Chelsea Rose Fine Art

Live Painting at The Fifth World, lots of WIP shots on new painting

2012-01-30T10:30:00.000-08:00

Hi Lovelies,

This weekend was pretty fun and productive. On Saturday I did a live painting gig at a nightclub in downtown Portland.

The event was called "The Fifth World"- featuring the music/dj stylings of Thriftworks, Sporeganic, TreyZilla and Spekt1n" Teds@ Berbati's Pan on sw 2nd street from 10pm-1am. Bea Ogden of Cloudbreak Productions did a great job curating and organizing the art/artists for the event.

I was painting in the Tea room:

Snapshot taken before dawning my painting apron. I had several pieces displayed around the room along with works of Danny Ebru and Andrew Zeutzius( who was also doing live painting in the tea room!) The morning before I painted the background of the canvas pictured on the easel here... just started out with an India ink outline.

Painting the night away to the deep throb of the bass.

Progress shot taken near the end of the night...got a lot of work done!

This was what was going down in the main room as I worked:

Inside the dance room there were a other wonderful artists on display doing live painting: Nemo Boko, Violet Page and Sam Arneson. Was so much fun to watch them cultivate their artly peace while embedded in the chaos of all that movement and sound.
---

...It was a late night for me! So on Sunday I slept in and spent the rest of the super rainy day off snug in my home studio space painting:

Detail shot of the shiny mermaid butt and triple eye spine. Fun stuff!

Hmph....my "in progress" table is getting rather crowded. I normally work on one piece at a time. Dont know whats gotten into me!

---

In other news. We are quickly selling out of art posters via the blowout poster SALE we are having in our online shop!

(Your Body is Your Temple-Goddess in All of US body art photography)

...There is only one poster left of the print above "Your Body is Your Temple" and it can be yours for only $10( price was slashed from $20.) Snatch it up here.

You'll find more posters from the "Goddess In All Of Us " series + poster prints of my acrylic paintings and more...all on sale till supply lasts.

Why would I do such a thing?

Well, I am discontinuing the poster print size and hoping to get rid of the stock I have.

So, check out my etsy shop and grab these beautiful posters up before they disappear!

Love and Light,
-Chelsea Rose

Work in Progress shots + Blowout art poster SALE

2012-01-23T10:49:00.000-08:00

Helloness!

Over the weekend I got a lot done on my painting in the works.

Check out these Work In Progress photos:

Its strange but interesting to see my color paintings in black and white. In this photo you can see the original pencil concept sketch for the painting.

This photo is showing the first layerings of color on the flowers.

Lots of work was done this weekend on painting in the forest. Now to start working on her dress more. She is gettin there!

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And, I am doing a huge huge huge SALE on all the art posters in our online shop!!

here are some photos of the posters to entice you :)

The details of the sale are as follows:

All of our fine art giclee 13"x19" art posters were originally $20 each but we have slashed the price in half.

Posters are now on SALE for $10 each + reduced shipping costs.

Why?

We are rethinking the print sizes we offer for sale and so we have decided to stop printing this poster size. Thus, we have listed all of our remaining art poster stock for sale in our etsy shop. Grab em up HERE while the supply lasts.

Much Love and Light!
-Chelsea Rose

New painting in the works + watercolor painting for sale

2012-01-16T10:11:00.000-08:00

Snow!! Its been snowin over here in Oregon. Not a lot...but a dusting at least. So as the cold dictated, I spent the weekend inside my cozy home studio space workin on projects.

I began a new painting:

...First glimpse of my new acrylic painting in the works. Yes, its to be some sort of strange alien fae hybrid creature walking through the woods gathering flora specimens. Hopefully I can pull off paintin the trees/woods. I am trying to make more of an effort with my backgrounds, so wish me luck!

I also listed a few things for sale in my etsy shop.
I am especially excited about this item:

"Corseted and Strange"
8.5" x 11"
original watercolor painting by Chelsea Rose

set in a hand crafted Italian metal filigree frame.

On sale for $150. For more details click here.

....I also have about 18 art pendants listed! See them here.

So thats that. More artly goodies comin soon.

Much Love and Light,
-Chelsea Rose

Merlady, new finished acrylic painting plus work in progress photos

2012-01-06T12:29:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday all.

I finally finished the mermaid painting I had been working on:

Merlady
16" x 20"
original acrylic painting on canvas by Chelsea Rose
(granted the colors are a bit off in this photo but in these dark days of winter its getting hard to find good light to photograph things! Will try for a better photo someday soon I hope. )

She started out by being birthed from the tip of my pen:

here is the finished pen and ink illustration:

....As you can see, this merlady started out with a considerable amount of attitude. Later,when I went to paint her I kept some of her spunk but tried to soften her expression just a bit.

Somewhat interesting story on how the painting first began to materialize:

...if you have seen the dozens of photos of my lil art studio that i like to post, you might have recognized that In the photos above I am not working at home. I had been invited to do a live painting demo at "Portland Saturday Market Annex shop" in downtown Portland Oregon where prints of my work were being sold for a period of time. I showed up with all my painting gear, not really knowing what I was going to paint till the brush hit the canvas. I couldn't get my recent mermaid drawing out of my head and so I drew her out on the canvas as best as my memory could serve and began fleshing her out with bits of color and line detail. So yes, the mermaid began as a painting in a serendipitous fashion. I had so much fun painting in the shop, answering curious customer's questions and feeding off of their opinions, ideas and excitement.

I contuied to work on her at home for many a' moon. Here are some of the progress photos:

....So thats that! Prints will be avilaible of her in my online shop once I get a better photo of the painting.

I am excited for this weekend. I have so many concept drawings I am burning to start working into paintings. Wish me luck!

Much love and light...and Happy New Year!
-Chelsea Rose

Earth Goddess photos, new art pendants and current work in progress photo

2011-12-19T10:38:00.000-08:00

I had a wonderful weekend. Now that winter is making its self known with this cold I am spending more time inside my lil home art studio. I love the coziness!

I had time to look through more of my most recent Earth Goddess photoshoots, so here are a couple more:

(body art and photography by Chelsea Rose)

(body art and photography by Chelsea Rose)

And the new art pendants I listed:

These are my bigger sized art pendants(domino sized.) They are handmade by me using prints of my original paintings. I have about 10 up for grabes in my etsy shop. Only $15 each! Check them out here.

And yes, I swear I still find the time to paint:

Here is a quick snapshot of me working on my mermaid. She is almost finished! ....Although a voice in the back of my head keeps trying to convince me to add in a bunch of magenta bubbles into the background but I am not entirely convinced yet. We shall see.

Anyhoo...thats about it.

Before you go, check out our shops Holiday specials:

FREE SHIPPING on your purchase of "The Goddess In All Of Us" book + more

****Holiday Sale - free shipping + a bonus of two surprise 4"x6" Goddess In All Of Us first edition prints. Curious? Well take a look a closer look at this special here.

Also, we are offering %25 off on our Mandala and Yantra Calendars:

*****Holiday Sale - 25% OFF

Mandalas & Yantras, Sacred Geometry Art 2012 Calendar

combining the work of several independent artist with the wisdom of traditional symbolism and sacred geometry we mindfully created a calendar to enhance the quality of the lives it touches through its presence.

The 12 month calendar features art from five different artist, Joanne Licardo, Roger Long, Mark Marasco, Danny Rodriguez, and Nobuaki Suzuki.

In this calendar we have marked holidays and observances for the U.S., Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Shinto, Rastafarian, and Celtic traditions.

Wall Calendar is 8"x8" with a saddle-stitch binding.

check it out here!

Much Love and Light,
-Chelsea Rose

P.S.
I am now on tumblr and deviantart Come find me, add me and say hi!

More Earth Goddess photos and more

2011-12-13T10:52:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share a couple more photos from my most recent "Earth Goddess" photo shoots:

(body art and photography by Chelsea Rose)

(body art and photography by Chelsea Rose)

...And there is more to be posted soon.

I have been doing a lot of pondering and dreaming in regards to the direction I would like to take with this "Earth Goddess" series and I think my biggest want is to go national and then global with the series. That is to say, I wish I could take this series on the road and paint/photograph women in amazing natural, wild remote locations all around the states and the world. So, I am looking into grants and various things that might facilitate that venture. You never know!

In other news, I am such a spoiled brat! Why? Well have a look:

This is my new faery gypsy recycled patchwork sweater coat. Besides being super comfortable, beautiful and made with my most favorite colors it is infused with the love and devotion that comes with anything handmade by close friends and family. Thanks Debbie, Janice and Amanda! All I can really says is WOW! There are indeed plans of custom making these amazing sweater coats for anyone interested and selling them and other wonderfully stitched creations via etsy. Keep an eye on Panda Scrap N' Sitch....the shop is under construction.

Speaking of etsy, check out our shops Holiday specials:

FREE SHIPPING on your purchase of "The Goddess In All Of Us" book + more

****Holiday Sale - free shipping + a bonus of two surprise 4"x6" Goddess In All Of Us first edition prints. Curious? Well take a look a closer look at this special here.

Also, we are offering %25 off on our Mandala and Yantra Calendars:

*****Holiday Sale - 25% OFF

Mandalas & Yantras, Sacred Geometry Art 2012 Calendar

combining the work of several independent artist with the wisdom of traditional symbolism and sacred geometry we mindfully created a calendar to enhance the quality of the lives it touches through its presence.

The 12 month calendar features art from five different artist, Joanne Licardo, Roger Long, Mark Marasco, Danny Rodriguez, and Nobuaki Suzuki.

In this calendar we have marked holidays and observances for the U.S., Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Shinto, Rastafarian, and Celtic traditions.

Wall Calendar is 8"x8" with a saddle-stitch binding.

check it out here!

Much Love and Light,
-Chelsea Rose

P.S.
I am now on tumblr and deviantart Come find me, add me and say hi!

New Earth Goddess body art photos + Holiday specials

2011-12-07T11:50:00.000-08:00

Hello All,
Just got back from the deep magick woods of Southern Oregon where I was doing two body painting/ photo shoots for my new body art photo series “Earth Goddess.” These are the first three shots I have released from the trip!

(from my first shoot of the trip...more to come)

(from my first shoot of the trip...more to come)

(from my second shoot of the trip...more to come)

Yes, booth photo shoots were such fantastic experiences on so many levels. But really I have to give major respect and heaps of gratitude to my two amazing modeling subjects who braved the late fall chill( literally freezing!)wearing nothing but a thin layer of body paint to make this vision come alive. Brr! Also must certainly giving thanks and much love to my guardian faeries; Wonder and Tinker, for finding and connecting me with my modeling subjects but also providing a safe, cozy place to stay and create, scouting the woods for shoot locations, presiding over the operations of the photo shoots as well as some how manifesting last minute props and tools as random needs made themselves known. I love you! Thanks for everything and more.

And as for the future of my "Earth Goddess" series? Well I have lots of wishes and I am excited to see what manifests. I do so hope to get to do a body art photo shoot in the snow for this series, as well as a misty forest beach shoot. I am on the look out for ethnically and body type diverse modeling subjects + a pregnant woman or two. I also hope to try my hand at a group body painting photo shoot someday. So if I count that all out it adds up to about 7 or 8 more shoots before I can call this series done. But we shall see, making plans always seems a bit rash considering the universe already has her mind made up about things and keeps it a secret. But I am looking forward to sharing more of the recent shoots with you, so keep an eye out!

In other news...the Holiday season fast approaches and so I wanted to share with you two limited time offers:

FREE SHIPPING on your purchase of "The Goddess In All Of Us" book + more

****Holiday Sale - free shipping + a bonus of two surprise 4"x6" Goddess In All Of Us first edition prints. Curious? Well take a look a closer look at this special here.

Also, we are offering %25 off on our Mandala and Yantra Calendars:

*****Holiday Sale - 25% OFF

Mandalas & Yantras, Sacred Geometry Art 2012 Calendar

combining the work of several independent artist with the wisdom of traditional symbolism and sacred geometry we mindfully created a calendar to enhance the quality of the lives it touches through its presence.

The 12 month calendar features art from five different artist, Joanne Licardo, Roger Long, Mark Marasco, Danny Rodriguez, and Nobuaki Suzuki.

In this calendar we have marked holidays and observances for the U.S., Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Shinto, Rastafarian, and Celtic traditions.

Wall Calendar is 8"x8" with a saddle-stitch binding.

check it out here!

Much Love and Light,
-Chelsea Rose

P.S.
I am now on tumblr and deviantart Come find me, add me and say hi!

Lots of new Art thingys for sale in my etsy shop!

2011-11-21T12:42:00.000-08:00

So, its Monday and I have stuff to share!
I played hooky from selling my art at the Portland Saturday Market over the weekend. I know, bad form indeed. But! I used my time wisely and got a lot of things done including taking product photos of a bunch of new items, and then listing said items on etsy for sale, see?

I have art pendants galore including some new sizes and shapes:

(here I am modeling one of the new, bigger art pendants!)

Pretty shnazzy huh?
The new size is 1 1/4"x 1 7/8".
This pendant in particular features a print of my original acrylic painting"Mistress and the Orb" that has been sealed into a glass pendant using glaze. A silver plated medium sized bail is secured to the back with glaze so that the pendant can be worn on most any necklace/chain.
This pendant was lovingly hand made with positive intent and can also be used as a charm of sorts, stimulating your drive to explore the majestic and mysterious.
On sale in my etsy shop for $15 here.

But there is more where that came from:

I currently have 9 art pendants available for purchase.
Check them out here!
...and more are on the way.

I also listed another giclee stretched canvas print:

Meet " The Faery Guide"
She is a 24"x8" Giclee stretched canvas print of my original acrylic painting.
-printed on super fine giclee canvas, all archival materials utilized. Sealed in UV protective varnish.
Bring this super vibrant print home for only $75. See the sale listing and more photos here.
A bit about the art:
"The Faery Guide emerges from the warm currents of The Cosmic Love Vibration ready to take your hand, providing safe passage between realms. However, once she spirits you past The Gate Keeper you are bided to explore with your own flaming heart and set of wings. "

I also released a few new 8"x10" art prints:

Featuring an 8"x10" giclee print of my most recent acrylic painting "Elephantess." Available for $15 here.

I have been selling this one, my "Bast, Keeper of the Meadow" acrylic painting exclusively in poster size...But its now available as an 8"x10" here!

I really do feel like the best thing you could possible do right now in regards to gift giving for the Holidays is to buy handmade artisan art goodies for yourself, friends and family.
Supporting independent artist and businesses is extremely important.
Please know that each purchase made from my shop is so inspiring for me. Thanks so much for the on going support, it means so much.

In other news...I am making headway on my new mermaid painting. New "work in progress photos" soon to come!

Much love and Light,
-Chelsea Rose

Live painting, work in progress, new print for sale and more

2011-11-11T11:30:00.000-08:00

A lot has happened since my last update, so I hope you'll bare with this lengthy post of mine.

Fall has arrived and I am finding the colors of the trees and their rainbow leaves fluttering in the wind to be soooo hypnotic. Yes, being an absoulte color junkie autum is easily my most cherished time of the year and I am feelin very inspired.
However the chill is makin its way in, so I was quite pleased to find myself doing some live painting/demoing inside the warm an cozy, newly opened Portland Saturday Annex Shop last weekend:

You may be wondering what is this "Portland Saturday Market Annex shop" I speak of.
Well its an amazing drool worthy shop housing handmade art, clothing, pottery, jewlery and a billion other hand made items from members of the Portland Saturday Market here in Oregon. You will find a few of my original acrylic paintings for sale inside along with some prints and art pendants of mine. I highly suggest buyin handmade for the Holiday's this year, and this is the spot. Its located @ 600 SW 10th Ave. Portland, OR Corner of SW 10th & Alder in the Galleria Building @1pm. Check it out!!

So yes...I started a new mermaid painting at the Annex( as seen in the above photos.) Take a look at a a close up "work in progress" pic of my mermaid's face:

...Just getting the first layers of color down. More painting progress photos soon to be posted, so keep an eye out.

Also quite excited to share with you my most recent spoken word poetry collaberation with Bone and All titled "Chaos Creature" :

"Artist Chelsea Rose, whose words conjure and evoke strange truths and creatures from the depths of the sacred and unknown, leads an exploration through consciousness and evolution with mind melting psychedelic tracks adorned with her poetic spoken word."
There are four tracks to this podcast. Take a listen!

As far as my etsy shop goes, I just released a new print for sale:

Now selling 8"x10" giclee prints of my most recently finished acrylic painting "Elephantess" for $15 here.

So yes, lots of stuff happning. And if you are in town catch me downtown this weekend selling my work at the Portland Saturday Market. Come say hi, hang out and collect some art.

Much love and light,
-Chelsea Rose

New Painting, Elephantess and print release

2011-10-24T15:23:00.000-07:00

Just stoppin in the share my most recent finished painting:

"Elephantess"
Original acrylic painting by Chelsea Rose

I cant believe it took me so long to finish her! I started this one Sept. 1st. which means its taken me almost 2 months to complete. I think thats a testimate to how busy things have been.
This painting is loosely inspired by Lakshmi, Hindu Goddess of fortune. She is often depicted with beautiful elephants by her side but in my version I melded Lakshmi with her elephant counterparts. Her old fashioned, fancy aristocratic dress and top hat are meant to communicate her abundance/ prosperity/fortune. I tried to incorporate a couple of the traditional symbols associated with the Goddess Lakshmi: the Lotus in her hand( evolution), Gold on the lotus, dress, in her eyes(prosperity), red/magenta/pink dress(creative activity), elephant head(wisdom, purity, charity) and peacock feather in her hat(transmutation, eternal knowing and truth.)
It was fascinating taking the time to research and get to know Lakshmi. I had hoped to finish her in time for Diwali Day when she is often worshiped/celebrated but that didn't go as planned.
Anyhoo, I plan on releasing some 8"x10" prints of her soon, so keep an eye on my etsy shop.

Speaking of prints...I recently released a new one:

"Goddess of the Hunt"
original acrylic painting
8"x10" prints now available for $15 here.

And here is one of 9 art pendants up for grabs right now:

The art used in this pendant is an archival giclee print of my original acrylic painting "Mistress and the Orb"
Let this pendant serve as a thing of beauty or work as a good luck charm of sorts, stimulating your drive to explore the majestic and mysterious.
Available for $10 here.

More comin soon!
Much love,
-Chelsea Rose

Mandala Art Opening and more

2011-10-07T13:03:00.000-07:00

Ello Folks,
Had a wonderful time last night at the Mandala and Yantra art opening and calendar release party at The Urban Grind in the Pearl District of Portland:

There I am standing by my pen and ink Third Eye chakra mandala which was framed with a mat that Danny Ebru had marbled for me. You can also see Danny standing infront of his complete ink mandala chakra series. He had several pieces in this group show which he organized with the rest of the artists (Joanne Licardo, Roger Long, Mark Marasco, Danny Rodriguez, and Nobuaki Suzuki) from the Mandala and Yantra calendar project.

