Making Art with Snow!

Brrr! What a cold week! Didn't it seem like I was just in my sports bra and shorts on top of a tropical mountain on O'ahu and suddenly I'm here freezing my feathers off in Nashville, Tennessee?!

Yikes! What happened?!

Luckily I'm in a safe spot, just stocked up on groceries, and my awesome new artsy job cancels when it's this icy on the road so I've had the luxury or being able to do some healthy baking, snuggle up, and have my own little mini snow excursions around the nature areas of my new apartment complex. I even figured out the perfect spot to do some indoor plein air landscape painting with gouache right out my window so I wouldn't freeze my fingers off trying to set up to paint outside. Yay!

I hope you enjoy this vlog as much as I enjoyed making it for you! Here's a playlist of some other art + adventure vlogs from my travels.

Shoutout to Study Girl at Chilled Cow for the best snowy day streaming music.

Please stay safe, stay inside, and drive slow! Here are a few links you may find helpful should something go wrong:

https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/how-to-survive-a-power-outage-in-winter/432226 https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/15/us/power-outage-winter-storm-how-to-trnd/index.html

And a place to donate to those in Texas who have lost power: https://breadoflifeinc.org/

2.21.2021

I’m cheering for Compostable Mailers!!

If you have been following my art journey for even just a little while, you know it is rare that I do outside brand collaborations, but you better believe compostable mailers is some thing I believe in 1000% wholeheartedly in every way possible!!

I am constantly discussing ways to be more eco-friendly and mother earth conscious in my YouTube videos especially, and with so many people in this world having to shop online it is even more important that we pay attention to our plastic footprint as small business owners. I really love that these mailers have simple instructions on the bag and they dissolve in any compost bin, not just in specifically designed city facilities. I imagine that even if they don’t make it into a compost bin that still means they break down so much faster than petroleum plastic either way.

You guys, it is literally actually factually like a trillion zillion times better to not use plastic to begin with than to ‘recycle’ since most cities/facilities don’t really do nearly what you think they do. You can ask any ecologist and can also quote me on that!

@noissueco mailers are SURPRISINGLY inexpensive for being biodegradable! You have to have to have to check them out!!! 🌱

2.16.21

New 3D Oil Painting Demo :: Lady Earth

I’m thrilled to share my latest 3D oil painting, ‘Lady Earth’ with you! It’s been a hot minute since I’ve completed an oil painting and it feels soo good!

I feel like so many of my paintings have a Mother Earth/Gaia feel to them so I’m constantly seeking out new ways to express this reoccurring theme. Ninsar is the name of the ancient Sumerian goddess of plants, which translates into English as ‘Lady Earth’… the perfect ceremonial name for my latest muse.

My amazing subject is a force to be reckoned with, yet quiet and serene in her own way, similar to the balance of love and wrath of Mother Earth. She is one who will provide and protect, but will also remind you that you are essentially helpless before her.

Even though this piece is small in stature, she is a monumental presence that will fill any space.

Yes, this piece is available for purchase in my shop here.

Thank you to my Muse, Toy, for being exactly who you are. @they_call_me_toy

2.14.21

How to Write an About Me Page for Artists

Do you have your 'About Me' page set up on your website yet? Do you know that it's different than your bio or artist statement? Well don't worry at all because your Birdie is going to to break down your About Me page into easy bite-sized chunks that will make it an absolute breeze to write.

Your Bio is more of a professional write up, your About Me is more about you as a human and artist, and your Artist Statement is more about a specific body of work. None of these should be too long, nor are they too difficult to write if you just follow a few simple guidelines

Want to read my own Bio + About Me? https://www.caleighbirdart.com/about

Here's my Bio video and my Artist Statement video and even a whole playlist about writing about your art!

If you need any one-on-one help, remember I’m here for art + art biz mentoring via Zoom :)

2.7.2021

Feature on Anchored Scraps Blog

Wow, what a delightful surprise to learn that my long-term client Helen decided to feature me on her special letter writing blog this week!

If you have been here for a while, you may remember how much I adore sending snail mail. I actually did a video about that passion a few years ago which Helen discovered on my YouTube which began our lovely and inspiring mentoring relationship last July.

