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

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

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

sketchbook of a nude figure drawing in blue

Always Room for Improvement!

December 29, 2016 in Inspiration, Artist Diary, Studio, Figure Drawings

'You don't have to be better than anyone else, just be better than yourself.'

I'm trying to turn that old saying into truth once again, as I'm sure most artists do from time to time. I've been challenging myself to have more of a tender touch in my drawings lately, especially with the white chalk on my figure studies, and I'm already noticing progress. It's amazing what mindfulness can do for you and your art!

I already practice mindfulness in my day-to-day life, mostly focusing on nutrition and mental clarity, but I have noticed that a little intention can go a long way in many more aspects of one's artistic and professional life as well. Once you decide to practice mindfulness it easily becomes like second nature, and just deciding where to channel your new power first will be the hardest part!

A mindful smoothie-in-the-sunshine moment

What is 'being mindful'?

When I use the term 'mindfulness' I am referring to performing an action or having a thought with intention. So much of our daily routine happens automatically, and even though we are conscious of what we are doing, we are not being conscientious about each specific task at hand. To bring mindfulness into our routine, one must only pick one aspect of your day and ask 'why?' Why do I do this in this way? What prevents me doing it another way? Or perhaps, Is this the way I want to act or think about this action? Is this daily decision going to help me or harm me in the future?

By taking the time to ask ourselves these questions occasionally, we can help ourselves maintain a healthy and productive life that is always improving. I cannot emphasize this enough, there is always, always room for improvement in one's life. I am constantly evaluating my health, happiness, productivity, and outside relationships to find small ways to clean house or spruce up my own mind and body. In no way am I trying to gloat, but I am currently in the best physical shape of my life, in the healthiest relationship in my life, am making the most strides as a career artist, and am living the dream in Hawai'i... and I can truthfully credit it all to mindfulness and self-critique.

If you don't like something about your life, change it. Progress needs a proactive attitude.

One should never stagnate or be content with the status quo. Every day you can be a slightly better version of the you you were the day before. I'm not trying to sound like some dental office motivational poster, but take a page out of the old Tony Robbins handbook and look at what you're doing and ask yourself if you like it.

Now as I was saying in the beginning, whenever I take that same daily mindfulness and apply it to my art, I absolutely notice improvements, and usually much faster than naturally occurs. Of course if you practice anything long enough you will get better at it regardless of how consciously in-tune you are trying to be, but why not practice with intention and get better by leaps and bounds?!

The best way I have found to improve with intention is to be very specific where I am channelling that energy. I don't just tell myself, 'get better at drawing'. I would tell myself, 'get better at drawing hair', or more specifically, 'get better at drawing dreadlocks', then 'get better at drawing straight hair', and so on. Practicing your focal point is crucial of course, but practicing with intention by really concentrating on each line and referencing other artists' techniques or photos and doing it over and again until you get it right on every piece you work on will give you dramatically better results than just repeating steps alone or copying other artists. I find that trying to envision my desired effect before beginning each piece really helps to train your hand to create what's in your brain.

So for my most recent drawing-with-intention exercise, I have been trying to have a lighter touch with my charcoals and especially with the white chalk I use on the toned paper during the weekly figure drawing sessions I attend. When a subject is bathed in bright light, it's easy to record it as all the same value, however, fine-tuning and slight adjustments is what makes a good drawing into a great one. Usually I am a very careful drawer, but, alas, I am human and can get lazy from time to time so my intention is to be more sensitive all of the time because.....

One should never waste an opportunity to create beautiful art!

charcoal drawing of a nude lounging woman

Above and below are examples; the drawings on the left are perfectly fine figure studies showing showing correct proportion and volume, but the drawings on the right depict specific musculature and slight bone protrusion and are all-in-all much stronger pieces. With just a little forethought and clarity of intended result, my figures gained a new level of realism. And these drawings were done only about a month apart and in the same amount of time, so this was not a result of great leaps in learning. This difference is all credit of my decision to be more conscientious about how hard or soft I press with my charcoal pencil which goes hand-in-hand with paying closer attention to slight variations in the model rather than blanketing him or her in the same even lighting.

To sum up, basically I looked at my past work and decided it could better. Then I figured out specifically how, and made a mindful decision each time I worked in charcoal. The results are already notable and very pleasing. This is actually an ongoing focal point of my mindfulness so I will be concentrating on this aspect for a few months until it becomes second nature. Once I am satisfied in my advances, I'll probably find some other little thing to nitpick and so on and so forth. I have spoken with professional artists two and three times my age who say they still make advances in their art so I greatly look forward to forever improving:)

Words to Live By: Always make sure you are being an active participant in your own life.

