Items
Reviews
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Denine on Nov 18, 2020
5 out of 5 stars🌈 Oh...where to begin?! I was searching and searching for a wedding gift and then came upon this absolutely GORGEOUS, EMOTIONAL, MOVING piece of art that I instantly knew was the one. The recipients have since received it and are OBSESSED with it, as I forever will be. In corresponding with Alex regarding a special request, and then reading her bio, I can tell you she is a BEAUTIFUL, BRAVE, KIND and GENEROUS soul, and infinitely TALENTED. I will never forget her. This entire endeavor turned out to be a gift TO ME. If you are reading this, please do yourself a favor by scrolling to bottom of this page and reading her bio. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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Kristie on Nov 6, 2020
5 out of 5 starsThe world needs more brave artists who show the actual love and affection of 2 people who truly love each other, though the world might disagree. All of her work is beautiful and emotional.
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Kristie on Oct 22, 2020
5 out of 5 starsIt's breathtaking how she captures such strong emotions in her beautiful artwork! It's just lovely to look at!
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Harriet on Aug 17, 2020
5 out of 5 starsIt's an amazing piece of art. You are given the opportunity to have it framed how you want from Alex. It takes a while to come from Russia, but it is well worth the wait! It's well packaged and well made.
I also love the personal note.
It's great as a tasteful queer female art piece and it has been a great for a lesbian wedding anniversary gift for a close family member. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜 -
sarah on Jul 10, 2020
5 out of 5 starsSuch a wonderful painting, beautiful packaging and came right on time. Thank you Alex, I will treasure it forever! 100% recommend this shop.
About AlexBirdStudio
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A just finished painting on my easel in January 2020
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Making lettering LGBT postcards
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New watercolor painting in progress
AlexBirdStudio - Emotional LGBT paintings and merch
My name is Alex Bird, and this is my shop.
I draw LGBT and Sapphic art, although just a few years ago I was struggling with internal homophobia and couldn’t accept myself as a lesbian. I used to be married to a man, trying to fit in social expectations. That was until I have started mental therapy and discovered that it’s okay to be gay. Changing life to accepting was harsh and didn't come at once, but it was worth it. I realized that my dream always was to draw the beauty of women and lesbian couples. Women inspired me all my life, but I avoided drawing them, scared of what people think about it. Besides, painting LGBT couples was so thrilling for me, I always thought that I'm not good enough for it.
On my way to acceptance, until I started painting, I suddenly became an invisible LGBT activist. In Russia, where I live, being gay is unacceptable, however LGBT people communicate through private chats and communities in social media. I signed for a vacant place of administrator in such a community and won the contest in 2017. This community has over 200K subscribers, and the main goal of it to let people share their real life stories anonymously. The job of administrators is to edit stories, post it, help the ones who are in trouble; it's a daily routine that helps this community exist. This project is unique: it collected more than 20000 real love stories of LGBT people in Russia, most of which have to live secretly. I, as an administrator of this community, was the keeper of people's secrets. The rule was to never show myself, so nobody knew who collects their stories. It was the stories of people that inspired me to make art. There's a real life story behind each painting.
My mission is to make LGBT people more visible. We exist, even if the government like Russian ignores us, bans us, sues us and sets us in jail. My paintings embodies gratitude to those LGBT people who dare to live openly, encouraging other LGBTQ+ and helping them to accept themselves.
I try to make my art emotional, combining large coarse strokes and sophisticated details. The oil for me is like clay, I modify it until I get the all the strokes in order. I use realistic technique to make my models recognizable, and put them into the chaos of color stains to express their feelings.
I studied painting with the artist, she was my tutor in oil paining, although our themes are completely different. Before I became an artist, I worked as a frame master, a shop assistant, a teacher and even as a laundress. I ran away from my husband, moved twice to other cities, and finally found the love of my life in Saint Petersburg. I think that I'm at the very beginning of my artist’s route, and I hope that one day my gallery will be replenished not only with images of lesbian love, but also with gays, non-binary persons, and all the queer community. My dream is to open my own exhibition of LGBT paintings, somewhere in NY or Amsterdam.
The beauty is in diversity, and love knows no limits.
Shop members
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Alex Bird
Owner, Curator
Alexandra, 32 Shop owner and artist. Studied architecture, economics and art. Born and raised in Siberia, moved to Saint Petersburg in 2019. Worked as a teacher, a frame master and a shop assistant. Took part in several local exhibitions.
Shop policies
Shipping
Payment options
Returns & exchanges
I gladly accept returns, exchanges, and cancellations
The following items can't be returned or exchanged
- Custom or personalized orders
- Perishable products (like food or flowers)
- Digital downloads
- Intimate items (for health/hygiene reasons)
I accept returns I do not accept returns
I accept exchanges I do not accept exchanges
I accept cancellations I do not accept cancellations
Because of the nature of these items, unless they arrive damaged or defective, I can't accept returns for:
Privacy policy
More information
Frequently asked questions
Custom and personalized orders
Yes, you can order a personal painting of you and your Girlfriend/Boyfriend! I would be happy to draw it!
Conditions:
1) It must be a good reference (a photo of you two together), I would not compilate it out of two different photos, sorry :) Not dark and grainy, please. Nude is okay.
2) You can order a watercolor or oil painting.
a) watercolor will be painted on a cotton watercolor paper (grain fin), minimum size 20x30cm, maximum 50x70cm. Ships in a plastic tube.
b) oil painting sizes: min 20x20cm, max 100x100cm. Paintings under 40x50cm are streched on an underframe, shipped in a cardboard box, bigger sizes - in a tube.
3) All paintings are without frames!
4) Terms: 2-3 weeks for oil, 1 week for watercolor.
5) For prices contact me.
Care instructions
For oil paintings:
You can clean it with soft cloth and warm water with or without soap. Do not use abrasive or harsh detergents. Oil paintings don't need to ve covered with glass.
For watercolor paintings and prints: please do not wet. Watercolor paintings and prints on paper should be put in a frame with glass or plexiglass. Contact your local frameshop to do the best framing. Do not hang it on a sunny side, because colours can fade out of UV rays, and the paper can turn soft yellow within several month.
Gift wrapping and packaging
If you'd like to, I can wrap your gift in a craft paper and optionally add a little ribbon bow (you can choose color). All wrapping will be inside the box, so shipping won't damage it. Also, I can add a postcard with warm wishes, written in calligraphic handwriting. I prefer you to send me the text. :)
All of it is for free.
Signing
All original paintings are signed in the corner with my initials, "AK", and year of painting. If you'd like to, I can also sign the painting on the back - my full name, date of creation, city of creation. Or even wright dedication: "To ... with warm wishes" or something like that. Feel free to ask me!