XFW

Animal Stampede Forecast

2012-01-07T10:49:00.000-08:00

If you haven't already, enjoy unique scenes of the city at Wonderland SF!

This show will soon be replaced by new art (title hint for the next show). Get up close to the actual paintings there and see what cannot be captured by the photograph! Get a sense of the actual size and scale of the art there, totally worth it!

There are many other things to see too including fashion and jewelry from creative local designers, books, and art prints!

New Names

2012-01-03T11:54:00.000-08:00

I went ahead and renamed all city lights and candy city images. It got a bit boring naming the images all the same and with numbers. Search for your favorite painting and check out new and exciting titles!

Artists of 2011

2012-01-02T12:59:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Hi-Fructose took a look back at some great artists of 2011. Here is a list of the top 20 articles of 2011 as decided by Hi-Fructose's readers. Lots of fun to read and gawk at!

Part One

Part Two

Happy Holidays!!!

2011-12-24T13:33:00.000-08:00

A Few Days to Finish a Few Dozen Things

2011-12-15T12:24:00.000-08:00

Exactly as the title says.

Here is a detail shot of one of the paintings I am finishing up.

The disadvantage to viewing art online is you cannot really get up close to look at the brush strokes and textures. I might just start posting detail shots of various paintings. As always, you can click on the image and then click again to zoom in for a better look.

In the future, computers will have a hologram option that will enable viewers to see the whole actual painting and rotate it 3-dimensionally so that the textures can accurately be portrayed... one day...

Plastic Sleeves for Prints

2011-12-09T10:36:00.000-08:00

When I am not painting or drawing, I package prints or work on hobbies, or other side projects.

The plastic sleeves I use are 8.5 x 11 inches and fit my prints perfectly. Most of the time. Until I get a package of sleeves that are a quarter inch off! What the hell, a quarter inch is a significant measurement difference!!!

It is supposed to look like this:

Not this:

At least it is a quarter inch too big, and not too small. But still, really!?!?So I just adjusted the size of the mat board and it looks fine.

Watch out for that...

By the way, prints make a great gift! The holidays are coming up ;-)

Attack of the Palette Knife

2011-12-03T10:37:00.000-08:00

Apparently you can slice your finger pretty bad with a round tip palette knife.
Got enough blood to paint a face of utter dissatisfaction. I won't lie- the eyes are my blood, but the mouth is actually red sharpie.

Mini Fighter!

2011-11-30T21:54:00.000-08:00

Want a soldier of your very own to stand guard?

Own a mini fighter! Each print is 8.5 x 11 inches, card stock, matted, and sealed.

If you are interested and are

near San Francisco: Head over to WonderlandSF and get one right away! Or contact them, info@wonderlandsf.com and they will help you out.

near Los Angeles, particularly in the western area: contact Ting-Tien, tingtienwee@yahoo.com, for details

or near Claremont: contact Xiau-Ling, xiawee@students.pitzer.edu, to get hold of your favorite animal!

For all other inquiries, shoot me an email: xfwbird@hotmail.com

LOVE SF

2011-11-15T10:09:00.000-08:00

Come out this Friday night for a drink and wonderful art!

From 6-10 pm, WonderlandSF will be hosting the opening reception of LOVE SF.

Amazing works by:

Hilary Williams
Jeremy Mann
Leo Bugel
Mark Campbell
Todd Laby
Ursula Xanthe Young
Xiau- Fong Wee

WonderlandSF
2929 24th street (between Florida and Alabama)
415-641-4600

Drawing Mediums and Inconsistencies

2011-11-09T18:04:00.001-08:00

I want to make a post about the drawing mediums I use, and I want to warn you allll!!!!!
First, I use HB charcoal pencils, vine charcoal, conte crayon, and compressed charcoal shown above in that order from top to bottom.

Vine charcoal is like powdered soot in stick form. The picture below shows what the conte, compressed charcoal, and the HB pencils look like from left to right respectively. I can't really see the difference between conte and compressed, the difference lies in the feel of each. Conte is smoother and waxier, like a crayon, and compressed is dryer, like charcoal.

Here is the warning!

There are many many many inconsistencies with art supplies. Here is the first example. HB charcoal pencils are all different even though they are supposed to be the same. The last two strokes on the paper are from two charcoal pencils, both stating that they are HB Hard. One is still drastically softer and darker than the other.

So watch out!!! Save yourself from some frustration and check the pencil lead before you buy.

I still use both though- the harder one normally for smudging and smoothing the pencil strokes of softer mediums, in a small tight area. I wrap masking tape around the end of one of the HB pencils so that I can tell them apart immediately without having to test it out each time.

There are so many inconsistent art supplies. Why!?!? You can be sure I will make a post about all of them. For now, this is just on drawing supplies. You would think that it would be especially important to have art supplies be consistent and reliable! Ha.

Tiny

2011-11-04T00:22:00.000-07:00

There is a tiny show coming up. With over 170 artists and lots of great art, it really is not all that small. Actually, it is Studio Gallery's largest show ever!

Everything is under 7" x 7" and under $400. Heck, there are even pieces under $200. This is the perfect time to pick up a unique gift, add to your collection of cool stuff, or start collecting art!

Hope you can make it! See if you can spot familiar pieces by your favorite artists! I've got one painting floating in the sea of art, and can't wait to see what else is going to be displayed!

The opening reception is this Sunday, November 6th, from 2- 6 pm. If you can't come to the opening, there is another reception party coming up, in celebration of Studio Gallery's 8th anniversary. You can also stop by anytime between now and December 23rd. See the images above and click on the links for more detail.

Finishing up Bloody Work

2011-10-31T22:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!!!

A handy hangar that lets me dry and reuse my Viva paper towels. I reuse them once or twice, or until they become hard and crusty. You can get a variety of unique hangars at The Container Store.

Muwahahahahaha

A Thought

2011-10-21T23:46:00.000-07:00

Art is simple.
And art is hard.

Tribute to Kazu

2011-10-17T14:13:00.000-07:00

I am participating in the Tribute to Kazu Project.

Kazu Sano was a great person and he will be missed. Students are invited to participate in this project dedicated to Kazu and all works will hang permanently in 540 Powell street, the Academy of Art University building in San Francisco. The last of the paintings are being collected and soon the art will be hung. Click on the link above to view all the artworks. All art is 4 x 4 inches in size.

Here is my piece- It is titled "A New Way," and the medium is acrylic on canvas. Click here to read my post on the Tribute to Kazu blog.

Juxtapoz

2011-10-13T22:21:00.000-07:00

I forgot to make a post about this.

Thanks Juxtapoz for the feature! It was a great surprise.

Witches of Wonder

2011-10-13T10:06:00.000-07:00

I should have posted this sooner, but if you don't have plans tomorrow, the opening reception for "Witches of Wonder" at Big Umbrella Studios is tomorrow night!

Artwork featured above is by Helice Wen

The postcard says that the opening starts at 6 pm, but the website says that it starts at 7 pm, so arrive sometime around that time. Food, drinks, and art, until 11 pm. The duration of the exhibit is until November 11. For more details on the show, click here.

Canvas Carrier

2011-10-04T22:14:00.001-07:00

I am grateful for my wet canvas carrier. Although I have not used it in a couple years, it came in use a couple days ago!

