The Sakura Collection

Hello!

I have been working on a new collection of paintings for the last 3 years. It started with a few plain air paintings in 2021 and has slowly grown since then, with a greater focus in 2022—2024.

Sakura trees have been of cultural significance to Japan for hundreds of years. Viewing and cherishing the Sakura season—Cherry Blossoms— with family and friends, is a highlight in Japan. Sakura blooms symbolize the idea of embracing the present, the fragility of life, and marking new beginnings.

These trees captured my attention when we first arrived—October 2020.

The thick, textured trunks and mosses— full of warm, earthy colors—were inspiring to me. I had not been around Sakura trees before. Once spring hit in 2021, I jumped back to the easel and the painting commenced.

I have loved these trees in the cool spring rain. I have been captivated by the delicate blooms against the thick, moss-covered trunks.

I remember the hot, humid summer days. They are filled with lush green leaves, birds and cicadas. And I am ever grateful for their shade.

I have embraced them in the grey autumn days with orange and yellow leaves, and with crows talking overhead.

And I have cherished them on the snowy days of winter, admiring the shapes and angles of the branches I know will soon be filled.

Passing under these young and old trees thousands of times in the last 3.5 years, have made me realize how they have been the background to routine, memories, and feelings. They have marked the passing of time.

And during the seasons when I notice these changes, it helps me to pause, and breathe just a little slower. They remind me to enjoy the present moment.

I am embracing the saying from the tea ceremony, “Ichi-go Ichi-e” which means, “One time, One meeting” and is a reminder to focus on our present moment with gratitude, for it cannot be repeated.

Living here in Japan I have had many “one time, one meeting” experiences with family, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances. All have inspired me.

This collection will be displayed in my home for one special night, the Spring Equinox—the day when light and dark are equal—to gather my community and share this collection, celebrating this season of growth and beginnings before we move.

While I have a personal connection to each of these paintings, I am more interested in your story of connection with Sakura season.

What do Sakura mean to you?

Ideally, I imagine us sitting down with a cup of your favorite drink, under the blooming trees and listening to your view point, your memories, your stories, and photos with the Sakura. I would be delighted to hear your connections if you have a moment.

So go ahead, comment below or send me an email. If you come to the opening night, I will have a sketchbook for people to add their stories and connections.

I’ll go ahead and share a quick one of mine— walking my senior dog down the street under the blooms. It was a memory, and still a daily ritual, I enjoy. I had to capture a picture last year. I have walked him many times without taking a photo, contemplating life with him. I savor these moments with him under the changing seasons with gratitude. Time feels slow when the blooms are out. And I really love that.

Your turn!

Artfully,

Wildfires in Utah Art, Homes and Lands

Three years ago, January 2021, I participated in an invitational group art show at Bountiful Davis Art Center in northern Utah.

I was contacted just three weeks before our home was to be boxed up for our move to Japan about the show. I am still amazed at the crazy timing. I just had a baby and I was going to put all my inventory—except two pieces—into long term storage.

With the lucky timing of being contacted and promised help from family and my dear artist friend in Utah, Emily C. Fuller, I was able to put aside 10 pieces the curator—Dr. Alexandra Karl— wanted for the show: Wildfires in Utah Art, Homes and Lands.

There are two wonderful videos up on the Bountiful Davis Art Center website. You can listen to a discussion on wildfires in Utah with a professor and the curator and see a tour with the curator. You can see most of the pieces I had on display at these time stamps.

7:25 — three mini gold wildfire paintings from the 2018 collection.

10:30 —2 medium tile pieces, a 9 piece and a 4 piece.

27:55 — Triptych from 2018, It was one of the opening pieces but was last to be talked about in the tour.

https://www.bdac.org/wildfires-in-utah

I was honored to be one of the 18 artists selected for that show. There was a lot of talent and concepts shared by everyone. It was a really special experience and I only wish I could have seen it in person, but due to life circumstances, the video tour and photos was what I held onto in appreciation.

I am grateful for another fellow artist, whom I’ve never met, Nancy Andruk Olson that referred my work to the curator of the show. The art community never ceases to lift one another, cheer each other on, and stay connected. It is one of my favorite parts of being an artist—meeting and making friends with other creatives.

Wildfires in Utah Art, Homes and Lands. Exhibit at BDAC, Bountiful Utah. 2021.

The Way of Holiness, 24x 66 inches, 2018. Oil on Canvas.

The Way of Holiness—created in 2018, depicts before, during, and after a wildfire. It was chosen as one of the opening pieces to that show. I had several ceramic wildfire paintings and a few mini gold paintings that were also part of the show. I was happy that several pieces found a permanent home after that.

A few months after the show was over I was contacted by Ann Bernstein of the Salt Lake County Art Selection Committee about acquiring a piece for the Salt Lake county art collection. A video chat interview from Japan to Utah, several emails and a selection meeting later, the triptych was chosen over one of my ceramic pieces. It is hung at Salt Lake Government Center, South Building—4th Floor— 2001 South State Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84190.

I have not been able to visit it yet and take pictures at its location but I hope to next time I visit Utah. If you’re in Utah and come across it I would love to hear about it!

