Earth Goddess body art in the Columbia River Gorge

I am FINALLY getting around to posting about the body painting and photo shoot for my Earth Goddess series that I completed back in August!

This was the 14th body painting I have completed for my Earth Goddess series. I had such a wonderful time with my model as we picnicked and painted on the bank of the Columbia River Gorge in one of Oregon's clothing optional state parks, Rooster Rock. 

As usual it took me around 4 hours to do the full body painting. 

Here are some of the finished photos from the shoot: 

My model, being an adventurous soul, was most willing to get into the water for some shots. I love the results! And I am SUPER excited to learn that the body paint held up relatively well in the water and so now I am dreaming of an entire new "Water Goddess" series. But I am getting a little ahead of myself. I feel I am pretty much finished with my Earth Goddess series so now I must get serious about finding a gallery that will show the finished images, and also start putting together a book for self publishing. 

I hope you enjoyed these photos, more soon. 

Much love,

-Chelsea Rose 

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Sixth Earth Goddess shoot: Triple Goddess + Portland Goddess 2013 Calendar PRESALE!

This weekend I did my sixth body art photoshoot for my ongoing series "Earth Goddess."




We were aiming to evoke and honor the Triple Goddess( Maiden, Mother and Crone.)


(Process photo by Danny Ebru.)
I painted three women in one sitting. It took me about two hours each to do the body adornment. This is a personal record for me! The location was a lovely faery cottage situated in the wooded foothills of southern Washington. It was such a fun art adventure! The interaction between the four of us was full of silliness despite the seriousness of the finished photos. I am so very excited and pleased with the entire experience and very glad to share these stunning first glimpses of the photoshoot with you. Hope you enjoy!

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I would also like to introduce you to a new Lucid Optic Lab independent publication that is an art calendar featuring my acrylic painting "Goddess of the Hunt" for the month of August:

  ----Portland Goddess  2013 Wall Calendar----

PRESALE - 2013 Wall Calendar

  -----The Portland Goddess Calendar ------

The Divine Feminine has been honored and depicted by every culture around the world since the beginning of human history. Her wisdom and majesty lives on today as she continues to be known and worshiped by many names throughout the world. As is the nature of the Goddess, her strength, wisdom and beauty are a major source of inspiration not only spiritually but artistically. This independent publication combines the work of twelve Pacific Northwest artists who mindfully came together to honor the Divine Feminine and to share with the world their personal visions of her sacred and enthralling presence.

This limited edition calendar features the art of Portland, Oregon artists Laura Borealisis, Justin Slattum, Liv Rainey-Smith, Nicole Linde, Joanne Licardo, Robin Urton, Matt Schlosky, Sam Arneson, Nicholas Frenette, Anna Todaro, plus Danny Rodriguez and Chelsea Rose of Lucid Optic Lab

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

 Take advantage of the presale and save 15%. Presale price $17, Regular price $20. Check out the sale listing HERE.

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Anyhoo thats whats going down in my lil art realm right now. Wow we are almost through with July already! Next on the list, Danny Ebru and I will be setting up our booth at the Portland Saturday Market this coming weekend, July 28th.  Come find us, collect some art and say hi!

Much love and light,
-Chelsea Rose 

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5th Earth Goddess body art photography shoot!!!

On Saturday I did the 5th body painting/ photoshoot of my Earth Goddess series :



Earth Goddess
body art photography by Chelsea Rose
Model: Bran

Earth Goddess

body art photography by Chelsea Rose

Model: Bran

....This shoot was the most challenging of the series so far but I am very excited with what we came away with. 

The creative process went something like this:

We decided to rent motel rooms( Thanks so much kickstarter backers!) in Oceanside for Friday night so that we could wake up at 3am and I could get to painting.  We were all pretty groggy and it was super weird waking up so early but we managed and I was done with the full body painting by 5:30am.



We got to the beach by 6am and I was super happy that we had decided to begin the creative process so early( even if it was a bit painful) because we had the entire beach to ourselves with some lingering misty/fog clinging to the horizon lines. It was so beautiful! My model Bran braved the cold early morning, sand bugs, rock climbing and so much more. She really deserves a big thank you for being so courageous and being willing to step out of her comfort zone for the sake of art!