It was a great way to get the first copies of the beautiful calendar's into peoples hands...and we got to see and hang out with so many artists and friends we hadnt seen in so long + meet new peeps too.
Fun stuff!

In other news, my art pendants have been going so fast I only have a few left! I should be getting more supplies to make new ones very soon, so feel free to send in your custom orders.
But check out these three that are currently up for grabs in my online shop:

Fire Spirit Art Pendant - $10 here.
The art used in this necklace is an archival giclee print of my original acrylic painting "Fire Spirit"
Let this pendant serve as a thing of beauty or work as a good luck charm of sorts, aiding you in tapping into the glowing confidence and cleansing power of The Sacred Flame.

Dread Goddess Art Pendant- $10 here.
The art used in this necklace is an archival giclee print of my original acrylic painting "Rainbow Roots Dread Goddess"
Let this pendant serve as a thing of beauty or work as a good luck charm of sorts, aiding you in stabilizing your energy which facilitates healing and growth.

Wild Eye Art Pendant- $10 here.
My drawing, "Wild Eye" used in this necklace is not a print but an original mini colored pencil illustration created for the sole purpose of turning your neck into an art gallery.
Let this pendant serve as a thing of beauty or work as a good luck charm of sorts, stimulating your drive to explore the majestic and mysterious.

More coming soon!
Much Love,
-Chelsea Rose

Art Pendants!

2011-09-23T09:17:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to unveil my newest creation: Art Pendants!

Yep...thats right, now you can wear my art 'round your neck if you so choose.

Here I am, proudly modeling one of the pendants on a ribbon necklace. I have 6 out of 40 listed in my etsy shop, so stay tuned for more to come!

A bit about the pendants:
These one of a kind necklaces feature an original piece of art by me or Danny Ebru that has been sealed into a glass pendant using water resistant glaze and hung from an adjustable ribbon necklace.

Here are the first three pendants featuring my art that we have listed in our etsy shop:

Faery Masquerade Art Pendant- $10 see the sale listing here.

"The art used in this necklace is an archival giclee print of Chelsea's original acrylic painting 'Masquerade Ball.' Let this pendant serve as a thing of beauty or work as a good luck charm of sorts, helping you tap into your personal mystery and self made magick. "

Cat Goddess Bast Art Pendant- $10 see the sale listing here.

"The art used in this necklace is an archival giclee print of Chelsea's original acrylic painting 'Bast, Keeper of the Meadow.'Let this pendant serve as a thing of beauty or work as a good luck charm of sorts, unleashing the stamina and power of your inner lioness. "

Third Eye Goddess Art Pendant- $10 see the sale listing here.

"Chelsea's drawing, 'Third Eye Goddess' used in this necklace is not a print but an original mini colored pencil illustration created for the sole purpose of turning your neck into an art gallery. Let this pendant serve as a thing of beauty or work as a good luck charm of sorts, stimulating your third eye, sharpening your perspective of this world and the ones in-between. "

So, there you have it. Many more to be added into our online shop in the next few weeks as i find time to take pictures and list the pendants( we have around 40 made!)
I cant wait to see what sort of response we get with them down at the Portland Saturday Market this weekend. Wish us luck!

Much love,
-Chelsea Rose

I won a heart! A true history about my love affair with art.

2011-09-19T09:05:00.000-07:00

Look what I won! Look what I won!

Its a hand knit, embroidered and beaded heart charm stuffed full of good vibrations and witchy woman herbs made by my friend Michelle Simpkins AKA Greenwoman.
How did I win it? I entered into a writing contest Michelle was holding on her blog. To win I wrote and submitted a piece of writing about my love for my "vocational calling", art!
This is what I wrote:

For the most part art and love have been interchangeable labels to a single powerful force that’s continuously shaped my life. I know art had its influence over me before I was even born. Looking on the photos I have in my possession I feel as though I can almost recollect my mother down at the Venice Beach, CA boardwalk, her pregnant belly slightly altering the way she held her guitar on the streets as she played and sang the blues with her band. I can imagine the way the vibrations of her guitar penetrated her flesh to reach my budding form and how I must have danced in womb to the rhythms of her strumming and the glowing of her soul as she manifested her art.

I was told that when I was no older than a few months, just big enough to sit in a high chair my mother would put a pencil in my hand and lay a paper on my tray and watch as I sat mesmerized for hours as my little hand created mark after mark on the paper. I am sure I was held captivated by these first few acts of creation, no matter how small of a squiggle they were because even back then I must have understood in some instinctual way that the marks were an exciting proof of my own existence and the existence of self made magic. This might have been the way I learned love for myself, life and the world around me.

As I grew up I was surrounded by an eclectic mix of artist protectors who were also my mentors. Every day was Christmas in Venice beach, the home of my little world of worlds. I remember being constantly gifted presents of art supplies. Even though we didn’t have much money the means to do art was never obstructed. Art supplies was fished out of a dumpster just for me by Ralph the bum and delivered on my doorstep in the middle of the night with great care and ceremony, the half used nubs of the legendary Sunny Zorro’s oil pastels were routinely set aside and sealed in a cigar box just for me, and then there were the days I was gifted lessons of life and art by Chris Eve’s the wise kindly English painter man who also spoke of faery lore and the truth about Daddy Longlegs and their gentle nature. I was doted upon and cared for in this way by many, the exchange of art supplies and knowledge one and the same with their gift of love and devotion.

Later on, in years of upheaval and transformation there were times I felt like life’s magic had been washed out or left behind. Finding myself lost in new places with different customs and bizarre senses of community lead me to begin to consider myself a stranger. That sense of self love and love of life that I had known throughout my younger years, even in times of severe adversity, had begun to fade. It wasn’t until I caught myself one day feverishly typing out a stream of consciousness prose instead of writing an English essay for high school that I finally began a dialogue with a part of myself I had feared lost. This communication lead me to the realization that one major part of my life was missing and that was the art. The moment I began to allow myself to paint, to draw, to write poetry again I felt that love seep back into my veins and slowly light up my world once again.

To this day I use art as a life line, an anchor. Art is the great balancer of my life. I take vast comfort in the knowledge that I can make anywhere a healthy home so long as I bring my love, my art within me. I use art as a way to continue the exploration of myself and my place in the world. I use it as a way to explore folk lore, the human condition, and the intentions of the cosmos, my roots, my ancestors and their very real connection to the modern world, the person I am constantly becoming. I post my art online, show it in local art fairs and galleries and in this way I mean to share my manifestations of love, coxing my art out into the universe in hopes that they might touch an international, multi universal or maybe even a multi dimensional audience and have its small part in the knitting together of a great encompassing community. Art is where the heart is. So mote it be.
----

Writing the words above a couple weeks ago made me feel very thankful to the universe. I am so spoiled! But yes, very happy to love the life I lead and lead the life I love.
I cant wait to get my heart charm in the mail!

In other news, this past weekend me and the little helper elves of Lucid Optic Lab have been super busy crafting art you can wear! Thats right, I have found a way to put my artwork into glass pendants and will be releasing a line of art necklaces in our etsy shop in the next few days, so keep your eyes pealed.

Much love and light,
-Chelsea Rose

Live painting at the Belmont Street Fair + Mandala Calendar PreSALE

2011-09-12T10:23:00.000-07:00

So, Danny Ebru and I changed things up this weekend. Instead of selling our art down at the Portland Saturday Market we participated in this years Belmont Street fair.

We were set up in what was called "the Artist Alley" on 34th and Belmont in a 10'x10' booth. Check out this panoramic shot that Danny took of the booth:

We were at the event from 12pm-8pm so I brought my current painting to work on inside the booth:

I got a lot of work done sitting there painting all day inbetween sales( you cant see too much progress in these photos because they were taken in the beginning of the day.)
We had a great time, although the heat of the day nearly knocked us out a few times. Met some wonderful people, did great with sales and may have a commissioned painting gig or two coming our way soon.

In other news, check out this Mandala Calendar Danny has designed and published:

Its officially called:
Mandalas & Yantras, Sacred Geometry Art 2012 Calendar
and its on PreSALE in our etsy shop here for only $15!

A bit about it: Combining the work of several independent artist with the wisdom of traditional symbolism and sacred geometry we mindfully created a calendar to enhance the quality of the lives it touches through its presence.

The 12 month calendar features art from five different artist, Joanne Licardo, Roger Long, Mark Marasco, Danny Rodriguez, and Nobuaki Suzuki.

In this calendar we have marked holidays and observances for the U.S., Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Shinto, Rastafarian, and Celtic traditions.

*Calendar will become available October 6th 2011. Take advantage of the presale and save. Presale price $15, Regular price $20.
--------------------------------

Thats all the news I have rightnow. Check back soon for more.
Love and Light,
-Chelsea Rose

Long weekend filled with artly goodness

2011-09-06T11:02:00.000-07:00

I am feeling much refreshed after the 3 day weekend.
On Saturday Danny Ebru and I did great selling our artwork down at the Portland Saturday Market.
On Sunday I concentrated on adding a bit more color ideas to my current acrylic painting in the works. Here is a snapshot of my progress so far:

Im still working out the colors and patterns of her dress. A portion of the original dress pattern that I marked out wasn't pleasing me so I whited out what I had and plan to start on it again soon.

In addition to my painting project I also went outside into the field in front of our home and spent a half hour picking black berries from which I made a pie. I used a gluten/wheat free flour and honey instead of sugar and I am happy to report it turned out rather yummly indeed. Oh and baked some cornbread too!

On Monday I slept in a bit, did some work around the home and then Danny and I settled back into our art studio and continued to work on our projects:

Danny was working on hand painting a silkscreen of a six armed sri shiva...cant wait to see what comes of it!

More artly goodness coming soon.

Love and Light,
-Chelsea Rose

Elephantress - new painting, Work In Progress photos and more

2011-09-02T15:39:00.000-07:00

Hello all,
Just stoppin in to share with you the first few glimpses of my new painting during its process of creation:

This piece is inspired by Lakshmi, the Hindu Goddess of wealth, light, prosperity, fortune, generosity and more. I always referred to her as the 'Elephant Goddess' which is incorrect....but she is usually depicted as a fresh faced goddess with many arms holding lotuses, surounded by elephants. So, you can see where I drew inspiration for this character. The green background works well with the themes of fortune and fertility too.
Excited to begin this painting...looking forward to working more on it soon!

Here is my original pen and ink drawing of her:

(original pen and ink drawing by Chelsea Rose)
....I do have 5"x7" prints avilaible of her for $7 here.

In other news, this weekend Danny Ebru and I will be out sellin our art down at the Portland Saturday Market:

Come look for us, chat a spell and maybe, just maybe grab up some art while your at it!

I do so hope your summer has been enjoyable.
Much love and light,
-Chelsea Rose

Finished painting: Promise Of Healing and weekend pics of art vending

2011-08-29T09:05:00.000-07:00

I feel a strong pull in my life right now centering around transformation. The winds of change have recently made me gut my art room and turn my dining room into my new working studio. At first I wasn't thrilled about the idea. Having a dedicated room for art had its perks: it was so much easier to make a big art mess and then have a room to hide it in when i needed a break. However it was too easy to forget about my art projects. Now that my creative work space is out in the open again i cant ignore my half finished paintings because they stare me in the face! Thus, since relocating my creative space i have noticed a sudden burst of productivity and I am thankful for it.

I wanted to share my newly finished painting:

"The Promise of Healing"
original acrylic painting by Chelsea Rose
This painting is a reminder that often not fire/pain/destruction play a part in the healing process.

In other news, its been a hot couple of weeks but we have been enjoying some fun and successful days down at the Portland Saturday Market sellin our art.
Here are a few photos from this past weekend:

...Thats it for now folks. Stay tuned, im starting up a new mermaid painting!
Love and Light,
-Chelsea Rose

Chapter 13 of the Skeleton Key a Blogvel

2011-08-29T08:08:00.000-07:00

I had a lot of fun participating in my friend Michelle Simpkin's Round Robin Blogvel, The Skeleton Key. Blogvel you ask? Its a short novel written on the web via a multitude of authors. You can find all the authors, their blogs and their chapters here. I was assigned chapter 13. Tighty Writie is up next!

Chapter 13 of the Skeleton Key. Please click the "read more" button below:

Nausea swarmed over my being as I found myself tangled once again in Ax’s bizarre fiery cocoon teleport. I wanted to jab him in the ribs and demand to know where he was taking me now, but found the best idea was to keep my mouth closed lest I lose my lunch. Was the nausea truly necessary at that point in our gatekeeper, bone key stealing murder-mystery chase? Granted I was new at the gig, but with my knack for “chameleon” adaption I’d supposed I would have this part down by now. So why was I cowering with my head tucked under my pretty dragon man’s left armpit, too scared to watch as the world churned like butter below our luminous bubble? Was it the bad microwave food I had consumed like a ravenous baboon moments before, or this sudden plaguing sense of dark foreboding of what was to come next?

I didn’t have too much time to ponder the riot in my guts before I found the fire had dissipated and left me standing on an oddly familiar gray carpet dully lit by flickering fluorescent bulbs. Ax’s fingers played lightly on my chin. The heat from his touch was smoldering wonderfulness, breathing strength and determination into my body as he lifted my face up towards his. He was stooped a bit, low enough to allow his lips to perch momentarily on my nose like a firefly. Despite it all, I felt my face relax into a tipsy smirk.

“Be brave for me Rebecca. We are at our Embassy, seeking counsel and aid with Genevieve. From the stench of the office building the situation here is deteriorating rapidly. What you will see may be difficult to bear. Prepare yourself.”

Still finding myself without words I nodded, taking one clumsy step away from Ax’s thrumming embrace. After a few moments I made the conscious decision to open my eyes and immediately regretted it. The office building was nearly dark. The sickly, strobing light that remained revealed a row of desks and a broken coffee mug next to a chair leg. A pale slender hand with pink nail polish lay bloodied and independent from its owner at the foot of the copy machine. Dark stains and thick glops of unidentifiable matter made a horrid patchwork out of the carpet. Here and there the light played across faces ruined beyond recognition; others were seemingly pristine but painfully still.

The stench of death hit my nose like a tidal wave. My knees buckled only to skid wetly into an unidentified puddle on the floor. I was only faintly aware of Ax as he held my hair out of the way as I purged the contents of my stomach till there was nothing more left to decorate the carpet but my own throat burning bile.

Just then the building’s central intercom chimed and a deep purring voice spoke in a disapproving tone, “Hadriax, Rebecca. I’d like to have a word. Could you step into my office?”

“Wonderful. Just wonderful. My mom tells me I am an adopted shape changing freak, I am knee deep in mysterious liquids and my own vomit, my sister is off being tortured by some random supernatural thug, I am cheating on my boyfriend with a dragon and NOW my boss wants to speak with me. Can I refuse? Can I call out sick? I think I am gonna be sick again...” My tirade was cut short by a painful bout of dry heaves.

Ax had apparently had enough and hauled me to my feet. “We have to obey the summons, Rebecca. It’s in our own interest, see?” He towered over me, maneuvering my shoulders to face the nearby hallway. It looked worse than creepy. My eyes went wide as I spied an odd green glow lurking where the shadows seemed to shift unnaturally. Ax wrapped his arms around me, and I felt the familiar flames burst into life around us. And POOF, I sat where all this mess began, in the not-so-cushy chair of my mysterious obsidian-skinned, cat-eyed weirdo of a boss’s office. But various details had changed since my first visit. The exotic plants that once draped the office in emerald cascades had turned a putrid brown. He sat in his chair, his feral eyes wide but steady, as his room hummed with nervous energy, packed full of over forty beings that looked human but were not what they appeared.

“What the hell is going on here?” I demanded, motioning to the crusting blood on my knees, the dead plants and the crowd in his once roomy office.

“We are in isolation. All creatures deemed a danger to others have been left outside the walls of my office. As I attempted to make clear during our first meeting together, it would seem that whoever murdered our gatekeeper not only stole the key but cut all of our reserves. Our gate is out of harmony and we are trapped inside. Those of us with certain needs have been left wanting which has resulted in a series of unfortunate and messy accidents that I see you have become well acquainted with.” He looked at me expectantly and I took note of his coal black skin glistening with beads of pearlescent blue sweat. It was the only sign of stress he seemed to exhibit. I opened my mouth to speak but Ax was faster.

“We haven’t the time to explain or update. We have come to demand audience with The Prophetess Genevieve.”

I wasn’t sure if the room’s high pitched hum of chaos died to a deafening silence in response to Ax’s bone jarring snarl or the demand he made. Either way, the air was charged with the smell of fear and the mounting pressure of expectation. The bookshelf to the right of the boss suddenly jerked and made a hard spin, and out stepped Genevieve from a trap door holding a chalice full of glittering gelatinous content. “Rebecca! Poor thing. I have been worried to death. Oh and I’m just so sorry about your sister!” She dashed over and handed off the mysterious chalice to Ax as she scooped me into a clobbering bear hug.

“How do you know about Ashley?” I managed to say while still buried in her embrace.

Genevieve pulled away and straightened herself, her back to business expression a little forced, “I have seen all that has come to pass and have been giving the boss real-time updates. As I believe Hadriax has caught on, there is indeed a need for you to claim full ownership and operation of the gate Angelica is currently using to send out psychic attacks. The way to do this involves entering the realm of the dead, seeking the expired gatekeeper and essentially banishing the mark of his essence, from any ties to the gate. Once this is done you will be the sole owner and operator of that gate and Angelica will have one less weapon to turn against you. ”

“Wait...let me get this straight. You need me to claim full ownership of a gate that Ax just transported me out of? Wouldn’t it have been more convenient to do this realm of the dead ritual thingy’ there? What’s with that gunk in that fancy looking cup? And what about my sister, when will I get to...?”
“Ax was missing an important ritual implement to get you started on the journey to claim the gate. Through the steady stream of visions I have been receiving I recognized the dilemma and to help speed things along I took the liberty of brewing this batch of meta essence. It’s the first time it’s been made in over 7 centuries.” She looked mightily pleased with herself.

I recoiled in horror. “Genevieve. You really expect me to drink that stuff?!”

“Oh, come on. It’s not so bad. I added a nice dose of maple syrup to the batch! It’s a transformation accelerator and extender that we brewed to work with your unique shape shifting abilities. See, you will need, for all intensive purposes, to be dead to enter the realm of the dead. Duh! This meta essence will aid your body and your energy pattern to mimic the state of death thus allowing you to go in and do your business without being swept up in the current that transports souls into the next life for rebirth. It’s quite simple, actually.”

“And how do you expect me to find this ‘expired gatekeeper’ that you need me to banish past the gates of death and beyond?” At this point I was rolling my eyes somethin’ fierce.

The room gasped as Ax, perhaps the most powerful creature in this dimension, bent down on his knees before me, tenderly placing the chalice in my hands as he shot me the most devastating of apologetic looks. “Do you have the key?”