Artfully,

5 years later-- I'm back!!!

Hello!

It’s been almost 5 years since I wrote a blog post, sent my last email, and shared my process and collections.

I really can’t believe it’s been this long but at the same time I can.

I had a third son in 2020 before our move to Japan. I created work throughout the last three years at what felt like a snails pace. But since April 2023, all our kids have been in school and I’ve been able to jump back into my projects more consistently. I’m excited to finally share my work with you again.

We are preparing to move back to the east coast this summer. With that, I’ve been working extra hard on finishing a collection of Cherry Blossom paintings, or as I’ll be referring to it as The Sakura Collection.

I know this is a different subject from my wildfire landscapes but please don’t worry or run away just yet. I have been working on ceramic pieces with wildfire themes and will share that when I complete the collection.

Creating work that relates to my time in Japan is a natural step in my creative journey that will impact how I approach wildfire landscapes. To share what I have experienced and through my view point is something that has driven a lot of my favorite projects. I hope you will stick around to view this collection and see how it will influence my future artwork.

I keep creating with a fire inside of me that’s racing against time. There is so much inside of me that I want to create and try to make a reality. I hope I have decades ahead of me, but what these last few years have reminded me is that life is so precious, fleeting, and fragile— like a sakura blossom in the spring.

Thank you for being patient, trusting, excited, and supporting my creative work. I’m incredibly grateful for you, and grateful for being able to share something that’s dear to me and part of who I am.

Artfully,

If you’re here for the new collection, please click the button below to update your information or be a new sign-up for the newsletter.

April 2022, visiting the oldest Sakura tree in Japan.— Jindai Zakura. It is on the grounds of the Jissoji Temple in Yamanashi prefecture. It is believed to be over 2,000 years old.

CLOSING the SHOP

I’m closing my shop May 1, 2019.

It’s something I’ve been contemplating for months. Taking a break from the business side of selling my art will allow me to focus on things that matter most.

FAMILY—I’ve accepted the season of life I am in. I have a family, with a wonderful spouse and two young, sweet, amazing boys. And that takes a lot of time, focus, and energy. Running a business in this season of my life is incompatible with my values. I will continue to paint and create ceramics of wildfires, but at a slower pace.

SPACE—I need more space to create. My closet is full of inventory waiting for a new home. Being surrounded with too much in my creative space dampers my creativity and motivation to create. 

I want all inventory gone so I can start new, larger, better, more refined work. I want to keep improving and create my best works yet, but I don't have the space.

MOVING— We are moving near the end of the year. And it’s looking like an international move. That means it can’t go with me. I don’t want it to sit in storage for 3-4 years, and I don’t want it lost, or damaged. And it will take a lot of energy and time to go through the process of moving overseas. 

Letting go of my expectations and pride to give more of myself to help my family and others is my mission in this season of my life. And I’m okay with that. I’ve felt happier as I keep life simple and focus on things that matter most.

It will probably be 4 years before it opens again. It could be longer. But I’ll tell you this, I won’t stop painting wildfires, and they’re only going to get better as time goes on!

Thank you for your support and following my art. My website will still remain just my shop will be off the site.

Stay in touch and keep sending those wildfire photos!

Artfully,

ANNASTASHA

2018 Year in Review

The end of 2018 is here! And with the end of the year comes time to reflect on the wonderful and challenging projects, events, and life experiences.

I’d like to share a review of my art and life from this year. I hope you find it insightful and that it inspires you to look back on 2018 with celebration of all the good you’ve accomplished in whatever way that might be. I look forward to reviewing these over the years to compare and appreciate the small things that add up to the big things.

1. Private 2-day lessons with J. Kirk Richards— Back in January I finally went to Utah to cash in on a lesson I had purchased a few years ago—thanks to baby boy #1 it got postpone until this year, but it finally happened and it was awesome! I learned great techniques to refine my work and confidence that I’m on the right track. Thanks to those one-on-one days we had, it gave me the courage to try gold leaf in my paintings.

2. Blue Print Model— I started and completed an amazing 12 week business course this year. It’s the most I’ve invested into my business ever. It was scary to take that jump but I am so glad I did! It was worth every penny and every minute of working on the homework. I consider this one of my biggest victories this year!

3. Mini GOLD Fire paintings— In the spring I created 12 mini gold leaf paintings. These were a great testing ground to get feedback from my collectors and fans about this type of work in the future. It also brought greater depth and symbolism to my work that I love. Can’t wait to make larger gold fire paintings! Stay tuned!

4. Triptych piece— I created my first triptych painting this year. I’ve been wanting to do one for a while and finally had the push to do it for a juried art show. It did not get accepted but that’s okay! It still felt good to experiment with this idea and think about it for the future.

5. Morning Light—Pioneer Fire 2016— Completing this piece was one of my first victories for the year. This is the largest one I’ve created in a while and one that’s got me really excited to share. It’s rare for me to come across images of a wildfire in the morning light. This one just took my breath away and I had to paint it, with permission of the photographer/firefighter. I am excited to finally be releasing this in my next series of paintings, and will be a new addition to the print shop in the spring!

