Months ago I was contacted by India.Arie's personal assistant (through Etsy of all places!) and she told me that India loves my paintings of her! I was floored and thrilled to say the very least... So we've e-mailed back and forth a few times talking about India and today her assistant wrote to tell me I had two tickets to see the sold out show in Boston! WOW! India.Arie has been an inspiration for over a decade to me and this was a blessing, and yes, a shocking and scary moment for this painfully shy girl! haha.. but when India came out and saw me she said, "Brandy!" My eyes just bugged and I thought, wow, India.Arie knows my name! 

I saw her in Memphis in 2001 playing a guitar her mother painted and it inspired me so deeply I immediately rushed home and painted the guitar I could never learn to play! I've taken that guitar with me all over the country, move to move, state to state for over 10 years and I decided when I heard I was meeting her tonight, it was time for it to be with her, I really hope she likes it! All we had was my cellphone for the photo but thank you Djerek for taking it for me!

I just finished my latest piece of a wonderful friend, Vanessa das Neves Giacometti as a little girl... Vanessa was born in Americana, a city in São Paulo and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I met her when she moved to Portland, Oregon and married the amazing painter and my friend Dan Giacometti. She was a surgeon in the burn ward in Brazil, her capacity to love and care for others is immense and humbling. 

I saw a mural in Philadelphia depicting the cities' multiculturalism and some of the portraits really reminded me of Diego Rivera's work (an immense favorite of mine).. I haven't painted in months, maybe a year, and seeing this immediately inspired me to get home and get to work... I saw a baby photo of Vanessa and knew I had my muse :) 

The painting is, of course, inspired by Vanessa but has a spirit of it's own.. darkening the skin tone, changing the features a little and adding braided pigtails... While searching for a title for this piece Vanessa shared a video of James Taylor singing "Only a Dream in Rio"!

Prints of this painting are available here: A Little Dream in Rio in my Etsy Shop 

cheers!
Brandy

I'm thrilled to announce that as of today, my painting of Metal musician Chuck Schuldiner of the band Death is licensed through Perseverance Holdings Ltd and approved by Chuck Schuldiner's Estate! In an arrangement with the Schuldiner Family and Perseverance Holdings Ltd., a portion of the proceeds of this product will be going to the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, Huntington Beach, CA. This charity provides financial assistance to US musicians who become chronically ill with no medical insurance. Click here to order. 

(excerpt from Wikipedia)
"Schuldiner was the singer, songwriter, rhythm and lead guitarist of the band Death, which he founded in 1983, initially under the name Mantas. He is often referred to as "The Father of Death Metal" and his obituary in the January 5, 2002 issue of UK's Kerrang! magazine stated that "Chuck Schuldiner was one of the most significant figures in the history of metal."Schuldiner himself was modest about his part in the history of death metal, noting "I don’t think I should take the credits for this death metal stuff. I’m just a guy from a band, and I think Death is a metal band."Schuldiner was ranked No.10 in Joel Mclver's book "The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists" in 2009 and No.20 in March 2004 Guitar World's "The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists" 


I originally created this painting as a birthday gift for my husband, Djerek, who is also a metal musician. Chuck Schuldiner is his most highly regarded and respected musical influence. The original hangs in Djerek's practice space. 

It's been about a year since I've drawn or painted, too too long... so yesterday I found a photo of an amazing friend that I just fell in love with, after getting her blessing to paint it I began to sketch.. and sketch. Normally my sketches are quick perfunctory drawings that will be the guidelines for a painting.. but this time I loved it so much I had to see it to the end as a finished drawing... here is the amazing Andrea: 

Andrea is a jewelry designer (she is wearing my interpretation of her own creation in the drawing) you can see her work here in her Etsy shop, Swan River Stone. 

I hope to turn this drawing into a painting as well soon, stay tuned! 
cheers
Brandy

Hello hello hello! 

So a few days back I began to notice my paintings were hidden away on what used to be my main website, www.BrandyKayzakianRowe.com which is 90% comprised of my high contrast B&W music photography. You had to hunt and squint to find the colorful watercolors and acrylics, well, I decided no more! So here is my new site just for all the expressions of joy, color and soul. 

I hope to use this "On the Easel" blog section to keep ya updated with whats new, paintings in progress or just completed as well as hopefully hearing from you! 

I hope you'll keep me company here with your comments and e-mails, if you haven't had enough of me yet ;) come say howdy do on facebook!

much love,
Brandy