I touched my pocket and felt the ghastly finger bone safe and secure. ” Yes I do.”

“Do you have the Hummer?”

I reached into my bag, pulling out the brass gun looking device which sent most of the creatures in the room scrambling for cover. “Check,” I said with a mischievous grin.

“Then drink. We will be fully equipped to return to the fallen Embassy and secure it away from Angelica’s control. Once this is complete we can use the lasting effects of the meta essence to aid in retrieving your sister from Damien’s fiendish hands. You’ll need to be brave, my mate. My love. Please. Drink. ”

Did he just call me his love? Was I truly swooning while on the verge of drinking a chalice full of goop that was going to turn me into some sort of living dead thing? Yes I was. I drank till the chalice was empty. The meta essence had instantaneous effects. It soothed my bile burned throat with a wintry wash of numbness. The essence continued to seep till I felt every cell of my structure saturated and strange. It would have been relatively pleasant if not for the bone chill that began to gum up the ability to move my limbs.
It was then that Ax spread his arms around my chilled form and used his fire to banish us again to the last site of Angelica’s revenge.

Ax held my stiff and paling body tight to his chest as if his smoldering dragon flesh could keep the chill of death off for a little while longer. But it was too late. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak, and soon I wouldn’t be able to breathe. Yet I had a clear view of Ax’s face, and I could tell Angelica’s psychic attacks against him were increasing in strength. For his sculpted features were contorted in agony. Those brawny arms of his began to prick and rip at my frigid flesh as his thick steely dragon scales began to loose themselves like razor goose bumps across his skin. In sympathy, my body began to shift too. Not only was my body impersonating the fine attributes of a corpse, but mimicking a particularly violent dragon shift, it was an excruciating predicament.

Struggling fiercely, Ax finally managed to lay my body down in the center of a room full of shadows set dancing with the roar of a fire built inside an impressive hearth. I was practically ripping my lungs and throat apart gasping for air without effect. My consciousness was beginning to wane and my vision swam. I could barely make out that I was lying atop a chalked out circular symbol of some kind. Within the circle and around me were an assortment of spices, salt, gems, vials, and herbs placed in a complicated array. Meanwhile, Ax thrashed somewhere in the distant shadows.

The last thing my muddled body recorded was the few audible words within the moans and growls that Ax began to bellow. Something like, “Don’t fight. Let it take....you. Your guide. Your guide awaits you in The Astral River of Transformation. Be brave!”

Birthday Excursion into the woods with paint

2011-08-19T11:24:00.000-07:00

So, you may or may not have noticed that i have been rather quiet this month. Truth is its my Birthday month so i have been more introspective with my goals centering more so around relaxation and personal time. Yes, the art has suffered a bit...but I have managed to spend some time on my current painting in the works and i am seriously about 20 mins away from finishing it! So i will be sharing photos of that soon.

My 24th birthday was on Monday and i decided to take a few days off from work and get away from the city. So my better half and I ran off to the southern Oregon woods of wolf creek to visit with my big bro Wonder in his most amazing patch of forest. We had a splendid time spent hangin out, swimin in fresh mountain water, eating yummy food, star gazing, story tellin and...painting!

Wonder and Tinker have a full attic of art supply goodies and they had the great idea to paint thier newly fashioned chicken coop. It was decided that I would paint a harpy laying a golden egg.

Danny helped out by painting a "GanEGGsha"
See? its Ganesha holding golden eggs.

Here we all are during various stages of the creative process. Wonder was painting a eggy hobbit riddle that went something like "A box without hinges, keys or lid yet golden treasure inside is hid?"

Anyhoo! I had a wonderful time and want to run away and live in the woods forever.

More updates soon.
Love and Light,
-Chelsea Rose

Fae Guide finds a new home, art Vending and Etsy treasuries, Tie Dye SALE

2011-07-29T10:55:00.000-07:00

Ello darlin friendlies and curious kindred souls from afar,
It is with bitter sweet( but mostly sweet!) joy that I announce selling my Fae Guide original acrylic painting:

My Faery Guide original acrylic painting has sold! I will miss her but I am so excited that she found such a wonderful new home. I am also so inspired by the support! Thank you Holli. Love and Light! According to Holli, she met the Faery Guide when I had her on display down at the Saturday Market...and just couldn't get her out of her thoughts so she decided to give her a new home! Holli says shes a faery fanatic like me and so my Faery guide will be right at home in her house full of various faerie paraphernalia :) Could not have worked out better.

In other news, we had a lot of fun vending down at the Last Thursday Artwalk on Alberta st fair:

(photos by Danny )
....It was an especially fun night because we were surounded by a couple of our local artist friends; Justin Slattum, Jasmin Star and Andrew Zeutzius. We set up our artwork next to each other taking up half a block so it felt like our own groovy lil art village! Looking forward to the next one.

Also wanted to point out that we are in the 3rd and final week of our Tie Dye SALE!
Here are a couple items i would like to highlight:

Ice Blue Vortex
tie dye tank top
cotton and stretch material combined to make a soft and stretchy fabric!
size: small
Bust comfortably fits anywhere from 28"-36"
a wonderful choice for spring and the summer!
Hand tie dyed with lots of love and on SUPER SALE. Buy it now for only $10!

And if your as much of a fan of spirals as i am, youll really love this one:

Divine Blue Green Spiral tie dye
ON SALE! original price: $20, sale price$10!
Check the sale listing out here for more info or to buy.

And last but not least! I wanted to share with you an etsy treasury I curated using creations made only by the pagan etsy team.
Its a treasury called " Journey into the Realm of Faerie"

Are you planning a journey of your own into the Realms of Faerie?
If so, take a look at the items i have chosen that should aid you on your trip nicely.

Treasury includes:
Art, to assist your spirit in attuning to The Fae’s spiraling creative frequencies.

Ritual tools, to facilitate your efforts in opening The Gate with respect /positive intention.

Trinkets, offerings to the Fae Guides who await you beyond the veil.

See it for yourself here!

Thats it for now folks.
Much love,
-Chelsea Rose

Work in Progress photos, Fearless Ebru, Tie Dye SALE

2011-07-22T10:01:00.000-07:00

Hello all,
So i am getting closer and closer with my current painting in the works. Here is a shot of what i have as of last night:

She is slowly comin along....everything is still pretty rough at this point. Hopefully i get to spend more time with her this sunday...paint paint paint!

Check out Danny's new Ebru/Silkscreen creation:

Fearlessness
original handmade acrylic ebru(Turkish paper marbling) mono-print on kozo paper with 3 color buddha screen print. 12.5"x19" by Danny.

And, YES! our Tie Dye Sale is still hoppin. Although, our items are finding new homes at a good rate so come check out our tie dye before its all gone. You cant beat $10 for hand tie dyed shirts and skirts. Made by us with lots of good vibes :)

The shirt to this outfit has already sold but the dress is still available for $10 here or Check out our entire tie-dye sale collection here.
(Pssst. Want to know a secret? You can get free shipping on your tie dye order if you enter the following coupon code in upon purchase: TieDyePower42 )

I also just recently added a bunch more art prints to our etsy shop:

"Mermaid Dreams" original acrylic painting by Chelsea Rose
Now available as:
12" x14" Giclee stretched canvas print(signed by artist)for $100
13"x19" giclee poster for $20.
8"x10" giclee print for $15

Strength Poster -handmade double layer acrylic ebru (aka - Turkish paper marbling) monoprint with Ganesha screen print on kozo paper.
13" x 19"Fine art archival Giclee print poster for $20

This weekend we will be down at the Portland Saturday Market with a full booth of art.

We hope to see you down there in the summer sunshine.

Many Blessings,
-Chelsea Rose

More Work In Progress painting and Tie Dye SALE

2011-07-15T09:44:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! Made it alive to another Friday.
And i got a bit more work done on my current painting:

I added a very roughly painted ruined city consumed by flames in the background. I am going to play around with it more and see what i can do to help enhance it. I had really liked the background how it was before adding the city in, so had been going back and forth with myself on whether or not i wanted to stick to my plan and paint Babylon burning. I think i am liking it. Perhaps its helped push my intended meaning with the piece. The painting will most likely be titled " The Prophetess of healing." Its about the cycles and balance of life. The ebb and flow of death and renewal. Also expressing that there is pain/trauma in healing and yet the potential of transformation is exhilarating.

In other news, we have put all of our Tie Dye on SALE!
All our shirts and skirts are just $10 each.
AND....if you use the following coupon code when purchasing you can get FREE SHIPPING to anywhere in the US. Fancy shmancy coupon code is: TieDyePower42

Here are some of the on SALE Tie Dye items that I feel compelled to share with you. For today focusing on our bright yellows, oranges and greens since its a wonderfully lovely sunny summer day:

SALE Solus Vibrations tiedye blouse- $10 For details, more photos or to purchase click here.

SALE Autumn Forest Dancer tie dye skirt in orange and yellow-$10 For details, more photos or to purchase click here.

SALE Leaf Lite green and yellow tie dye shirt-$10 For details, more photos or to purchase click here.

There are 11 more Tie Dye items on sale in our etsy shop so click here to check them all out. Dont forget your coupon code for free shipping!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.
Much love and light,
-Chelsea Rose

Work In Progress photos and News

2011-07-12T08:31:00.000-07:00

I started a new painting!
Goodness, it feels like its been forever.

Here are a couple process shots on what I accomplished on Sunday before going down to the Sunday market to sling my art:

Put down a bit of initial color to get a feel for the direction of the painting.

Painting is based on this original pen and ink drawing of mine. The original title for the drawing was "Bulb Goddess." In the painting it would seem the intent has shifted a bit. See, the background is fiery representing pain yet the goddess is posed before it in meditative healing gesture- she will counterbalance the background with calm shades of green, blue and purple. Initially I had planned to put a charred burning Babylon city along the horizon line....but I am enjoying the background the way it is currently...but you never know, i just might make an attempt and see what it looks like.

And here we are together, getting to know each other which is a very important part in the creative process :P

In other news, over the weekend we took a break from the Portland Saturday Market and instead tried selling our art at the 10th annual Mississippi ave. street fair.
Here is a photo composite of our set up there:

The turn out for this street fair was massive, around 20,000 people! Oddly enough we did just about as good as we do at the Portland Saturday market. I was a bit bummed at a few moments when i realized that not having a way to accept credit cards had cost us around $300 in sales that day. So, yesterday i figured a way to remedy the issue. Apparently many art vendors have it set up so that they can take credit card payments through their smartphone through a device called "square up." Honestly I have desperately tried to resist the smartphone movement, but here we are I guess. I called my service provider who informed me I was due for an upgrade and that I could get the Pixi smartphone for free, and then download the software that will allow me to take credit card payments on the go. So, I should have the phone before this weekend and I am very interested to try it out and see if the new capabilities will improve sales.

Anyhoo...thats enough talk about business.
I will be updating soon with new "work in progress" photos of my painting + some newly released images from my 1st Earth Goddess body art photoshoot.

Much love and light,
-Chelsea Rose

More Strawberry Woman Body art photos + Rainbow Gathering snapshots

2011-07-06T08:58:00.000-07:00

Summer feels to have finally blossomed!

And I am slowly unfurling my new body art series centered on honoring and manifesting the "Earth Goddess."

Here are two more shots from the first body paint/photoshoot of the series:

Odaemin the Strawberry Woman
(body art and photography by Chelsea Rose)

Odaemin the Strawberry Woman
(body art and photography by Chelsea Rose)

...Very excited to share more with you from this shoot. Photographing my Goddesses in the woods is a fascinating experience because mother nature is constantly adding her artistic twist in each photo. I love the way she played with light in both of these captures. In the first she’s creating a enchanting waterfall of light that kisses my model's profile. In the second i love how mother nature lit up the third eye so dramatically. Cant wait to get outside for another body art shoot and do some more collaborating with the forces that be!

In other news, we rocked a booth for Last Thursday Artwalk on Alberta st. The first one that wasn’t rained out all year!

(photo by danny )
And this coming weekend we will be selling art in our booth at the yearly Mississippi street fair. Come say hi if you can!

However this past weekend was an amazingly beautiful experience. I went to the Rainbow Gathering in Washington. It was massive, and the quality of human interaction was profound. I made and met some wonderful friends and soul kin, and did a fair amount of body painting too!
Here are some photos:

(photo by danny )
Here I am deep in the forest of Washington within the Rainbow. non stop smiles.
wearing my moms old jacket, which she wore to her first rainbow gathering back in 1982.

(photo by danny )
Not sure how it happened but the universe gifted me an amazingly random meeting of a long time artist friend from online. And now we are brother and sister of the rainbow!!

(photo and words by danny )
"an eclectic group of people filled the forest of southern Washington by the thousands this July to celebrate the idea of peace and brotherhood. We ventured for about 2 hours to get there, which is nothing compared to those who drove in from all over the country. Every state had people there to represent their land. Our tent was set in the forest next to the base of some massive trees and right next to the African drum tent which held the rhythms till sunrise. We had tons of fun drumming, wandering, and making friends. "

(photo and words by danny )
"Sun rise on the large meadow at the gathering.
As the sun hit the field and warmed the earth a swirling steam rose up out of the ground, undulated over the clearing and gently woke the rainbow folk to a refreshing new day."

(photo and words by danny )
"an eclectic group of people filled the forest of southern Washington by the thousands this July to celebrate the idea of peace and brotherhood."

....I really wish we could have stayed longer and made a true home of the gathering. But alas, work called us home early. I hope to gather for the next Rainbow, where ever it might land...and make a few weeks trip out of it. Yes yes!

Feeling refreshed and charged with love and light!
Looking forward to the future.

My "Goddess In All Of Us" series will be on display inside at In Other Words Feminist book store for the month of July. And here is a perfect reason to come check it out :

Blessings,
-Chelsea Rose

1st photos from my new Earth Goddess series and more

2011-06-30T08:40:00.000-07:00

Hello Lovelies,
I have some great news!
On Sunday I finally began my new "Goddess In All Of Us" series called "Earth Goddess."
I have been waiting all winter and spring for the rain to finally let up so that I could take my painted Goddesses outdoors and photograph them meshed in the wilds of mother earth. And so it has begun! I am pacing myself, so for now I have posted two images from the shoot on Sunday, and here they are:

Odaemin the Strawberry Woman
body art and photography by Chelsea Rose

Odaemin the Strawberry Woman
body art and photography by Chelsea Rose

It was hard work but I think we had lots of fun. Studio photography, like the first series was, is SO much easier and controlled while shooting in the woods is anything but! Firstly we had to lug all of our photography and camp equipment out into woods that were secluded enough for a safe, relatively private day. Then we had to contend with the fickle moods of the sun, who continued to switch from searing sun to nice gray even overcast clouds, not to mention the onslaught of swarming insects. But despite the hardships....It felt sooooo good to do the body painting out doors.

Look at all that dreamy green we got to hang out with!

My model was a fascinating person to speak with and the 5 hours i took to paint her went by fast with all the great conversations we had. She is mixed Ojibway Native American and helped me come up with the title for her group of images: "Odaemin the Strawberry Woman." Firstly Odaemin in native laguage means heart berry. "Ode’min Giizis (pronounced o’DAY-min GHEE-zus) is the sixth moon of the Anishinaabe calendar. It marks the beginning of summer, the longest day of the year, and the harvest of the strawberry in June. The root word of ode’min is “ode”. “Ode” signifies the heart in Anishinaabemowin (the Anishinaabe language). As the strawberry resembles the shape and colour of the human heart, it also represents the sweetest and kindest of emotions that bring people together to feast and exchange ideas." And in Ojibway( Anishinabek) culture it is said that Odaemin was the name for their first shaman. Fascinating no? I think this all relates so well to the time of the shoot along with the feel of the photos.
I will be posting more finished photos from the shoot next week...so stay tuned! Cant wait to see where this Earth Goddess series takes me next...to the coast? to the desert? to the rain forest? to the swamp? And what Goddess will be next to be conjured up out of the body paint and energy collaboration between myself, my model and mother earth?

In other news, I have been focusing a bit more energy on myself in these ways:

I got a new tattoo!
I designed it based on the dimensions of the Fibonacci or Golden spiral ( the spiral is representative of a ratio that is found in the growth cycle and life pattern of all living things. Philosophically it also stands as a symbol for the infinite as well as a portal that transcends boundaries of astral planes and multiple dimensions.) I embellished the sacred shape with spiraling leaves and a bud to create something akin to The Flower of Life.

I also did some dready maintenance by redyeing my dreads with Henna. This revitalized the health of my scalp and turned me once more into a ginger. I then had my friend Queen Bead help me sew all my faerie wool dreads back in and viola:

I also just recently had some blood work done and found out a few interesting things I had no idea about. I am anemic and allergic to gluten and yeast. So for the next three months i will be eating very differently from before. I have been a vegetarian(who ate fish) for 5 years..and i suppose its now time to start eating chicken again( as a way to get more iron.) And i love breads soooo much, but from now on i will have to stay away unless its some odd creation such as rice bread.

So thats what i have been up to.

Here is what is coming up on my agenda:

Today is Last Thursday Artwalk on Alberta street! So we will be down there with a full booth of art for the event( set up around 20th-24th street i think.) Hope to see you there!

For July I am having a solo show of my Goddess In All Of Us series at In Other Words feminist bookstore and library, right here in portland oregon. I dont have the opening date yet, but I will share once its chosen.

....other plans are formulating but are probably to vague to begin listing off, so thats it for now!

Phew...this is a lengthy entry isn’t it?
Hope your summer is shaping up wonderfully.

Love and Light,
-Chelsea Rose

Live Body Painting at Theoria Gallery and more!

2011-06-06T09:21:00.000-07:00

Its been so long since my last post... rather shameful, I know. But I hope to make up for it by posting lots of photos today!

On Saturday night I did a live body painting at the Theoria Gallery in NE Portland Oregon. The event was an art opening with lots of live space gypsy music, fire dancers, jugglers...and I pitched in to the artly madness with some live body painting.
Here are some photos from the experience:

(body painting by Chelsea Rose Rippel, Photography by Danny)

(body painting by Chelsea Rose Rippel, Photography by Danny)

(body painting by Chelsea Rose Rippel, Photography by Danny)

(body painting by Chelsea Rose Rippel, Photography by Danny)

(body painting by Chelsea Rose Rippel, Photography by Danny)

(body painting by Chelsea Rose Rippel, Photography by Danny)

And some work in progress photos:

As seen here, I was painting just outside the gallery door. The gallery space within was quite small, cozy and full of wonderful art, atmosphere and people. Outside live music, fire dancers and jugglers whirled around us on the street. It was surreal, trippy and immense amounts of fun.