6. Birthed my baby boy #2— enough said! An easy going and successful VBAC birth. Mr. T is the happiest baby and brings our family JOY beyond measure! He pretty much has convinced me that babies are the best and that I just need to stop making art for a little while. So I’ll be resting up and enjoying more fully his wonderful smile and chunky thighs the next few months.

7. Gold Fire Mugs— 11 Unique Handcrafted and painted mugs. These mugs came to be through little miracles. I wanted to visit Mercedes back in the spring to work on some type of collaboration, but I was pregnant at the time so the collaboration was delayed. Well, fast forward to August, just a few weeks after our son was born and I found out I’d be able to accompany my husband on a work trip to Florida—right where Mercedes lives! Just a few weeks before leaving in September for the trip I had a dream I was painting on Mercedes mugs. I was painting wildfires! This was the first work I dived into after having baby boy #2. I didn’t intend to start back into creating art so soon, but the opportunity presented itself so, with an 8 weeks old baby and a 3 year old I was trying to glaze any small moments I could get. And the rest is history!

8. Inktober 2018— 31 ink painted sketches with gold leaf. These were fun to create. I haven’t worked on my wildfire paintings without color and there are definitely some challenges but also great learning that came from such a simple exercise. I would love to do this challenge again in the future. I also gifted all these away to my fans and collectors. I wanted to share more of my work with the world and it was an exercise in “letting go” of what I create and “giving value” to other people’s lives. It was a way for me to show my supporters my gratitude for having them following this creative journey.

9. Commission of the Bear Fire—Also unexpected, I received an awesome opportunity to create this custom painting just before leaving for our Florida trip. I started it after we got back from the Hurricane Florence evacuation. What a line of events the second half of the year has brought!

10. Growing a garden— This is not a simple task! But I had fun in my spring/summer garden this year. I can’t tell you how fulfilling it was to grow vegetables. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.

It amazes me how I got this all done. All during nap times, getting up early, or staying up a little late.

But really it comes down to loving what I do, and finding the time to do it. I’m a mom of two little boys. Time is the most valuable thing I have. Time with them. Time with my husband. Time visiting family and friends. And time creating, because this is how I express the feelings and thoughts of my heart and soul.

Know that whatever I do produce, comes from my heart, mind, and soul, and that I’m giving the most valuable thing I have—time—to create. I paint these wildfire scenes hoping to better other’s lives, by giving them a reminder of courage and hope in their challenges. And I know for a few people I did just that. That is my greatest art success this year.

THANK YOU for a wonderful year. However you supported me, I thank you. Every little bit from my wonderful little tribe helps better my work—sharing my work with friends, reading my posts or newsletter, purchasing, commenting, or critiquing, it all adds up. Thank you.

Here’s to a new year!

Artfully,

INKTOBER 2018

It’s been a busy few months with the GOLD FIRE MUGS and now the holidays are upon us! Here are a few of my favorite INKTOBER 2018 sketches. You can see the rest of them here.

This challenge was started a few years back by an artist on Instagram. The challenge is to make a sketch with ink once a day during the month of October. There are usually descriptive prompts each day, but I decided to do my own sketches of wildfires and include gold leaf on them!

I really enjoyed creating these. It was great to practice tones, contrast, and composition. Some work better than others. I started to learn which reference photos would make for better ink sketches. Overall, I may be using some of these for future paintings.

Inktober 3

Inktober 15

Inktober 17

Inktober 21

Inktober 28

Inktober 29

Artfully,

GOLD FIRE MUGS--The Collection

We are excited to finally share our entire collection of Gold Fire Mugs with you. These have been a labor of love, dreams, and excitement. It has been wonderful to work together as artists and friends on this collaboration. We can’t thank you enough for your support and excitement over these mugs.

Mercedes LOVES to make mugs. She loves creating functional artwork that is used everyday and part of a well-crafted life. She believes in a slow, nature and earth-inspired lifestyle and strives to share that through her ceramic artwork. 

I love to paint scenes of wildfires, inspired by nature’s process of destruction and renewal. The transformation and power of the landscape is what I love to share in my artwork. My wildfire landscape scenes are symbols of facing our fears and challenges with faith and hope. 

Combining both our love of working with ceramics—taking mud and firing it to create a beautiful and functional piece of art—and the love of what nature offers us in life lessons, we present our first series of Gold Fire Mugs. 

M E R C E D E S

+

GOLD FIRE MUGS-- The Process

Hello! We’d like to share the process for our collection of 11 unique Gold Fire Mugs that will be available to my newsletter first on November 15.

Each image has a caption of our process.

These mugs are lovingly created in Mercedes’ studio in NW Florida.

The clay is thrown on the wheel by Mercedes and made into vessels.

Working together while kids are asleep is a treat!

Then handles are made and attached. The mugs are air-dried before going into the kiln for the bisque firing.

Then I get to glaze the bisque ware!

Glazed bisque ware ready for the second firing.

Boudicca likes to hop around and visit us while we’re working in Mercedes’ studio.

Glaze firing is finished! Time to see the glazes. Our favorite part of the process!

Mugs ready for the gold glaze and the third, and final firing!

Complete!

