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Art Love – Charmaine Olivia

charms
Charmaine Olivia at work

Charmaine Olivia – dreamer, painter, tea drinker, self-taught San Franciscan artist. She first started drawing with soy sauce on napkins but has since upgraded to paper and paint. She loves playing Scrabble in the park, cuddling with her kitten and drinking peppermint tea.

Her work is a mix of intense paintings and whimsical drawings, she shifts with ease between styles and mediums. Oil painting requires discipline, commitment and composition, where as her drawings are more spontaneous and free. She admires the work of Brian Viveros and Sam Weber, she is obsessed with Gustav Klimt.

Here is a selection of her differing styles of work.

bunny_hands
Bunny Hands
pirate_silhouette
Pirate Silhouette
thegarden
The Garden
housekeeper
House Keeper
vampire
Vampire

Her work has a contemporary edge and she has worked on projects with Urban Outfitters, Nylon Magazine, Eyes on Walls,  Threadless, Infectious, Cool Hunting and Society6. Her work also lends itself perfectly to tattooing and this girl has a tattoo inspired by Charmaine Olivia’s Vampire.

Charmaine Olivia tattoo
Tattoo by Garrett Egles

Photo: Facebook Girl: Coreena All artwork taken from Charmaine’s website

Read a full interview with Charmaine Olivia on My Modern Met.

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Get your tat out. Returned.

get-your-tat-out
My first ever Get your tat out post featured a lovely lady called Laura, with her script tattoo, Inhale. She has now added a complimentary little heart tattoo to her other arm…she is possibly feeling a little romantic before her nuptials this year…and I have a feeling there will be more romantic inkings to follow…

Inhale and heart tattoo

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My body is a blank canvas.


RachFeature girl: Rachael D’Alessandro
Today’s feature girl is the beautiful ink addict Rachael, she is in the buying team at Topshop, she loves art and lives in London.

Rachael considers her tattoos as art and treats her body like a blank canvas. The tattoos that adorn her body are art not necessarily about meaning, but about beauty. Art that will live on her skin forever…She even considered tattooing as a career option, but somehow her path has taken her into fashion and as you can see from this collection of photos she is one stylishly painted lady…

Heart wings tattooHer first tattoo was the heart wings, in between her shoulder blades, adapted from a drawing that she did at the age of 16 (tattoo was also done at this time but shh don’t tell anyone – clearly a rebel at heart). The tattoo was done at a studio in Lincoln.Faith tattoo

Her second tattoo is the word Faith on her wrist in  flowing type. This lovely little inking is by Chris at Modern Body Art. Chris was also lucky enough to ink her for a third time, this time her right wrist and a very feminine flowing garden vine design.

Garden vine tattoo
round and round the garden...


heart, locket and flower tattooHer fourth (and one of my faves) is her heart, locket and flower design, on her lower back, so beautifully feminine against her skin. This is by Dawny and again was done at Modern Body Art. Rachael liked this one so much she got Dawny to do her fifth arm piece, inspired by all the things she loves.

Rach's life-inspired arm design
This is Rachael's personal favourite piece


Treasure chest and agape tattoo
I unconditionally love this tattoo.

Her sixth piece, again another Modern Body Art masterpiece, is her treasure chest with the word Agape. Agape means unconditional love in Greek philosophy.

Her seventh piece is the writing on her neck, this is a love piece and her boyfriend has the same design. Inspired by Beethoven’s third love letter to Josephine, Immortal Beloved. ever thine tattoo

Rach BackRachael your art is beautiful and I would love to see more as you cover your canvas…

Photos: Olivia Snape