.....And in other news:

- I am very excited to share with you a story a friend of mine wrote based on this painting of mine:

Michelle's short fiction story is called " I Hope You Make It." It is a wonderful story about healing....please do take a min to read here, you will feel brighter for it, I sure did :)

-I am a proud parent of some beautiful Shitake mushrooms. Home grown and organic of course!

...using in home grow kits from Fungi Perfecti !

-And finally, two quick shots of my set up at last weekends Dark Arts craft fair inside The LoveCraft bar:

....Thats all folks! Phew....had a lot to catch up on didn't I?
And its June already? How has your muse been treating you lately?

Much love and blessings,
-Chelsea Rose

Three New Pen and Ink Drawings, a mermaid, faery and a dancing pixie boy

2011-05-16T09:01:00.000-07:00

Its Monday already?
Had a nice weekend relaxin and working on art projects. I managed to finish my Warrior Woman painting, photos will be posted of that soon.

I also managed to get off my butt and scan some of my most recent pen and ink drawings:

"Graceful Messenger" Original pen and ink drawing by Chelsea Rose

Mermaid pen and ink drawing by Chelsea Rose

Dancing Pixie boy - original pen and ink drawing by Chelsea Rose

.....Perhaps these will be made into paintings one of these days.

Also check out my better half's most recent music release:
Bone and All: Audio Entheogens Vol. 3 - take a listen, let the vibrations transport you.
"Entheogens are a psychoactive substance used for spiritual or shamanic means. Entheogens are mostly derived from plants, but can also been found deep in the vibrations of audio waves.
In Audio Entheogens Volume 3 we have more original tracks produced by Bone and All. Opening with the vibrations of "be" that warps into "Persistence of Time", then we dive back into the rolling vibrations of the piece simply titled "be", followed by a voyage out into the aether realm with the "psychedelic eye", and finally, transcending the self through a track known as "up" that features a few words from Alen Watts."

Much love!
-Chelsea Rose

Its Been A While.

2011-05-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

Hello all,
I realize its been awhile since my last post. I am just now getting over a fairly intense bout of cold/flu. Feeling much improved though, thanks!

I wanted to share what I have been working on:

Its a new painting that I am calling "Goddess Of the Hunt."
Its actually a commission piece for an old Venice beach sister friend, Sheera ( do click to take a listen to her music!), who has blossomed into an amazing singer and songwriter. She has commissioned me to do the art for her up and coming EP and wanted a fierce yet dreamy warrior woman.

It started out with this concept sketch:

(original pen and ink drawing!)
Then I painted a rough background layer of acrylic on a 14" x 14" canvas and transferred the drawing via light projector with India ink pens to give myself the basic outline to flesh out:

And here is a closeup of my 1st swipe through with some color layering:

...The painting isn't done yet but I feel I am getting very close!

Now, switchin gears a bit here. I wanted to share with you my alter space:

I am excited to have my lil alter featured in my friend GreenWoman's blog. She is doing an interesting series of blog posts about peoples sacred spaces and all the various ways people create them....Check It Out , and see more photos of my alter place plus some words I wrote about what having an alter space means for me, what the various things on my alter signify and more.

Rain is predicted for the weekend so I am going to stay at home this weekend instead of selling art at the Portland Saturday Market. Will be focusing on finishing up the above painting and workin out on my patio planting an herb garden :)

Sending love and light!
-Chelsea Rose

Art Market , Up Coming Gallery Shows and More

2011-05-02T11:16:00.000-07:00

So, my face is a lil burned from all the sun we had over the weekend. My good sense was over ruled by my body's thirst for the warmth of sun on my skin...but i will survive!
Had a nice two days down at the Portland Saturday Market during which we debuted Danny's Ebru Screen print work for sale. Check out our setup with the addition of more art:

So far we have gotten a great response towards the new prints for sale!
We are at the Portland Saturday Market selling art every weekend, come say Hi and check out our work if your in town.

I have been using the time spent sitting at the market to do lots of drawing:

....Now if only I could find the time to scan and post all this new work!

In other news, I am very excited to be showing a few of my "Goddess In All Of Us" body art photographs in this wonderful group show:
"Body of Work-contemporary perspectives on the human form."
Opening is 1st Friday May6th 6-9pm
@ The CODA gallery in SE Portland.

See you there?

With Love,
-Chelsea Rose

Dark Arts craft fair at The Lovecraft Bar

2011-04-25T09:01:00.000-07:00

Good day!
Well, in all actuality its a dreary day over here in Portland Oregon complete with hard rain and fast wind. However we did get a break from that mess on Saturday. The sunshine was out full force for what felt like the 1st time this year. It made for a fun and successful day selling my art at the Portland Saturday Market.

On Sunday I tried something new. I set up a lil booth inside a local bar and tea house called The Lovecraft bar( yes! its themed after the famous scifi/horror writer HP Lovecraft!) and sold my work at their monthly "dark arts" craft fair.
A photo from the expeirnce:

(sorry for the photo quality. It was quite dark inside and we didnt have our tripod.)
....I had a blessed time! It was back to raining outside on Sunday so i was very happy to be tucked nicley indoors selling my work, with a nice big pot of tea at hand and plenty of other intersting local artists to meet and chat with. What was really engouraing is i sold very well! I had my best art vending day of the year thus far inside the bar. I really felt like the poeple who were walking in the door were my target audicence, and thus we were a good match for eachother :) I cant wait to do the event again!
...and of course, since i will take almost any opperunity to dress up a lil...this is what i wore for the "dark arts" craft fair:

You cant really tell in this photo but this lace dress is actually two shades of dark green. I found the dress a year ago at the Goodwill bins and bought it for less then a buck! Under the dress i am wearing a striped skirt that was gifted to me. On my head i wear my favoerite hat, which i bought at a renissance fair in California a few years back.

In other news...
I am excited to now be offering 8"x 10" art prints of my most recent acrylic painting:

"Mistress and the Orb" originla acrylic painting.
Get your 8"x10" Giclee art print of her for $15 here.
Speical offer for my blog followers: If you type "blog friend" in the notes field of your order I will add a surprise art piece inside the package for you!

How was your weekend?
Much love and light,
-Chelsea Rose

Mistress And The Orb original acrylic painting + time lapse video of creation

2011-04-22T08:52:00.001-07:00

Hello!
We made it to the end of the week and I am rather excited to share with you my newest acrylic painting:

"Mistress and the Orb"
22" x 28"
original acrylic painting on stretched canvas
by Chelsea Rose

...I hope she speaks to you as she does to me :)
I had a wonderful journey in the process of creation with this one and i am very pleased to be able to share it with you via this time lapse video taken over a period of a few weeks as i painted her:

(music: "Words From a Predecessor"feat. Chelsea Rose and her spoken word poetry provided by: Bone And All )

And here are some photos from the creative process:

...my original concept drawing( pen and ink)

....beginning the background

...my India ink outline applied over the background

...the beginning stages of laying down the first layers of color.

So thats that! I will be offering 8"x10" full color giclee prints of her very soon, so keep an eye out for them.

In the meantime, check out what my better half has been up to:

original handmade two layer acrylic ebru(turkish paper marbling) mono-print with a screen print on kozo paper by Danny.

and another groovy time lapse video of his Ebru paper marbling process, seen from below and under water:

Pretty crazy, no?

Anyhoo, what are your plans for the weekend?
I will be selling my art at the Portland Saturday Market and would love to see you there! And on Sunday I will be selling my art at that HPLoveCraft themed bar and tea house I was telling you about. I will be participating their monthly "dark arts" art fair. Come stop in, say hi and enjoy some local art over a nice pot of tea!

Love and Light,
-Chelsea Rose

The Market and other news

2011-04-18T09:14:00.000-07:00

I had a good day at the Portland Saturday Market this past weekend. Here are some photos of the booth set up:

This is the Body art photography side of my booth

and this is the Acrylic painting side of my booth. I am still trying to figure out which is the best way to set up my 6'x6' square area, I imagine its going to take me awhile to figure this out.

This weekend I will be doing the Portland Saturday Market on Saturday and on Sunday I will be at The Lovecraft bar doing their monthly "dark arts" Lovecraft fair. For those of you who love HP Lovecraft's strange novels and short stories, you'll love this bar and tea house inspired by the man's vision! If you are in Portland come check it out, take in some tea or somethin a lil harder and visit my booth!

I am also excited about next week because, if the weather proves decent enough, I will be selling at Last Thursday Artwalk on Alberta street! So...all sorts of art vending plans are on the rise.

Meanwhile, I am still working on finishing my "Mistress and the Orb" piece...I imagine she will be all done in a day or two. i will then post a time lapse video of her creation :)

Much peace love and light!

-Chelsea Rose

Painting progress on "Mistress and the Orb"

2011-04-11T09:07:00.000-07:00

Hi! I had a fun weekend. How bout you?

Saturday was spent downtown, vending my art at the Portland Saturday Market. I was very very pleased that there was no rain for the day, yay! I brought along my current "work in progress" painting and got a lot done on it, check it out:

Its not done yet....but getting very close. Not only did it give me something to do while sitting there from 10-5...painting live in my booth drew a lot of interest from the crowd. people were very excited to see some art in progress and i had fun talking with them about my mediums, my process and my inspirations. I think I will have to bring something to paint more often when I am down there, it was so much fun!

People at the market seemed very much drawn to "The Mistress and the Orb" and were asking if they could buy a print of her...thus I have decided to release prints of the original pen and ink drawing for sale:

5"x7" High quality digital print

Original pen and ink drawing by Chelsea Rose

On sale for $7.

Click here to buy.

And now for some super awesome amazingness:

"Sri Yantra Ebru"

original 100%handmade four layer acrylic and ink ebru(turkish paper marbling) monoprint on kozo paper by Danny Rodriguez.

He contuies to amazing me each time he does a new Ebru project. Interested to see what he will make next.

But It isnt always all work, work, create, work...I swear! On Sunday we made it a point to not get out of bed until 10:00am, and that felt great. Despite sleeping in I got all my house chores done including cleaning our patio out and planting some morning glory seeds(I know some people consider them a weed but they are my fave flower!) Today after work I intend to go on the hunt for some various flower seeds + basil and chamomile seeds. I think i need some more soil also. I am looking forward to some warmer weather so that I can hang out on my patio again, drink, tea, play with my cat and read some books. I have a small lil space to grow things but i try to utlize it anyhow.

Here are some photos from last years lil patio garden:

So, have you begun your garden yet? If so what are you planting?

Much love and light,

-Chelsea Rose

Work In Progress painting, Banyan Tree design, Ebru Power

2011-04-08T10:29:00.000-07:00

Been keepin busy, take a look :

This is a work in progress shot of my acrylic painting in process called "Mistress of the Orb." I have been videotaping myself painting this piece so when I am all done I will have a neat time lapse video of the process to show you!

This is a pen and ink Banyan tree illustration that I custom designed for an etsy customer of mine. It was a very fun illustration to work on and I rather like the way it turned out! Maybe this Banyan tree will be make an apearence in a painting of mine someday soon.

And check out my new headband! It was Gifted to me as a 2year dread head anniversary present by my dear misty mountain bard friend from afar. ... makes me feel like a forest nymph when I wear it :) Thank you Sara!

And Danny has been busy brewin some Ebru. Check out some of his new pieces:

"Fire Mandala"
( original handmade double layer acrylic ebru(Turkish paper marbling) monoprint on kozo paper.)

"Peace"
(original handmade double layer acrylic ebru(Turkish paper marbling) monoprint on kozo paper.)

....for more of his most recent work visit the Lucid Optic Lab flickr account.

Love and Light,
-Chelsea Rose

New Pen and Ink Drawings

2011-04-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

Its April already? In Portland we broke the 60 degree mark for the 1st time yesterday. Still feels like winter to me! Thus in the evenings I am still tucking myself in a lot, puttin on a good movie and drawing.

Here are some recents:

"Do You Like My Fancy Hat?"

original pen and ink drawing by Chelsea Rose

"Goddess Of the Fields"

Original pen and ink drawing by Chelsea Rose

In other news, I shall be selling my art this weekend at the Portland Saturday Market. If you are in town, come on down and say hi!

Peace n Love, -Chelsea Rose

Work in Progress- Mistress of the Orb

2011-03-28T08:39:00.000-07:00

Hello all! I had a nice relaxing weekend. We decided not to vend at the Portland Saturday market because of the rather rainy/windy weather so i got to sleep in and then work on house and art projects. I started my "Mistress of the Orb" painting. Here are a few work in progress shots:

This is how much i have done so far. I painted the background as a ebbing yellow orange vortex of sort and then drew the Mistress on over it with my India ink pens. So today when i get home i get to start laying down the first layers of color into the Mistress and her Orb.

You might be noticing that i am not painting in the art room of my apartment...but that i have effectively taken over the dining room area. See...the other day when i was at the art store looking for canvas my mom called, whom i hadn't talked to in awhile, so as i shopped I was distracted. When i got home i realized that for whatever reason the canvas that i bought was much much bigger then I intended it to be. So much that it wouldn't fit on my table top easel in the art room. Thus, I set up one of my large display easels and took over the dining room. It was a nice change! Anyway...I will keep posting photos as i work more on this painting. Maybe Danny will take another time lapse video of me painting, we shall see.

In other news on Saturday we went to the "Better Living" show at the Portland Expo center because we learned that Fungi Perfecti would be there with a booth selling their awesome mushroom grow kits. We bought a great in home grow kit for Shiitake mushrooms. In a few days we will begin growing our own yummy fungi! We also bought Reshi Mushroom( very good medicinal mushroom for things like blood pressure, bodily organ balancing, immune booster and cancer preventor which we will turn into tea.) Only since they didn't have the grow kits we bought Reshi Mushroom spore plugs. The idea is to plant the plugs into a freshly cut hardwood log( maple or alder preferably), water and wait for the mushrooms to begin growing. I cant wait!!! But we haven't found our log yet...still on the hunt for that. So thats the scoop as to what we have been up to.

How are your weekend?

what projects are you working on?

Love and Light,

-Chelsea Rose

My 1st time selling at the Portland Saturday Market

2011-03-21T08:26:00.000-07:00

I have survived my first weekend as an art vendor at the Portland Saturday Market and here are some pictures to prove it:

It was a super cold raining weekend thus I heard a lot of vendors complaining of low sales...so I dont feel too disheartened at not making my goal of sales for the weekend. I did have some great purchases and some amazing conversations with people who stopped by my booth. I also was thrilled about how friendly my neighbor vendors were and how easy I made friends with them. The crafty vendors seemed to greatly out weighed the art vendors but i did find a few and had a great time talking, comparing notes and getting some great advice.
Speaking of advice, a few days before the market weekend I did a faerie oracle reading in which i pulled 'Iris of the Rainbow' and her message was pretty much "be aware that a lot of work is ahead but the outcome is glorious and fruitful." So im going to keep at it! I don't think its profitable to go every weekend,rain or shine so i will be a lil more choosy on which weekends i vend. But i am very excited that my artwork passed the jury, i survived my 1st weekend and that im now set for the rest of the year.
How was your weekend? any new ventures?
Many blessings,
-Chelsea Rose

Finished Acrylic painting and new Goddess Posters for sale!

2011-03-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

Good Morning! I have survived another weekend and have some fruits of labor to share with you.

Over the weekend I managed to finish up this painting I have been working on:

(Angel or Alien?
14"x14" orginal acrylic painting on canvas
by Chelsea Rose )
...I took this photo as the gloss varnish was drying.

She started off as a pen and ink drawing i did a couple months back:

(original pen and ink drawing by Chelsea Rose)
...its always interesting to see what sort of changes the original concept drawing goes through as i work on turning it into a painting. I had a lot of fun painting this peice because I used my two favoerite colors as my pallete basis: green and purple. I did a video/time lapse recording of me putting the first layers of color on the painting. check out my work in progress video here.

So now that she is done I need to decide on which of the following drawings to turn into a painting next....

This one:

(Misstress of the Orb, orginal pen and ink drawing by Chelsea Rose)

Or this one:

(Bulb Goddess, orginal pen and ink drawing by Chelsea Rose)

....which one do you think I should paint next?

I am also in the process of releasing some new prints I had made of some of the photos from my The Goddess In All of Us series.

In this photo you see the Goddess posters: size 13"x19" which I am selling for $20 each.

This shows the 8"x10" prints which I am selling for $15 each.
I am working on getting all of these new prints avilaible in our etsy shop for purchase. Should be all listed and ready for purcahse by tonight. So keep an eye on the shop for our new listings!

Thats it for now!
Much love and many blessings,
-Chelsea Rose

SE Area Artwalk Portland Oregon

2011-03-07T08:50:00.000-08:00

So its Monday after a long weekend of art vending. I am bone tired but its that soothing "accomplished" exhaustion so, I am sitting here writing to you, smiling a lot while sipping tea.... reminiscing over the past couple days.

I wanted to share some photos from the 8th annual SE Area Portland Art Walk:

This was my set up. It was the first time I used these free standing grid walls as my display and I really liked it. It was nice having my painting/illustration on one side with my Goddess body art photography on the other. It was more organized, less chaotic and so I felt people had an easier time looking, enjoying and purchasing.

We had a fairly steady flow of people come through our room but I still managed to get in a good amount of painting while sitting there( 3rd floor, Room #326 at Gallery Homeland aka The Ford Building in downtown SE Portland) for Saturday and Sunday ( 10am to 5pm)
I finished the painting I have been neglecting for awhile...I will have to take photos soon and share the finished result later in the week.

Photos of Danny's set up displaying his Ebru(turkish papermarbling), screenprint and ink paintings ( we shared the gridwall as you can see.)

A far away shot of our set up...helps you get a feel for what the room was like. The mind blowing painting on the easle up front is Mark Marasco's( more on him in a bit.)

This is a photo Danny snapped of Joanne Licardo and I, standing in front of her art work. She was one of the 12 amazing artist in our room for the art walk. We share a special connection because of our Venice beach, California heritage. It truly is a small world :)

Danny has a lot more photos plus a "video tour/walk through" of the event to post, so when he has time to upload all that i look forward to sharing more content and coverage of the event with ya.

In the meantime, check out the other artists from our room who became akin to a lil art family:

Mark Marasco - an amazing painter and true friend! His work has been described as "expressionistic surrealism", or what he calls "an experiment in cross-pollination and emergence: emancipated realism". I hope to post photos of Mark and his set up once Danny has all the images cropped and formatted.
Joanne Licardo - (pictured early in the post) amazing oil painter as well as oil painting teacher. I especially love her mandala paintings. She also does some "traditional old master technique" inspired work.

This event was huge with over 200 artists participating all around the SE Portland area. I am truly looking forward to doing this again for next year!

So now that its all over I need to organize my art room. It looks like I let a rabid kangaroo have its way with the studio so excuse my absence for a few days as I put my home back together again and let the dust settle.

Thanks so much to all the brave souls who came out to journey through this massive art walk and support local artists. Your presence and your support is a charished thing and very inspiring. Thanks again and again.