Artfully,

M E R C E D E S + A N N A S T A S H A

Meet MERCEDES + ANNASTASHA

MERCEDES—

I'd like you to meet my friend and collaborative partner, Mercedes! She's the creator of the mugs that will be available Nov. 15 to my newsletter crowd.

When you sit down to talk with Mercedes, you’ll notice her striking blue eyes, cheerful smile, and something unique about what she’s wearing. She might have a pair of handcrafted earrings, or her “Peaceful Warrior” t-shirt. She’ll have a drink—usually cold brew coffee—and offer you a drink in a unique cup.  

If you listen closely, she often talks about recycling, helping our environment, and her love of nature’s beauties. She’s proud to tell you about the solar panels powering her house and kiln. And she loves to be a participant in her local community.

When you walk into Mercedes’ studio you’ll see her studio mate Boudiccca—a free roaming rabbit—and her creations. Mercedes loves to create fantasy inspired images for her ceramic artwork but they always relate to nature. From snails and birds, to fairies, mermaids, and moons, each series has a personal story and a connection to nature. She loves to experiment with a variety of mediums. And she’s always learning a new craft or technique to add to her creative tool box.

When not in the studio you’ll find her working in her garden or walking on the beach and stopping to do yoga. Mercedes is a free-spirit, kind, and giving. 

Mercedes loves to go on adventures with her son. She loves to get together with friends and share good food served on handcrafted dishes. Mercedes loves feeling connected to people and cares deeply about her relationships with others.

Lastly, I'd like to tell you she was the first one that came up with wanting to collaborate with me--over 18 months ago. She wanted to have a way to stay connected when I moved to NC. It was something to look forward to when we visited each other. I am so THANKFUL we created this small series of mugs. We had so much fun creating them, they truly bring us joy. 

ANNASTASHA—

When you go on a walk with me I’ll open up my introvert heart and introspective mind to share what I truly believe. I might be walking a dog while pushing a stroller with one of my boys in it. I like to stay active.

When not on a walk, I’ll either be wearing a vintage dress or a simple T-shirt and jean combo and have a few rings on my fingers. You’ll notice I'm tall and have sandy blonde hair.

I love to talk about ideas I have or help you solve a problem. I am a great listener and kind-hearted.

If you ask a genuine question I’ll answer, but I don’t share much about my personal life unless with close friends. I have a big smile and am genuine. I’ll ask you thoughtful questions to get to know you better. 

My two boys keep me hopping but I make time to paint. As you know, I create wildfire landscape paintings. Inspired by my childhood in southern California, wildfires were a common event in the summertime. When you walk into my studio, you’ll see a big easel and a few paintings on the walls. Having my studio simple and clean aids in my creativity. 

I'm dedicated to my faith and family. And I am dedicated to the subject of wildfires; I've been painting them for 10 years. 

Traveling--especially road trips--is my jam. I'm always dreaming of the next adventure. I love to be outside and enjoy nature’s beauty, especially landscape scene

We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know the creators behind the GOLD FIRE MUGS. We can’t wait to share more mugs with you in the coming weeks!

Artfully,

Friendship In A Cup-- GOLD FIRE MUGS

GOLD FIRE MUGS—Available NOV. 15 to Newsletter Subscribers first, Nov. 16 to public.

Our friendship started when Mercedes’ reached out to me and asked if we could meet up and talk about our pregnancy losses. She learned that I had recently lost a pregnancy and she was still processing her own same heartbreaks.

——-Our daughters Daisy and Poppy + Mercedes and James’ son Conrad.——

We first met through Mercedes’ art gallery. Over the next few months we continued to connect through creating art and working at the gallery together. 

It was a miracle when we each became pregnant in the same month and had our baby boys only four days apart. It was a blessing to have each other during those months of uncertainty, fear, and hope. Once our boys were both born we were able to experience the joys of parenting alongside each other.

As artists and best friends, we wanted to create a collaborative project together. 18 months ago we tried platters with wildfires painted on them, but they cracked in the kiln’s fire. Shortly after starting the platters my husband got reassigned and we had to move to North Carolina. At this point we decided to put a hold on the platters.

Fast forward to August 2018, when I found out I’d be visiting Florida and could work on art with Mercedes. Originally I just planned to go work on tile paintings, but one night I had a dream about painting on Mercedes’ mugs. I messaged her the next morning to tell her the idea. We were both overjoyed to try a project like this. 

Mercedes LOVES to make mugs. She loves creating functional artwork that is used everyday and part of a well-crafted life. She believes in a slow, nature and earth-inspired lifestyle and strives to share that through her ceramic artwork. 

I love to paint scenes of wildfires, inspired by nature’s process of destruction and renewal. The transformation and power of the landscape is what I love to share in my artwork. My wildfire landscape scenes are symbols of facing our fears and challenges with faith and hope. 

Combining both our love of working with ceramics—taking mud and firing it to create a beautiful and functional piece of art—and the love of what nature offers us in life lessons, we present our first series of Gold Fire Mugs. 

These mugs are an allegory of our own life experiences. We start as malleable clay, are formed into a shape by the push and pull of life. We then undergo intense heat—life challenges—and come out of the fire a strong form to be used to nourish and serve others.  

