More Queen Bead body painting photos + mermaid painting in progress + Evolve Mushroom screen print +patio garden pics

Its getting closer to the end of July and the beginning of August. Danny reminded me the other day that my birthday is only a few weeks away- how strange!
Its been a very mild summer thus far and for that i am truly greatfull for its allowed me to be less "melty brained" and work on projects ( some times the heat of summer does me in and i just end up a puddle on the floor.)

First off i wanted to share two more photos i posted from my body painting photo shoot with Queen Bead:


(body painting and photography by Chelsea Rose
Model: Queen Bead)


(body painting and photography by Chelsea Rose
Model: Queen Bead)

I am looking forward to tonight! Queen Bead will be singing with her reggae band tonight at a club in Washington. It will be my first time seeing her preform and I cant wait!

I started working on a mermaid painting last week and haven't gotten much done on it since then:

...i haven't even finished putting down the first beginnings of color and I'm already not liking where it is going.
I am doing this painting based off of my "love thy self" pen and ink drawing of a mermaid hugging herself:

( pen and ink drawing by Chelsea Rose)
....I initially started out painting her with a light green skin tone but she was melding way too much with the light blue background. I am trying out a natural pinkish skin tone and not liking it at all. However, it may just be too early to tell. What i really need to do is add some more layers of colors and shadow before i make any rash judgments but its been hard to find motivation to work on her unfortunately. However i will have plenty of time to stare her down and do some work on Saturday when Danny and I go and watch T.Ruth art space gallery from 1-6pm. i really do enjoy painting in the back while doing my best at greeting people when they filter in to look at all the art.

In other news Danny made a new screen print from his "Evolve" design. Check it out:

one of a kind screen print composite.
designed and hand screen printed by Danny.

He used two of his recent screen print designs to create it. The background is his faery star screen, the mushroom his most recent silkscreen creation.

I am in love with the new prints and lucked out by getting the first "evolve" print on a shirt- all for myself:

Isn't it lovely? If you want a print of your own feel fee to send in a custom order with t-shirt size/color and paint color preferences!

....Did you notice the hat? well i recently got it in order to help shield myself from the constant bombardments of sunburns that summers tend to inflict on my pale skin. When i came home with it the other day Danny thought it was ridiculously huge and likened it to wearing a sombrero! But i do love it and my good friend Dr. Bob gave me the cool paper blue flower to adorn the hat with. I think the hat will do well for the long bus rides home in the sun, the summer hikes we take and all the hours ill be spending sitting in direct sun at the various art fairs of the season.

I also have a couple patio garden snapshots to share:

Its a true luxury to have a lil outside patio to ourselves amongst the pitfalls of apartment living. Although i dream of working an actual piece of land to plant all sorts of edibles I am making due with what space i do have. i started a potted herb garden from seeds( i think i will do starts next time since seed growing is magical to witness but a slow slow thing.) So far i have the following herbs sprouting happily: cilantro, chile, basil and chamomile. However i am most excited about the morning glory vine that i planted. The morning glory vine have been so quick to grow, some of their leafy vines already climbed the lattice and are beginning to work their way around the top of the patio rail. I was very excited the other morning to find my first two buds ready to burst:

Morning Glory is my favorite sort of flower. I wish i was small enough to live in their enchanting purple trumpet blooms.

On that note i will break off this post.
Its supposed to be a hot weekend so who knows how much i will get done really...hopefully some painting, maybe some hiking but i am sure there will be a lot of time spent in the shade drinking some iced herbal tea, watching the plants on the patio grow.

Much love to all,
-Chelsea Rose