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

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! 

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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!

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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. 

5 Things I've Learned From Having Thyroid Cancer

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

Art & Adventure

Hi! I’m Annastasha, painter and maker. And I have something wonderful to share with you. I’m going on an adventure! I’m calling it my ART & ADVENTURE. 

I’m going to California and then to Utah, from Florida. I’m traveling over 2,000 miles with my baby and two dogs, while my husband is deployed for the next 3 months. I leave in just a couple weeks, and I’m super excited to go on this trip! 

My goals of my trip are; to capture in photograph, sketch, and painting, the western landscape and especially wildfires—because that’s what I paint, as many of you know. 

I want to reconnect with the landscape. I’ve been in the south now for over 6 years. We were not in the south for just 9 months in those six years, but it’s been a long time since I’ve spent extended time back home in California and Utah, where a lot of my inspiration comes from as well as the support of family and friends out there. 

What I’m asking of you today is to help donate towards my trip. I’m going to need money for my gas to get out there. There’s going to be a lot of driving around as I drive to sites and possible wildfires out in the area to capture the inspiration and things that I need to create more of my paintings and understanding of my subject. 

Why I paint wildfires: 

To help bring optimism and hope to people in their lives, especially in their difficult times and remind them they are resilient just like mother nature is. And to draw a parallel between our lives and mother nature. We go through difficult things, and I believe that God gives us difficult things to deal with—most the time those things are not because of our choices—so that we can learn and grow and change. But it’s up to us to figure it out. 

Sometime we don’t understand how we learn and grow and transform until after we have some distance from those difficult times. So, that’s why I paint my wildfires. And a lot of times I paint them from a step back perspective to see a grander picture, to see how colorful and beautiful they are but yet terrifying, or dramatic, or inspiring. 

I really hope to share my message with more people. So if you know other people that would like my work, please share my work and my videos as I make them. I plan to share a lot about my trip; the things I see, think, and write about. 

It’s going to be a struggle. There’s going to be good times, there’s going to be bad times. It’s going to be hard with everything on my plate with a baby, two dogs, and my husband gone, but I really believe I can do it. And I know I can with your support whether through donations or just sharing my work or giving me feedback. Thank you so so much for listening to me today and supporting me in whatever way you can. Thank you!

DONATE HERE!!! Join in this pioneering trip with your pledge of support! I can't wait to share updates of this experience and the artwork I'll be making. 

Autumn: A Reflective Season

Today, I felt autumn all around me as I walked with my dogs and baby around my neighborhood. Leaves now line the gutters and skip down the road with the brisk wind. With a chill in the air and a cloudy sky, every part of me rejoiced in the changes of nature at this time of year. And then immediately after my joyful moment, several memories came to my mind.

My mind thought of Utah, where I went to school, and the beauty of the changing colors on the mountains and canyons. I also thought of and felt Ireland in the chilly air. I went there three years ago with my younger sister and it was the epitome of a chilly, windy, and cozy fall adventure. And then last year I went to Asheville, NC with my husband to see the beautiful changing leaves of the Blue Ridge mountains. These are just physical places that came to my mind, but my thoughts go deeper as I contemplate how those places made me feel and my experiences there.

Cliffs of Moher, Ireland. 2012.

Yoga in nature at the bottom of a waterfall. Asheville, NC. 2014.

I think fall is a perfect time of year to reflect on the past and prepare for the future as a new year draws closer. With nature physically slowing down and there being less light, it’s as if mother earth is telling us to slow down and reflect on life. I love this season, I love how it makes me think and feel, and I am grateful that God created this beautiful world for us to enjoy.

I encourage you to take time and space to breathe in the new season of nature and maybe a new season in your life. I know I am. My new season is mothering a new baby and learning this role as his caretaker. It’s a glorious time in my life and I’m glad I have this time of year—autumn—to again accompany me through what will be another special time to remember. 

What memories does autumn hold for you? Good? Bad? Is there another season you feel connected to or that brings back memories?

A Journey from Darkness into Light

One year ago today—March 13, 2014--- we lost our second pregnancy, our daughter named Poppy. The story was the same as our first daughter Daisy. They were healthy babies, my body just couldn't hold them in. My cervix failed my baby and during her 20th week and she was born too early. I was strong and brave through her birth, and then at our final goodbye I felt my heart go numb.