Stretching my own canvas means that I normally do not install a support bar (unless the canvass is long), and a support bar serves as a good handle in addition to keeping the frame bars from warping.

I am working on a pretty large painting, about 42 inches height, and needed to transport it by foot 1.2 miles, through the wind and hills of San Francisco. I thought about taking the bus, but was worried about crowds and other people on the bus potentially damaging my painting. Taxis are expensive. It took me a while before I realized I still had the wet canvas carrier stashed somewhere.

This thing can be pretty handy from time to time.

Beyond the Horizon

2011-10-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

Juggling acrylic painting, oil painting, drawing, and other activities, there is just too much to do!

In the process of making a lot of stuff, and while painting, I was greeted with this pretty mini brush-stroke scenery.

I love it when art just happens.

There will be a new page added to the top menu, can't wait.

Self Portraits

2011-09-25T20:37:00.000-07:00

One of the toughest challenges are self portraits. Staring at your own face for hours is not something I prefer to do.

Years back, my then primitive and ugly website featured one self portrait...Nevermore! However, I do model for myself in a couple paintings... go to my official website and see if you can spot some of me in a couple of them. Hint: click on the 'Concept' series ;-)

Upon request, and instead, I will post self portraits here. These were all done between 2007 and 2009, click on the image for a larger view.

The painting above shows the collar bone surface piercing I used to have. I miss it :-(

Gaaarrrrr!

Bird 2

2011-09-23T10:52:00.000-07:00

Another small animal.

The body was still warm when I picked it up. A reminder that anything can happen at any moment. Life can evaporate into thin air. Treasure the moments.

Currently on a leaf bed, sitting on my balcony now, I hope to be a bit more careful with this one.

An update about the squirrel- my schedule has prevented me from spending adequate time back in my hometown Los Gatos to properly re-dig the body, so RIP forever in the earth little guy.

Surreal Fishbowl

2011-09-18T15:01:00.000-07:00

Today I said goodbye to my aqua-fish-bowl-head man. Glad to see this finally go to a good home.

It is made out of ceramic and plastic materials. The fish that swam in it's head died a long time ago, and I never wanted to get another one.

Birds and Bees

2011-09-16T00:47:00.000-07:00

A great show at STUDIO Gallery starting now!

Presenting Brandon Smith: The Birds and the Bees

The show runs September 15th - 25th, 2011, but also join us at the opening reception: Sunday, September 18th, 2-6 pm

There is a benefit silent auction on Sunday September 25th from 4-6 pm.

Located at 1815 Polk Street (between Washington & Jackson)
San Francisco, CA 94109 415-931-3130
Gallery hours: Wed-Fri 11-8, Sat-Sun 11-6, Mon-Tue by appt.

The image above is called "A Bird and a Poppy" oil on canvas, by Brandon Smith. Click on the links for all the information and images of Brandon's great artwork!

Hi-Fructose

2011-09-13T11:29:00.000-07:00

Hi-Fructose is a great site/ magazine to check out! So much great art and inspiration!

A little bit about Hi-Fructose:

Hi-Fructose is a quarterly art magazine, founded by artists, Attaboy and Annie Owens in 2005. Hi-Fructose focuses squarely on the art which transcends genre and trend, assuring readers thorough coverage and content that is relevant, informative and original. Hi-Fructose showcases an amalgamation of new contemporary, emerging as well distinguished artists, with a spotlight on awe inspiring spectacles from round the world all of which help to define the future of art in our culture.

I am happy to find a blog post about my army! Thanks everyone for the support!

Preparation

2011-08-30T18:00:00.001-07:00

Preparation can take a while. Depending on what I am preparing for, it can take a full day or two. Stretching and gessoing multiple large canvasses, or researching anatomy, or taking photos can take time. If I take all the prep work into account, I would say the finish art pieces are the result of 50% research/prep and 50% painting/drawing/doing/making the actual art.

After being sick for a while, the last few days have been days of recovering and prep work! Canvasses, sketches, art supplies! Here are sketches of previous work... recognize which pieces they go with? On to the next sketch!

Changes are Interesting!

2011-08-17T14:02:00.000-07:00

Because the galleries on my website have recently changed to a slideshow format, I have rearranged the order of my work to show the newest and latest painting as the opening image. This is only for the Concrete and Concept galleries. This way, you would not have to keep clicking to get to the latest piece, and also, you can check back and see any changes made right away! Changes are interesting!

New cityscapes and drawings just done and over with, and more to come.

Yes, changes are interesting. Once in a while I love to sketch in ballpoint pen. And I like to sketch wood grain.

City Streets

2011-08-08T22:13:00.000-07:00

Come see the city this Sunday!

You should come, not just for the city of San Francisco itself, but for different views, visions, and expressions of it. Come check out City Streets!

The opening reception is at Studio Gallery and I am happy to be showing with many great artists! If you can't make the reception, at least stop by while the show is up. It will be up starting this Wednesday until September 4th. See below for more information

10 Annoying Things to Happen while Painting

2011-07-31T18:02:00.001-07:00

I love painting. But sometimes things happen while I am working that really annoy me. Here is a list!

1. Nature's Call
I really really really have to go to the bathroom.
I hate to break my concentration. Cant. Stop. Painting.

2. Hair
Hair gets trapped on the painting. I don't know how it flew horizontally from my head to the canvas. I don't know how I did not notice it. Either I pick it out with a needle and tweezers or paint thicker over it and hope that it blends in with the brushstrokes.

3. Aliens
Foreign materials invade my palette. Like outer space aliens invading earth, dust particles, paint skins, bits of paper towel, food show up on my palette suddenly. I don't remember when they have landed, but they are there, and my brush picks them up and they mess up my strokes. The coating on my paint brushes also flake out everywhere. And again, my HAIR!!! It gets on my palette and I have long hair so it is annoying. I shed so much it is a wonder I am not bald!

4. Holes
I throw my palette knife into my paint box. I see the blade sticking out of a tube of cadmium red oil paint. Fuck.

5. Itches.
My hands are dirty and gross. My forehead itches. Cant. Stop. Painting.

6. Crashes
My computer crashes and I lose all reference material.

7. Materials
I run out of paint.
It is an important color, like white.

8. My decisions.
I change my mind. I change my mind about a color, I change my mind about where to place what subject, I change my mind about the size of something in the picture... whatever it is, I change my mind and there goes a few wasted hours of work :-/

9. Delusions
I am more than 50% through when I realize that the painting is stupid.
Whether it be the concept, or the color choices, or the execution, whatever it is, the painting was not worth starting in the first place. What was I thinking!?!?!

10. Magic
Paint on my ceiling. Paint on my t-shirt that was under my sweater. Paint under the floor mats. Paint can show up anywhere and there is no explanation. It is magic.

So that's it. If there is anything else that I may have missed, feel free to leave a comment below.

Lights!

2011-07-30T15:17:00.000-07:00

One of the many things I find beautiful about cities are the lights. Suspended in the darkness, in various shapes and colors, they add excitement to the cold concrete everywhere!

I have made a new page showing the process of bring lights into your world. Click on "Illuminate Your World" in the menu above, or click here.

