Playful and artistic children's portraits- Artist in Residence Bio: Stella, age 3

Playful and artistic children's portraits

Stella was born in Denver but learned at a young age that she yearned for a classic more rustic Colorado lifestyle and moved up to the mountains in Conifer, CO.  Given her preference for the simple things in life it comes as no surprise that her preferred art medium to work with are grown up pens applied to rolls and rolls and rolls and rolls of paper.  During her paint session, she was as poised and confident as a seasoned Olympian; she strode out on the giant 9 foot paper roll...she was home.

Her intensity is real, her demeanor is centered as she channels her contemporary influencers: Paw Patrol, Lion Guard and Monster Machines.  A non conformist, she feels most comfortable blurring lines and stereotypes. She wears her older brothers super hero t-shirts, and plays hard often resulting in scuffed knees and dirt smudged cheeks.  Yet she chose soft and bright pinks as her color palette to work with in her paint session. Stella follows no rules and refuses to fit in any box...perhaps that’s what makes her work so intriguing.

At home her Cow Cow and big brother Grey Grey (things so nice, she refers to them twice) as her muse.  Like most creatives/artists she suffers from insomnia but it’s that wakefulness that spurs the artist to churn out her most most inspired pieces of work.  It’s during these nighttime creative interludes that she relies on her most ardent supporter: Mom.  

She’d like to thank her Mom for providing constant support from the hours of 9pm-7am, always being a willing sound board to hear about new ideas and creations, visions in the night (sometimes scary), provider of snacks when this creative night owl needs nourishment. Most of all, a helping hand when a pillow needs fluffing, a blanky needs replacing or a gentle reminder that this artist’s soul is not alone.

Now accepting personal commissions, preferred form of payment: candy, candy, candy and also candy.

Artistic Kids Photography- Artist in Residence Bio: Lucy, age 4

Artistic Kids Photography

Miss Lucy hails from the hills of Golden, Colorado.  What really sets her work apart from other 4 year olds is her unorthodox painting techniques.  She has invented and perfected a technique so daring and unique that few other artists dare try: the dive head first approach.  This is no figure of speech or idiom, she quite literally dives head first; hands stretched out front, entire body skimming through a puddle of paint. 

She does this with the skill and acumen of an Olympic diver.  Such precision and wide brushstrokes, add texture and movement unlike any other known painting technique.  As she wraps up her masterpiece she completes every work of art with another signature move: the paint push up.  She adroitly hovers her body on all fours over the painting until she finds the exact right place and moment to drop and give a little belly imprint coupled with two partial rolls on each side. 

Her technique, unusual.  Her motivation and determination, inspiring. 

While painting she is completely engrossed, hardly looking up for a moment from the work that sits in front of her.  Her work is currently being shown by the Dining Room wall gallery, which operates in the same hometown of Golden, Colorado.  Upcoming exhibitions include: Living Room above the Sofa and The Room I Share with Jack.

 

Interested in booking a session?

Kids craft project- Custom nameplate activity for kids, Part Two

Kids craft project

Piggybacking from my other blog post, if you haven’t read about the salt painting name plate activity, you can click here.  This time I wanted to a do name plate that was sort of vintage looking.  Once again it involves glue and tracing.  

I went to Ikea and bought 2 Ribba square shadow box frames.  I love this frames, so versatile. That have a very sturdy back which is perfect for this art project.  Open up the frames take out the brown back and have your kids write their names. Make sure they write on the opposite side of the hanger.  They can make mistakes, start over and try it as much as they want.

When they’re happy with their names, get out the glue and have them trace over their names. Wait for the glue to completely dry, you’ll know it’s dry when it’s hard and translucent.

Then take some aluminum foil and attach it the board so it covers the dried glue.

Gently rub your fingers over all the hard glue surfaces and you’ll start to see their name form around the foil.  Be careful not to press too hard or you’ll make a hole in the foil.  After you’ve imprinted your design, get some black shoe polish, and gently swirl around and over the name, being sure to keep it on the foil.  It’ll have some neat swirl patterns that only adds to the character of these name plates.

If you’d like to add small intricate details, you can take a blunt pencil and carefully add some lines or dots on top of the foil.

Let the shoe polish dry and then place back in the frames.  

