THIS MONTH’S MAMA FEATURE IS ARTIST & MAMA, REBEKAH STEEN, GOLDFISHKISS. OUR CREATIVE PATHS CROSSED EARLY ON WHEN I HAD FIRST MOVED TO OAHU. I LOVED HER OPENNESS AND EASY SENSE OF HUMOR. SHE PAINTS HER WHIMSICAL VIEW OF THE ISLANDS IN JOYFUL COLOR & CARRIES THAT SAME JOY INTO HER ROLE AS MOTHER TO HER SON LEVI.

MINI REBEKAH IN HER FAVORITE GOLDFISH BIKINI

YOUR ARTWORK IS SO CLEARLY INSPIRED BY YOUR LOVE OF THE ISLANDS AND THE FREEDOM OF THE BEACH. HAVE YOU BEEN PAINTING SINCE YOU WERE LITTLE & TALK TO US A BIT ABOUT HOW IT PLAYS INTO YOUR LIFE…

FIRST OFF, THANK YOU! I AM MY OWN HARSHEST CRITIC SO COMPLIMENTS ON MY ARTWORK MEAN SO MUCH. YES I HAVE BEEN PAINTING SINCE I WAS A KIDDO, GOT MY BFA IN COLLEGE, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

THE FUNNY THING IS, ALL MY FORMAL TRAINING WAS IN OILS, AND I SWITCHED TO WATERCOLORS WHEN I WAS LIVING IN HAWAII AND TRYING TO FILL UP THIS LITTLE WATERCOLOR BOOK I HAD BOUGHT. IT HAS BEEN A CONSTANT EVOLUTION EVER SINCE AND I JUST THINK WATERCOLORS AND IT WERE MEANT TO BE. I MEAN IT’S GOT WATER AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF IT, SO IT PARALLELS ONE OF MY BIGGEST LOVES IN MY LIFE.

MY MOTTO WITH MY ART THESE DAYS IS “PAINTING WHAT I’M CRAVING”. SO I’M USUALLY RECREATING A SCENE I’M DREAMING OF IN MY COLORFUL, MESSY WAY OF DOING THINGS. ONCE I LAY DOWN THAT INITIAL BRUSH STROKE, EACH PIECE BECOMES AN OBSESSION OF LAYERING, COLOR COMBOS AND INK SPLATS.

I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED YOUR CREATIVE EYE AND COLORFUL WORK (INCLUDING YOUR INSANE NAIL ART!) THERE IS SUCH A PLAYFUL SIDE TO IT. I GET THE FEELING YOU’RE A FUN MOM. TALK TO US ABOUT YOUR SON LEVI & MOTHERHOOD

I AM DEFINITELY A FUN MOM AND PERSON IN GENERAL (NAILS INCLUDED). I ABSOLUTELY LOVE BEING A KID AGAIN AND SPENDING TIME WITH MY SON IS THE ULTIMATE JOY. HE’S MY ONLY KID AND I JUST LOVE OUR RELATIONSHIP AND BOND.

TAKING OUR DOGS FOR WALKS AND TALKING, WATCHING MISSION IMPOSSIBLE MOVIES, SHOOTING HOOPS LATELY, AND THIS PAST SUMMER HE (FINALLY!) CAUGHT THE SURFING BUG.

I JUST TRY TO SHOW HIM HOW AWESOME LIFE AND NATURE ARE, EMPHASIZE DAILY THAT NO ONE IS PERFECT, AND EMBRACE WHAT MAKES HIM SO UNIQUE AND SPECIAL.

LEVI’S VINTAGE HAWAII TEE FROM **GUS&WAY**

ANY SPECIAL VINTAGE PIECE YOU OWN & ANY THOUGHTS ON SUSTAINABILITY

YES! OH MAN WHERE DO I START? I HAVE THIS NECKLACE THAT MY GRANDMA GAVE ME THAT IS THIS INCREDIBLE BEADED MOSAIC PIECE WITH THIS SORT OF CHANDELIER NECKLINE. THEN I SCORED SOME SUPER OLD WORN-IN BRUNELLO CUCINELLI GREY MOTO BOOTS THAT MAKE ME FEEL WAY COOLER THAN I AM.

OH THIS IS SO FUN TO THINK ABOUT….VINTAGE TEES AND SWEATSHIRTS TOO, THOSE BEAUTIES ARE MY JAM.

OVER THE PAST 3 YEARS I HAVE SWITCHED PRIMARILY TO SHOPPING AT THRIFT SHOPS OR ONLINE CONSIGNMENT STORES. SAVES SO MUCH MONEY (SO I CAN TRAVEL BACK TO THE BEACH), YOU GET BETTER MADE PIECES (THAT I OTHERWISE COULDN’T AFFORD), AND IT’S EASIER TO FIND THINGS THAT ALIGN WITH MY STYLE (NEVER REALLY BEEN INTO TRENDS).

I THINK MY JAW CLENCHES NOWADAYS WHEN I THINK OF FAST-FASHION AND IT’S NEGATIVE IMPACE. THRIFT, CONSIGN, REPURPOSE AND ONLY BUY A FEW INVESTMENT PIECES. PLUS THE WORN-IN PRELOVED STUFF FEELS BETTER TOO.

MAMA FEATURE: REBEKAH + LEVI

MAMA FEATURE : LAURA + MATTEO