2019 RECAP
2019. If I could sum it up in two words it would be “steady & present”. I focused on artwork, being present with loved ones, and moving with what life has to offer. This past year I learned that I can still know and feel peace without knowing what comes next.
JANUARY
OPENING MY SAN CLEMENTE STUDIO
This is definitely my happy place.
Bobby & I worked hard to set up the studio with a new paint job, some hand made tables and access to all my supplies. To celebrate, I held a small studio sale with the artworks I had at the time. Little did I know this was just the beginning of the studio and it’s transformation over 2019. It felt so good to create a space for just me & my art. A space where I could control what’s on the wall — what I see. I could play the music I wanted, I could organize and reorganize whenever I wanted (day or night). For me, I noticed that having a studio space right in my home ( like I do in Hawaii) left me feeling stuck from time to time. The creative juices sometimes don’t always seem to flow when you work in the place you also eat, shower, sleep, and relax in. I was (still am) so grateful I could have a separate space to help me be more expressive and tune out the outside world, and just create. In California, the lifestyle there is condusive to having a space I walk into separate from a living space.
RAISED BY THE WAVES
Sunrise waffle, blue room smoothie, chuns sammy + the rest of the menu.
In the tail end of 2018, raised by the waves cafe asked to me create tables for their eco plant-based cafe, that would be opening in 2018/2019. It was such a unique project I took on and I loved seeing my tables in action with the beautiful food. I had my first art show on the North Shore after starting this venture 3 years prior - full circle baby!
FEBRUARY
BACKCOUNTRY
I had the opportunity to do a fun shoot with Backcountry on the Big Island, with like-minded people, sharing more about how to live sustainable and healthy lifestyle.
MARCH
SUNSET SERIES
First sunset series to drop to the website. WHY was I so nervous?! I remember feeling so insecure to release this series, and I sold out within a couple days. You guys make me feel TOO good sometimes. It makes me realize I can venture into uncharted waters with my work, and you all will be there to support me.
APRIL
SMALL ABSTRACT SERIES
I felt myself wanting to explore new subject matter, try something new. It was exciting to listen to the creative side thoughts! And although validation from the social media world is great, self-validation as an artist is more important.
FLORIDA WORKSHOP
I got to jet off to Florida to help celebrate my good friend Astrid’s 50th birthday! I led a little art workshop with a private group, and I will always remember the good company and amazing venue! Thank you Astrid for letting me apart of your birthday weekend. I am so happy to have her and her family are in my life, and so grateful to meet her friends that gave me new amazing connections to these beautiful people.
MAY
JAPAN FESTIVAL
This was my second year attending the Greenroom Art Festival. I have really come to love this country and the people. They are all so amazing and their love of art, music and food is something I can get on board with! Every year I am beyond grateful to sell out of my work, and the support I receive from my Japanese collectors never goes unnoticed. Thank you Greenroom for the invites and the warmest welcomes every time. Following the weekend festival, they hosted an art show where I had some works on display along with a big ocean scape made up of many smaller pieces called “17 Seas”. See you this May 2020 everyone!
JUNE
SUSTAINABLE SUNDAYS
I started Sustainable Sundays, in an effort to bring awareness to lowering our consumerism and waste. I try to post tips every Sunday on my instagram stories and connect with like-minded companies.
JULY & AUGUST
FESTIVAL OF ARTS
I was accepted to be in Festival of Arts Laguna Beach, which I grew up going to and never imagined I was good enough to be in! It was such an amazing experience where I was able to make many new friends with collectors and fellow artists. Those two months flew by and I will never forget the summer I spent in Laguna. I hope in the near future to be back exhibiting in the show when life slows down a bit, so be sure to look out for me there in hopefully the summers of 2020 or 2021!
SEPTEMBER
OUR HAWAII HIDEOUT
After spending a summer in a little apartment in California, we came back to Hawaii and moved out of our small condo in Turtle Bay for a home that could accommodate a bigger art studio, and man we are blessed with the location! We are completely surrounded by nature and beauty - that’s why we call it the Hawaii Hideout. We can see ourselves being in this home for many years to come. (I’m still so obsessed)
TINTS, TINTS, BABY!
I have been using tints I’ve mixed or had professional tint makers mix for me for years. I have enough fellow resin artists follow me and ask what tints I used, so I made it a project to make tints available to everyone! You can purchase my tints here.
OCTOBER
JACK X BREE
Jack Soren is a good friend of mine and taught me the meaning of Aloha when I moved to the island in 2012. He has been an amazing street artist for Pow Wow and in the last year or so, been creating stunning surf art as an ode to Hawaiian surf culture. We teamed up with our gallery Greenroom to do a collaboration show! It was so much fun, and the pieces (fins) we created was a great balance between our mediums. Thank you Jack and thank you Greenroom for putting on a great show! Bobby put together a rad video to recap our collab, you can watch it here!
NOVEMBER & DECEMBER
LESS TRAVELING
Bobby and I made a goal to slow down our travels and enjoy Hawaii and California. This last year I decided to not do an art residency abroad. As much as that rips at my heart strings (and trust me, Greece was SO close to happening), we are excited to feel more settled, travel less, and enjoy the moment where we are. So for the remainder of 2019 we traveled a little less.
EQUALITY COLLECTION
I was raised in a deeply religious community and the rhetoric was always negative towards people with LGBTQ+ relationships, yet I never understood how people could view others as less than or not deserving of a life of love/marriage with whomever they choose. I stand with all humans and want the best, happiest and healthiest life. I am an ally for the LGBTQ+ & in support of that I created a series of artworks each uniquely their own with the profits of the pieces going to the Trevor Project to help teens struggling with acceptance and prevent suicides happening because of this in acceptance in their communities. On the blog I share an interview with Thomas Cara, who identifies as gay and his positive views being in the LGBTQ+ community. Thank you so much Thomas for being apart of this project with me! And thank you Ashley for interviewing and directing this project. Thank you Stu for the beautiful photographs from this day.
My heart is still so full of grateful for the family that bought the entire series and seeing the proceeds go to the Trevor project. It was such a great way to end the year of artwork and head into holidays with family.
DID YOU MAKE IT TO THE END?
I started sharing my love of art by teaching workshops. My art is no longer one sided-as I took the time to master the technique before I could put it in the hands of others and watch people light up with happiness as they get creative with a little push by me. I can’t stop thinking about how great these workshop have been, and it was only cause the students were so amazing!
I truly am so thankful for everyone that has supported me in 2019. The ones that have been with me since 2016 and plans to in 2020 & beyond.
I am very excited to grow and expand my color ways, work into different mediums and subject matter. So now that this blog recap is over, I feel like I can officially say… hello 2020!
xx,
Bree