These cups went through transformation just like Mercedes and I have each gone through. We are on the other side of some of our worst days. We see the gold in life. We are stronger and more resilient than before. 

These cups are a culmination of our friendship, our life experiences, and creating art with the elements of nature we each find inspiring. 

We hope they are an inspiration to your everyday; a reminder that transformation can happen each day. 

MERCEDES + ANNASTASHA

The Way of Holiness

Sketches for "The Way of Holiness" 2018.

Hello! I want to share with you my first triptych painting. I created it for a specific religious art competition, it did not get accepted but that’s okay. I have other plans for displaying this piece.

I conceptualized and created this piece while I was pregnant with our second son, now here in our arms, Baby True. So this piece has a special place in my heart for that reason.

The idea of this piece is the before, during, and after scenes of a wildfire. The last image, has gold leaf spots to represent the new life coming up through the ashes. The left image represents the new spring and life after winter. The center image represents the summer, of the landscape, and the right image being the next growing season.  

The Way of Holiness. 24X66 inches, 2018. Oil on canvas. 

Artist Statement—

“The Way of Holiness”

Our earth is a beautiful gift God has given to humankind. In this gift we enjoy everyday, processes and changes are continuous. It is in the changes of nature that we can further see eternal principles.  

Wildfires have been part of my life growing up in southern California. Over the last decade of painting wildfires I have meditated on the symbolism and importance of this devastating yet natural process of nature.  

Wildfires are a symbol of our earthly challenges. It takes faith and hope to look beyond the fire and imagine the new life and change that needs to occur in the landscape. 

Many species of plants and animals cannot thrive without fires burning the landscape. Just like we cannot thrive, prove, and become Christlike without adversity. Our journey through life is filled with beauty and challenges. And it is in the challenges were we learn and grow the most.  

The journey we are each on is sanctifying us—it is the way of holiness. And after all the trials we experience it is our faith that will shine through the ashes, beaming with light, promise, and blessings—promise of resurrection and eternal life. 

The eternal principle of faith and hope conquering the darkest moments are evident in nature’s process of destruction and renewal through wildfires. 

“I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.” 

Ether 12:6 

“And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it…” 

Isaiah 35:8

10 Reasons to buy ORIGINAL ART

Maybe you don’t own original art yet, and don’t understand what makes it special or worth including in your life. Here’s a short list of the beautiful reasons original art is worth purchasing!

Defining original art—

ORIGINAL: created directly and personally by a particular artist; not a copy or imitation.

1. UNIQUE—Original art is one-of-a-kind. As humans, I think we are all fascinated by unique things. From gemstones, animals, plants, locations, planets, stars, it goes on. I think deep down we each understand, love, and seek the truly unique in our world and life. Even if someone attempts to copy a famous work of art, it will never fully replicate the original.

2. COLORS—In at least painting, the colors are more vibrant and have more depth than a print can ever replicate. Some painters use techniques called glazing, where thin layers of paint mixed with mediums are applied. These layers create incredible depth of colors that can’t be reproduced with archival ink applied in one layer.

3. TEXTURE—Brush strokes, imperfect shapes or part of ceramic work are all beautiful marks an artist makes that creates a work of art. I find observing the texture alone in a piece of art is an experience in itself more than just what the image is or trying to portray. Only original art displays these beautiful details.

4. PERSONAL—An original work of art is made with the artist’s hands, heart, and mind. The human element in the process of creating art cannot be denied and is the reason we as humans enjoy art in our lives. Art is a special look into the artist’s thoughts, beliefs, struggles, experiences, and emotions. Do we really stop to think about this? I believe this is what makes original art fascinating, beautiful, and priceless.

5. TIME—When viewing a work of art, in any form, I think we rarely think about how many years of practice and experience it took to get the product the artist is producing currently. And think about the time it took to create the work from conception of sketches or an idea to the final piece. Extensive time and research usually takes place and all that gets wrapped up into one work of art or a series.

6. SKILL—Every artist has their own skills and techniques. Each artist has their own voice and vision. Talent or skill can be developed through formal education or through being self taught. Every artist perceives colors and shapes differently and application of their medium—paint, clay, other materials. Artists can teach each other their techniques but in the end artists rarely will create the same exact works. This all comes through in original artwork.

7. STORY—When you purchase an original piece of art, you often can get the story behind the process of how the piece was made or the thoughts the artist had while creating it. Not every piece has a special story, but some do. It’s always worth asking about. And this makes owning original art even more joyful because who doesn’t love a good story? Also, when people ask about the art in your home or office you then have a background story to give in addition to your own of why you chose it. I love each piece of art in my home because of the stories behind them.

8. RELATIONSHIP—Owning original art creates a special relationship between you and the artist. The artist physically handled and worked on the piece of art with deep thoughts and intentions. Purchasing original art fuels artist’s creativity and validates them in a way, to know their piece is meaningful and helping someone else. And that, when purchased directly from an artist, can create a special bond to know where their work is going and for you to know more about the artist and their work.

9. INVESTMENT—Quality original art can be resold if needed and, depending on the circumstances, can increase in value over time. Most reproductions do not have a resell value. Limited edition reproductions have a better chance of being resold if needed, depending on the need/want for that artist’s work.