Jacob on top, Nicholas on the bottom- I love how his little 'N' is backwards and he wrote his name going from bottom to top, in true 4 yr old fashion.

I love this kids art activity for several reasons:

1. My kids want to put their name on everything

2. It’s gives them a chance to be super creative with it

3. It’s a nice multi-layered approach and the end result looks nothing like how it begins.  And if you know anything about what I do as a photographer you can understand why I like it!

4. It looks so freakin’ cool when it’s done!  I bought two more of the RIbba frames and have hand molds from each kid, hanging next to each of their names in my stairway.

Now I want to see what else I can create with this!

Kids craft project-Custom nameplate activity for kids, Part One

Kids craft project

If you have twins, triplets...scratch that...

if you have many children...wait...

if you have children close in age...ummm, hang on...

if you have multiple children...trying again...

okay if you have a singular child. 

Yes, if you are in close proximity to any child roughly from about the age of 18 mos to let's say adulthood you are acutely aware of the importance of having your name on things.  It's of utmost importance, their name must be on everything, and once they learn how to (sorta kinda) write it, they must do it.  Names are very important.  Especially to my two boys, Jacob and Nicholas, ages 7 & 4.  The name game is strong in our house, being boys and sharing a group of friends and a room to boot.  "Names" define fierce boundaries around here. 

Over our spring break last week we did two different nameplate kids art projects that were both easy to do, captured their attention and ended up looking pretty cool in the end.

First we did salt art. 

I started off with a color palette that I found pleasing...lets be honest, kids need some guidance in the color department.  As parents we need to look and enjoy these pieces it might as well be something I can stomach looking at over and over again! I just these colors because I'm 1. obsessed with them and 2. this color combo naturally induces peacein my brain (and many times, my boys do not) so it's like a little constant dose of Xanax.  Who couldn't use that?

I used my watercolors to paint 2 whole sheets of watercolor paper.  1 sheet I left whole, the other sheet I tore in half.  I hand tore all the edges of the paper bc I think it looks better than a straight edge.  I also made sure to darken the edges all around the paper to really highlight the texture.

When the sheets are dry, I glued the half sheet on the whole sheet, right in the center.  Next, with pencil I wrote their names and then went over it again, with a darker water color paint color so it would be really easy for them to do the following step. 

Then I had them trace their painted name with glue.  Once they're done, I let them cover the whole sheet with salt- normal cheapo kitchen salt variety is fine. Best to do this step in a baking sheet with raised edges to keep the salt contained.

Give the glue and salt a few hours to dry.  When it's ready, mix up your food coloring, keeping a color palette similar to the colors you painted with earlier.  Then use an eye dropper to apply the food coloring on the salted letters.

When you're done, again wait for it to dry a bit and then use some adhesive spray to make sure everything stays intact once it's hung up.  And there you have it- a customized nameplate for your little(s) to hang and stake their claim (and it's easy on the eyes!).

Creative Children's Portraits- Artist in Residence Bio: Devyn, age 5

Creative Children's Portraits

Devyn is currently exploring two themes with her current work: Old with New and Re-purposing.  She practices this by using traditional methods and tools like markers, chalk, crayons and scissors and combines them with dry erase markers/boards and cardboard.  The result is an eclectic mix of houses, cars and spaceships.  Often times she is so engrossed in her work she does not realize it turns into a public performance piece, as she narrates while she creates.  Audiences are amazed by her ability to formulate a screenplay incorporating inanimate objects nearby, complex mysteries involving shampoo bottles and wooden beads are not unheard of.  She pulls inspiration from older media attributing Magic School Bus, original Scooby Doo episodes and Nancy Drew stories to be major influences in her work.  

She’d like to thank her Mom and Dad for continued support and encouragement; BFFs: Abby and Annabelle; and family friends, Aunt Wendy and Grandpa Will.

Interested in booking a session?

Fun Children's Photography, Artist in Residence Bio: Maggie, age 2

Fun Children's Photography

Young Maggie began her work in the tactile arts from an early age.  Her preferred medium includes colored beads and a pliable clay like substance commonly referred to in the industry as “Play Dough” That name is deceiving because Maggie is anything but ‘play’ when it comes to her artwork.  She literally immerses herself, exploring texture and form, by squeezing Play Dough through and around her feet and toes.