I would love to hear about your current or next art-with-intention focus! Leave me a note in the comment section.

originally posted: December 29, 2016

Inspo Saturdays :: Mucha's Muses

December 10, 2016 in Inspiration

If there's one thing I absolutely adore, it is the opportunity to peek into another artist's studio and see a behind-the-scenes of their creative process. I almost hate to admit it, but I have definitely learned way more in my life from watching other successful artists than from direct instruction from any teachers. Not to put down any art professors in any way, it's just that since we all have different styles, the likelihood that your professors' style is going to be what you are going for can be pretty slim.

But I digress... I am thrilled this week to bring to my readers some sneak peeks into one of my absolute favorite artists of all time's studio and drawing technique.

Alphonse Mucha (1860 - 1939) was a Czech Art Nouveau illustrator and painter who created dreamy portraits of ethereal women that decorated posters and advertisements from rolling papers to biscuits, and eventually inspired jewelry, furniture and an entire art movement.

Mucha did a lot of four-panel series, like this one illustrating the different times of day.

But behind the scenes, Mucha was much like most modern-day realist artists who use photographs as drawing references for certain projects. I am sure that he, like most of us, work equally from photos and live models. However, seeing Mucha using photos, just like Vermeer allegedly using the camera obscura, brings these larger-than-life, wildly famous artists back down to earth for the rest of us to feel like we're not quite so far behind;)

I could swim in Mucha's linework all day.....

I was able to visit the Mucha Museum when I went to Prague in 2010 and it was truly incredible. His work is so delicate and precise and really makes you believe in magic and fairy tales and all sorts of otherworldly possibilities.

One big surprise I discovered in my research was Mucha's preparatory gridwork! I love it! So amazing to see this world-class, trailblazing, technically masterful artist using the same methods as many artists today. It is comforting and inspiring all at the same time.

Enjoy a slideshow of more muses and works!

1902-03c Mucha’s studio, Rue du Val de Grâce, Paris © Mucha Trust.jpg

03 c1900 Portrait of a Lady photographic study in Mucha’s studio, Rue du Val de Grâce, Paris © Mucha Trust.jpg

Let me know what you think of Mucha, his process, or the Art Nouveau movement in the comments! Thanks!

Sources and other great resources:

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

http://julioarizau.blogspot.com/2015/05/studio-models-and-staged-photography.html

https://www.redbubble.com/people/blythart/writing/2707929-did-famous-artists-use-photographs

http://www.muchafoundation.org/gallery/browse-works/page/2

originally posted: December 10, 2016

First wildlife art I've done since high school! Pretty pleased if I do say so myself...

Inspo Saturdays :: A Special Hawaiian Project

December 03, 2016 in Studio, Aloha, Artist Diary, Acquire Art, Inspiration

So in my personal life as a working artist, I try to be a "yes" person as much as possible. Even when I am first approached to do something that seems outside of my comfort zone or area of expertise, I suck it up and put on a smile and secretly cross my fingers hoping that I'll figure it out well enough along the way.

Over the years one life lesson I have picked up is if you really want to make it in this business, you have to learn to not doubt yourself and just get excited about whatever opportunities come your way.

Not my photo, but taken in a spot where I got to swim with two sea turtles

What came my way recently has been my first opportunity at art licensing! Woo Hoo! Some friends-of-friends out here on O'ahu are going to be making mini surfboards as a collectors item and they had a few specific Hawai'ian designs they were looking to have created as .png images and then mounted on an entire series of different colored boards.

Lo and behold, I meet one of the developers, he sees my snazzy business cards and website with my charcoal drawings, and boom! I've got two new commissions.

Certainly landscapes and wildlife are not in my normal repertoire, but I have learned to throw self-doubt out the window and tackle commissions with aplomb. Not to mention that I live in Palolo, which is a valley directly behind the legendary Diamond Head Crater so I see it every day. Plus, I've been blessed with Aloha and have enjoyed the magical experience of swimming around with sea turtles twice since moving here.

It can be scary to put yourself out there (terrifying, in fact) but I think it was my mother who told me that if someone wants to hire me for a creative gig, it's because they believe I can do it and so should I. Sage advice I think all of us creatives can all take!