Love and Light!
-Chelsea Rose

New pen and Ink drawing + Danny's PDX love show art sale!

2011-02-28T08:55:00.000-08:00

Helloness!

I wish I had more photos and things to share but we have been so busy there hasn't been much time for documenting all the happenings.
But!
I did manage to scan a new drawing of mine:

"Mistress and the Orb"
original pen and ink drawing by Chelsea Rose

and then I have some exciting news!
Danny and I went to the closing night of the Portland Love Show and were thrilled when we realized that his Ganesha piece sold!

Here he is standing with his sold art piece: Ganesha two layer Ebru(Turkish paper marbling) silkscreen mono print
We were lucky enough to meet the purchasers and they were very kind, sweet people.
The support is very inspiring :)

In other news, we are busily preparing for the SE art walk coming up this weekend! We will be in The GalleryHomeland building along with 30+ artists. We are sharing the space, some of us downstairs, some in the lobby, we are in the upstairs area( so far as i know.) I was up until about 1:30am last night doing a mock vending booth setup in our living room so we would know what our plan of attack is, what is still needed...stuff like that. We still have some printing/packaging that needs to be done but I THINK thats about it. I am very excited to participate in this- its my first time. More updates on all this soon.

How was your weekend? Keepin busy?
Much love,
-Chelsea Rose

Spiraling Elements wrapped crystal, new body painting web section and art fairs

2011-02-21T09:34:00.000-08:00

Hello there,
I cant believe its Monday already.

Check out the new body painting section on my official art website:

Danny was kind enough to flesh out and add in this much needed section to my website. I really love how the black and white +the line work in the photos compliment the design of the page. check it out here and flick on the icons :)

And check out the new wire wrapping job on my quarts crystal:

close Up:

I have had this crystal for years. But awhile ago the old copper wrapping had broken off and i had almost lost my crystal. Since then it sat upon my lil home alter waiting for someone to re wrap her. I'm horrible at wire wrapping so when my dear etsy friend Spiraling Elements offered to do it for a trade i was ecstatic. I am in love with the added fluorite. which is perhaps the perfect stone to compliment my crystal( how did she know!?) because its been known to strengthen the healing and spiritual properties of other stones its paired with, it also helps to ground energy, aids in channeling work and inter dimensional communications!
I feel so much more balance now that i am wearing my crystal again.
Check out more of Spiraling Elements Gemstone and AMAZING wire wrapping treasures: www.spiralingelements.com She also is a creativity coach: http://thecreativityrebellion.com/

In other news, I actually bought a calendar over the weekend because it seems the amount of dates i have to remember are stacking up!
This year we are going to be trying a bunch of new art fairs.
Coming up super quick we are participating in the SE Portland area Art walk on March 5th and 6th. We will have our art set up in the Land Mark Ford building along with 30+ artists. "Over 180 artists, many in 'native environments' will be showing their works and meeting art lovers over the first weekend of March. What a wonderful way to spend a day...wandering around Southeast Portland, experiencing sculpture, painting, jewelry, pottery, photography, encaustic, print-making, textile...almost every conceivable medium for expression. The 2010 event grossed over $80,000 for artists!"- SEAAW
Check out the art walk map here.
We also applied for this year's CraftyWonderland - a huge art and craft show done annually in the convention center. We wont hear back until march wether or not we made the cut so keep your fingers crossed. We also intend on doing a bunch of the art fairs during the summer.
And we totally scored this weekend! An art vending friend is moving to NY so she gave us ALL of her art vending equipment including a canopy( ours was on its last two legs), a bunch of grid wall for displaying art, tables and more. Amazing!!! We are all set. Bring on the art walks!
Is it spring yet? its getting lighter earlier!
How was your weekend?
Have any important art fairs you are awaiting?

Much love and light,
-Chelsea Rose

New drawing and the Portland Love Show 2011

2011-02-14T08:21:00.000-08:00

This weekend was both relaxing and exciting.

During the relaxing part i drew this and watched movies:

(pen and ink drawing by Chelsea Rose)

and the exciting part of the weekend was The Portland Love Show 2011 !!!
Here are some photos from the opening night:

My mermaid painting and I flexing our third eyes at the opening party. There was so much art to behold!

Here I am admiring the placement of our Goddess In All Of Us body painting photograph. Danny and I put it in as a collaboration under our company name Lucid Optic Lab. I painted the model from head to toe with waterbased body paint. He did the amazingly seamless photo composite/retouching as well as directed the model in her arm posing as i took photos. The finished work of art is a true labor of love and artistic collaboration between the two of us. I feel we got one of the best placements in the show so we are just thrilled and inspired by it all.

Here is Danny standing in front of his Ganesha Ebru mono print/silkscreen print piece. He had a great spot too, right above the artwork that was on this year's show flier. It really stood out!

The opening night was packed! People were everywhere and it was an eclectic mix of souls.

I urge you to check out the show! Its at Gallery Homeland. They keep regular business hours. For more info go here

For those who are far far away and cant make it or perhaps want a taste before treckin on over Danny took a video "walk through" tour of the entire show for your viewing pleasure:

Hope you enjoy!

Love and Light,
-Chelsea Rose
Lucid Optic Lab

Yellow Maiden pen and ink plus two more Goddess prints

2011-02-07T08:31:00.000-08:00

Just listed some new items in my online shop!

Yellow Maiden
4" x 12" x 1"
ink illustration over acrylic painted canvas, gloss varnished
by Chelsea Rose
Origianl art peice selling for $30. see the sale listing here.

I also released two more of my limited eiditing Goddess prints:

Goddess In All of Us body art photograph
Fetal
Blissful Hope
By Chelsea Rose
4" x 6"
First Edition fine art print on photo paper, sealed in a crystal clear archival envelope.
signed by the artist, Chelsea Rose
selling for $10 here.

Goddess In All of Us body art photograph
Meditation
Love Thy Self
By Chelsea Rose
4" x 6"
First Edition fine art print on photo paper, sealed in a crystal clear archival envelope.
signed by the artist, Chelsea Rose
selling for $10 here.

Peace n Love!
-Chelsea Rose

Portland Love Show 2011

2011-02-04T10:17:00.000-08:00

The 6th annual Portland Love show is poppin up now that we are into February.
Danny and I are excited to participate, this will be our 2nd year in the show.

"The show was initially a response to the annual deluge of heterosexist, consumerist, romance-centric advertising that Americans experience each year leading up to Valentine’s Day, but over the course of the last 5 years, it has evolved into a diverse and complicated multimedia art happening in the hands of the participating artists." ( taken from portlandloveshow.com )

This year we put in a collaboration piece under Lucid Optic Lab:

This piece was a labor of love for both Danny and I. I painted and photographed the model. Danny directed the model in her arm poses and then created this magnificent many armed photo comp.
Piece titled " The Goddess In All Of Us"
she is a 24"x24" fine art laminated print on 1" thick gaterboard.
We feel the piece fits well into the theme of "love", since its a visual respresenation of Divine cosmic energy- the voice of the universe which many philosophers have referred to as the Love vibration.
Look for the Goddess in the Love show!

The piece I am putting in under my name is this one:

(acrylic painting by Chelsea Rose)
for the love show i titled it " This Lucid Dream"
24"x24" original acrylic painting on canvas
I have always loved mermaids..since i was a wee lil sprout. I have been drawing bare chested mermaids since age 5 so i guess i found my artistic style pretty earlie on :P Mermaids and their folklore have always been heavily steeped in love, passion, allure and lust so in a sense i feel they are an iconic symbol of love. Here my mermaid hugs herself, an innocent expression or self love or perhaps a gesture of rapt longing.
Be on the lookout for this merlady, she will be at the show floating somewhere amidst the horde.

Danny's piece for the love show is awesome:

original handmade two layer acrylic ebru(turkish paper marbling) mono-print with Ganesh screen print on kozo paper.
19" x 24"

I filmed Danny doing the 2nd layer of ebru for this piece.
Check it out:

The Ebru creation process is pretty neat huh?

So yes, come check out The Portland Love show! This year there are over 300 participating artists. Opening Saturday, February 12th, 2011
7pm-12am
Free! All-Ages!!

Much love and light,
-Chelsea Rose

New painting in the works plus painting time lapse video

2011-01-31T08:13:00.000-08:00

So this weekend was great! Had the chance to meet up with a lot of lovely artistic minds and so I am all fired up and excited about new connections forged and the possibility of lots of awesome artistic collaborations in the near future. woohooo!
Meanwhile i got some work done on a new painting:

work in progress painting on a 14" x 14" canvas
and i am super excited to share my first ever blog video! Its a time lapse of me working on the painting above. check it out:

We also shot video of Danny doing an Ebru( turkish papermarbling) session this weekend. Its being edited and when its all done i will be very happy to share it with you! We are thinking about making our own lil youtube channel for Lucid Optic Lab. The video quality isn't amazing but its really not bad at all considering we are using an IPod to record these!

And here is a cozy shot from home sweet home:

hanging out in the rockin chair with sushi cat. one of the less crowded stretches of wall in our apartment. running out of wall space rapidly!

How was your weekend? Any fun projects?

Peace n Love,
-Chelsea Rose
Lucid Optic Lab

Eternal Canvas a short story by Chelsea Rose

2011-01-28T08:51:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday all.
For the first time on my blog I am going to share a short fiction story I wrote.
I am particpating in a fiction writing party a friend of mine holds once a month on her blog. The offical blog party begins on Sunday but seeing that i beleive i wont have much time to access the computer over the weekend i figured i would go ahead and post it today. Anyhoo, for those who enjoy reading please feel free and do let me know your thoughts!
Speical thanks to my writing buddies Sara and Michelle for making a few much needed swipes through with their red markers. Much love!

"Eternal Canvas"
a short fiction story by Chelsea Rose Rippel

Tattered sleeves whisked wildly as the fringed and ragged hair of the paint brush swirled its color leaving a torrential vomit of rainbow in its wake. The canvas was shadowed here and there by a looming figure so alive with energy the room radiated and glowed in the strange wafting warmth emitted. Yes, there she stood, her head cocked ever so to the right, pale lips parted, blood shot eyes intent yet soft focused on the canvas as she watched in her own fevered way the delicate bones, joints and sinuses of her hand weave strange and wondrous worlds. Each of her smoldering paint strokes focused the inexplicable webbing of truth that gathered at times like these as buds of daggered lightning, alighting from somewhere above, or was it in-between? It had always funneled this way, where ever it came from, straight into that whirling vein of energy that taped deep into the membrane of her crown. These spasms were impossible to ignore as they punctured and reverberated deep within that mysterious gland, always resting in its nest of brain matter, cozy in its den smack dab in the middle of her forehead, the location of what the ancient shamans deemed The Third Eye...

She paused, dropping the paint brush to free her hand so that she might press her finger tips to the throbbing ember that was her cranium. She had turned away from her work and all at once the spell was broken; she had been granted a reprieve. There yes, she rubbed the ache there, in-between the eyes, kneading it to milk the tension away only to find that the burning was contagious and had slowly flushed her entire system with spasms of feeling. Within that split second she became all too aware of bodily needs. The pain was more than severe so her knees buckled and she fell back, away from the easel, away from the varnishes, the glazes, the rags, the paint tubes. She landed in a crumple on her futon mattress, the only other furnishing in the closet sized dwelling.

“What is this? Why is this? What day is it?” her intellect demanded. Her stomach, a hard knot, clenched and burned as if eating its way out of her. She blindly pawed at her body but felt nothing more than a series of lumps that seemed to be horribly brittle and sunken. She wanted to have a look in the mirror but no matter how hard her mind commanded the body to move its only response was a series of shudders- it just shivered in its huddle of bone and flesh on the bed. She laid like that without concept of time, with no other thought in her mind but the concentration needed for each breath taken and released.
--
Sparrow had successfully scavenged enough supplies to last them another month but it had taken longer than usual which added to his growing concern that soon there would be nothing left to salvage. How then would he continue to feed and clothe himself and Dove? He had dreams of seeds, of clean water and warm fertile soil to grow beans, tomatoes, carrots, celery, potato, squash and more. But the only food he had ever known came from a can and even if he had access to seeds the land had been left parched and toxic years before he had entered the world. And still, Sparrow had more immediate concerns to deal with. He had been gone for how many weeks? He hoped desperately that Dove had managed to keep away from her painting.

Sparrow’s footsteps were harried and faltering in his rapid efforts to propel himself through oil slicked puddles. As he hurdled through alleyways, fingers of rusted barbed wire clawed at his coat, and he pushed himself harder, jolting through a maze of abandoned buildings. The concrete and steel behemoths were infested with a plethora of strange folks, street urchins, squatters, and who knows what other remnants of the human race—all struggling to survive.

Why was he so worried? He had carefully packed away all her art materials before leaving on his hunt. Dove had promised to do her best to resist the calling she would inevitably feel. It had all started out simply enough, hadn’t it? They had found each other early on before either of them could speak more than a few words. It was a miracle they had come this far alone together, pitted against a self destructive and decaying world. Still, they had endured and Sparrow wasn’t about to give up now, even if their woes had begun to extend far beyond the dangers of the streets out into a great and unnerving mystery.

But it wasn’t all that mysterious if one considered Dove and her habits. She always did have a need to draw. Sparrow had seen her first doing it on concrete, using the end of a burnt piece of wood to furiously mark out spirals, eyes, planets and a great number of other things they had no words for. As they grew together so did their interests and ambitions. Sparrow himself had always been a tinkerer, enjoying the thrill of improvised creation and invention. Dove continued to draw more frequently until she eventually began doing it by impulse no matter the situation.

One day when Sparrow was down scavenging in the lower Warf end of what once was the great city’s epicenter, he came upon the ruins of a school. Anything of value seemed to have already been long since looted or destroyed by the moist and salty costal air. Yet as he had sifted through the rubble, things of color and shape began to catch his eye. Pieces of canvas they were with great swooping lines of jade and indigo making up the form of a hillside green with pasture. The next was drawn out in a frenzy of red scribbles that seemed to magically conjure up a detailed portrait of a young woman naked and posed as if reaching to the stars. There was more of this, much more and so he began to collect piles of these drawings, rolling them up all together as one to take back to Dove.

Sparrow had spun around with an ecstatic spirit, thrilled to run back and present Dove with these gifts, but in his mad dash his foot caught on something hard. Falling forward he broke right through the rotted board of a closet only to reveal a great many storage tubs. With shaking hands he opened each container in awe as he began to see tubes of color, marvelously elegant brushes of all different shapes and jars containing important looking gels and liquids. Sparrow also found a great many pieces of pure white canvas stretched firm and taunt over wooden bars sealed tightly in protective plastic. The newness of it all gleamed and sparkled. He felt he had truly found a treasure trove.

When Sparrow presented the loot to Dove, her face lit up like a lantern, and she gleefully sorted through the tubes of pigment. He helped her set up the easel he had found once he had replaced a few hinges. Sparrow remembers being absolutely astonished at how quickly and with such ease Dove utilized the supplies. No, she had never seen a paint brush or any of the other supplies yet she seemed to instinctively know what to do with each.

This was all less than two months ago and ever since he watched Dove fall into an existence almost akin to slavery. Day in and day out she poured herself into her canvas paintings. If Sparrow was not there to care for her he doubted Dove’s ability to remember to eat or even to relieve herself. Painting had claimed her very existence almost entirely. When he did manage to pull Dove away from her work she seemed dazed, her jaw slack and her large marvelous eyes roving at a loss even when looking upon his face. Sparrow hadn’t a clue what to do, almost preferring the sharp focused and demon driver Dove then the listless, living dead Dove that he was confronted with when he pulled her away from her work.

It was early morning, the sun just beginning to break the steely obsidian skin of the horizon, revealing a harsh and jagged skyline full of building remnants and swirling entities of bonfire smoke. The oddly prehistoric silhouetted forms of burnt out street lamps jutted every stretch of pavement like teeth serving as mocking reminders of a failed and ruined way of life. Their home, the abandoned water tower, was planted in one of the few plots of land void of large forsaken buildings. Sparrow snaked his way through the graveyard of junk that was piled high and deep, past old decomposing car shells, tires, broken furniture, computer equipment, stereos and televisions. The climb up the rusting side ladder to the tower was completed quickly and without thought or fear of the height.

Normally Sparrow would pause once he got up the ladder to the door in order to gaze out on the wasted cityscape. He always felt that while there was a great ugliness present in the world they inhabited, there was also a profound sense of restorative slumber. The world “civilizations” might have toppled under the weight of their own greedy and reckless behavior, but he truly believed the earth itself was lying dormant, healing and waiting for some sign, maybe even someone to inspire her to adorn the globe once more in life eternal. He had to believe in such things otherwise there was nothing left for him and Dove other then rubble and decay. Still, this was not a time for a moment of deep breaths and hopeful dreams. He was frightened and shivering like a hunted rabbit worried about Dove and how she coped with his absence.

When Sparrow opened the door to the tower there was no sign of Dove herself. With a shock and surge of great terror he noticed that the easel was back up and the canvas painting that sat upon it looked to be completed. The tiny bulb of a room the water tower provided for them was filled with a surging glow of every color imaginable all seemingly emitted from the canvas. He fumbled around fighting for the willpower to keep his eyes away from the mesmerizing whirl of sensations in order to search for Dove.

“Sparrow….Here….The Bed….So glad…So glad” Dove gasped, using the minute amount of strength left within her to reach up and caress his hand.

Sparrow’s entire body clenched in horror as he felt Dove’s hand slip into his own. It felt as though he was holding a paper thin bag of bones. He kneeled to cradle her waif thin form, resting his cheek next to her pillow. For some time they lay like this together communicating without words through the locking of their eyes. Dove’s eyes were vast and full of a strangeness Sparrow struggled to identify. Even in her obviously sick and wasted state Dove glowed with an eerie shimmer of potential; her beauty akin to the flowing grace of the sunset filled sky-precious and fleeting. In that moment he knew he couldn’t keep her. Dove was already drifting away, her essence only lingering to gaze the way she was with every grain of her being at him. Dove was smiling as she breathed her last rasping breath.

Yet before Sparrow had time to let a single tear escape something blew like a shockwave filling the tower with a harsh pulsating light so bright he could momentarily see through his own flesh to the curves and contours of his bone. The light continued to surge until all was lost in an endless expanse of white. Sparrow was left alone. Dove’s form disappeared with the rest of his world. Yet in some strange sense it was fitting to him. He wasn’t sure he wanted to be a part of a world without Dove.

“So, why am I still here?” Sparrow pleaded, his hoarse cry rippling off into a chorus of echoes, stretching out to eventually lose itself in the great white. And
as if in answer to his plea, Dove’s painting appeared before him, hovering at eye level. For the first time since Dove had begun her masterpiece Sparrow allowed himself to truly behold the painting without the clouds of worry and fear for her well being to dull his senses. It was a thing of mesmerizing beauty, the detail so intrinsic and the colors so alive he swore he could taste them.

