artist

Ruth Oneya Illustrations

Ruth Oneya is a talented artist in the Birmingham area. We immediately fell in love with her beautiful work and wanted to share it with our brides. Ruth does live paintings for weddings, watercolor portraits (of people, pets and homes!) and hand-painted champagne bottles. She uses her talents to create lovely keepsakes that people can enjoy for years and years!

We conducted a Q&A with Ruth to find out all about her small business and her journey as an artist.

What made you decide to start your business?

I started Ruth Oneya Illustrations the summer before my junior year of college (2016) after I had an awesome summer internship with a Birmingham wedding photographer, Alisha Crossley. She introduced me to the wedding world and I completely fell in love with it. I couldn't help but want to be a part of it somehow. Since then I have been working toward building my brand and putting my work out there as a wedding artist.

What is your favorite medium to work with?

My favorite medium to work with is a tie between watercolor and acrylic. I don't like working with the same medium for too long because I get a little bored. So, bouncing back and forth between these is a great way to keep me motivated and excited. 

What is your favorite product/service you offer?

My favorite service is definitely my live paintings. I get to put my best dress on and attend a party... to paint! But honestly, I just love the celebration of love and truly enjoy weddings. Also, because I have a sweet tooth I enjoy getting to try (and judge) wedding cakes.

What is your most popular product/service?

My most popular product definitely depends on the season, this summer it has been my Champagne bottle and live paintings. This is actually really exciting for me because these are mostly local and I love being able to cater to my Birmingham clients and vendors. 

What do you love most about being an artist?

I love being able to use my art to make people happy and also contributing to special moments in their life such as weddings. Knowing I am creating work that will be enjoyed in a home for years to come is a very fulfilling feeling for me. I also enjoy being a small business owner and doing what I love daily. Personally, I don't know if I would still be an artist today if I didn't follow this direction.

Do you have recommendations or tips for someone wanting to book a live painting session?

When deciding the moment, you would like painted, be open to what you ultimately want the final piece to be. This allows an artist to choose a moment more candid by choose where they see the best connection between you two. Also, it's always best to book as soon as you know your wedding date (especially if its a popular date) calendars fill out quickly.

Ruth has so many helpful resources on her website to help her clients. If you are interested in booking a live painting or ordering one of Ruth’s many other beautiful creations please visit Ruth Oneya Illustrations for more details.

Natalie Russo Art

We're so excited to feature the talented Natalie Russo! Natalie was born and raised right here in Birmingham, Alabama, and she describes herself as an "authentic Southern artist." After obtaining her degree from the University of Alabama in art and fashion merchandising, she began her business Natalie Russo Art. 

Russo find inspiration from the world around her, and she incorporates the element of water in all of her pieces. She loves the challenge of large-scale projects, and is always looking for the next big canvas to tackle! Natalie creates such fabulous artwork on the most creative of canvas, and we love all of her pieces!

Reflect Visual Arts: Abby Little

Abby Little is an incredibly talented local artist and teacher, who has experimented with various types of art since she was 4 years old. She's had over 14 years of classical art training in oil, acrylic, watercolor, master drawing, calligraphy, and art history. Now, Abby creates artwork for churches, studios, homes, and businesses nationally, and she also enjoys sharing her love of art by teaching students of all ages. She was the 2010 National Beta Club Convention's first-place award winner for Acrylic On-site art, as well as their first-place State Watercolorist. Abby strives to encourage art education and appreciation for students of all ages. She instills the love of God's beauty through the mastery of art. 

"I believe in a Master Artist and His greatness as the Author of beauty. All that we create is a mimic of original inspiration from the Master Creator--a majesty that surpasses all the we can imagine." -Abby Little

Abby Little is such a talented chick and we're in love with all of her work!

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Kate Morris Jewelry

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Our good friend Kate Morris is an amazing jewelry artist. She creates stunning pieces that go with virtually any outfit, and the story behind her company is rather interesting. When Kate was 16, she traveled to Bolivia on a mission trip. While she was there, she discovered all kinds of people using a vast variety of materials and colors to create art. She also discovered different types of gemstones, metals, and the jewelry making process. 

From then on she was sold. She was inspired to experiment and make jewelry of her on. It began as just making some pieces for herself, which led to making pieces as gifts for friends and selling to friends, which in turn led to online sales, local stores, and artisan shows.

Today, because of her love for missions, at least 10% of every order goes to the International Mission Board. We, at Bustle, are big fans of Kate Morris, and her jewelry is absolutely exquisite!

Augusta Cole: Artistry

Our friend Augusta Cole has such the creative eye. She's both an incredible artist, and a fabulous stylist. Augusta started her own business, Artistry, so she could, as she says, "bring an artistic vision to memorable events whether that be a photoshoot, or your wedding day." She definitely does just that. We think she has such a God-given talent, so we wanted to share some of her amazing work with you!

Images by Mandy Busby

Image by Jennifer Pharr

Augusta was born and raised right here in Birmingham, Alabama. She attended Samford University, and had the opportunity to work for an event coordinator and floral designer. She has such a passion for art, and she felt the Lord calling her to create Artistry. As you can see, her work is truly a reflection of her passion.

Image by Mandy Busby