Capstone Sneak Preview!

Hunt: The Monterey Shorelife is a series of large scale paintings depicting local wildlife as they search for food. The inspiration for this project comes from kayaking and surfing in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and watching animals hunt with intense energy and skill. With this series, I place humans into the ecosystem because of our dependence on the oceans and our impact on this habitat.

This capstone is the culmination of my studies at CSUMB as an Integrated Studies and Special Major student, combining Environmental Science with Visual and Public Art. Beyond graduating, I hope to find opportunities in illustrating scientific topics for museums, magazines, or aquariums, in order to continue learning science and continue sharing my artistic skills with the world!

Hunt will be presented on Friday, May 17 from 11AM-3PM in Building 70 on the CSUMB Campus. This event also hosts ASYMMETRIC, the compilation of projects from VPA Capstone Students. Come see the amazing talent of my fellow students!

Here is a sneak peak at what I have been working on since January:

 Squid in Motion

 The rocky reef

Progression of Bait-ball painting

 Ritchie helping me build the stretcher bars!

 The early stage of Great Egret Painting!

Pelicans.. round 2

I have recently completed my first piece for my Capstone/graduation project, a painting of Brown Pelicans diving into the ocean. My inspiration for this came from watching these birds dive so gracefully and energetically into the water to feed, while kayaking in Elkhorn Slough. I still love seeing them glide along waves while surfing too. Gotta love the pelicans!! This painting is 4.5' across and 8' long, done in acrylic paints on unstretched canvas. I laid down the background first, then painted the individual birds on top of that.

Stay posted for five more energy/hunt/wildlife themed paintings by May! When I am done with the set they will be up for sale!

Anastasiya

Elephant/Peacock

Here is a painting of an elephant with peacock feathers. The idea was my mom's. It was fun to do, and I used some shimmery metallic paint to give the feathers that shine they need. I started this almost a year ago and didn't get back to it until about two days ago. Everything gets finished.... eventually. It has been a rough summer for art between working full time and playing outside, but I'm back into it now!

Next Project: Tipi
Then: Capstone (to graduate!)

Surfboard Painting

The latest....

Oaks

This is my latest painting for my painting and murals class. I found inspiration from the oak forests around campus with their hanging lichens. This is the largest I have worked, I think its about 5x6 foot. It was very tedious but I think I like this size, but its so much easier in class where you don't have to buy the canvas heheh!

I can't decide if its finished or not. I stopped when I ran out of time for the class but there is a lot of detail I could go into again. Might get back to it one day.

A bit of exciting news.. my painting teacher has hooked up myself and 2 other students with the opportunity to do a mural at one of the military buildings of Monterey Bay nature. It'll be really cool to use the skills from this class and do our own independent mural!!

Thanks for looking!
AnaaaaastasiyaaaaaAaAaAaAaaa!

latest surfboard!

Picked up a few tools at the local surf shop including a surfboard painting DVD by Drew Brophy with some excellent tips on making it all stick and stand out. This one is for my best surf buddy Ritchie. Pinup gal on top and some waves and a cypress on the bottom.

Surfboards!

For the last few months I have been wanting to have a try at painting surfboards, and after researching some methods and obtaining an old board to paint.. have made it happen! First I cleaned up and sanded the glass on the board, painted with acrylic paint, and then coated with clear spray paint to seal. Then it was tested for durability in turbulent salty water and it seemed to stick okay except for a little corner where the paint was thick.

 

This whale was the experimental board. The background was totally accidental when condensation formed on the wet paint but it turned out so cool! 

These are the Jellyfish and Poppies I did for my friend Katrina. It is ready for the ocean!
Already the projects are lining up.. At the moment I have another board I am planning a design for, and possibly another one after that. My goal is to advertise myself and get a little business going - Anastasiya's Surfboard Painting in Monterey Bay! But no drawings of seals, fish or anything shiny because those attract sharks..........