Braves Diva – The Artist Collection

written by Kiz October 1, 2018

Happy October 1st, darlings! Sick-tember, as it shall now be remembered, was not so nice to me and I’m hoping October will be way kinder. It is my birth month after all and I’m ready to party in my fuzzy socks and super comfy pajamas.

It’s a pleasure to share with you a heartfelt collection from Tara of Braves Diva Nails. This six piece collection was inspired by Tara’s grandmother, a very accomplished artist who specialized in Native American and Southwest art. As you read, you will notice snippets from Tara as well as the artwork that inspired her polishes.

The Artist Collection

Here’s a little more background on Tara’s MeMe and why this collection is so to her heart.

I was raised by my grandparents. And my grandmother, Lois Hulse (MeMe, as she was known to her grans), was the most influential person in my life. She was an award-winning — and self-taught! — artist who specialized in Native American and Southwest art. She owned her own studio in Fort Smith, Arkansas, mastered pastel/charcoal/water color/oil paint mediums, and taught classes for over 40 years. She touched the lives of thousands of students, many of whom painted with her every week for 35 years. MeMe was a trailblazer and an inspiration, and I dedicate this collection to her & her life’s work.
Native American tribal leaders in the area were very familiar with her work & they would invite her to their pow wows to take photos of their costumes, their dance, and their rituals for inspiration. I attended many pow wows with her & I remember being so enamored of the beautiful people, the bright colors, happy children & the *LOUD* drums. I was in awe at every gathering.
When she passed away in 2012, the family was tasked with moving items out of her studio. She had hundreds of paintings/half-completed canvases, thousands of brushes & books, dozens of palettes, pottery items, you name it. Those walls held 40 years of memories. I chose to take a few of her paintings that were noteworthy to me, and they now reside in my home in Michigan. These were pieces that I watched her paint as I was growing up, and during different periods of my life, so they’ve always held a special place in my heart

Combing Tangles

We’ll start with Combing Tangles, which as you can see by the photo was finished & signed in 1983. The paint has started to crack in some areas, but that just adds to the beauty, IMO. I wanted the polish to really pull the gorgeous greens & warm golds, with flashes of blue from the blankets.

Combing Tangles is a clear jelly based glitter bomb with a mix of teal green holographic glitters, gold holographic micro glitters, blue micro flakes, and a gold shimmer. It dries slightly textured and I would highly suggest a peel-off base coat unless you enjoy scrubbing off polish. I’m wearing three coats with a glossy topcoat.

Aryn’s Tears

The painting Aryn’s Tears was inspired by a little girl at a pow wow in Oklahoma. She was tired & weepy, and MeMe just so happened to capture the photo as she was wiping away a tear. I absolutely love this painting. And I can tell you, from someone who has seen the original photo of little Aryn, it looks *just* like her!

Aryn’s Tears has a shimmery blurple base with pops of pink holographic glitter and some blue and gold shimmer. The holographic glitter in there adds some fun sparkles. The shimmery base in there does leave behind a few brushstrokes so keep this in mind during your application. I’m wearing three coats with a glossy topcoat.

Watchful Spirits

Watchful Spirits was one of MeMe’s favorites. This piece won many awards at the Trail of Tears art show. The powerful message is very understated, and I wanted to translate that into this polish.

Watchful Spirits is a medium grey creme with a striking blue shimmer. The application is very smooth and I love how the shimmers just show up in there. I’m wearing two coats with a glossy topcoat.

Desert Friends

Desert Friends is one of MeMe’s most “recent” works, completed in 2007. This was when she really started having fun with bold color. The gold, orange, purple & turquoise color palette is a stand-out.

Desert Friends starts in an orange, close to vermillion jelly base to which UCC flakes shifting violet to red to copper to gold are added. An aqua shimmer adds strong contrast and lights up this warm shade. I’m wearing three coats with a glossy topcoat.

The final two paintings in this collection are ALL about color! Neither piece was signed (and she signed EVERYthing) so she was experimenting with abstract color & texture in these two. I drew inspiration of color & complex detail construction from these pieces.

Roper

Roper is my favorite from the set! The base is a bright orange-leaning red jelly with blue sparks and sapphire blue microglitters. The blue glitters have a stunning effect here. I’m wearing three coats with a glossy topcoat.

The Cowboy

Wrapping things up is The Cowboy. This has a shimmery yellow base with a mixture of bright blue and bronze micro flakes.
The micro flakes add tiny pops of color to this warm yellow. As is common with shimmers, there are some brush strokes left behind, so you eed to be mindful of this during application. I’m wearing three coats with a glossy topcoat.