FROM THREE DIMENSIONAL TO TWO DIMENSIONAL AND HOW SHE DOES IT
IS REALLY INCREDIBLE.
TAKE A LOOK.
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK OF
PAINTING SOMETHING STIFF AND
STATIC.
STATIC. BUT I’M PULLING OUT A PIECE OF
LIFE FROM THE PAINTING.
>> Reporter: WALKING THROUGH
ALEXA’S LOS ANGELES ART STUDIO
IS WONDERFULLY INVITING.
>> THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
COVERED IN PAINT AND
PHOTOGRAPHED.
PHOTOGRAPHED. >> WHAT A TALENT.
>> EVERYTHING IS DESIGNED TO BE
TOUCHED, PLAYED WITH.
>> BRIGHT AND COLORFUL, IT’S NOT
A LOOK, DON’T TOUCH SPACE.
IN FACT, ALEXA EXPECTS YOU TO
INTERACT WITH HER ART.
>> IF YOU NEED A PAR SOME,
PLEASE --
PLEASE -- >> ABSOLUTELY NEED A PARASOL.
>> IT GIVES IT THE ILLUSION IT’S
TWO DIMENSIONAL.
TWO DIMENSIONAL. >> FANTASTIC.
>> FANTASTIC. >> IT WORKS ON YOU.
>> I LOVE IT.
>> HER MAIN CANVAS, PEOPLE.
>> WHERE DID THIS COME FROM,
THIS TALENT OF YOURS?
>> ONE DAY IN COLLEGE I TOOK A
SCULPTURE CLASS.
SCULPTURE CLASS. WE HAD TO MAKE A SCULPTURE ABOUT
A LANDSCAPE THAT WAS NOT A
SCULPTURE OF A LANDSCAPE.
WHAT I CAME UP WAS WHAT IF I
PAINTED BLACK SHADOWS ON THE
GROUND AND THAT WOULD BE A WAY
OF DESCRIBING THIS SPACE THROUGH
ITS SHADOWS.
ITS SHADOWS. >> WHAT ABOUT PAINTING ON
PEOPLE?
PEOPLE? >> THE FIRST TIME I PAINTED ON A
PERSON AT THAT POINT I REALIZED
I HAD SOMETHING.
>> DO YOU HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS
SIGNING UP AND ALLOWING
THEMSELVES TO GET PAINTED?
>> IT TOOK A WHILE FOR PEOPLE TO
REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS
DOING.
DOING. OFTENTIMES I WOULD HAVE TO PAINT
MY SISTER OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
>> TODAY ALEXA’S WORK CAN BE
SEEN ALL OVER, LIKE IN ARIANA
GRANDE’S VIDEO FOR "GOD IS A
WOMAN," BUT SHE SAYS IT’S THIS
PAINTING THAT GOT HER NOTICED.
>> I WAS GOING TO AN ART EXHIBIT
THAT I WAS BRINGING MY PAINTED
MODEL TO.
MODEL TO. I COULDN’T GET A RIDE TO THE
SHOW.
SHOW. I WAS HORRIBLY EMBARRASSED ON
THE SUBWAY.
THE SUBWAY. I WAS LIKE THIS IS NOT THE DEBUT
I WANT TO BE MAKING WITH MY
ARTWORK AND IT TURNS OUT THAT
ACCIDENT TURNED INTO ONE OF MY
MOST ICONIC PIECES.
>> I FEEL LIKE YOUR LIFE WAS
LIKE THAT IN FINDING THIS TALENT
WAS A HAPPY ACCIDENT, RIGHT?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. I GREW UP IN D.C.
I INTERNED ON CAPITOL HILL FOR
FOUR SUMMERS.
FOUR SUMMERS. I DID PRESS FOR OBAMA IN 2008.
I MAJORED IN POLITICAL SCIENCE.
I WAS FULLY ON THIS PATH.
THEN IT WAS JUST THIS LITTLE
IDEA ABOUT PUTTING PAINT ON
SHADOWS THAT COMPLETELY CHANGED
EVERYTHING.
EVERYTHING. >> FROM POLITICS TO PAINTER, I
COULDN’T MISS MY OPPORTUNITY.
>> LET THE ARTIST BEGIN.
YOU’RE PRETTY FAST.
>> HAVE TO MOVE QUICKLY.
>> AND HAVE YOU PAINTED
YOURSELF?
YOURSELF? >> TONS OF TIMES.
I WOULD OFTENTIMES PRACTICE ON
MYSELF.
MYSELF. HAVE YOU EVER HAD YOUR ANKLES
PAINTED BEFORE?
PAINTED BEFORE? >> NO.
>> NO. WILL THIS PAINT MAKE ME YOUNGER?
>> IT MIGHT.
>> HOW MUCH OF THIS IS A
COLLABORATION WITH THE PEOPLE
YOU’RE PAINTING?
YOU’RE PAINTING? >> IT’S ALMOST LIKE A DANCE
BETWEEN ME AND MY SUBJECTS WHERE
WE BOTH BECOME CO-CREATORS IN
THIS WORK BUT THEY’RE THE ONES
THAT BRING IT TO LIFE.
>> WOW, THAT’S WILD.
>> THAT’S UNBELIEVABLE.
>> ISN’T THAT AMAZING?
>> I MEAN, WHAT A TALENT.
>> HOW LONG DID THE PROCESS
TAKE, NAT?
TAKE, NAT? >> IT WAS ONLY ABOUT 45 MINUTES.
SHE WORKS REALLY QUICKLY BECAUSE
THE PAINT IS DRYING AS SHE’S
GOING AND IT’S ACRYLIC PAINT.
EVERYTHING WASHES AND PEELS OFF
QUICKLY.
QUICKLY. IT’S A WIG, THANK GOODNESS SO I
DIDN’T HAVE TO PAINT MY HAIR.
>> WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO HANG
THAT BEAUTIFUL PAINTING?
>> IT’S INCREDIBLE.
IT WAS ACTUALLY A PICTURE OF ME
IN THE PAINTING.
SO IT’S REALLY COOL.
>> THAT IS AWESOME.
I LOVE IT, NAT, THANKS.
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