Sparrow began to comprehend the subject matter, it was what the art books would label as a landscape yet it was much more than that, so lucid it felt more to him like a waking dream trapped in rectangular form. In the very middle stood their water tower taken over by a wild spiraling of vine boasting a plethora of ultra violet trumpet flowers. The plot of surrounding land was void of the rusting multitude of rubbish, replaced by a smooth even pack of rich chocolate tinted earth. The horizon stretched on and on, the jagged dilapidated buildings that once made up the skyline were gone and replaced here and there by a lacing of misty ever green trees that parted to reveal the tips of the coast that possessed an ocean glowing emerald and gold in the setting sun.

The stark white emptiness of his surroundings compounded the life and promise within the painting that continued to hover like a dream before him. Furthermore, he could feel the essence of Dove radiating off of the painting like the summer sun. Her spirit held him, caressed him and eased him closer to the work of art.

“It’s all done now, Sparrow. Please look after it, care for it. It’s yours.” The voice of his Dove breathed and exuded the words like the most precious of gems and Sparrow smiled joyfully, suddenly aware that she was waiting for him within. Without hesitation Sparrow leaped into the painting, each brush stroke remaking him whole until he stood once more atop their water tower, gazing into the realness of Dove’s great transformation. He scurried down the ladder eagerly kicking off his worn shoes to plant his feet deep into the warm and supple soil. Bittersweet tears of loss and renewal flowed freely down his astonished features as he saw and felt Dove in every drop of life eternal around and within him. And look! There were his tomatoes, and there carrots, squash, cabbage and more.

Sparrow tore his eyes away from the patchwork of his great garden and spied an assortment of confused yet overjoyed huddles of people dotting the landscape here and there as far as his eyes could see. He understood now. Dove. She had done all this. The world he saw, felt and breathed was an exactment of her masterpiece. Dove’s vision was that something, that someone, the catalyst for the forgiveness and return of Gaia, Mother Earth.

Sparrow’s heart sang with inspiration as he began his trek to the nearest group of fellow survivors. He understood that a lot of work was ahead of them and he was full of motivation, savoring thoughts of community, harmony and the return of man to its sacred role of caretaker to the land. And yet Sparrow couldn’t help but wonder just how many worlds man would burn through before The Great Balance was finally actualized.

Print release, new WC paintings and news

2011-01-24T10:24:00.000-08:00

Hello All,

I just released 3 more of my 1st edition 4"x 6" art prints for sale on etsy from the Goddess In All of Us body art series. Check it out:

Goddess In All of Us body art photograph
Queen Omega
By Chelsea Rose
4" x 6"
First Edition fine art print on photo paper, sealed in a crystal clear archival envelope.
signed by the artist
On sale now for $10 here.

Goddess In All of Us body art photograph
Shamaness
By Chelsea Rose
4" x 6"
First Edition fine art print on photo paper, sealed in a crystal clear archival envelope.
signed by the artist
On sale now for $10 here.

Goddess In All of Us body art photograph
Wise Woman
By Chelsea Rose
4" x 6"
First Edition fine art print on photo paper, sealed in a crystal clear archival envelope.
signed by the artist
On sale now for $10 here.

.....I have 20 or so left of these 4"x 6" 1st edition prints that i intend to slowly release for sale online. So there is more to come!

In other news, this weekend was a nice one spent relaxing at home watching Samurai 7 (the old black and white movie and then the new anime version also.) We did some watercolor painting, took a nice hike in the local woods, baked some home made samosas, went out to lunch for Tom Kha soup with our friend Dr Bob, worked on more art projects...you get the idea! Still, the weekend somehow seemed short.

here are a couple scans of the watercolor fun:

3rd Eye Navigation
4" x 6"
original watercolor painting
by Chelsea Rose

Succulent
4" x 6"
original watercolor painting
by Chelsea Rose

I am also working on a short story to submit to a fiction writing blog party a friend of mine does once a month. You are supposed to submit one story 2,000 words or less by emailing her a link to where you posted it so that she can feature the writing on her blog along with the other participants. This is just what i need to keep myself writing. Deadlines actually do help sometimes! I have my story all written out but I am still over the word limit by a couple hundred so i am looking to trim it down. i will be posting it once its all done. Content hint: my story is based in a post apocalyptic society with an accidental hero that remakes the fate of the world through her painting. I hope it isn't a snooze! You ll tell me the truth, wont you?

I am also pretty close to being done with crafting a publishing proposal/cover letter to send off to a few publishing companies that i have in mind. I would love to get my Goddess In All of Us body art photography book picked up by someone like Chronicles books but i cant wait for that to happen, i have to seek them out myself.
In the meantime i have been submitting my Goddess In All of Us series to local art galleries in Portland Oregon. I have gotten back some very encouraging responses however most of the galleries seem to already be booked through all of 2011 and a lot of 2012. Im also going to begin approaching out of state galleries but it does seem that Goddess shows will have to be a thing of the future. Wish me luck!

So thats whats up in my current realm of existence.
Much love and many blessings,
-Chelsea Rose

Psychic Eye painting, new silkscreen shirts, ribbon dreads, apron

2011-01-17T09:10:00.001-08:00

Lots of new stuff to show off this morning.

Firstly, i finished a painting over the weekend:

Psychic Eye
14" x 14"
original acrylic painting on canvas
by Chelsea Rose

Also listed two new Lucid Optic Lab creations:

New silkscreen print shirt!
Purple Perception Mandala silkscreen print
hand designed, hand printed

Women's long sleeve shirt
92% cotton
8% spandex
size Medium
Bust 30"
selling for $20 here.

Evolve Mushroom silkscreen print
hand designed, hand printed

Women's stretchy long sleeve shirt
95% cotton
5% spandex
Size XL
Bust: 39" un stretched
selling for $20 here.

I also wanted to show my new dreadly adornments:

Over the weekend i tied in some green and purple ribbons. Now that i have added in those psychedelic wool dreads + ribbons and beads I am really starting to feel they are extensions of my spirit. I had kept them plain for a long time so that they could be considered acceptable at work but i found 90% of the time i was wrapping them up so they were out of sight anyway. So i decided to go ahead and start adorning my locks. I feel they are becoming a thing of art, which i love and can truly feel with my soul!

In other news, check out my new apron:

My dear friend Dr.Bob kindly sewed it up for me. It was made from a vintage dress i found at the goodwill bins awhile ago. Strangely enough this is my first apron. Wearing an apron while painting was something i hadn't considered doing until recently when i realized that everything i owed has some amount of paint on it which was making it very hard to dress for work. I knew i wouldn't actually use apron unless it would be interesting enough for me to want to wear it. I think this apron is the one! I have it hung right before my painting table so that i have to walk by it to get to my easel. lets see if i can manage to remember to wear it!

So thats all the "newness" i have for you this Monday morning.

However, today is Marten Luther King Jr day. On the way to work I was listening to the DemocracyNow broadcast( listen to it here ) in which they were doing a special focusing on his anti war, anti violence and anti profiteering stance. Many of his words which he spoke about Vietnam are still extremely relevant to today's world affairs. I especially enjoyed a quote he recited during his "Beyond Vietnam" speech:

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." -JFK

Peace n Love,
-Chelsea Rose

Goddess Body Art photo prints for sale plus hike into the forest with new dready roots

2011-01-10T08:37:00.001-08:00

Can I Interest you in one of these, perhaps?

I have a whole box of em, see?

I intend to slowly list 3 a week for sale in our etsy store.
$10 each. they are First Limited edition prints signed by me on the back! Sealed in a removable crystal clear archival envelope for protection.

So far i have listed the following two for sale:

(body painting and photography by Chelsea Rose)
4"x6" signed print on sale for $10 here.

(body painting and photography by Chelsea Rose)
4"x6" signed print on sale for $10 here.

Onto other news....
I didn't do much on the productive side this weekend other then take some of product photos above of my prints. But i did get a lot of exercise. I went on a 4.6 mile hike up into the mountains to visit some of the amazing water falls! see?

( photo by Lucid Optic Lab )

Also my dread lock birth month is January. They will be two years old on the 25th so I splurged and bought some hand made wool dreads to add in for more length and interest. Here some more photos of em:

( photos by Lucid Optic Lab )
They were lovingly hand made and customized by The Dread Goddess herself who has a shop on etsy at http://www.etsy.com/shop/DreadGoddess Check it out!

So thats about it for now. They say its going to snow tomorrow. We shall see.
How was your weekend? any adventures?

Best wishes,
-Chelsea Rose

New Pen and Ink drawings

2011-01-07T09:03:00.000-08:00

Hello all,

I have been getting back into the habit of drawing and wanted to share with you these two new pen and ink illustrations I did this week:

(original pen and ink drawing by Chelsea Rose)

(original pen and ink drawing by Chelsea Rose)

With the cold and darkness of winter it seems I have fallen into a bit if a routine involving a lot of time cuddled up on the couch with my cat, my man, my sketch book and movies. Although recently I have been watching not much else other then episodes of Doctor Quinn Medicine woman( I love that show! I am so glad i can get the episode discs from netflix), Full Metal Alchemist( such a strange story line!) and X files( of course.) Recently I have found that i feel a lot less guilty about sitting around on my rump so much if i happen to be doing some drawing at the same time. So yes, I am sure there will be more drawings soon enough.

I was looking through some pictures files the other day and came across this photo:

This was taken during last summer. Right-now in winter with all this cold and dark it is strange to realize only a few months ago our lil patch of world was so much hotter and brighter. The weather report claims snow for Tuesday and Wednesday, we shall see about that.

Anyhow, I cant even begin to tell you how thankful i am that its Friday.

Do enjoy the weekend.

Much love,
-Chelsea Rose

A peak into the Art Room and Projects in the Works

2011-01-03T08:16:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

I am doing my best to channel my Solstice/ New Year faery guide, The Master Maker who warns that in this new year creative problem solving is required of me and that I must do whatever I do as well as I can. And then make it even better. The Master Maker reminds me that my very best work is always desirable, and in the present situation, it is necessary for success.

So, over the holiday weekend I enjoyed using the time to work on projects:

this is a 14" x 14" acrylic painting i am working on. May still change the direction of some of the coloring and shapes. We shall see!

Danny was also busy working on a new art project:

He is hand painting a new screen for a new ebru/screen print project.
This screen will print the outline of this design.

So there is your peak into our messy lil art room.
How was your New Years? What tone and intentions have you set forth?

Much love and many blessings always,
-Chelsea Rose
Lucid Optic Lab

Messy Art room, New screen print shirts and holiday creations

2010-12-27T10:49:00.000-08:00

So that three day weekend was greatly appreciated.
I didn't do much other then watch movies, munch out on home made cookies, Cheddar biscuits and samosas but i did manage to start a new painting!

...you can see the very beginnings of my new acrylic piece in this photo. Its going to have lots of purples and blues, it would seem. You might also notice what a mess my painting corner is. The entire art room needs a good cleaning and re organizing. Hopefully i can get to that soon. i feel like i can create much more smoothly with a nice fresh, organized area. The clutter gets a lil too chaotic after awhile.

In other news, we have produced some new silkscreen print shirts which have now been released for sale in our etsy shop:

Radiant Om
hand made/hand printed by Lucid Optic Lab
silkscreen print on 100% cotton T-Shirt
Available in size Large(44" bust) and Medium(40" bust)
Please specify size upon purchase.
available for $20.
see the sale listing here.

Justice Together
Hand made/hand printed by Lucid Optic Lab
available for $20
see the sale listing here

Blue Buddha silkscreen print shirt
hand made/hand printed by Lucid Optic Lab
silkscreen print on 100% cotton T-Shirt
Available in size Large(44" bust) and Medium(40" bust)
Please specify size upon purchase.
available for $20
see the sale listing here

Perception Mandala
hand made/hand printed by Lucid Optic Lab
silkscreen print on 100% cotton T-Shirt
Available in size Large(44" bust) and Medium(40" bust)
Please specify size upon purchase.
available for $20
see the sale listing here

...so yes! Lots of new hand made/hand printed silkscreen shirts up for grabs.

We have been super busy between the Goddess in All of Us art opening, printing new shirts and creating for the Holidays.
I tried my hand at silk painting for the first time:

It was really fun. I painted 10 of these scarves. I enjoyed the way the silk paint seemed to spread like watercolor. I used an oil gutta resist to create the line work. I did dislike how fumey and toxic the gutta was so i think i will try the water based resist next time. All in all...it was a fun project!

So i guess thats all the updates i have for now.
How was your solstice? Your holiday weekend?

Much love,
-Chelsea Rose

Goddess Art Opening photos and recap

2010-12-20T08:09:00.000-08:00

The Goddess in All of Us art gallery opening was both wonderful and crazy at the same time.

Firstly I painted a friend/model who was to help me serve guests drinks and munchies during the event( all event photography done by Lucid Optic Lab )

But i ended up running out of time to paint her fully since people started coming in the door super early.

Danny snapped the two shots above before the crowed got really big.
T.Ruth Artspace filled up super quick and was abuzz with activity. There were moments the cozy lil gallery were packed so full of people it was like being in a sardine can! I was soooooo surprised, excited and encouragement by the turn out.

On the ground floor of T.Ruth Artspace the main wall had my Goddess in All Of Us mounted photographs. On a desk we had piled the books for sale.
In the upper loft i hung a bunch of my new and old acrylic paintings:

I am very glad I had the idea to hang my paintings for this event. People seemed to really enjoy coming up stairs and seeing a different side to my creative endeavours.

During a lull in the event Danny was able to snap the following photos:

from left to right: Chelsea Marie(model), Me(Chelsea Rose artist), Ann(model), Amy(model)

from left to right: Tiffany Ruth( gallery owner), Chelsea Marie(model), Me(Chelsea Rose, artist)

Me kissing one of my models, Queen Bead.
It was really a wonderful thing that so many of my models from the Goddess In All Of Us project showed up. Some of them i had not seen or talked to since we did the initial body painting/photo session so it was fun playing catch up and meeting their family and friends!

Andrew Constentine ( local PDX artist) came out with his daughter to the show. Here they are sitting down and thumbing through the Goddess in All of Us book they bought. Later on in the evening i got the chance to paint her sweet face. Unfortunately i did not get a picture of that but it was fun!

I met some wonderful people during the show, made some new friends, had a blast and sold a bunch of the 4"x6" prints and my books!

After the opening was closed i did a quick photo shoot of the Chelsea Marie whom i painted that day.
here is one of the photos:

So i think we can safely say the show was a success!

Thanks so very much to all who came out to the Goddess in All of Us art opening. The support means so much. I also know I had a lot of people at the show in spirit who were sending love from afar. Thank you thank you. Love you all!

Now i do have some sad news. I just found out over the weekend that T.Ruth Artspace will be closing its doors and going out of business in 3 weeks time. Yes, my two month show has been cut down to 3 weeks and I am pretty melancholy about it but I am choosing to not dwell on the negative and instead focus on how wonderful the opening was! So if you were planning on going to check out the exhibit sometime within the 2 months the show was promised to be opened you may want to go have a look soon, like real real soon...before the show is gone entirely!

I have the books on sale in T.Ruth Artspace as well as in our etsy shop:

On sale for $50 here.

Please dont be shy to email me at chelsea@lucidopticlab.com with any questions or requests!

Thanks again for all the support and encouragement!

Much love always,
-Chelsea Rose

Goddess Live on Kboo Radio, Etsy and Art Opening News

2010-12-15T08:37:00.000-08:00

We are just a day away from my Goddess in All of Us body art photography gallery opening and I am pleased to say everything is falling nicely into place.

I had a true blast yesterday morning... Danny, Tiffany Ruth and I were interviewed live on Kboo Oregon Community Radio "Art Focus" hosted by Eva Lake all about the up coming Goddess exhibit and more!

You can take a listen to the recording of our live radio interview here.

It was a thrilling to speak live on the radio. It featured me, Danny and Tiffany talking about the art opening coming this Thursday. We also got into some interesting discussions about "what is the goddess", "what is outsider art", talked about the collective conscience, talked about breakin down the negative stigmas associated to body/spirit connection that have been created in this modern world to keep us caged... lots more and all in 30 mins! haha
I am excited to see if doing this radio interview helped generate interest, i guess we will find out tomorrow!

I am also happy to announce I have released my Goddess In All Of Us art book on sale via our etsy shop:

Goddess In All Of Us
the Body Art Photography of Chelsea Rose Rippel

Physical art book description:
size: 8" x 10"
Soft cover, "perfect bound"
contains 54 pages of the Goddess In All of Us body painting/photography series that Chelsea Rose created.
Book also includes, artist statement and introduction as well as a poem written by Chelsea Rose.
Each book comes signed by the artist Chelsea Rose
This is my first ever self published book.
Only 50 copies of the book were printed for this "First Edition" so get them while you still can!

The book is $50 plus shipping. Click here to view or to purchase my art book.

Last nugget of news, I ran into a lovely woman who is a supporter and collector of my artwork. We got to talking and planned that I will paint her from head to hips for my art opening and she will cruise around the event and serve wine to the guests. So there will be a live, living example of my body art walking around during the show! I think this will add an interesting preformance art element to the opening while giving people a better idea of what went on behind the making of my body art photographs.

So have I enticed you yet? Are you coming to the art opening?
I do so hope to see you there. I will also be selling and signing my art books.
I look forward to meeting and sharing my art series with you!

Best wishes and much love,
-Chelsea Rose

Art Hanging for my Goddess in All of Us body art photography show

2010-12-10T08:11:00.000-08:00

Wow! I fear it has been awhile since my last post. I have been pretty busy working out the details of the Goddess in All of Us body art photography gallery opening.
It seems like everything is falling into place now and the actual art opening is really just about a week away! whoaaa.....

On Tuesday we hung all the photos:

This picture was snapped during the final moments of hanging. Tiffany Ruth( my friend and owner of T.Ruth Artspace) and Danny were the masterminds behind the way the body of work was put up on the wall.

From left to right: Tiffany Ruth, me and Ann, who was the first model I painted and photographed for the series.

...So now you got a sneak peak of the show! I hope it peaked your curiosity :)

If you are in the area on Dec.16th I urge you to come and check out the opening:

At the opening i will also be offering up my first ever self published art book for sale which contains 50 photos from my Goddess in All of Us project. I will also have a box of 4"x6" single prints avilaible for purchase.

This weekend I am watching the gallery on Sunday while Tiffany is away so if you are around come on in and say hi. I will be hanging a bunch of my new acrylic paintings in the upper loft of the gallery. The plan is to have the paintings avilaible for view and purchase for the night of the opening...so there will be plenty to take a gander at!

Also, the same night of my opening just a block down the steet Tiffany has organized a "Pop Up Art show" which will be featuring multiple local artist, crafters + live preformances!

I hope to see you there.

Best wishes,
-Chelsea Rose

Goddess In All of Us First print test book

2010-11-26T08:22:00.000-08:00

Its here!