If you haven't already, be sure to check out the other pages in the menu above and have fun creating art.

Art on Walls and Online

2011-07-23T18:37:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

The shows went great! Mischief at StudioGallery has lots of great art hung up and Opposites at WonderlandSF was a party!
I don't have any photos from the Mischief show, but got a few from the Opposites show:

I don't want to give away too much because you need to see the art in person! But the last pic is my piece. It was my first time doing installation work, and I love painting on the wall.

The shows are still up, so make time to check it out! They will be going on for about a month from the opening. See the Shows and Events page above for specific dates.

My website also just got a bit nicer for the galleries are re-structured! Thanks to my friend who helped me out with the galleries, you can now view all the artwork on one page instead of in separate tabs.

That's it for now. There will be a new addition to the menu of pages above! Illuminate Your World will be coming soon!

Opposites

2011-07-16T23:59:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what lies beyond the borders of the picture? Then go to WonderlandSF, where artists continue their world past the edges of their paintings. It is going to be a great show! The opening reception is Wednesday, July 20, from 6 to 10 pm.

The theme for the show is "opposites." I will be showing next to many amazing artists.

Here is the wall space provided for me to paint on:

I got some painting done today, and will return Monday to finish. The work will be up from then on, but come for the reception for the party and to see what all the artists have done!

For more information, click here.

Mischief

2011-07-12T11:36:00.000-07:00

Come out this Sunday! Studio Gallery is holding the opening reception for the Mischief show and there is a lot of great art to look at. I will be showing a few drawings alongside many talented artists.

If you love characters, critters and cartoons, you should definitely come check it out! More information here.

See you there!

Paint Applications

2011-07-03T16:42:00.000-07:00

So, if you follow my facebook page, you may have guessed that I have been working on a diptych. I am nearing completion, and so here is a small sneak-preview section of it:

Meanwhile, let's talk more about paint. Acrylic paint.

I have two palette boxes as my main holder for paints (one for oil and one for acrylic), but sometimes I grab whatever is in reach. When using a plastic lid for a palette, I found out something amusing...

This works for acrylic paints. It is especially cool when clear acrylic medium is used. After the paint completely dries, I can peel it off and stick it to walls, windows, and various surfaces.

Oh no! Green goop on my laptop!!!

Ha ha! Alright, information about shows on the way, and I hope everyone has a great fourth of July weekend!

Morning Call

2011-06-21T14:53:00.000-07:00

I have been too busy lately with too much, but I don't want to ignore posting for too long...

I made this tessellation a while ago, titled "Morning Call." You can click on the image for a larger view of the brush strokes and textures.

I constructed the tile based off of the square. I cut out the tile out of a piece of watercolor paper and hand painted it with acrylic paint before tessellating it digitally.

The rooster crows early at the break of dawn, so I want the piece to emit a loud and annoying feeling. When you look at it, you can't look at it for too long, and you want the image to go away, much like you want to turn off your alarm.

The colors I chose are bright and saturated and the main color is red; red is the color that most people would associate with an alarm, like a fire alarm, or an ambulance alarm.

And, because the sun rises in the east, the roosters have their heads turned to the right.

Ha ha so hopefully after looking at this you are more alert :-P

Drafting My Next Soldier

2011-06-11T12:55:00.000-07:00

I am always working on expanding my army. Check out how I go about that in the Form a Fighter page, or just click the tab above.

The process involves Snoof! Credit for naming this drawing goes to artist Paul Konzen. Upon finishing the drawing and to my dismay, anteaters are silent animals. Complaining to my friend that anteaters do not make noise, Paul responded with "Yes they do...They go sneepapasneep snoof!"

Thanks Paul! For more of Paul's creativity, click here.

Changes

2011-06-09T15:15:00.001-07:00

The various pages I have on this blog being on the right side of the screen really bothered me. I needed to select a new template so that they would show up better as tabs on the upper section of the page.

I am making a new page, soon to come! Form a Fighter will be under construction for a little bit.

I may design a header sooner or later so that the title for my blog is not so borrrriiinng.

Please bear with me.

Kazu Sano

2011-06-02T13:33:00.001-07:00

I have been feeling sad lately, during this unfortunate time. Kazu, you were not only a great artist and teacher, but you were also a kind, knowledgeable, and respectable person.

You have impacted my life so much. I wish I could have spent more time with you.

I send my love and support to friends and family of Kazu.

I really miss you. I will always remember you...

Kazu Sano's website: http://www.kazusano.com/

What is Wonderland?

2011-06-01T11:59:00.000-07:00

This Friday, WonderlandSF is celebrating our 1 year Anniversary! I can't believe it has already been a year. Irene Hernandex-Feiks, Houston, and the family have done a great job with everything, always hosting great shows, and showing amazing art!

The upcoming show is very fun; it features 60 artists and artwork all done 16 x 16 inches. I would write out all the artists' names, but the list is long so to see them, click on the RSVP link below to be directed to the Facebook page where you can view all participating aritsts. The theme for this show is the interpretation of the word "wonderland."

RSVP or just make note of the date:

Friday, June 3 · 6:00pm - 10:00pm
2929 24th street (between Florida and Alabama)

Giant Art Show

2011-05-26T23:46:00.001-07:00

Need somethinta do tomorrow Saturday night?

Chillin' Productions 13th year anniversary is hosting a show with 200 artist and 80 fashion designers! It is great to be showing a couple drawings there again!

The basic information goes:
When: May 28, 2011
8:00pm-2:00am
Where: Mezzanine
444 Jessie Street, SF CA 94103
Cost: $10 at the door
Must be 21+ID

For more information click here.

Warhol Again!

2011-05-20T13:59:00.000-07:00

I just realized I am a couple months late in sharing the painting that I did for the Warhol Reimagined show.

If you missed the show, click here where you can view a slide show of the opening.

I did a piece inspired by Andy Warhol's Cream of Mushroom Soup.

It is called "Suillushake" and the medium is acrylic paint on board. Not sure when I will add this to my website yet; I am still deciding how much it will fit in/ stand out in my "concept" series because I don't have many pieces in there associated with brand name food products. We will see...

There were so many great artists there:

Check out the factory artists!
Check out the soup can artists!

Roots in my Face

2011-05-19T17:46:00.000-07:00

After a few new city-scapes, a new drawing of a fish wearing glasses armed with a gun, and a 16" x 16" painting that belongs in my "concept" series that I just finished a couple hours ago (still have yet to upload a pic of that on the internet), I am ready to move on to the next idea!

But before I do, I thought I would make a post about finding inspiration in nature, something that my blog needs a little more of... there is only one "plants" label on here so far.

Plants can be inspirational from their unique qualities and their many bizarre forms can act as gateways to new ideas.

Beauty is not just on the outside. Even plant roots can be beautiful. What is normally hidden from our view grows right at our eye level with this plant.

It is known as Curtan Ivy or Princess Vine. You can read the description below (click for a larger view).

They feel waxy and smooth...

I love the gradation from the green leaves to the red tips of the roots. From afar, its like a curtain of hair, or a curtain of veins!

Saving the Dead 1

2011-05-10T15:22:00.000-07:00

These couple weeks I am finishing up numerous projects, and will put them up on my website soon. But of course, I have not forgotten...