10. SUPPORT—When buying art you are supporting small business over big. Do we feel good when purchasing from a big company or a small one? The impact of purchasing original art cannot be understated. Your purchase of original art helps the artist pay bills, buy food, and other parts of living, business conducting, and creating more and better art.

As you can see original art has many great benefits and is worth investing in. One of my mantras is “only buy it if you absolutely love it!” We don’t have time or space for things in our lives that don’t bring beauty, meaning, or purpose. 

We live in an amazing time when an endless amount of beautiful and inspiring artwork is at our fingertips. Purchasing original art is one of the pinnacles of a successful and thriving economy and culture. If you look over the history of the world and other cultures you will learn just that, that art comes last when a people have learned how to live well. They then want to beautify their lives and homes with ART! 

If you haven’t taken the jump to buy original art, what is stopping you? What do you need help figuring out about art that you might not understand? Comment below or email me! Contact@Annastasha.com

Deciding and understanding quality art is another article I will write about later. Stay tuned!

Drought-- A Timelapse Video

I feel like I've been running a marathon, uphill.

I'm slowly settling in to our new place here in North Carolina. There's been a mountain of things to get done with the transition. Moving a home, renting our house out, insurance claim, moving my business to another state, transferring medical care, car repairs, plus add a toddler to the mix and it's been quite a whirlwind. 

I'm almost done with everything, the only thing motivating me is that I want to get back to painting wildfires! I've got a lot of new work I completed before we left Florida that I've been wanting to share and can't wait to list it in the shop.

One of the pieces--"Drought"-- was featured on PIXEL & BRACKET's Youtube channel as a time lapse. It is a short video, as I didn't record every painting session. I started this piece when I was in Utah last fall as part of my Art & Adventure trip. I was hoping to get it done in time to submit to a juried show but I just didn't have enough time. That's okay! 

This piece is about the drought in California and how that has increased the fire activity and intensity of wildfires in the last few years. "Drought" pays tribute to the desert nature of the west and the beauty and danger that dwells there.

I wanted to portray this part of the west; the dry, brown, bleak, and wildfire ravaged vegetation. Yet finding the beauty in the landscape anyway, before, during, and after a wildfire. I find the shape of the land, and colors, humble. And the shape and colors of wildfire smoke fascinating. And through it all, I love to remember to look heavenward in our challenges, and to remember to have perspective. 

I believe we are eternal beings, without end, and that this life on earth is just part of our eternal journey. I believe when we have finished our time on earth, we will look down from heaven and see what a small moment our lives were in the expanses of eternity, and that through our life on earth we learned and grew in ways we couldn’t have done before. And that it was through our challenges, struggles, and tragedies that we learned faith, hope, love, forgiveness and so much more. 

Opposition is the story of our lives. And one I aim to portray through my wildfire paintings. 

We are like the earth, we experience seasons of growth, shedding, change, stillness, and liveliness.  Some things seem so repetitive and cyclical, others are total disasters, suprises, or tragedies. Yet, we start over, grow, and change because we are hopeful, courageous, and strong. 

Thanks for checking my blog out today! 

Make sure to check out PIXEL & BRACKET he gives great tutorial videos! 

ANNASTASHA

Annastasha Larsen is an amazing painter, especially of impressionist landscapes!

Our Brother's Sacred Place

Our Brother's Sacred Place. 2016. 12x12 inches, oil on canvas. Custom wildfire painting.

This wildfire painting was created in memory of a wildland firefighter that lost his life on the job.

As I sat down tonight to sign, title, and wrap up this painting for shipping, I struggle with giving it a title. I struggle for the right words, the right description. Do I use this man’s name? Do I put my own personal filter of belief and intuition in the title to send a message? No. Nothing seems right. And then I decide to pray about it. 

I know it sounds simple or strange but I have felt such special feelings while making and looking at this piece. I know it was inspired by God and I know He will help me find a title. I finish my prayer then stop and meditate, waiting for an answer. I keep feeling that the word “sacred” needs to be in the piece, since that it the word my client used to describe the photo that this piece is based on. Then the word “place” comes to my mind, this is the place where they last saw him alive, the place where he lost his life, a sacred place. Then the word “brother” comes to my mind. Yes, this was the word I was feeling and needing. He was their brother. Not just a co-worker, but a brother. And this piece was created because of their love for their brother. So the title came to be, “Our Brother’s Sacred Place.”

This piece is painted in black and white to represent time standing still. Time stops when a life is lost, especially one that you love. The details of color are not necessary because the feeling, the place, and the memory of a man’s life is what this piece aims to portray. Yet a blue sky greets the eye with a sense of hope, peace, humanity, and depth. Simple, yet striking. Powerful, yet soft. Bold, yet sorrowful. 

Creating this piece was a sacred experience. I struggle to put my emotions and thoughts into words. I felt love, peace, and sorrow as I created this painting. I created it in the quiet moments of my day, so I could truly focus on creating a thoughtful and touching piece. I painted during the day so that my heart and mind would balance the heaviness of grief with life and light. 