Helen is also extremely passionate about letter writing - so much so that she has dedicated the last six years to blogging (daily for five, and now twice weekly) all about the joys of connecting kindred souls through traditional letter writing. Anchored Scraps is a friendly and nostalgia-filled space bursting with more fancy fountain pens, cute stamps, and inspiring correspondence ideas than you could ever dream of!

It’s been a real pleasure brainstorming together and figuring out ways to help her two websites shine. Helen’s enthusiasm and willingness to jump all in with her projects and goals is refreshing and invigorating, so even though I am the one mentoring her, she is also very inspiring to me as well!

Here’s the awesome write-up Helen posted on her blog this week. She really went above and beyond and shared so many of my offerings with her readers - what an amazing boost for a small creator like myself!

Read the full article here!

And if there’s any thing you need a little extra boost in with your small creative business, check out my mentorship programs here. I genuinely love helping others to succeed and grow!

2.4.2021

How to Write an Artist Bio

Did you know that your Artist Bio, your About Me page, and your Artist Statement are three totally different things? Yikes, right?!!?

Don't worry about a thing! Today we are going to talk about exactly what needs to go in your artist bio, either for your own website, or for when you/your art get featured somewhere. It should be short and sweet and contain all the interesting bits about your (professional) history as an artist.

Check out my How to Write an Artist Statement video here.

And next week I'll have How to Write an About Me Page

Check out this playlist for even more great advice on how to write about your art.

Yep, I’m available for art mentoring via Zoom! I'm happy to help fellow up-and-coming artists with anything from drawing or painting technique to small art business advice, as well as with perfecting your portfolio or thesis. See how I can help you here!

1.31.2021

The Complete Guide to Oil Painting is Here!!

It’s here! It’s finally here!!

The Complete Guide to Oil Painting has finally arrived in full to my YouTube channel, my Skillshare classroom and as a Workshop on my website! There are oodles of places you can watch it… even for FREE!

That’s right, you can watch this series as a playlist on YouTube or as a totally free course on my Skillshare, or you can download the series off my website for a small fee so that you can have it with you ready to work from whether or not you have internet access.

Enjoy this intro video today, then pop down below for links to all the places to see it in full!

And if you find yourself needing any new art supplies, using my special link helps to support the creation of my videos at no extra cost to you - thank you!!

1.24.2021

Expanded Oil Painting Palette :: Complete Guide to Oil Painting

As you get more familiar with oil painting, you will probably notice that you can't quite mix every color you need with the limited palette I introduced to you in this Basic 5 Color Palette video.

Today I'm sharing with you a second round of oil paints that I find very useful to have around. While you get more proficient as a painter you will surely find even more colors you need, however by then you will really feel comfortable around the art store.

My Oil Painting Basics Complete Guide debuts here and completely for free on my Skillshare Sunday January 24th! Here's the YT Playlist so far (Sorry about the delay! I wanted to have it ready for you before Xmas but moving 3 states away for an exciting new artsy job delayed thigs just a bit:)

Supplies

If you need any supplies, using my special links helps to support this channel at no extra cost to you so thank you very much!

Alizarin Crimson

Cadmium Red

Cadmium Orange

Cadmium Yellow

Lemon Yellow

Yellow Ochre

Burnt Sienna

Raw Umber

Magenta

Ultramarine Blue

Cobalt Blue

Cerulean Blue

Iron Oxide Green: (can’t find) +\- Chromium Oxide Green

Payne's Grey

Titanium White

1.17.2021

Birthday Girl!

Birthday girl! Birthday girl! ✨🍾🎉

Thank you so much to all the kind friends who have already wished me a great next year! With my new big opportunity job starting tomorrow I’m sure it will be!!

I’m excited to spend some time with my aunt n uncle this afternoon who I haven’t seen in almost a year. They are baking me a GF cake that I can’t wait to dive into!

1.10.2021

How to Clean Up After Oil Painting

Do you know how to properly clean up and dispose of old paint and rags once you've finished oil painting? Cleaning up is one of the more nerve-wracking components of oil painting for many newbies since it deals with chemicals that could pose a potential danger to you and your studio.

Have no fear though, your Birdie is going to break down exactly how to safely and effectively clean up your brushes, your paint palette, and even how to clean out your turpenoid jar when the time comes.

Make sure you catch my 'Complete Guide to Oil Painting' for TONS more great info!

1.10.2021