I realized that it has almost been a year since I picked up my first dead. My busy schedule has pushed the end of this experiment for a little longer than I wished. But finally, I am another step towards closure for the bird and mouse.

One container filled partway with bleach, and another container filled partway with linseed oil, a few paper towels, gloves, and I am all set to go. The animals were dropped into first the bleach, to break down the dried flesh, and then their parts were dropped into the oil to seal and harden the bones, and to stop the bleach from breaking down the bones further. Sounds easy right?

First lesson learned: I need to pay attention. Duh. Pay attention when dealing with more than one animal. Unless you are an expert at bone identification pertaining to animal species, do not drop two different animals into one container.

Second lesson learned: Regularly turn the animals as they float in the bleach. Because they float, one side of their bodies would break down, and the other side would remained unchanged. Uneven flesh being worn away results in uneven bone erosion which results in lost bones. This was a mistake I made with the bird, and that resulted in a bird skull that disintegrated on one side and left the other side crumbling. Hence, no bird skull, and only the beak. :-(

Third lesson learned: I knew that the small bones would be a pain in the ass to salvage, but unless you have the necessary tools, it is nearly impossible to get any bones out in one whole piece. The bleach broke down thin areas too fast and the bone became soft as wet paper, tearing easily. So maybe starting out small for this type of project is not the wisest decision.

So, to start my collection, I have a pair of bird legs, a bird beak, and a mouse skull with the back missing. The back missing from the mouse skull is not a total loss, as I can see the inside skeletal structures.

Now all I have left to do is to find a display box. Then I can put this aside and move on to other animals.

And, to add to my accidental collection of dove eggs, two new abandoned little ones, now housed in my ugly sculpture.

Chicken Machine

2011-04-24T13:24:00.000-07:00

Here is a peek at what I've been up to lately.

Oil paints form blobs of light! Because there is so much darkness, I paint the lights before the darks, contrary to the practice of painting dark to light.
That's all until a little while later. But here is some finished artwork for now- an image I created in high school. The medium is watercolor, ink, and construction paper. It is a chicken machine.

Still Life

2011-04-05T18:12:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone for your support! The first two nights of April were a blast!

Now for a break with some more relaxing painting for upcoming shows... and I guess I can take some time to share with you a few paintings I did some years back, when I used to paint still life a lot... they are too rendered and tight for my tastes now.

Ink

2011-03-25T22:38:00.000-07:00

One week from now, it is party time!

Two nights in a row: April 1st and April 2nd. Both events involve ink: tattoo ink, and silkscreen ink.

April 1st: Why go to Oakland? Well...

At Inkwell Tattoo & Piercing Studio, there is a $50 tattoo flash for Friday April 1st! Walk ins are welcomed, appointments recommended; each design from the photo below is only $50 bucks on Friday the 1st.

And there are $5 raffle tickets for a prize drawing of 3 hours of tattoo work with the inkwell artist of your choice!
And and, $2 raffle ticket grand prizes of a free piercing and 10 pieces any jewelery! You must be present to win.
And and and, I will also be having a solo show there, featuring artwork from my concept series.

Opening reception:
April 1st, from 6:00 pm- 9:00 pm
Inkwell Tattoo Studio, Gallery, Boutique
2400 Broadway
Oakland, CA

RSVP to the opening reception, or just drop in during open hours to check it out!

April 2nd: In San Francisco...

At Artillery Apparel Gallery, Samantha Lee, Carmen McNall, Niki Waters, and I are showing off our screen-printed artworks!

This show features all women silk screen printers, in celebration of the end of Women's Month. A strong body of serigraph work depicting the finest collaboration of colors and ideas will impact your mind.

Come and hang out at the opening reception! DJ Baysik is on the Turn Tables all night long! Live musical performance, drinks, and tasty treats by Kiss My Cupcake SF will be there.

Artillery AG
2751 Mission St.
San Francisco, CA

RSVP to the opening reception, or stop by during hours of operation for some awesome art!

Art Around the World

2011-03-20T10:23:00.001-07:00

It is good to be back in San Francisco!!!

Thanks to my aunt for letting me stay at her wonderful home! Her place is filled with paintings and sculptures; take a look:

This one hangs above the bed of the room I stayed in while I was there...... one of my favorites, painted by Dao Hai Phong:

I really love the play of shapes and the use of color to convey Hanoi streets and village scenes.

Here is another one I thought was pretty good. It is an abstract image of two figures, but it also reminds me of Disney's "It's a Small World."

Unfortunately, all I know of the artist is that he or she is Cambodian. If somebody happens to know more about this artist, drop a comment below please!

Warhol Reimagined: The New Factory

2011-03-10T16:29:00.000-08:00

The stunning artworks and pop art imagery of Andy Warhol clashes with the style and flair of today's modern artists in an upcoming show near you!

Curated by Warholian.com and presented by Project One Gallery, the show features many great artists. It's Warhol Reimagined: The New Factory! This is going to be a good show so RSVP for the opening reception or just stop by when you get a chance.

There are factory artists and soup can artists.
Factory artists picked from a selection of over 60 of Warhol’s works. The works were chosen based on their importance in Warhol’s history as an artist and overall representational aesthetic. The artists have to re-interpert their selected Warhol image into their own style.

Andy Warhol is best known for his Campbell’s soup can works. First displayed at Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles in 1962, these works now hang in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The MOMA display is recreated via the talents of 32 well known and emerging artists – each reimagining a different can in their own light. I participated as a soup can artist.

The show runs from March 10 at 7:00pm - April 19 at 11:00pm. The opening reception is March 10th, 2011 from 7 pm until March 11th 2 am. I will definitely attend the show, but unfortunately will not be able to make it for the reception because I am still in Singapore!

Project One Gallery is located at 251 Rhode Island, San Francisco, CA 94103
Daytime Gallery and Cafe Hours: Mon. – Friday – from 8am – 5pm
Gallery Happy Hour every Thursday & Friday 5pm – 8pm
Gallery Evening Hours every Wed. – Sat. until 2am
Phone: (415) 938-7173

The links above provide further details and information, including detailed artist bios, previous work galleries, and links to their personal websites. Hurry up and check out the links! There is only a few hours before the opening!

Ack! Don't Touch Me!

2011-03-01T16:30:00.000-08:00

First of all, I want to thank everyone for checking out my first international show in Singapore! Thanks to all for your support!

One thing I love about traveling is the constant flow of new discoveries and inspiration. I am exposed to the life, culture, and art scene here; it is a great learning experience.

Singapore is known not only for their big brand-conscious culture and growing art market, but also for their wide variety of wild and unique plant life.

This little weed/fern-like plant grows everywhere! Not so aesthetically outstanding, but I like that it is an active plant, and is able to respond to stimuli, such as touching, warming, blowing, or shaking.

I have known it to be the "shy plant", it hides away when touched. If I want to be specific and if I want to sound smart, I guess I would address it by its' binomial name, "mimosa pudica." The flower head is pretty, but my video does not show any so you can click on the link to find a flower on the right side of Wikipedia's page.

I Have Four Hands!

2011-02-14T13:32:00.000-08:00

I have discovered how to clone bodies! or parts of bodies!