I know this may not be the best or biggest wildfire painting I have or ever will create, but to me this is one of my greatest works of art. If I never paint again, I will feel fulfilled with this as my last piece. I can think of no greater way to share my skills and passion for this subject matter —wildfires— than creating a meaningful tribute piece to a fallen wildland firefighter. 

I do not know how this crew feel about the loss of their fellow brother. But I do know what sorrow and mourning feels like. My heart aches for the loved ones left behind, grieving for their brother. And after experiencing the loss of my own loved ones I turn to prayer and art as a way to heal my broken heart. I hope that this wildfire painting can help heal and pay a fitting tribute to a dear life that was loved and cherished. 

I will never forget this piece and the impact it has had on my life and work. I am honored to have had the opportunity to create this piece for a crew of hotshots grieving their lost brother. 

ANNASTASHA

Time-lapse of a custom wildfire painting. In memory of a hotshot who lost his life in the line of duty. I had the honor of painting a peaceful and emotional memorial piece for a hotshot crew who grieve the loss of their brother.

SMOLDERING FRONTIER

SMOLDERING FRONTIER 

I'd like to welcome Adam from SMOLDERING FRONTIER, a wildland firefighter, here to share the story behind his new design, Frankin Steel! 

-----------------------------

Meet Frankin Steel, our newest creation from Smoldering Frontier. The story behind it and the steps to bring him alive have been an interesting journey. We came up with the idea of Frankin Steel a couple years ago on the fire line.

On my saw team our chain saw fell 20 feet or so off a cliff in the Klamath National Forest. The fall destroyed most of the outer plastic. This however did not deter us from the continuing are mission for the day. With some crew collaboration and some intuitive MacGyver skills Frankin Steel was brought to life.

If you have ever had the pleasure of putting in a hard day of line cutting you can relate to the fact that you kind of feel like Frankenstein. After the day you share a lot of the same qualities that include being smelly, dirty, exhausted, and angry. If anything we need to embrace some of the lower days of being on the line.  Which is why we have created and brought Frankin Steel back to life.

We are happy to announce that we will be sending 25% of our earning to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation. At the end of each month we will post how much we have been able to raise. Thank you for your time and, Enjoy!

-----------------------------

Make sure to check out SMOLDERING FRONTIER on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK! Their Instagram feed is full of awesome wildfire photos from firefighters on the line. 

7 Things I Learned From A Prescribed Burn

As a wildfire painter, I've been wanting to get real close to a fire in nature. I finally didn't have to chase one down but was invited to witness a prescribed burn here in northwest Florida.

I had the wonderful opportunity to go out with the Florida Forest Service and learn more about what they do and how they do it. I learned a lot of things from witnessing this burn and I'm just sharing 7 thing I learned from a prescribed burn.

1. Fire in Florida is used as a tool, to help manage the land and benefits plants and animals.

2. The same piece of land needs to be burned at least every 5-7 years.

3. Every plant has a different smell when it is burned. Some smell very sweet. 

4. Small green plants and mosses survive these prescribed burns. 

5. Plants and animals benefit from the burn almost immediately. 

6. Even gentle burns, like the one I went to, that don't kick up a lot of smoke are beautiful to witness and learn from. 

7. Humans relationship to the land is important. Without humans managing the land--especially where we live--nature will take care of things and sometimes that means communities and structures can be destroyed by the forces of nature. 

If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them here or on my video in youtube.

ANNASTASHA

Painting A Live Wildfire--First Time!

Today I am really excited to share with you the results of my first time plein air painting a wildfire! Yes, that means a real life wildfire was burning and I was outside trying to paint it. For years, I've been having dreamy visions in my head of what this would be like: Me, out in a beautiful nature setting, alone, and painting away. Haha! It was not like that. I hadn't taken into consideration many other factors, including having a baby to care for in that moment.

As you may know, I'm currently on my Art and Adventure trip. And it took about one week of me being here in California before I was able to go to see my first California fire in over 10 years! I took my baby with me and my art supplies and headed out to the Pilot Fire in the San Bernardino mountains. I got there within the first 24 hours that it started and was glad I did. That's when the color and shape of the smoke cloud is usually the most dramatic.

My baby and I hung out in our van, had lunch and then I sketched a little before trying to paint. I did a painting inside the van just to see what I could get with a more controlled environment and taking a little more time on it. Here's the result:

This is the finished piece after working on it at home. 

Then I drove down the road a little ways to a beautiful lookout point. It was a great spot to see the fire next to Silverwood lake. It was there that I tried to paint outside. Wow was that hard! The winds alone made it extremely difficult to paint, probably 20mph+ winds. And then I had a baby strapped to my back to keep him happy but more so he wouldn't get into trouble or hurt. Oh and he's 25lbs. It was a comical scene I'm sure to everyone else at the lookout point, including a news reporter. But in my head I felt like I was rocking it. I was just glad to be there to see the fire and document it myself! Ah!!! 

My paintings totally sucked, I only got the first layer on. Meaning I spent like 10 minutes tops on each one outside. Mostly due to the wind, but also the baby. But hey! I took them back home and finished them up. The first image is what I did at the fire and then after that is what I did at home. The pieces I did of the Pilot Fire are 5x7 inches. 