On Wednesday the print shop called to tell me the test print of my body art photography book was ready for pick up. It was really crazy to finally have my first ever self published book resting neatly in my hands. I think it turned out amazing! I am having 50 copies printed and i will be listing them on sale in my etsy shop. You can also join me for my body art photography gallery opening on December the 16th. Ill be selling the books there as well as doing a book signing:

Much love,
-Chelsea Rose

Blue Cacoon new acrylic painting, print SALE

2010-11-22T08:18:00.000-08:00

Its been cold! Its supposed to be snowing right now but i think its closer to slushing. I did run out to the store and buy a new pair of wool socks so i am set.
I also managed to finish a painting:

14" x 14" original acrylic painting by Chelsea Rose

....put the varnish on her last night and called it a done deal. You can check out some work in progress photos here if youd like.

I also wanted to share that i am offering 8.5" x 11" prints of The Green Man for Sale through the Holidays:

The Green man 8.5" x 11" is on sale for $15 here. He is not a print i normally offer through etsy so grab him while you can!

and Lastly...check out this neat dread up-do i managed the other day:

I have been experimenting with what to do with my dreads for my mid December art opening. I was not having much success until the other day when i came up with the above "up do."
For this one i took my first layer of dreads on either side and tied them together around my head. Then I took my second layer of dreads and tied them over the first layer. With the last layer i braided and then wrapped it up around on the sides to meet in the middle of the top of my head. No rubber bands or pins used. did that make any sense?
I hope i can manage to duplicate it when i need too..haha.We shall see about that!

Peace n Love,
-Chelsea Rose

Danny's Pop Up Gallery showing

2010-11-19T08:38:00.000-08:00

I had a wonderful time last night at Danny's Pop Up Gallery showing!
Here is a photo recap:

Snapped this shot of Danny and his art just a few mins before the doors opened for his one night showing.
It was an amazing evening!
His handmade ebru (paper marbling) monoprint & screen print works were displayed along with his hand drawn ink mandalas and splatter art. It was a one night event in conjunction with NW 23rd third Thursday artwalk. He shared the gallery with two other artists one who did drawings another who did sculpture and there was Industrial Dub music, jewelry, faerie tutu’s, and wine to be enjoyed from 6pm to 9pm in a "pop up" gallery that was once a cheese shop on NW Thurman and NW 23rd.

He had a very large wall dedicated to his art. It was actually really stunning to see all of his recent work up all at once...it had a truly amazing presence!
We were both surprised at how much he had. I guess its easy to misjudge how much work you really have when you have a lot of it stashed away in a cluttered art room in a small apartment :)
I was tottally blown away!

I snapped this photo of Danny with his Ebru master Reza Antoszewska
She seemed very excited/impressed with his work....which is made quite evident from the big grin. They are looking at and discussing Reza's favoerite piece of Danny's in the show.

Reza was kind enough to snap a photo of Danny and I together infront of his art :)

So yes, the night was a treat and success...we hung out with friends, met some new ones and danny sold a few pieces of art!

To see more of Danny's work click here.

Much love,
-Chelsea Rose

Work in Progress acrylic painting + 23rd street art show

2010-11-15T08:30:00.000-08:00

Another productive weekend was had!
I got a lot of work done on the acrylic painting i am working on:

Danny snapped this photo of me while I worked on her. After an hour more of painting i finished putting the first layer of color on the entire painting...so now there is no grey left peaking out. I have to go back in and lay more color down on certain spots + work in more shadow and highlights....then i should be ready to sign and varnish the painting.

Also...you can see in the photo i have combed out my front two locks. Now i have some soft hair to play with in the front. I felt i just needed a bit of a change and i am pretty happy with the results. It took about an hour each to comb out the dreads. I soaked them in heavy conditioner and then used a flea comb to push the knotted hair smooth. Was a lot of work but im glad i did it.

and on to some very exciting news!

Danny will be showcasing his newly created body of ebru/screen printing artwork which will include his life size Buddha silkscreen prints with his giant ebru marbling mono prints and more. For a sneak peak at some of his work that will be on display check out his flickr page.
"This is a one night event in conjunction with NW 23rd third Thursday art walk. Come check out huge Buddha screen prints, art drawings, sculpture, marbling, Industrial Dub music, jewelry, faerie tutu’s, and wine on November 18th from 6pm to 9pm. The event is being help in a "pop up" gallery that use to be a cheese shop on NW Thurman and NW 23rd. Bring friends and family!"

....So that about wraps it up for this blog entry.
Although I am excited to announce my body art photography book is ready to go to print today...so my books will be available soon for purchase. More details soon!

Much love to all,
-Chelsea Rose

Culture Control show + new painting in the works

2010-11-08T08:49:00.000-08:00

This weekend was most enjoyable and fairly productive.

On Saturday we checked out the Culture Control art/music fest at Paper Tiger and NW Shirts:

Can you spot my two square paintings in the midst? As always Olin did not disappoint- the art and the music was a true treat and i am honored to be a part of the show. It will all be up for a month. for more info go here. for more photos go here.

I also managed to start a new painting:

...I outlined her on Saturday and got the beginnings of the first layers of color on. I am thinking about putting in some purple next, we shall see.

Also managed to get a lot of the design/layout prep done for the body art book i am self publishing. Time keeps flying by and i have to have them ready and printed for December so it feels good to be getting somewhere with the project. I think we are ahead with the project which is very nice.

More updates soon!
Best wishes,
-Chelsea Rose

Devine Dyad finished painting + Upcoming Culture Control Gallery Show

2010-11-01T11:52:00.000-07:00

I finished my painting!

14" x 14" original acrylic painting
by Chelsea Rose

...ah ha! i finished her. This one went fairly quick. I posted some process shots earlier to document the creative journey. You can check those out here.
I was happy to finish her in time so that i could enter her into the Culture Control show that is to open this coming Saturday. I actually have 2 paintings in the show and Danny has around 5(silkscreen/paper marbling work):

Culture Control v.2

The second annual Culture Control, this is an all day music/art festival showcasing talent that you just won't see anywhere else in Vancouver.

We will have two venues going this year, one at Paper Tiger Coffee from 11am-10pm, the other next door simultaneously at NW Shirts from 6pm-12am.

Musicians playing every hour all day, art filling every square inch of wall space. This is a chance to come out and show your support for a growing cultural scene in Vancouver.

Recap of last years show

Saturday, Nov. 6th

11am-10pm @ Paper Tiger Coffee
703 Grand Blvd.
Vancouver,WA

6pm-12am @ NW Shirts
807 Grand Blvd.
Vancouver, WA

Guerilla-media
Paper Tiger Coffee
NorthWest Shirts

For questions call Olin @ 360-518-9738

...And Happy Samhain! My costume for this year:

I am not quite sure what i was but i think it was something akin to a faery godmother of sorts. In this photo you see Tiffany, gallery owner of T.Ruth artspace dressed as the Corn Goddess + talented artist Julie as a pixie with a mini tophat. It was a super rainy night, thus my hoop skirt ended up doing some streetsweepin/streetcleanin.

....So yes, Happy Samhain! feelin the thinness of the veil and opening my heart to loved ones who have passed. accepting the end of summer and embracing fall and the inevitable quite of winter.
much love!
-Chelsea Rose

More Dyad WIP photos + pics from artwalk on NW 23rd

2010-10-25T11:10:00.000-07:00

So i did some more work on my Dyad painting:

...as you can see i have put down the first layers of acrylic paint to my outline. I am still in need of more layers, refining and polishing. So far i have only really worked on one wing and must to the other and then figure out what those strange claw/flower appendages are doing :P

On Thursday we went down to check out the first ever art walk on NW 23rd in the North Nobhill district of Portland Oregon. From now on every 3rd Thursday of the month the art community there is being given the use of vacant building to use as "pop up art galleries."
Wonderful idea no?
A couple photos from the event:

Here i am deep in discussion with one of the featured artists, Mark Marasco. We had met before at a drum circle gathering and it was really wonderful to check out his art in person...his paintings were extremely inspiring and it was a wonderful thing to drift along and talk about each piece and much more with him. It was the first time any of his painting work had made its way out into the community and i was thrilled to be present to behold it! Check out the Mark Marasco website for more info and a closer look at his work.
The pop up gallery also featured America on 13cents & a bag of paint: Living Work by Julie Love Artist
Your Car Does Not Make U Invisible: Photography by Juleen Johnson
Live music by New Weavers including harp, dulcimer, & flute
Unique Handmade Hats by Elizabeth Rohloff Designs
Art Cards made of Flower Petals by Mike Mason
gratis wine bar
Vegan Chocolate tasting by Missionary Chocolates

...i cant wait for the next one!

And then just down a block at T.Ruth Artspace Gallery was a new art installation:

I had met the artist Dani during one of my live body painting session inside T.Ruth artspace so again it was very cool to finally see her artistic expression. I love that she is such a dainty/pixie girl yet she works with heavy metal sculpture.

A photo of us together hanging out with her metal sculpture work.

...so yes, it was a fun night!

Thats it for now. more comin soon.
Peace n Love,
-Chelsea Rose

The devine Dyad WIP and The Buddha Project

2010-10-22T08:31:00.001-07:00

Busy Busy Busy.
....just started this new painting the other day:

...Been calling this one the Devine Dyad.
right now its color base is acrylic with India ink outlines. i have already started painting in the body so the color is pink and purple- very fleshy. This is different from my usual green or blue skinned goddess/fae creatures. I really do love painting my creatures colors like blue and green because this gives them a "raceless" foundation which I think helps the viewer see them as "other" then flesh and bone. However, here in this painting i think the pink does well to pop off of the cool colored background- I will post more process shots soon!

...And so the Buddha Project continues and culminates:

hand made original ebru(Turkish paper marbling) and 3 color screen print by Danny.

and the process was something like this:

1, 2, 3 !

...and another one with diff color combo!

hand made original ebru(Turkish paper marbling) and 3 color screen print by Danny.

....more coming soon!

Much love,
-Chelsea Rose
Lucid Optic Lab

New Drawing, tie dye, Buddha Project work in porgress photos

2010-10-18T08:50:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to introduce you to Her Imperil Majesty, Elephantress:

Original pen and ink drawing
by Chelsea Rose

.....I have always though Elephants held an air of majestic and regal grace so honestly putting one in a fancy court dress wasn't to big of a stretch for my imagination. Also, Elephants are my cousin Allie's fave animal as well as my boyfriends....so i had to try my hand at them at least once. I like her fancy trunk glove/sock or cozy..whatever you want to call it :P

...so yes, as you can see i did a bit of drawing over the weekend. I also prepped some painting surfaces for new works in progress. This is what my art table looked like over the weekend:

...the art room got a lot of use in the last couple days.

Danny has been quite busy working on his Ebru( Turkish marbling) and silkscreen Buddha project. He has finished the marbling portion and moved on to silk screening his 3 color Buddha prints onto the marbled sheets.

Here some shots i took when he was "Dropping Paint, Not Bombs" :

...and then the screen printing madness over the weekend:

....getting the line up right.

...taking a deep breath before putting down the first layer.

pushing the paint for the first layer- note the ridiculous HUGE squeegee!

...pulling the second color. The final color went on as a light lime green for the Buddha's highlights. I have no posted pictures of that yet but i imagine they will be up soon for viewing.
Neat huh?

In other news i had rather nostalgic moment this weekend when digging around in various boxes in the art room i came across news articles that my mom must have saved for me from the West side Weekly- one of which a photo of me participating in a sculpting class at age 7 is shown on the front cover followed by a quote in the article saying "I love doing the painting, you can make anything you want. What I love most of all is getting the paint on myself."
The photo below the main photo was taken of me at age 7 also in one of the Arts Mecca's painting classes:

( to read the snip it of article just click on this thumbnail and view large.)
...the Venice Arts Mecca was an amazing gift. their classes were more like free-for alls where freedom of expression reigned supreme before rules of technique. The program was given freely to the "underprivileged" youths of Venice, CA. I took many classes there ranging from photography, dark room, Polaroid transfer, painting, clay work, creative writing and more.
I wish that more programs like this existed today, throughout the world- they really do make a huge difference. http://www.venice-arts.org/

...and Lastly:

I know summer is long gone but its just begun to really feel that way. The wind is cold, first frost approaches, my morning glory vines have died out including my other potted wildflower garden. This weekend i took down the wasted vines, flowers...consolidated the left of soil and stacked empty pots. My patio is now bare save for my basil, chamomile and Chile plants which i will be bringing inside very soon in hopes of keeping them alive for winter. while i am sad to watch the "abundance" of summer come to a close i am elated at the changes in the air, the glow of fall in the trees...the inevitable "rest" of winter.
....but its photos like this, taken in summer's height that will help get through the coming months of getting up in the dark chill( but i really do love winter!!)...and spring is such a miracle- to watch the green roll back in with such force! i cant wait to have my morning glory vines growing and flowering again. this time i will start the seeds indoors as soon as spring hits. should be good.

So that's it for now, more coming soon as always.

...and remember kids, Drop Paint, Not Bombs.
-Chelsea Rose
Lucid Optic Lab

New painting, Rainbow Roots + giant Ebru marbling

2010-10-11T08:34:00.000-07:00

It was an art-filled two days off, which always makes for the most refreshing of weekends.

I managed to finish a painting i have been working on:

Rainbow Roots
14" x 14" stretched canvas
Original acrylic painting by Chelsea Rose

....I started this painting one night with the need to paint without plan or even thought. I let my subconscious come out and man the paintbrush and watched rather amused at the various shapes and creatures that came out.
I did change it up a lot after the initial out pour:

...if you compare that to the finished one above, you'll see what i mean about changes. But all in all, this painting was very fun to paint. I gave myself no rules or guidelines and just got to "play" and express. I hope to let myself do more of these spurr of the moment paintings- it was a nice break from my usual tight/planned out creations.

Meanwhile, my other half ( and often Better half) worked on a project that he has had up his sleeve for months now- a GIGANTIC Ebru( turkish paper marbling) project:

This is just one snapshot i took of about a billion of him throughout the creation process. He built a huge container for this project out of wood which he then filled up with thickened water so that he could float acrylic paint on the surface, manipulate as seen in the photo above through "combing" and then take a single mono print of the effect via paper. Yesterday he made two such prints with different colors and designs. The thickened water should stay good for about a week so he has time to make a bunch more prints. In the meantime this huge container has taken over the dining room so we have been eating at the coffee table :)
....more info with photos on this will be posted as the project progresses!

And a couple snapshots of me bouncing around the artroom:

I did some digging around and cleaning out in the art room which lead me to the discovery of a big stack of some of my very old art- some dating back to elementary school years! I posted some of my better old artwork finds on the art room closet couple with a few "inspiration" pieces from other artists. All this lead me to even go back and look at old sketch book journals- its really fascinating to look on old artwork and see how your style and technique has changed through the years. Its comforting to see my own creative evolution and realize that it shouldn't ever stop morphing. I am interested to see what my art will look like in a few more years!

...and a dready update in front of my art room inspiration wall:

My dreadies have gotten a bit longer i think! My dreads are back to the same length my hair was before i dreaded the locks up. Shrinking is normal in the maturing stages of the dreading of ones hair so i am pleased that i have finally been able to get past all that and see a bit of growth, even if its only slight! The henna color I put in a month or so ago is almost completely gone and i am thinking about doing it again- it felt soooo good on my scalp and the red made me feel like a Celtic fiery maned huntress :P

Anyhoo....we harvested a bunch of the Basil we grew from seed on our patio:

isn't it purdy?
We made a pesto sauce out of it which we ate over cheese tortellini with roasted garlic cloves- yum!
...Looks like we should probably bring our edibles in from the patio today or very soon before the first frost catches!

And yes, i am already loving October with every bit of my soul.

Best wishes,
-Chelsea Rose

Wrong Side of the Sunrise, Chelsea Rose spoken word music project with Bone and All

2010-10-08T08:29:00.000-07:00

So I must admit i have been rather preoccuiped with getting all my body painting photographs ready for the book i am printing, thus i dont have any painting process photos to share of my two paintings in the works. However i feel both paintings should be done by monday and I will share photos of them finished then.

In the meantime check this out- a treat for the ears:

Bone and All

Wrong Side of the Sunrise:

Take a trip through a conscience, sculpted and refined with mind melting psychedelic tracks created by Bone and All. Each track is its own unique treasurbox, adorned with the poetic spoken word of Artist Chelsea Rose, whos words conjure and evoke strange truths from the depths of the sacred and unknown.

"Wrong Side of the Sunrise" features Artist/Poet Chelsea Rose on five new mind altering tracks produced by Bone and All in the Fall of 2010. It opens with the mystic "My Epitaph", followed up by the backwards zen of "The Great Transformer", then have you breath taken away with "Words From a Predecessor", then really dive deep into the mind of madness with "Thunder in My Head", and finally transcending into new conscience with "Wrong Side of the Sunrise".

Take a listen here.
----

And for those who are interested...here are a few poems that i wrote recently, a couple of which i read peices from out loud for the musical concontion above:

"I am the elated Goddess, wild dancing spirit warrior equipped with the full fledged and precious talons of ...life held close to my sweet thighs, rebounding and evolving with the supple repercussions made in the blooming of this cosmic flower.
My flesh, holding fast and courageous to this world and its enchantment is made sacred and perfect in its menagerie of strange treasure and fruit.
My roots are fleshy and gorged with the sweetness of blood stemming to prove with each rhythmic palpation of my flaming heart, the conviction and blessing of this honored existence.
These bones of mine are an architectural prayer that shall remain gleaming white and pure as the moon, like eternal kernels of truth, long after this slippery soft succession of flesh falls and mates with the dirt.
Sacred and beaming, my song spirals and weaves worlds with voluptuous tendons of destiny- birthing wildly from my cauldron womb, swelling my breasts with the heavy milk of creation.
Know me with your most tender devotion for I am a portal.
My insides, pink and mild, touch deeper still into the void with which we all must pass…
….for I am The Great Transformer.