My drawing of more of a classic pre-settlement Diamond Head Crater with canoe surfers in the water

Diamond Head today as seen from a harbor cruise

In summation, Hawai'i is fan-freakin-tastic (thanks, Captain Obvious!) and I love it here. I just realized during the writing of this post that today actually marks the one year anniversary of my living here on O'ahu - incredible how time flies! So here is a little slide-show of this past year's adventures here and on my trip to Big Island. (And that handsome chap you see me with is my loving boyfriend and the reason I moved out here, Tim. Lucky me!) Enjoy:)

Have you ever visited Hawai'i or any other Pacific Island? I have yet to venture towards Asia, but I can't wait to do so! I'd love to hear about your experiences in the comments!

originally posted: December 31, 2016

interview with two entrprenuerial hula hoopers

Inspo Saturdays :: Interview With a Duo of Entrepreneurial Hula Hoopers

November 19, 2016 in Artist Features, Aloha, Inspiration

My inspiration this week comes from two amazing, entrepreneurial women that I have the pleasure of knowing out here on O'ahu. Sirkka and Katie were two of the first people to bring hula hooping to the island a number of years ago, and have since built a life around making and selling hoops, as well as teaching and connecting new and seasoned hoopers alike. They are both incredibly positive and light-filled individuals, and I'm sure their story will get your creative juices flowing as much as they do for me!

Click the photo to see more pics from my mindblowing experiences in Hawaii

Subconscious Inspiration Infiltration

November 05, 2016 in Inspiration, Artist Diary

Earlier today I was having a contemplative moment at my desk, reflecting on what have been the most inspiring moments of this last week, and I could not stop thinking about these gorgeous and otherworldly fiery-red orange flowers growing on the wall around my neighbor's yard. I have walked over and admired these flowers, which I was told are a form of jade vine, over and again for the last ten days or so that they have been blooming. I've been so obsessed I even had an impromptu photo shoot and have made a few hula hoops videos using these flowers as the background as well - I literally cannot get enough of them!

artist blog about finding inspiration in her community

It gets even better though, 'cause I know I'm not alone. I see lots of different neighbors stopping by to look or take pics or videos or going out of their way to pull their car over to admire. It's like we all want to take part in the natural beauty unfolding in our midst.

artist blog about finding inspiration in nature

So anyway, like I said, I keep going over to look at these flowers and when I try to figure out how to incorporate them into my Inspo Saturday segment, I absent mindedly turned around and, bam. There they were showing up in my painting without me even realizing where the inclination to use such tropical chroma came from. I had been subconsciously inspired this week in such a brilliant and flashy way! Inspiration:sometimes it hits when you least expect it.

I'll be working hard on this painting next week!

Here is my current painting along with the Pantone postcards I use to select painting palettes. Just look at how similar they are to the flowers!

(PS Don't worry, I didn't kill these flowers, they fell off naturally. I no longer pick flowers as I think the bees need them ten times more than we do)

Like progress shots? Follow my @caleighbirdart Instagram for regular updates.

Have you ever been surprised to discover a subconscious inspiration infiltration in your own work or life? Please share your experience in the comments!

originally published: November 5, 2016

The Best Handmade Sketchbooks [Part Two]

November 01, 2016 in Inspiration, Studio, Tutorials

[Part Two] This tutorial is all about affixing the bound booklets to the outer book binding, which you can decorate with a personalized cloth cover.

My homemade sketchbooks circa 2015; all filled up and needing replacement!

Handmade Sketchbooks

October 22, 2016 in Inspiration

A couple of years ago I was trying to find some travel sized sketchbooks for my new found love of white and black charcoal on toned paper. I had begun forming this sort of technique the year before that, but was in grad school and wasn't really drawing on the go too often, so the big fancy colored paper from the art stores that I cut to size myself was perfect. Later on, when checking local art stores and even online for sketchbooks with my favorite paper, I could not find ANYTHING that contained multi-toned, nicely toothed paper and could actually fit inside an average sized tote bag.

Although I am prone to always asking, 'Can I make/do/fix that myself?' at the prospect of any new purchase (thank you for that, mom), I had never considered making my own sketchbooks. It was simple economics really, sketchbooks aren't expensive - why take the trouble?

'Cause if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself!

After a little research, I finally decided to bite the bullet and create my own, and I honestly love them ten times more than I even expected. These sketchbooks hold my favorite paper and because they have their binding on the short side, I never have issues with my hand not have space to move. Love it.

So to kick off a BRAND NEW semi-weekly blog segment, 'Tutorial Tuesdays', I am going to walk you through the step-by-step process of creating beautiful sketchbooks like those pictured above, utilizing any kind of paper your creative heart desires.

I'll be using cloth-covered foam board for my upcoming tutorial, but the world is literally your oyster when it comes to book-making materials; here are a few brilliant examples from some other artists to get your creative juices flowing:

Any kind of random funky patterned paper would made great book covers

Cannot believe the level of adorableness in this walnut shell book

Seeing these reinvented material projects and a bunch more I Pinned makes me look at each scratch paper or found object in my studio just a little differently...

I can't even begin to understand how these woven binding techniques are accomplished - so impressive! It's one of those things that builds on itself over time, I'm sure.