and is gaining recognition for his talent and abilities. 

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Jake is going to do great things with his life!! You saw him here first folks:

And here are just a few of the multi media paintings Jake's been experimenting with too. I seriously cannot imagine what he will play with next! (click to enlarge)

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Personalities (16 x 20 in) acrylic & pencil on art-board

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mess (16 x 20 in) acrylic, ink & oil on canvas

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When I trust you we can do it with the lights on (16 x 20 in) acrylic on canvas

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tHA[n]K U GOLF! (16 x 20 in) acrylic, pencil, pen, pastel, and sharpie on canvas

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originally published March 18, 2018

Solo Show in 2 Weeks!! Aaah!!

Wow! That happened fast!! I'm thrilled to announce that I will be having a solo show of my Bohemian Goddesses on Friday March 2nd at an art and music space called Ong King here in Honolulu. Yaaay!!

So because of there is a lot more to curating a successful show than meets the eye, I have decided to do a series here and on my YouTube channel about how to throw an art show on a budget ('cause you know that's what I'll be doing anyway! Ha!) 

Here's the plan, though things may change...

1. Creating flyers (as you can see above that one is done so I'll have a video of my process this Wednesday. [UPDATE: Watch it here!])
2. Making simple, yet sophisticated, frames
3. Setting up the venue
4. The Big Night!

So enjoy the series! I'm looking forward to continuing to make it! 

Also, if your curious about some of the struggles of finding an exciting contemporary art venue here in Honolulu, sign up for my monthly Birds of a Feather letter here where I talk a bit more openly and honestly about taking the good with the bad when it comes to being a working artist. 

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originally published February 18, 2018