Rachael Rossman: Watercolor Portraits of Man and Beast » MTV Gift Lounge

It Really IS Who You Know

Rachael — Mon, 23 May 2011 13:20:20 +0000

Remember last year when I went to the MTV Movie Awards celebrity gift lounge? Right. Well, it was sort of a last-minute thing, meaning, I didn’t have a a budget to you know, get there and back and feed myself and transport art and stay at a fancy L.A. hotel and everything. But I really wanted to go. So I tweeted a little and posted a little and before you know it, people were ordering art right and left to fund my trip. My sister’s mother-in-law even traded in some of her airline miles to buy my ticket which was over the top nice. In return, and because she’s family, I told her I’d paint her grandchildren. It’s taken me nearly a year to paint four of her six grandkids (two of which are my niece and nephew) but she’s been patient, which I appreciate just as much as those plane tickets.

Four down, two to go.

MTV Catz

Rachael — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 00:25:27 +0000

Back in June I was invited to participate in the MTV Movie Awards celebrity gift suite….remember that? Well I am still finishing up a couple of orders that came through that connection, including this one today.

I’m also cleaning out my studio. And my closets. Send caffeine.

Sofi

Completed: January 7, 2011

Soundtrack: The Sound of Music Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Beverage: Diet Ginger Ale

Poodles and Werewolves

Rachael — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 00:00:48 +0000

A few weeks ago I painted a portrait for Booboo Stewart, who I met at the MTV Movie Awards gift suite back in June. He was there with his whole family, including three sisters, his parents and their puppy Elvis.

Booboo Stewart (Twilight movies) with sisters Maegan, Fivel and Sage at the MTV Movie Awards gift suite.

And here’s Elvis.

Elvis

Vampire Weekend

Rachael — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 17:42:51 +0000

There’s this movie, Twilight. Maybe you’ve heard of it? Maybe you’ve camped out for three days to get tickets to a premiere? Maybe you’re a 32-year-old mom who wears a Team So-And-So shirt to the gym? (Amy, I’m talking to you.)

When I was in L.A. this summer for the MTV Movie Awards celebrity gift suite, I got to meet a few actors from New Moon and Eclipse.

Among them, Booboo Stewart, who plays Seth Clearwater. If you are a Twilight fan, you know that’s a big deal.

In June

This weekend, I painted two of his family dogs. One of them, fittingly, is a wolf.

Bollow

Completed: September 12, 2010

Soundtrack: Fleetwood Mac

Beverage: Starbucks Iced Mocha

I hear Robert Pattinson has a dog. I’m sure there is a blank spot on his wall that is just waiting to be filled with a pet portrait.

(Team Edward)

In the News

Rachael — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 20:35:07 +0000

To satisfy my painful need for self-documentation, I’ve added a press page to this site so I can keep track of all the news, articles and embarrassingly accurate YouTube footage. I generally post them to Facebook and Twitter as they happen, so if you’re very, very bored you can follow me there, for up-to-the-minute news.

Here are some of the highlights from the last few months.

Fuel Your Illustration

Mayim Bialik’s Official Facebook Page

Neil Gaiman’s Twitter Page

Willamette Live

PetsBlogs

DesignMilk

Someone please remind me not to chew gum the next time I’m on camera. I never chew gum. I don’t know what I was thinking.

Firsts

Rachael — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:49:21 +0000

I painted a hairless cat. My first one. Technically, he’s a charcoal grey Peterbald; his name is Esau, and I think he’s quite grand.

He belongs to actor Mayim Bialik, whom I met at the MTV Movie Awards Gift Suite in June. You’ve seen her in everything from Blossom to Beaches, but I must say my most recent favorite is her role as Sheldon Cooper’s um, love interest? in The Big Bang Theory.

In West Hollywood, June.

So Mayim has this amazingly regal Peterbald cat. His appearance is really quite arresting; my kids saw his photo and weren’t sure if he was a cat or a dog, which I thought was funny. He reminds me of a drawing you’d see in an Egyptian pyramid, and I was glad to paint him.

Esau

Completed: July 25, 2010

Soundtrack: The Cranberries

Beverage: Coke Zero

Fit To Print

Rachael — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 02:09:24 +0000

I have run across several little press tidbits lately and I’ve even had to start a Press page on this website.

This MTV story has legs.

Here’s an article that appeared in this week’s issue of Salem Weekly. You can read it online at Willamettelive.com, but just in case you like good old fashioned newsprint, here’s a shot of it.

A bad photo of me with Frankie Muniz in the TOC.

What the article would look like to you if you lived in Salem and had a copy of Salem Weekly rather than just reading the online version.

And this. This video here demonstrates pretty plainly why I should not ever talk on camera again. Ever.

Enjoy.

Nice facial expression. Gah.

A Little Help From My Friends

Rachael — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 20:05:30 +0000

When I received the invitation to go to L.A. last month, I was panicked, flattered, then panicked again. There were many, many details to be figured out, not the least of which was how I was going to pay my way on such short notice. Fortunately, several clients came forward to order new art. They told their friends, who ordered art, and so on.

It all worked out rather nicely.

As I paint through my orders in the coming weeks, I’ll be posting these patrons’ finished projects. Here are just a couple.

Meeko

Leila

Completed: June 23, 2010

Soundtrack: Kristin Chenoweth, Let Yourself Go

Beverage: The Zen of Zin

Connections

Rachael — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 00:11:53 +0000

Remember that little MTV thing I went to? Well, when I was there I met many great people, and a few who have subsequently asked me to paint portraits for them. The first of these celebrity portraits is for actress/musician Renee Olstead.

At the MTV Movie Awards Gifting Suite

You might recognize Renee from the TV Series Still Standing, the movie 13 Going on 30, or most recently (and currently) as Madison Cooperstein on The Secret Life of The American Teenager. She’s an amazing jazz singer, with a voice that belies her youth.

And she’s an animal lover.

And she’s nominated as one of Peta’s Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrities of 2010.

And today is her birthday.

Ella Fitzgerald

Completed: June 17, 2010

Soundtrack: Idina Menzel

Beverage: Gnarly Head Old Vine Zin

For once, I have perfect timing.

The List: Good Company

Rachael — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 19:43:18 +0000

Here’s a list of the fine folks I shared the pet lounge with at the MTV Movie Awards celebrity gift suite.

And more sponsors:

And the entertainment.

And of course, GBK Productions, who put it all together.