A great artist and good friend of mine, Anderson Lewis, makes awesome sculptures. See some of his work!!! The other day, we made molds of my hands for him to work from as reference. I thought this is a great idea to get the pose you want so that you can work from it almost from life, without having the model pose for infinity.

I want to record this process here so I don't forget it and share it with all. Sorry, no step by step photos, only photos of the finished product.

I may want to try this one day. I can build up a collection of random body parts! Then I can piece them together and with a few bolts of electricity, make a monster assistant he he he...

Anyway, let's start with the materials:

water

alginate- the one Anderson used was called "dermagel."

plaster- any type; your main options are red tag ( the normal one), hydracal ( a litle denser, and ultra cal (that's the one Anderson used)

3 buckets or containers- one to prepare the alginate, one to prepare the plaster, and one for the mold. Make sure you puncture a hole in the bottom of the container being used for the mold. Then seal it with tape. This is so that after the plaster dries, the mold can be easily removed.

1. Measure out equal parts of alginate and water. Pour water into alginate and mix with your hands until you get a smooth runny consistency. No lumps!!! Add more water if necessary.

2. Pour the alginate in the container for the mold and insert the item/ subject matter to be replicated. This is when I stuck my hand into the alginate and held it for about 10-15 minutes until the alginate started to set. Setting times may vary depending on humidity and temperature of the environment.

3. While the alginate is setting, prepare the plaster. Fill up a container with water and scoop in portions of the plaster until it emerges on the surface, like the formation of an island.

4. When the alginate is ready, carefully wiggle the object out of it's cavity. Fill the cavity with plaster tap the sides of the container to release trapped air. The plaster is ready to be removed when water and moisture has completely evaporated from the top.

5. To remove the mold, turn the container over and remove the tape over the hole. The whole thing should slide out- alginate and plaster. Carefully remove all the alginate by carving away at it. And, if you did everything right, you will have a sculptural clone of your subject matter!!!

Every detail is recorded - the nails, finger prints and knuckle creases!

"Just Because..."

2011-02-08T09:27:00.000-08:00

So suddenly, the most unusual trio has come to conquer all!!!

The duck, sea-lion, and dalmatian will face the public! The opening reception is this Friday at WonderlandSF, featuring 17 amazing artists:

Amanda Lynn
Antonio Rivera
Chris Love
Eve Skylar
Jasper Thomas
Joshua Lawyer
Lee Harvey Roswell
Manuel Peinado
Mark Campbell
Micah Leburn
Nick Andreson
Renee Castro
Rick Kitagawa
Robert Garcia
Ross K Jones
Sid Enck Jr.
Spencer Hansen
and me

Wonderland SF is located at
2929 24th Street (between Florida and Alabama)
SF, CA 94410
415-641-4600

The reception is Friday Feb 11, 2011 from 6pm-10pm

Go to WonderlandSF's webpage for more information.

Two artists who are in the show with me, Eve Skylar and Rick Kitagawa I have worked with before. Great, talented artists they are!!! Check out their work and organizations:

Eve Skylars' Website
Eve Skylars' Blog
Rick Kitagawa's Website
Monkey and Seal- the collaboration between Rick Kitagawa and Eve Skylar
Paper Hat Productions- a revolutionary company exposing emerging artists to the world

Decimus

2011-02-05T10:06:00.001-08:00

It is always interesting to see how different artists live and work. Curt Anderson is an artist and the founder of Urban-Muse (link is on the left side of this page). I got the opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes-glimpse of Curt Anderson's space.

His walls are adorned with an impressive collection of books, movies, games and artwork, of all different styles, topics, and genres. There is a constant flow of inspiration everywhere.

I got to see many of Curt's artwork in person. Very cool. He shared some older drawings, his recent drawings, and ideas for future projects.

The above image is "Chobei." We talked about the direction and meaning of this charcoal on toned paper drawing, it was surprising and insightful!

Curt recently started a painting! I am looking forward to seeing it finished; it is something new and different. I won't give too much of it away though... we just have to wait and see.

Visit his website and see more of his art!

The Mafu Cage

2011-01-29T11:14:00.000-08:00

Looking for more beautiful captivating images? The Mafu Cage is a virtual exhibition of paintings, drawings, sculptures, animation and photography of various artists. Scroll down the page for the archive, a list of all the artists, and links to more great stuff.

Go to The Mafu Cage

The latest post so far, features me in 2 Rooms (Room 1 | Room 2), along with a couple portraits of me painted by artist Leo Bugel

Golden Ratios

2011-01-15T10:42:00.000-08:00

Thought I would share with you another silkscreen print I did.

I really like this one, but unfortunately, it does not fit in with my other prints as a cohesive body of work. The image is inspired by the golden ratio found in life and nature.

There are two versions of this. The one with the red nautilus shell is an edition of seven, while the purple nautilus shell one is an edition of two.

Paint and Destroy

2011-01-10T09:26:00.000-08:00

This is regarding the "Concept" body of work.

People ask me sometimes how I paint. There is no simple answer to that... I paint in many different ways, and most often, I don't know what the hell I am doing. Really. I rarely sketch out a composition, nor do I know exactly the subject matter I am going to paint. I have a vague idea of it all: a vague imaginary sketch in my head, a vague composition, and a vague subject matter (portrait, hand, body part...etc...). The only sure idea I keep in mind when I paint is the concept, message, or underlying meaning I want the image to communicate to the audience.

So, if I were to sum it up, in general, I paint and destroy.

Yes. I destroy what is perfect. I destroy a perfectly white canvas with globs of color. I move the pigment around on the surface to form a perfect image of something (like a face or any other subject matter) and then I destroy that perfect image, and destroy and destroy some more until I get a finished painting.

I have created a page demonstrating this method, documenting the creation/destruction of "Alleviated Aggravation." Check out "Paint and Destroy" in the menu of links above, or click here.

This is how I work; I paint and destroy.

Rebirth

2011-01-08T11:33:00.000-08:00

So here is the exciting news!!!

I have a solo show coming up... in Singapore!!!

I have been having to crank out a bunch of work based on the concept of "rebirth." There are 3 new paintings up on my website under "concrete," and more to come.

I will post them on my personal and fan-page facebook site too.

So you are around, come check it out!

For details, visit GJ Asian Art

New Stuff

2011-01-05T21:01:00.000-08:00

New website home page!

And, I have a lot of painting I need to get done. A lot. A lot. A lto.altotalltol.al

Here is a sneak peek at something new:

I have to paint a lot before mid February.

A lot.... yeah...

That's all I am going to share right now... more news about this to come as situations get settled and problems and schedules worked out...

Check back to see what's up!

How to Make a Happy Cupcake

2011-01-04T10:40:00.000-08:00

It's always good to go back and look at what you did as a little kid, and get inspiration and ideas...

I was looking through the box of art and scribbles my mother keeps from when I was a little kid, and I came across a recipe:

So what were the results of this delicious concoction?
A happy cupcake, of course, what else?

This cupcake was obviously created much much much later than this recipe; there was no date on the recipe, but judging by the order it was found in the box, it must have been from way back when the time I learned how to think.

Artist Profile: Karin Regenass

2010-12-30T21:32:00.000-08:00

Karin is a great artist and a good friend of mine!

She is nearing completion of her studies at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and her work has really developed these past years.