Oh, and of course we also made time to poke around in the lush tide pools that were exposed due to the extremely dramatic low tide. There were so so so many sea anemones and star fish!

Anyhoo, my next photoshoot is planned for the weekend of the 21st. I think it will be a fascinating session if I can manage to pull it off. I will be painting three women in one sitting. Wish me luck!!

In other news, I am still painting and drawing as my messy art table can attest to:


messy means progress!


and here is a little black and white shot of my current acrylic painting in the works. This photo was taken a few weeks back when I was feeling stuck. Its interesting how looking at some of my super colorful work in black and white can really help me figure things out and break various mental blocks down. I just finished this painting today, so full color photos will be up soon!

And I have begun dragging around a sketch book, small enough to fit inside my purse:




When I was younger I was practically inseparable to my sketch books. I am happy to be getting back in the habit of always having one near.

Anyhoo, lots of new art is coming soon. Keep an eye out.

Much love and light,
-Chelsea Rose 

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New Earth Goddess shoot in Rooster Rock State Park

I am so SO happy to say that during the past weekend I did my fourth body painting/photoshoot session  for my Earth Goddess series!

We drove out to Rooster Rock State Park and set up a canopy near the clothing option section of the park and quickly got to painting:

My partner in all things Danny Ebru was there to lend a hand and impart words of wisdom. These work in progress shots are a curtesy of his presence.



I was super surprised at how quick this body painting session took to complete. Normally a full body painting takes me six hours yet it only took about 3 hours this time around!

Once the painting was done we began to hike through the trails in the clothing optional section of the park. The trails were lush and wound their way along the edge of the Columbia River Gorge. It was beautiful and full of wonderful little nooks to shoot in.


My model Asima was brilliant. Her easy confidence, positive energy and personal wisdom really made for some exciting captures. I took over 400 photos in about two hours.
I have just begun to look through, sort and edit the photos.

Here are the first two finished photographs, roughly edited, that I have posted publicly:

Earth Goddess
body art and photography by Chelsea Rose
model: Asima

Earth Goddess
body art and photography by Chelsea Rose
model: Asima

Hope you enjoy them!
...More soon to follow so stay tuned... ( Danny managed to take a time lapse video of me painting Asima's face and neck. Keep a look out for that, it will be posted on our youtube channel  )

My fifth Earth Goddess shoot is this weekend. We will be painting and photographing in the "Cove" beach in Seaside at the crack o' dawn. Wish us luck!

Also, I want to say a big big big thank you to the generous and supportive souls who contributed to my kickstarter fundraiser earlier this year. I think about you all the time and feel so inspired. This project wouldn't be the same without your support. So, thanks again :)

Much Love and Light,
-Chelsea Rose

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New Earth Goddess body art photos + Holiday specials

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

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

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
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Queen Bead, my 12th body painting of the series!

I am thrilled and super exited to show off my most recent body painting and photo session.

I bring you a powerful portrait study of a brave, wondrous muse, artist and all around powerful and beautiful woman: Queen Bead!


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


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


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


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


(process shot taken by Danny )
Saturday was a hot one so as soon as Danny and I got to our shoot location, T.Ruth Artspace Gallery, we cranked the AC. Queen Bead arrived around 10:30am and we got to painting after plugging in a few fans in the back of the gallery.
I was truly amazed at how quickly this body painting was finished. We got started around 10:30am and finished around 1:30pm, then took pictures till around 2:30/3pm.

Queen Bead was my 12 body painting for this series/women's study and I am very pleased with the photos and how it all turned out.