-by Chelsea Rose"
--------

"Blatant and harrowing the blue smoke climbed umbilical and groping in the shattered light
as a symbol gleaming hot and molten in the shadows of failure
penetrating deep and wallowing into the rotten core of the eye
staring from above which holds so little brightness within
but devours and hordes each jewel like a basilisk
with its talons of thorn, pulped and splintered with vein
within the beast the empty sequence of palpating calculation prevails
holding court a governing insurgence lined thick in mortar and scheming reverie
up taking and dissecting the definition of self and steal atop the brim of strangers tongues
their mouths agape with perpetual strain made stiff and groping at the dust in the swollen air
as maimed pretenders lifting numb the bulbs of their palms to the slate above
groveling in listlessness with pealed and bleached bone
protruding from each scab bound thick and embedded with wounded words
each inky character an illusory phantasm seeking to explain the truth out of the roots and dirt
as patterns speak volumes of chaos and riddle
when the bright plains of golden dawn break warm and frothy above each head
the conspirators lock fang with bounding intent
chaining reason to prescription till no heart gleams without predator forecast
birthing dreams that inscroll with twisted metal
settling over the spilt reminders of all that is genuine
the self claims the cannibal status of a pawn and fool
waiting weighted and exposed to the corrosive embrace that laps thick with eclipsing cages
ensnaring in unison each blind feeler
holding onto broken limbs and vision
groping for that line drawn in murky breath
separating this impalpable undertow
from the chance of manifest truth

the blossom weeps its seeds
floating adrift a glassy memoir
its reflection a towering waif
petals of cosmic reverb lay bent and rigid with meditated grace
a silent kindling of force it dredges up
forming new feathers of transformation
to splay at the feet of the fallen once more."
-By Chelsea Rose
----

"A sign lights the loose window hanging in the heart’s home of heat
Combing the gray interior of riddled pavements
this toothy spectral lights in passing mosaic within
enacting the groveling lament of glory and spoil
forever nimble and eloquent these barbiturates fan the flame
are you thankfull?
Aloof in a riotous hovering, a conjuring steeped and mouthing steam
this moth and its pyre spells the dripping fleet of sky
Nestling in its entanglement of surprised peace
Nourished again by the eclipsing pages of blunder and steal
Holding a cripple- A scolded movement made glassy and taunt
A weapon made crystal and coveted
Will surely coddle this matriarch and her feathered head
Netted again is the same menagerie of blood in vials
Don’t ask to penetrate this door and its oak
The barbs are poised and laden
With the fruit of hallowed horizon
Milky and skeletal in its perfect silent farce
Do not spoil this
Do not
The soft sound of leaves on my bones
Does it not beg the question from my curdled lip?
Like velvet the cocoon is caught up and glows with a fierceness I can’t commune
All of this
In my home of slacken skin and curling mane"

-by Chelsea Rose

September's Last Thursday Artwalk on Alberta st + work in progress photos

2010-10-01T08:35:00.000-07:00

...had a wonderful time yesterday at the Last Thursday Artwalk on Alberta st fair!
We tried a different spot this time ( corner of Alberta and 23rd st )and did really well. Unfortunately we forgot our camera but a friend took some cell phone photos of the booth:

We got to our spot around 1:00pm and set up next to our friend Shauna mama and her mother who makes the most AMAZING home made Tempeh in the world. Danny and I saved a spot for our etsy friend MuseTypes also...so we had friendlies on either side of us. The location was great as well...on our side of the street there were about 5 booths that were very close together so in some way we made a super big booth for people to walk through and check out our wares. I was very happy to see lots of artists out this time( less imports and food carts) so that warmed me :)

I brought some painting projects to work on since we were going to be in our booth from 1pm-10pm. But before i knew it, it was dark and the art walk came to life. I sold quite a few of my pen and ink paintings and a lil bit of everything else( prints, tie dye, silkscreen prints.) This was our most successful art fair so far this year so we were really excited. People seemed a lot more open this time, i had lots of great conversations with curious passer byes, artists and the like. I think this might end up being our last out door fair of the year since its probably going to start getting cold and rainy..so am glad it was an especially good one.

and now a look into the art room and projects in the works:

( check out the lovley headwrap- its a new one! I traded for it. I LOVE bartering. Got it from the lovley Iolithie )
you cant really tell from this photo since its only a snapshot of my easel area but last week the art room got a good cleaning and organizing. I got rid of a lot of stuff i didn't need that was clogging up the creative space + hung a bunch of art and pieces of inspiration that i had kept boxed up for too long. I finally feel like the art room is "broken in" and it feels great to work in there. Unfortunately we had to rip it all apart for last nights art fair so i will probably spend some time this evening putting everything back together again so it will be nice and inviting for weekend art exploits.
and the projects i have been working on:

So far the biggest change made to this work in progress is the background. insitally i had painted it a dark blue/green/purple but it didn't seem to "pop"...so i am working on getting a pleasant warm and glowy aura around my creature instead. i still have lots of blending work to do on the background. I then need to work on the tree/staff/pen...especially to develop the upper branches + add leaves. Then more work on her form. This is so much smaller then i usually work so i have been a bit frustrated with it. The idea of working smaller was that i could offer them for more reasonable prices...but i love working big! Ah well....we shall see how it ends up.

...and here's my other painting i am workin on right now:

I don't think i am thrilled with this at all...but then again it isn't done. It was one of those spur of the moment, super random and unplanned spurt of creative outpouring. It felt really good to paint without thinking or planning....so i had a lot of fun with it. Still...not sure i like it but at least it felt good to paint. The pink is bothering me so that might be the next thing to go.

I am looking forward to a relaxing weekend full of art room time.
...more updates soon.

Best wishes,
-Chelsea Rose

More Body Painting photos and the plotting of self publishing a book

2010-09-27T09:06:00.001-07:00

So, I have my fist exhibition of my body art/photography women's study series coming up in December. All of the sudden it dawned on me that i only have a couple months before its show time so i have begun pushing myself into the final stages of the creative process. This means i have combed through the photos of each body painting session and come out with about 53 that i would like to include in a book and for display.

Here are a few yet to be posted photos that i came across and wanted to share:

Body art and photography by Chelsea Rose
From the "Mother Goddess" shoot with Michelle Davis

Body art and photography by Chelsea Rose
From the "Queen Omega" shoot with Deonte

Body art and photography by Chelsea Rose
From the "Blissful Hope" shoot.

....So yes, I have 53 photos selected for possible print( for my gallery show) and for a book that I am completing and will be self publishing. There are a lot of things to consider right now such as how many pages i want my book to be( i am thinking around 50 and that includes title page, introduction and an acknowledgements page.) So i have to go through those 53 and lower my catch to the Golden chosen. Meanwhile, Danny is working on the design and layout of the book and i have to begin writing an intro or asking someone else to write one for me. Once i have that all together i get to take a trip to the print shop and figure out if i want hard cover or soft, what kind of paper to have it all printed on and so on. Then i need to figure out how many pieces i should be printing for the gallery show/exhibition- what size they will be and how i will be framing and mattering them.
My head is spinning a little :)
So thats one big project i am devoting energy towards.
I am also working on a small painting and getting my stuff ready for Last Thursday Art walk on Alberta st which is this week!
Also, i am working on a music project with Bone and All where i am reciting poetry along with the super spacey psychedelic noise. I am not sure when the final tracks will be mastered but i will certainly be sharing when its all ready.
....So thats my news update!
Stay tuned.
-Chelsea Rose

Spirit Walker pen and ink drawing + painting in progress and new tie dye shirts

2010-09-20T08:30:00.000-07:00

This weekend was one of those rainy, stay at home, draw, bake goodies and watch a bunch of movies kind of weekend.

I drew Spirit Walker:

( original pen and ink drawing by Chelsea Rose)
I have made 5"x7" prints of her available on etsy- click here!

and then i hastened to start a lil painting of her:

...work in progress shot of my lil painting. I think its a 6" x 9" stretched canvas piece. I wanted to do her large initially since she has lots of detail and the image is long but realized i had this 6" x 9" to work on. I guess small is better these days because if patron's are interested in purchasing they are generally less then the bigger paintings. But i really do adore working larger and have often dreamed of doing a mural- it will happen one day!

Speaking of big check this out:

A photograph from my body painting series has been hung in the Portland Museum of Art!!!

...just kidding...
I WISH i could print my photos this big and have a place to display them but no. I had waaay to much fun playing with this website.

In other news..... new tie dye creations for sale:

Divine Purple Green tie dye shirt
size: large
bust: 40"
hips: 50"
On sale for $20. check out the shop listing here.

Also done up in Green and Blue:

Green Blue Vortex tie dye shirt
100% cotton
bust: 43"
hips: 44"
also selling for $20 here.

and lastly:

Divine Blue Green Spiral tie dye
100% cotton

Size: 2XL
bust: 48"
hips: 50"

also for $20 here.

Anyhoo....my 13th body painting session of my series was canceled for the 18th and is now on for the 25th. So hopefully some new body painting photos shall be created soon and i shall be sharing them next week.

Peace n Love!
-Chelsea Rose

Maternity body painting commision, new art prints for sale

2010-09-17T08:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday i did a maternity body painting commission for a local photographer:

His idea was that he wanted a waterfall to come over his pregnant model's shoulder, flow over the breast, pool in the belly where a small/simplistic baby would be present.
...The idea was a clear departure from my usual style which generally consists of flowy/faery/alien goddess creatures so I wasn't sure how i would render this idea. i did some sketching to find my design:

this was the sketch i decided to pull from. As you can see in the actual body painting the waterfall is really the main focus of the piece. I had fun painting it! I started out by outlining all the shapes with black. I then went in and added white highlights to the shapes, then the blue. I then colored in the infant and the sun. Once the sun was in i added some yellow/sun glow highlights to the waves as well. I had an hour and a half to paint it. I wonder how the photographer's shots came out of the body painting. I know he was shooting the photos in his home studio. I will share some of his shots when he posts them.

In other news i listed a new drawing of mine for sale in our etsy shop:

5"x7" art print of original pen and ink drawing
"Tree Maiden"
by Chelsea Rose

Print will come sealed in a crystal clear plastic sleeve to keep it safe. Our prints are made on archival canson artist card paper( has a similar feel to watercolor paper). Makes a wonderful card, gift or decoration.

Print available for $7, see shop listing here.

Also have a new "Perception Mandala" silkscreen print for sale:

Perception Mandala silkscreen
8.75" x 11"
hand printed by the artist onto yellow washed watercolor paper

This original art work comes sealed inside an archival crystal clear envelope for protection.

Selling for $20. check out the sale listing here.

...Thats it for now!
I did have a body painting planned on Saturday but it was canceled and rescheduled for the weekend of the 25th. The model i will be using is of dark skin so it will be another white paint over black skin body painting for my series. She will be my 13th model for my project.
So now that i have my Saturday free i think i will be begin a new painting inspired by a very wonderful experience i have just recently had involving a wise/shaman woman teacher who did a Life time animal totem reading for me which was a very powerful thing. I am going to explore...what my soul might look like. Should be interesting painting project, no? My core totem animal is the Otter but i also am surrounded by my other totems which are the black panther, the snake, the deer, the ant, the butterfly,the swan, the fox and the rabbit.

Have a wonderful weekend.
Best wishes and much love,
-Chelsea Rose

Mermaid Dreams- finished painting + painting process photos

2010-09-13T08:52:00.000-07:00

I finished her...i finally finished my mermaid, whom i have been fighting with for months now!

Mermaid Dreams
20" x 24"
Original acrylic painting by Chelsea Rose
$330( see sale listing here )

....I am kinda surprised at how long i took to paint this one! I began painting her on canvas in July but the initial pen and ink drawing that inspired the painting came way way before then:

"Love thy Self"
original pen and ink drawing by Chelsea Rose
Prints are available for $7 here.

......she was a quick drawing that i made last year sometime. Initially i loved her pose and the feelings she conveyed but disliked the drawing. Eventually i decided to make prints available and quickly noted she became one of my best selling drawings.

I also ended up making a pen and ink over acrylic version which was done on masonite for a commision. I created an extra one in yellow... which i still have:

...she is up for sale as well, going for $40. Check out the listing here.

After some time i felt the need to do a big acrylic painting of a mermaid and decided to model it after my pen and ink drawing above.
So i used the original drawing and projected the image onto canvas where i traced the basic outlines to create the framework of the painting.

A snapshot of the paintings humble beginnings:

...this shows the very first layering's of color i began with. I was still in the "feeling things out" stage at this point. If you compare it to the finished product a bunch of these changed!

....as you can see here the very first thing i did was restructure the face and remake the headdress/hair. I got rid of the lil bindy and added a third eye instead. The lil "nubs" i had sprouting from the head wasn't cutting it so i added, tentacles, fin like dread tendrils instead- which was a lot of fun to paint because of all the lil loops and spirals i got to play with.

....I took the painting out to a few of the local art fairs so that i could work on her while i was tending the booth. It was this day that i did a lot of work on the tail. As seen here i added a lot more side fin to the lower tail. I was also beginning to contemplate the stark emptiness of the background and was throwing around the idea of adding fish, another mermaid....anything!
I was happy to get a lot of questions and general interest when out and about with the painting but what was most bazaar is almost everyone asked me if i was painting MYSELF as the mermaid. I really had not intended this to be some kind of self portrait but a lot of people insisted on it. This made me smile and remember something someone very close to me said as a lil girl. My mom worked for an old Hebrew mystic who was also an amazing painter( he was very old school and used egg tempera paint that he made himself) and he used to always say to me " A true artist only ever paints themselves," wether they mean it or not- this always made me giggle.

( sorry for this photos horrid quality)
....Here you can see i added big poofy hip side fins and finally began to remedy the "emptiness" of the background with bubbles.
The bubbles started out here and there...and i really liked the depth they began to suggest so i decided to keep them and expand upon them bit by bit.

....the bubbles kept on multiplying. I started adding smaller lil jets of silvery bubbles and made the bottom of the canvas a darker blue to help hint at deep dark sea.
I took the above photo on my birthday- Aug.15 and so the painting sat untouched for quite some time. I was pretty unhappy with it at this point. I felt all the bubbles crowded the image...and i detested the fact that it was now time to work on the hands( my least fave part of any drawing/painting i do.) The painting was pretty much in this same state when i finally promised myself i would finish it up this past weekend- no matter what!
I did all the finishing work in about 6 hours which included darkening the bottom sea again, adding more bubbles, removing some bubbles, adding more shimming light from above, going back into all the of color for one last "ping" of color, going over all the black outlines and adding more spiraling and detail, added a few more spiral tendrils of hair, more color and volume to the closed eyelids, blue to skin and lips( to make her look more like she is in water), and finally the hands( which i spent about a half an hour muttering and cursing under my breath as i worked at them in a frenzy to some extremely horrible and chaotic sitar music...and was very close to having a nervous breakdown. Luckily Danny saved me by turning the music off which kind of broke the spell and i was able to get the hands to somewhat behave finally.)

So yes...she is done! Did i mention i love mermaids very muchly so and they have always been a folk symbol that i deeply identified with? I was drawing bare breasted mermaids when i was 5 and never did stop. I grew up at the beach, lolling in the whiteraff with my legs firmly held together as i pretended to be a lovely flesh eating mermaid hunting the local tourists and surfers.
They will always fascinate me and when ever i am in the water- be it a pool, ocean or river you ll see me swimming fast and furious, legs held firmly together like a mermaid.

Much love and many blessings,
-Chelsea Rose

P.S.
Lots of body painting coming up. This Thursday i will be doing a paid commission body painting with a local photographer. On Saturday i will be doing a body painting of mine for my body painting series. So stay tuned.

The making of Perception Mandala screen print + more

2010-09-10T10:08:00.000-07:00

Made it to Friday not without a few bumps along the way...but here we are. Another weekend is on its way. If only i could motivate myself to finish my Mermaid painting....she is almost done, i am not sure why i have had no interest to work on her what so ever. I guess i will just have to chain myself to my painting table till its done this weekend! We shall see...

Danny just recently created a new silkscreen:

Blue Perception Mandala silkscreen
8.75" x 11"
hand printed by the artist onto green washed watercolor paper
-Just listed this print into our etsy shop for $25. check out the listing here.

This silkscreen was created using the drawing fluid/screen filler method of production instead of the photo emulsion process. Personally i much prefer this drawing fluid method and had used it in creating my first two silkscreen prints: "The Goddess in All of Us" and "Behold."

What is super cool is we were able to fully document the creation process for the "Perception Mandala" drawing fluid silkscreen.
Check it out:

The first 6 photos show the design being hand painted onto the screen using the blueish colored "drawing fluid."
The next 15 photos show the design fully painted on the screen and the process of spreading the "screen filler" which is reddish colored over the design and the entire screen.
The next 6 images show how the drawing looks with its coat of screen filler- also shows how the drawing fluid begins to crack as the screen filler dries.
The last three images show Danny rinsing the screen which ,as seen in the last photo, removed the blue drawing fluid to reveal empty screen where the design was drawn.
Thus, the "drawing fluid" resits the screen filler which then creations a workable silkscreen.
Interesting, no?

And here is a print done on a cotton shirt:

This shirt is listed for sale in our etsy shop. Its going for $15. check out the listing here.
....if the shirt is too small, or you want it in a different color and shirt style please don't hesitate to request a custom order!

In other news, we also just listed a new tie dye skirt:

We are calling this tie dye creation " Purple Sky Maiden."
I listed her in our shop last night and she has already been put on hold/reserved for one of our frequent patrons. But have no fear- more tie dye is soon to appear.

More art, coming soon.
-Chelsea Rose
Lucid Optic Lab

New Pen and Ink drawings + weekend projects and news

2010-09-07T10:17:00.000-07:00

3 day weekends are a total blessing, i got a lot of work done!
Too bad i was oblivious to this fact come Monday morning. I got up for work 10 mins after my alarm was to go off... so i threw on my clothes, grabbed a hard-boiled egg and ran out the door to get to my bus stop. Got there 2 mins early and waited....and waited...and waited and then thought to-myself " why have i only seen a few cars go bye? why is this Monday so eerily quiet?" And... then i looked across the street to a stores signboard that read " Happy Labor day!"
.... So i laughed at myself, went home, watched "Howls Moving Castle" for probably the 42nd time and did some drawing:

Original pen and ink drawing by Chelsea Rose

-this was drawn for a commission I am working on currently. A patron requested I do smaller somewhat more "approachable" version of my other tree maiden painting called Rainbow Roots Dread Goddess. Hopefully she likes this preliminary drawing and i will soon be painting her on canvas.

I like the drawing enough to be considering offering prints of her for sale. what do you think?

Saturday and Sunday were also project filled art days.

As you can see my art table got quite busy in the process which resulted in a few finished pieces done in my pen and ink over acrylic style.
And if you are curious about how i make these here is the scoop:

First i start out by painting a canvas or board with a single color of acrylic paint. I am then using india ink pens to draw directly ontop of the acrylic color. Often i am by hand reproducing some of my original drawings this way and because of this hands on process each one comes out slightly different in lineweight and detail. I have found this process works really well in creating an elegant and original art piece that i can sell for a very affordable price.
I have many more available for purchase in my etsy shop.

Also, over the weekend i had fun matting and framing some of my recent 4" x 6" watercolor paintings:

......i found it really interesting how different the paintings looked when framed! Honestly its the first time i have nicely framed any of my work and i really enjoyed it. Too bad matting and framing can be so expensive because it can really make a huge difference presentation wise.

...Anyhow the ongoing list of projects continue. For this week's Friday blogpost i will be showing a step by step "work in progress" documentation involving silk screening and the drawing fluid method.
I also have a few body painting sessions coming up so stay tuned.

Best wishes,
-Chelsea Rose