See some of her amazing art

Squirrel

2010-12-28T18:43:00.000-08:00

Back in my hometown, Los Gatos...

I was riding my bicycle along Winchester Boulevard, when I passed by this little fellow.

So many

dead animals

So sad.

Whilst I am away of the city, I might as well take advantage of the setting, as I cannot bury animals anywhere near my apartment in San Francisco. He deserves a proper burial. It's the least I could do in exchange for his skeleton.

I'll check back the next time I'm back down.

Acrylic Inks on Paper

2010-12-19T23:51:00.000-08:00

okay... I just uploaded some silkscreened works on paper

It's in my Oddball Portfolio

kliqonzeelink otop ^

Prints

2010-12-18T10:07:00.000-08:00

As the year comes to a close I am trying to clean, organize, wrap everything up, and photograph new and old artwork, including some prints I did. I love to screen print, and have developed a small body of work over the last few months.

I still need to sort through the different exposures before posting them. So for now I thought I would share some art prints I did a couple years back... one linocut, and one aquatint print.

My silkscreen work is mainly work done on paper, although I have tried printing on canvas and clothing.

Arquitectura Moderna

2010-12-08T11:12:00.000-08:00

painting by Jeremy Mann

Friday Night! Art show and a holiday party at the same time!

On December 10 at WonderlandSF, see great work by:

Andrzej Michael Karwacki
Alex Gracia
Chris W Stokes
Jeremy Mann
Mark Campbell
Pixelstud TM
Rachel Znerold
Steve Javiel
and Me!

The reception goes from 6-10 pm. Address is 2929 24th street, SF CA 94110.

Come have a drink , have some food AND get your Christmas Tree from THE ARBORY

Facebook invite page

Scattered

2010-12-04T10:38:00.000-08:00

I got a few pieces of art scattered around San Francisco...

First, tonight!

The drawing in the postcard above is by Renee Castro.

I will have two new previews Taxilands there! Taxiland 5 and Taxiland 6. Also, I will have Schnork! Mieuu! and Kwack! there.

If you want to see allotta art, go to the Mezzanine! Show starts at 8:00pm and goes on until tomorrow at 2:00am. It is $10 at the door, age 21+.

200 Painters/Photographers
80 fashion Designers
Video Installations
...
Live Painting by:
Rachel Znerold
Jasper Thomas
Rob Harris
Daryoush Bahar

Music by:
DJ Felina
Dirtyhertz
Rondo Brothers
LARON
Terbo Ted
Irene Hernandez-Feiks
+ more

Address is 444 Jessie Street, SF CA 94103

Next..........

If you are around north beach, stop by the Arata Fine Arts Gallery.

The theme this month is "City Lights." Lots of great images of the bay area, and more!

Then.................

Coming Tuesday December 14,

Animalia - Eye on Amazon Watch!

Tuesday night from 7:00 pm until Wednesday 12:00 am
The Amsterdam Cafe

937 Geary Street

San Francisco, CA

Me and you baby ain't nothing but mammals, so it's time that we all get on down and love us animals!
In this group show, we celebrate the inspiration behind the book ANIMALIA, where we become our furry, feathered and fun filled friends, and they too, become us.

Come out and thee shall see the Animalia works of ::
Mike Kershnar
Patrick Haemmelein
Taiko Fujimura
Phoneticontrol
Alice Koswara
Dylan Kelly
and Me!

Wild things to Wear Provided by:
Miss Velvet Cream
Katie Burley
Mary Weather

Music to your ears
T-Bird Luv Flame
Mama Crow
Yaqueline Laporte
+ other special guests!

==- A portion of proceeds will be donated to the SF based non-profit Amazon Watch.
The are doing important work! Please check them out -===

Amsterdam Cafe is a lovely hookah lounge that has an extensive selection of fine beers from all over the world. Come cozy up with us for a night.

Show run by Kellie Peach

AND......

One more show at Wonderland SF, December 10! More details to come....

Books and Shirts

2010-11-22T13:51:00.001-08:00

Been very busy lately!

I have been framing a bunch of work for shows coming up in December! More on that soon, for now...

Chromagination book is for sale!
See the "Book Store" link to the right.

I also have new silkscreen artwork soon to be posted on my website under the "Crinkle" section, but have also been making t-shirts. Hand-printed t-shirts in the "T-shirts" link to the right.

Here is my lovely mother modeling for me wearing the shirt I made for her :-)

The holidays are approaching and these are great gift ideas, check it out!

New Addition to the Family

2010-11-12T20:57:00.000-08:00

Brought him home a couple of days ago. Named him Lum.

~Special thanks to Mark.~

As for the bird and mouse? Still not quite... I may have to speed up the process somehow when I find some time. Then, I will name them. Then it will be one big happy family: Me, my invisible wonderful husband (it is great being married to my work), Lum, and the two critters!

Urban-Muse

2010-10-21T09:25:00.000-07:00

I am happy to announce that I have joined Urban-Muse.

Urban-Muse is made up a bunch of badass artists who kick butt!

You can keep up to date about artists events and news in their blog.

Curt Anderson, curator and a great artist, posted a welcome for me almost a week back. Last night, I entered my first post! I introduced myself, displayed a small army of charcoal animals that I had completed within the last couple months, and told everyone my plan to destroy the world!

Muwahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Chromagination Book Release Party

2010-10-12T11:05:00.000-07:00

Chromagination is:

Andrew Mar
Angeline Thong
Carlyn Lim
Ciaee Ching
Emerson Tung
Gue Yang
Hyunwoo Lim
Irys Ching
Isabella Kung
Petur Antonsson
Pierre Roussel
Quincy Boyd
Robert Chew
Xiau-Fong Wee

The book release partyis tomorrow, the October 13th.
7:00pm - 10:00pm
540 Powell St. Room 10 (Basement)

San Francisco, CA

The book available for sale.

Petur Antonsson will be painting digitally live
and I will be painting "traditional" with acrylic live.

It's gonna be casual with informal Q & A and pizza!

Visiting Art Explosion Fall Open Studios

2010-10-10T16:22:00.001-07:00

My first time going to Art Explosion's Open Studio! The building is three stories tall with at least fifty artists a floor. I headed straight up to the third floor and went to check out Paul Konzen's studio!

There were some paintings I recognized from the past, and plenty of new artwork I have not seen until today; they all looked awesome.

As Paul was showing me around, we ran into Janet Ji Song! She is an amazing painter as well, but her website is not quite developed yet.

Jamie Lee's super tight paintings were also shown:

But there were more than paintings there; I saw interesting sculptures, fashion, weaving, and mixed media work. Before I left the telephone wire sculptures hanging in the corner caught my eye.

These are made by:

Tuan Tran's work is very impressive. I am glad I got a chance to meet him!

Art Explosion Fall Open Studios

2010-10-07T10:53:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow is the first day of Art Explosion Open Studios.