I was positively bursting with inspiration as soon as i met this woman a couple months ago at the art fair "Craft in the Village" in Vancouver WA. She was sitting at a booth with her son selling colored pencil and ink illustrations of powerful queens, empresses and goddesses. I was entranced by her persona and energy and couldn't help but run up and ask if she might be interested in modeling for my body painting women's study. To my glee she instantly seemed interested in the project saying it sounds like just the thing she needs for her CD/Album cover art! Turns out she is an inspired reggae singer- her stage name being Queen Bead. Listen to a few of her songs here. ( my favorite song of hers is the one called "Barefoot Healer")

I feel blessed to have her unique energy and beauty entered in to this project of mine- the universe works in mysterious and wonderful ways!

More from this shoot to be posted soon.

Much love,
-Chelsea Rose
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3 day weekend of art- body painting, art fairs and new acrylic on canvas!

Thank goodness for 3 day weekends! I got so much done and even had time to play and have some fun too.
....I have a lot of photos to share but i am going to start with what i am most excited to post: my new body painting photos:


Wise Woman
(body painting and photography by Chelsea Rose
Model:Suzanne Owens-Duval )

I feel blessed to have been able to work with Suzanne and include her in this growing women's study art project of mine.
A few weeks back i realized that my body painting project had a lot going for it: a wide rang of body type, ethnicity and culture but was missing a nice range of age. With this realization in mind i posted a craigslist ad asking for elderly women who might be interested in participating in my project. I only got one response and that was from my model Suzanne who turned out to be a super vivacious and skilled professional actor for screen and stage!


Wise Woman
(body painting and photography by Chelsea Rose
Model: Suzanne Owens-Duval)

We did the body painting in the loft of T.Ruth Artspace gallery on Sunday- walking down the stairs to stand in front of the backdrop on the main floor of the gallery. As always it was wondrous getting to know my model and it was uncanny how much we had in common in thoughts, feelings and intention. She seemed to have a real love for life and was well equipped to roll with life's punches through the years. We both agreed that everything happens for a reason and there is little point in regretting things. We also seemed to think that the body is a person's temple and that as women age the beauty matures and changes anew- our bodies becoming road maps showing the signs of a life lived well and to the fullest.


Wise Woman
(body painting and photography by Chelsea Rose
Model: Suzanne Owens-Duval)

I took over 500 photos of Suzanne in little over an hour and a half and i have been having a wonderful time in my spare moments this past weekend sifting through the shots and polishing the keepers. Needless to say, there will be more coming soon!

Now, jumping back to Friday...i wanted to share a quick snapshot of our simple set up for Craft In the Village:

Danny picked me up early from work so that we could drive on over to Vancouver Washington to participate for our second time in their "Craft in the Village" art vending event. It was predicted to rain but that sure didn't stop us! Our lil fair still went strong with live music and a dozen or more vendors braving the storm. It did rain buckets for an half an hour but we survived and were rewarded with blue sky and sun for the rest of the day. We did pretty well on sales considering! And as always it was wonderful fun to meet and hang out with all the other local artists.

On Saturday Danny and I watched T.Ruth Artspace gallery ( since our dear friend and the gallery owner is re cooperating from surgery.) Of course we had a blast greeting the people who walked in to enjoy the art. While i was there i did a lot of painting- which Danny had fun documenting:

The night before i had painted this basic background and inked a faery onto it using my fabercastell India ink pens. I brougth the canvas in and set up my tote easel and got to work.

I always start with the eyes!

can you tell my favorite things to draw and paint are lips and eyes?

....i like this photo- it shows how much my dreads have been growing!

....almost done! just working on the wings and then i need to go over everything again with another layer of shading and highlight!
goodness....this post is picture heavy...

On Sunday we had a surprise visit from two dear friends who have been living in southern Oregon on a beautiful stretch of land. We all made dinner together( fresh herb salad with home made pesto sauce and tortellinis)...then we all hung out on the patio as the sun set. Then they baked the most delicious cookies and we sat around watching episode upon episode of Avatar the Last Air Bender as i dreaded one of the dear fellow's mohawk!

All in all it was a wonderful few days!

Now that the new week is here i am looking forward to finishing up the painting i started on Saturday and hopefully beginning a new one. More photos from my "Wise Woman" shoot should be up soon.

Best wishes and much love,
-Chelsea Rose
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