I was in shock and the grief didn't hit me till she was physically from our presence. The grief in the following weeks was the most difficult time of my life, it was dark and scary. I knew this would happen, I had been through it once before, but now the grief seemed to compile. The morning after we lost her, I looked out the hospital window to watch the sun come up and thought to myself, “The hardest part is living each day without her.” I took a picture of that sunrise. To me, this scene was a reminder. Poppy was born at night, and here the new day was coming. The world did not stop, even though ours felt still. That sunrise symbolized the beginning of our grieving process. It was also a symbol of hope, that light will be found in our life again once healing takes place.

Sunrise, March 14, 2014

Their short lives each taught me something different, and I try to remember that. My daughters inspired me to serve others while grieving, find a way to give others hope, and to find the light again in my life. One of the ways they inspired me was to create the “Wishing Tree” a community art project I started on Poppy’s due date in July 2014. I used the only tree in my front yard to hang my wishes on white tags, and invited my community to do so as well on our tree. Before too long our tree was full of white tags with heartfelt, and personal wishes. This act alone, of others participating in my art project, helped me to heal. Art is powerful, it can and does heal the heart, mind, and soul.

The first year after a loss is incredibly difficult, it has been a journey from darkness into light. As this day passes, it marks more progress in my healing, more light in my life, and more dedication to my art. When I have hard days or self-doubt I think about my daughters, and how they would want me to keep creating art because with each piece it has a little of them in it too. All my life experiences—as with any creative—directly influences the work I create, whether conscious or not. Remember this next time when you view or even collect artwork. Art is the visual story of a person’s soul whether seen or sensed, it is there. This is the most powerful aspect of art, the human experience interacting with creativity. Truly the heart, mind, soul, and life experiences of one person comes together in a work of art and shows the struggle, joy, errors, and thoughts of creating.

I share my personal story with you today not to make you sad or gain pity, but that you may know the influence of art in my life, the healing it has brought, and part of my life experience that influences my work--My Daughters.

Annastasha

 

News Article

Wishing Tree Video

 

Special Thanks to Sarah Savage Photography for the photos to commemorate Daisy and Poppy as well as filming and editing the official Wishing Tree Video.

My Beginnings: How I became and Artist

One of my early paintings from childhood. Circa 1995. I entered this in a "Reflections" art contest for school in 3rd grade. Titled "The Lookout" here's what I wrote as a child: "Sometimes kitties have to 'lookout' from inside to the outside world. My kitty is lucky. He sees the outside world from outside! At the 'lookout.'" At this age, I had my own 'lookout' point at home, that looked over hills and valleys. One of my favorite hidden spots among the trees of our property. My experiences with nature have always influenced my artwork.

 I spent the first 18 years of my life in Southern California, near the beach. The ocean was beautiful and I enjoyed being on the beach a lot. The colorful plants, flowers, cliffs, and sunsets on the shore inspired me. These were often the subjects of my childhood paintings. The landscape of Southern California—and most of California, when not covered in houses—is beautiful. I miss it.

     I have had an attachment to nature my whole life. Playing outdoors with the leaves, twigs, mud, bushes, and trees--that was the kind of kid I was and the childhood I had. I loved road trips and observing the changing scenery. I loved hiking and connecting with nature. I loved, and still love, the energy I felt when I am among nature.

     I grew up the middle child with four sisters, Mom, Dad, and pets.

     Creating art and crafts along-side my creative and artistic mother was a staple of my childhood. We did just about every medium you could imagine. I especially loved creating with her as a child because it was fun making things and learning from her.

     My father builds houses for a living. He is very handy and creative when it comes to fixing things and solving problems. I attribute my hard work, preciseness, building, and tool handling to him (and his parents). I’ll never forget the time he let my sister and I have extra pieces of wood from a job site so we could make a chair to sit on outside. Our chair was nothing more than three pieces of wood and a few nails—it wasn't sturdy at all and only lasted a little while—because 9-year-old me and 8-year-old sister were building it. But it was a great memory I have of learning independence, creativity, and resourcefulness. Today, I build my own panels to paint on and I love that building and woodworking is part of my creative process as it has been part of my father’s own career.

     My family members have always supported me in making art; buying supplies, hanging my work in their homes, and taking me to shows and museums in Los Angeles as a child. I am ever grateful for their continual support.

     This is my beginnings; inspired by nature, supported by family, and fueled by some genetics, but mostly a desire to create meaningful work that explored the natural world we live in. Creating art flows naturally from my head, hands, and heart. This is one of my life callings, and I am ever grateful for the opportunity to create art that shares my perspective and love of nature.

Peace,

Annastasha