Here is the information as copied from the link above:

Art Explosion
Fall Open Studios
October 8-10 2010

Opening Reception: Friday Oct 8th 7pm - 11pm

Art Explosion Studios, the Mission's largest Artist's collective is holding its annual Fall Open Studios on October 8th thru the 10th. Come see over 130 artists as they open their studios to exhibit their work. Painters, sculptures, photographers, fashion designers, jewelers and textile artists will be showing so there will be something for every type of art connoisseur. The free opening reception gala will be on Friday, October 8th from 7pm-11pm. Don’t miss this opportunity to get a first look at all the incredible work that will be on display and enjoy a spectacular night out viewing art. On Sat & Sun we will have open studios from 11am – 6pm. Come meet the artists in their studios and get a personal showing of their art. As always Free Admission and Free Refreshments with plentiful street parking.

Three Locations:

2425 17th St, SF, CA
744 Alabama St, SF, CA
2345 Harrison St, SF, CA

Being the opening reception, Friday night will be packed; I will most likely head to the Alabama Street location over the weekend. Looking forward to seeing lots of great art including artwork of Paul Konzen, who is also a good friend of mine!

Stuff Happened

2010-10-06T10:10:00.000-07:00

Damn! Have not posted for a while! Knew that I would slack off sometime.

First, the Portals and Peepholes show was awesome! Like stepping into another world! In case you missed it, here are photos from the event.

Well a lot has happened. I don't feel like going into detail about it today, so here is a summary of topics to talk about in near future posts (and by "near" I mean within the next week or so):

Chromagination and Chromagination Book Release Party in San Francisco
Open Studios
Urban-Muse

Good stuff there; check out the websites!

Anyway, still tending to the body farm (click on "death" under labels) on my balcony, I am reminded of an old bronze sculpture I did a couple years ago. Uglinteresting piece of work.

I don't know how clearly the shapes read, but it is basically an abstract female body with a hand in place of her head, holding a staff with feet at one end, and the second hand at the top of the staff, holding a cage. The cage has her face as the base.

Inside the cage are dove eggs. A dove has made a nest in a shrub of one of the plant boxes out there. The dove laid three eggs, only one egg did not survive and it was just one egg in the cage for a few months.

Then one day a dove (cannot verify it was the same dove) was back in the same nesting area, only this time, she was just keeping one egg warm. Unfortunately, that egg was abandoned due to an unintentional spook to the dove.

Now r.i.p two fetuses, birds that were to be, but never will, their spirits reside in an open birdcage, free to fly, free to come and go as they please.

So I guess technically, I have four small bodies....

Portals and Peepholes

2010-09-18T20:27:00.000-07:00

Show coming up at Mission Control in San Francisco!

Trickster Arts Salon, "Portals and Peepholes"

A monthly arts salon focusing on community, creativity and openness. Providing a safe space for smart and sexy people to engage in genuine discourse, while doing our part in assisting evolution to unfold with grace and style.

Artists, seekers, thinkers and players-

Join us as we embark on this new collective journey of wonder, magic, merriment, and art!
...Step with us into another time and place- of color and light, of hope and grace! Through portals and peepholes this new world is near, through creative experience it is already here!

7-11pm at Mission Control; arrive by 9pm for performances by:
The New Eccentrics and Lesley Littlefield

Plus, Participitory experiences, and Rooms of Great Art!!!!

Costumes/ Wacky Dress Encouraged!!! (not required) Think: White Rabbits, Mad Scientists, Characters from distant Times/ Places... or whatever you feel!

RSVP required!!! Go to www.tricksterevents.com or contact me.

September Show Update!

2010-08-30T20:35:00.001-07:00

Ok! I just got the e-mail notification on the September Show.

Here is the updated information:

Join Chillin Productions’ and Wonderland SF This Thursday Sept 2 for the Grand Opening of our September show:

The show's theme is

Fantasy Girls/Mujeres de fantasia

Artwork by:

Aaron Johnson
Alberto Hernandez
Amanda Lynn
Andrzej Michael Karwacki
Chris Granillo
Christie Newman
Jasper Thomas
Jeff Neugebauer
Jordan Quintero
Joshua Lawyer
Marcus
Mark Campbell
Lee Harvey Roswell
Rachel Znerold
Renee Castro
Rueben Rude
Robert Garcia
Ross K. Jones
Stephanie Mufson
Trek Six
Xiau-Fong Wee

Come and join us for some wine and food

The opening reception is this Thursday, September 2 from 6pm-10pm

Wonderland SF Gallery
2929 24th Street
SF, CA 94110
(between Florida and Alabama)
Neighborhood: Mission

September show

2010-08-23T14:58:00.000-07:00

This coming week I am going to make a trip to Wonderland SF to drop off a painting for the September show!

It is a themed show. The topic is: your ultimate fantasy dream girl.

Yes. I really had to think about that ;-)
And, as sexy as robots are, I wanted to refrain from painting a bionic lady.

I am excited to be showing with other wonderful artists! Here is the list of all the artists of the show:

Aaron Johnson
Amanda Lynn
Charmanie Olivia
Chris Granillo
Christie Newman
Gianluca Frazese
Jeff Neguebauer
Jordan Quintero
Josh Lawyer
Lee Harvey Roswell
Robert Garcia
Rachel Znerold
Renee Castro
Reuben Rude
Ross K Jones
Stephanie Mufson
Xiau-Fong Wee

It's going to be lots of fun. If you got time, come and check it out. The opening reception is Thursday, September 2. I don't have the information regarding the time yet, but pretty sure it is going to start around 6/7 pm and end at 9/10/11 pm.

Address:
2929 24th St
(between Florida St & Alabama St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
Neighborhood: Mission

Salon Show

2010-08-09T14:34:00.000-07:00

In the "Shows and Events" page, you may have noticed that I was to have work at the 625 Sutter Gallery.

I guess I should note that my painting is not there anymore. It was up for a few days, but the owner already picked it up because he/she was going out of town, and taking it then totally beats the hassle of shipping!

But I will keep the show posted on the page; there are some cool works of art there if you ever want to go and check it out :-)

Their hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM

Body Farm Update

2010-08-06T16:44:00.000-07:00

Checked on my animals (bird, mouse) to see if they are doing okay, after all, it has been a couple months. Just because they are no longer alive does not mean you can ignore your pets! I'm a responsible owner he he...

They look fine. No bugs though, I don't think the city is the right place to attract insects.

Their eye sockets are starting to show, and the bones of their feet are apparent, and intact. They look dried up.

Decomposition of the body is a slow process....

Tree Roots Have Consumed Me

2010-07-26T09:56:00.001-07:00

Carnivorous tree painting finished! I am to upload it soon on the website. Ok, so the trees are not really carnivorous... The painting is called "Dance from Below." Look out for it on the website once I get over my laziness to post it, and when I am not distracted by that shiny kettle of boiling water. Time to get coffeeeeee

Painting Trees and Flowers

2010-07-24T23:35:00.000-07:00

I have been so busy typing, I have hardly had time to paint.
But I am working on one painting right now.... I won't show the whole thing yet, but here are a couple square inches of it:

I used a palette knife for the texture.

Look! Purty flowers!

These are small portions of the picture plane. I want to finish this soon before I get sick and tired of it. Then I will put it up on my site and start another painting.

Mutants of the Young Wee

2010-07-11T18:46:00.000-07:00

I went home to Los Gatos for a while and found some art I did a long while back. There is no date on this, but I know most of these were done sometime around and before the 6-year-old mark...