While she hasn’t announced an official artist statement in regard to her bead work it’s apparent she has been influenced greatly by today’s political climate.  Try to catch one of her weekly interactive installments where she sorts beads by color and size, only to mess them all up and start all over again.  Though young, this is clearly a statement about the current political challenges facing our divided nation.

Music may be the next area of artistic expression with her revival of some of the great hits from the past.  Her renditions of Wheels on the Bus, ABCs, Five Little Monkeys and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star are inspirational.  Currently she’s also influenced by the classics, particularly the Beat Bugs, who feature Beetles hits. 

Maggie would like to thank Lucy Goose (family dog), Grandma and Pa, Nubby, and Bear for their continued love and support. 

I’m happy to introduce to you, our first Artist in Residence: Maggie.

Interested in booking a session?

New Year, New Website, New Direction -Welcome 2017!

If you’re a past client of mine you’re probably thinking things look a little different.  And you’re right!

2017 brings new things for ABP.  New logo, new website, and most importantly a brand new direction.  In the past 13 years as a professional photographer I’ve shot travel, commercial, events, weddings, food, high school seniors, newborns, families and babies.  That’s a lot.

I can honestly say I really do still enjoy shooting all those things.  I love shooting travel because I have incurable wanderlust that has driven me to shoot in all different corners of the world.  I love commercial because I get the opportunity to meet and make connections with people in different industries that I’d otherwise not meet.  I like shooting events because I get to experience some incredible things that I normally wouldn’t get invited to!  Weddings…oh weddings.  First, I shoot weddings with my BFF Denise and when we work together magic happens.  I’m blessed I have such a great working partner that just 'gets' how my brain works. Second, we both feel honored that we’re chosen to be a part of such a momentous day. 

Food photography- one of my secret passions, is all about the details for me and details are sort of my obsession.  High school seniors are fun because I’m capturing these young adults on the cusp of starting a new exciting chapter in their lives.  Newborns – who can resist chunky baby thighs and squishy cheeks?  And families and babies, it’s all about growth- families growing, babies hitting milestones. 

I truly LOVE, all those things. I will continue to love all those things.

But I discovered there was one aspect of my business that lit a fire in my belly, which made me lose sleep at night from excitement.  It would cause me to talk about it endlessly with a big giant grin on my face (probably boring my friends- sorry!)  What you see now, on this bright shiny new website, is it; I introduce to you, my painting sessions.  I’ve been contemplating changing directions with my business ever since I did my first painting session and over the past 4 years the sessions have evolved to what you see here.

The concept is simple but messy.  Help kids create art, let them have fun and document it from beginning to end.  This is more than your standard kids art project. I let kids go bananas with paint on a huge (9x9 feet) sheet of paper, their “canvas”.  I photograph all the fun that unfolds with it.  Then when everyone is cleaned up and leaves the studio, I go back to the masterpiece.  I study it, walk around it.  This is where MY creating begins.  I find just the right compositions to make into a contemporary large art display for their walls at home.  When I’m doing this, every worry, every doubt, every insecurity I have melts away and I’m free.  Nothing else fills my head except what I see in front of me.  

It is bliss. 

It’s so incredibly fun giving kids this memorable experience, and being able to watch and capture it.  I love that it is a true artist collaboration. We can’t exist without the other.

Without me there would be no experience.

Without them there would be no painting.

Without me there would be no photograph.

Without the photograph, there would be no art.

It's sooooo meta : P

Going forward it’s my goal to be known around town as “that children's photographer in Denver that does that paint thing” that’s totally cool with me.  If you’re a past client of mine and you’re not interested in the paint session, that’s also cool! I’m not abandoning you- I still love you and will continue work with you when you reach out to me. 

And if you think you might be interested in having your kiddo make some really cool art and huge wall displays, I want to hear from you!  Just click here to get in touch with me.  I'm now booking paint sessions for February.

I’d also like to say thanks to fellow photographers and other creatives that have helped me to take this scary and exciting leap.  To friends and family for the encouragement, proofreading, and acting as official idea bouncers, all of your input was so valuable.

Check out below to see a little video I put together of 2 recent sessions.

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