My in progress plein air study. I know it doesn't look like much. I needed to add a few layers to finish this one up.

Oh gosh, I absolutely L-O-V-E doing this! Making these paintings out here and watching the fires. I love meeting the firemen and women. I love meeting other by-standers and striking up conversations with them. I love being able to share the other side of a wildfire's story and meaning. So many people I meet say how my work would be cool if fires weren't so destructive. But they don't really let it sink in just WHY I paint these--they are symbols of life and change! 

I just want to thank you for listening to me and following the journey I'm on. I feel so lucky to be out here in the west doing this trip and am so lucky to have friends, fans, and of course my spouse and entire family supporting me in this endeavor. Okay, don't want to get all teary-eyed so I'll leave it at that. THANK YOU!!!! 

Contact me now to purchase any of these pieces.

ANNASTASHA

Painting A California Sunset

As you know, I'm on my Art & Adventure trip! If you don't know what that's about, it's a trip I'm on for the next 2 months. My goal is to reconnect to the western landscape through painting, photographing, and drawing this land that inspires me and is the basis of my artwork. I'm also hoping to catch wildfires within this peak time in the fire season. 

I've been in California now for a week and have already had a chance to go out and paint sunsets 3 times. Yay!!! I'm still tracking and watching wildfires. There currently are no big ones accessible within a 2-3 hour driving radius. So I'm waiting. I've got a few weeks left but I'm sure I'll see some before I leave. The land is extremely dry here in southern California. (And as I'm posting this, I'm actually headed out to catch a wildfire that just started yesterday.)

For now, I just wanted to share a quick little video I did of my first venture out to paint. 

I seriously am in love with the colors, vegetation, and shape of the land. It all feels like home to me. I grew up around all this and it makes my heart happy to be here and be studying this land. And of course being with family has been wonderful. It's taken a small army of friends and family to help support me in this endeavor. If only I could fully explain just how much has gone into this trip, it makes my head spin. I'm feeling lucky to have this opportunity even though my husband and I are on the opposite sides of this big planet.

Thank you for those of you who have helped me get out here. I'm lucky to have someone like you that loves my work and supports my ideas and dreams. I really hope I can make a small difference in this world by inspiring and motiving others to live with faith in hope despite dark and difficult times. 

To see more of my work visit: www. ANNASTASHA.com My first time painting on my Art and Adventure trip. 3 days after arriving in California I was able to get out and do a little painting and sketch. I'm still waiting for wildfires to pop up.

5 Things I've Learned From Having Thyroid Cancer

5 years post diagnosis, 5 things learned, in 5 minutes. 5 Things I learned from having papillary thyroid cancer. ANNASTASHA-- Painter & Maker www.ANNASTASHA.com

It's been 5 years since I was diagnosed with Papillary Thyroid Cancer at the age of 24. Over 20 lymph nodes and my entire thyroid was removed from surgery in August of 2011. There are a lot of things I have learned along the way and in the process of going through that challenge. But today I just share a few things I learned from my experience and a little about my experience. I haven't really shared much about it before with people, but today was a milestone in this cancer journey. Making it 5 years with very little trace of cancer makes my chances of long term survival from this disease very high. 

Art is Personal

This is a post I wrote a few years ago on my old blog. Thought it was worth transferring and sharing. 

Last week while I was painting, a thought came to me. Art is personal.

I thought of how I love to be in museums and galleries, especially quiet and lonely ones. I am delighted when standing in a gallery with no one around but the one security guard. I love the solitude of a gallery all to myself. I love viewing art alone but then discussing it with my husband, family member, friend, or whoever is with me.

“The Starry Night” Vincent van Gogh. One of the pieces that had a large crowd around it at the MoMA in NYC.

I thought about the many museums and exhibits I've been too all over the world. I’ve thought of my experiences where an entire gallery was so packed you couldn’t help but brush up against strangers on your way to the next piece. And then only finding that the one spot you can see the piece is from a weird side angle. The experience of a large crowd around the one famous painting or sculpture trying to take pictures, when all you want to do is actually view and breathe it in. Then there’s the moderate to mildly occupied spaces, which you thank the Lord for when it’s usually full. And then the sparse and vacant museums that really should have more patrons, but due to lack of advertising or interest it sits lonely. With each experience I've had, I find I connect more to art and understand it better when I’m viewing it alone.  

And this is why; it encourages me to think about the art and draw my own ideas and conclusions without distractions from others. Also, one person usually creates a work of art. It was a personal expression and experience for the artist who made the art. I give it sole attention. It’s a human experience to pay strict attention to something someone else created. It’s another human experience to see the collaborative work of many humans. Just like a play or solo dance performance, each has it’s own feel and goal.

Viewing art is an art. Next time you get to stand in front of a masterpiece; stand alone. View alone. Completely block out all surrounding noises and people and focus on that piece. Meditate on the piece and then feel the difference of that experience from what you normally do when observing art.

Slow down when viewing art. After all, works of art take hours, months, years and sometimes a lifetime to create and are made with deep emotions and sacrifice of the artist.

Give art a little more of your time and it will give back to you.

Annastasha