Mutant Scarecrow

Mutant...dog? And what is up with that 5th leg :-P

Mutant Dyslexic Cow says "OOM!" I want a cow that makes a noise like that and provides me with lemon juice instead of milk; yuck.

Dr. I-Ball: I made a mini flip-book from this character also. But have not taken photos yet. So until next time...

Mr. Turpentine

2010-07-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

Something to try with paint:

In the past when I used a scraper to clean my oil paint palette, baby slug monsters were born. It was fast and easy to create; I simply scrapped oil paint onto a knife and wiped it on a sheet of paper towel. Then I added two of my eyelashes to it to create Mr. Turpentine, the oil paint slug!!!!

Entre Suenos

2010-06-23T09:26:00.000-07:00

Show coming up!

I'll be showing with other artists and their awesome art! Opening Reception is coming up...

Wonderland SF is proud to present “Entre Suenos” exhibit by:

Charmaine Olivia
Chris Granillo
Jeff Nemenzo
MARK CAMPBELL
Renee Castro
PIXELSTUD
Xiau-Fong Wee

Curated by: Irene Hernandez-Feiks

Fashion Installation:
TRIBE
by Elizabeth Fisher

Opening Reception:
Thursday July 1, 2010
6pm-11pm

The exhibit will be up from July 1, 2010- July 30
2929 24th Street
San Francisco, CA

Treasured Trash

2010-06-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

I have been keeping a rubbish sketchbook for some time. I am still working on filling the pages. Here is a page from the book- a collage of fruit stickers. Of all the fruits that come with stickers I consume, fruit #4131 is the winner for quantity!

ok... yes there is a pistachio sticker too...

I guess my pages of rubbish could be a Silly WTF thing.

There are also banana stickers, but I don't eat bananas because they make my mouth itch. Got the stickers from other people... The bananas I get I mutate:

Looks like Miss Nababa wants a kiss! Pucker up!

Dead Mouse

2010-06-17T09:57:00.000-07:00

My zombie bird has a new pet

Aaaw, its so small... only a baby!

Sexyphant

2010-06-13T10:04:00.000-07:00

The second Silly WTF Stuff:

I made this a while ago. I thought it was awesome, and I had a thing for red high heels (not for my own feet). After I finished making it, I did not know what to do with it... Now I'm stuck with a frikin' blue-silvery drag queen elephant!!! It has been sitting on my shelf for a while.... silly and useless

I still like the feather though; and once in a while, I will laugh at it.

Great Chain of Clips

2010-06-09T09:29:00.000-07:00

The first Silly WTF Thing:

I swear I have had this for at least 5 years plus! And all the while, I've probably only used 8 paper clips.

I don't remember how I got this, but am pretty sure it was a gift- a container of colorful paper clips that allowed the passing of ten minutes to make a chain.

I noticed a key ring hooked on there too...

If your having trouble with loose pages flying everywhere, hit me up! I can end your distress...

Silly WTF Stuff

2010-06-08T13:31:00.000-07:00

Although I lead a somewhat creative life, making things and stuff, I don't always end up with treasures...

Sometimes, I get an idea I think is great so I follow through with it.

After I complete a project, I realize the idea was stupid and pointless. Why did I spend time and energy making this?!?!?! What the hell?!?!?!?!?!?

The junk I make then ends up in the trash, somewhere under my bed, or in a dark corner collecting dust.

Rather than hide them away from the world, I guess I could post some here and there on this blog of mine and share some silly useless things I make with you. Some may be stuff I dig up from the past and some may be stuff I recently made.

Until the next post....

What's happenin?!?!?!

2010-06-07T09:47:00.000-07:00

Sketch sketch sketch, draw, draw, draw, f**k up, erase erase erase, draw, draw, scowl, draw, pouty lip face, draw, erase, sketch, coffee.

la la laa

Leo Bugel

2010-06-06T09:11:00.000-07:00

Leo Bugel set up a website! Check it out:

http://leobugel.com/home.html

There's a painting of me there too :-)

Sweet Scents

2010-06-03T12:50:00.000-07:00

A little bit of the refreshing aromaticness I inhale everyday

Fixative is my favorite... ahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

RollyLaffy

2010-06-01T11:29:00.000-07:00

I like toys...

As I was on my quest for weapons yesterday, I ran into this dog.

WTF

I was thinking... dogs don't really laugh like this, people do, so what if they made one like this except instead of a dog, it was a human, like a baby or fat kid? Yea, rolly baby with possessed demonic laughter!!!!

If it did not make evil laughing noises, I think it would have made for a rather interesting and entertaining alternative to my swifter mop.

Guns

2010-05-31T10:21:00.000-07:00

Ima go gun shopping today! Would like to get three maybe four guns depending on the price...

Dead Bird

2010-05-30T10:21:00.000-07:00

My first animal carcass!!!

I was walking home a couple days ago and found this dead bird on the sidewalk.

With the protection of tissue paper, I peeled the body off the cement by one of the birds' leg. It was gross! As I trotted towards my apartment, the body bumped against a part of my hand, which made me very uncomfortable. Even though I was only a block away from home, it felt too long to have a dangling carcass in your hand. I freaked out a little because I thought I felt it twitch, and thought maybe this sticky lump of feathers was still alive. Nope- just me freaking out.

There was a cross-guard near an elementary school I was passing. She looked at me funny. I told her I was going to give it a proper burial :-P

Got home, threw it in a soil box on the balcony, found a container, cut holes in the container, bird in the container, sprayed water on the body to keep it moist, hid it in shrub.

Now I wait. Hopefully bugs will get to it to clean the flesh off the bones.

I will have to do some research eventually so I can reassemble the bones if all goes well. I hope to have some great bone/skeletal structures soon!!!

The 3 C's

2010-05-29T11:00:00.001-07:00

No, not caffeinne, cocaine, and candy. Sorry.

Some people have inquired about the three categories under my gallery on my website: Concrete, Concept, and Crinkle.

This is a brief explanation of each to clarify:

Concrete: Solid (concrete) depictions- what it is, is what it is. The image shows the moment and captures a feeling, or a different way to view the city. The work is meant for visual pleasure. "Concrete" can also refer to the material depicted, in this case, a city is basically composed of blocks of concrete.

Concept: Works with an underlying idea. These images have more to the surface and what meets the eye- they reach for the brain as well.

Crinkle: Works on paper... paper, well, crinkles. Works done on paper are a mix of concrete and concept. Some are concrete images and others are dedicated to an idea or meaning. Hopefully this section will grow more as time passes.

Coffee

2010-05-28T10:20:00.001-07:00

Starting a day with coffee; I love coffee. Any coffee is good. I am happy even with instant coffee, but love to try all different types.

One day, when I am rich enough and feeling adventurous, I can go for this $50-$100 cup of coffee:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_Luwak

Gonna go research now...

Let's Start

2010-05-26T10:31:00.000-07:00

I had a blog a while ago, but was never good at updating it. I did not know what to post before, and did not like to put my artwork on the blog because of the template and layout options for my images. Got rid of that blog.

I'm starting anew. What goes up here on this page will not be my artwork (finished pieces will be displayed on the official website)...this blog is a piece of my life that replaces the Bio page on my main website. I will post whatever and as often as I can.

Okay then!