a little vacation

I recently came back from a nice little vacation in San Francisco. Even though it's the city where I grew up, visiting the place with a bunch of east coast friends and making a point of touring there makes for a very different experience! I had an incredible time (at some points, surprisingly inspirational)

one of my all-time favorite activities: beach bonfire!!

I traveled there and back with my good friend Deo, he pretty much was taking pictures non-stop. For more incredible photos, visit his flickr!

Now that I'm back and off of vacation mode, I've been working hard on preparing drawings for my next silkscreen book, which I'm really psyched about. I'm finally getting to coloring in some separations and I have to say, scribbling with the extra BOLD tip oil-paint Sharpie is such a sensational feeling... It feels amazing, coloring like a kid essentially. I can't imagine making silkscreen separations on a computer screen?? (not that I know how to, anyway!)
So, I'm hoping to start printing once summer arrives and try and finish the project by end of summer with an all new silkscreen book for APE this year. I can't wait to print!

where i dream and draw

Corner of the room where my drafting table resides.

This is the room that I currently live in. It's where I sleep. It's where I drink all this coffee before exerting my creative energy into whatever project at hand, on the very table pictured.

Immersed in the organized clutter (in the detail photo) : antelope brown india ink, at least 2 pairs of scissors and box-cutters (when things get hectic they are lost so easily!), an array of tiny tiny oil brushes, sumi ink, 4 different kinds of tape, oils, random tubes of acrylic, uhh toothpaste?, etc.
On the other side of the drafting table: books, more books.

recent reads:
"The Road" Cormac McCarthy
"Post Office" Charles Bukowski

currently reading:
"Swallow Me Whole" Nate Powell
"Monster Men Bureiko Lullaby" Takashi Nemoto

music on loop:
Matt & Kim, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Panda Bear

"Sweet Surrender" it opened!

The opening reception was incredible! I couldn't believe all the people who made it out! It was good to see my neighbors, my Brooklyn roommate and all his friends, former weekend art students (circa YWCA!), SOTA kids, people i've met at Wondercon, even people I met last year at APE (!) and some folks I met on trivia night that very week turned out for the opening. WOW! Met a ton of new people as well. The night blew my mind!

I wasn't able to take any pictures, but here are some photos courtesy of friends and the gallery:


from left to right: my friend Scott, neighbors Paul and Jon, and myself

my parents and me looking fascinated by whatever Sarah is saying (Sarah, my former art teacher from the Y)

it was packed!!!

from left to right: Camilla, Krista, Allison, me

Also, there's a nice write up of the show on ARTslant: http://www.artslant.com/global/articles/show/5521

"Sweet Surrender" @ Gallery1988SF

I'll have about a dozen new pieces for this show and will be in town for the opening reception. I'll be staying in San Francisco for 2 and a half weeks starting end of February to finally unwind, and to attend Wondercon. I cannot wait!

Details: "Sweet Surrender"
opening reception, Friday, March 6th 7-10PM
1173 Sutter St. San Francisco, CA 94109
www.gallery1988.com
g1988.blogspot.com (stay tuned for the preview of the show)

one. hundred. BEASTS! @ GRSF

Opening Saturday, Jan. 17. The beasties make their way to San Francisco, at Giant Robot shop!

For previews, check out the BEASTS blog. Quite a few artists created new versions of their beasts exclusively for GRSF and it looks amazing. If you're in SF, don't miss this!

details:
Beasts! at GRSF, January 17, 2009-February 18, 2009
Reception: Saturday, January 17, 6:30 pm-10:00 pm
GRSF
618 Shrader Street
San Francisco, CA 94117

"Giant Robot is proud to present Beasts!, a group show featuring artists from the worlds of comics, skate graphics, rock posters, children's books, and other commercial and gallery arts."
"...To commemorate the publication of Beasts Book 2 and the simultaneous release of the paperback edition of Beasts Book 1, Fantagraphics Books art director Jacob Covey has pulled together artists from both volumes for an eclectic exhibition of original works and art prints."

BEASTS! book party and exhibit

INFO:
BEASTS art exhibition and 2nd Anniversary Gala
Saturday, December 13, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
Music by Peter Bagge’s CAN YOU IMAGINE?

-BEASTS exhibition of original art and prints by 45 artists continues through January 10, 2009.-

WHERE:
Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery
1201 S. Vale St. (at Airport Way S.) Seattle, WA 206.658.0110
Open daily 11:30 – 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM

for more details, check out Fantagraphic's site.

"Since its publication in December 2006, BEASTS BOOK ONE has become a pop culture sensation, quickly selling out two printings and finding an enthusiastic worldwide audience. Meticulously designed, the book combines colorful illustrations of mythical monsters with imaginative text describing the folkloric origins and characteristics of these creatures."

"BEASTS BOOK TWO, which will debut at the December 13 event, continues the tradition of illustrations from interdisciplinary international luminaries including David B. (France), Jaime Hernandez (US), Femke Hiemstra (Netherlands), Toby Tam (China), Kim Deitch (US), Tatsuro Kiuchi (Japan), and many more. To commemorate the publication of BEASTS BOOK TWO and the simultaneous release of the paperback edition of BEASTS BOOK ONE, Covey has selected 45 representative artists from both volumes for an eclectic exhibition of original works and fine art prints. ."

This is the print that will be available at the show.
"Garlic Friends" silkscreen on Rives BFK

ISM: Untitled Love Project // BOOK RELEASE PARTY

*on the flier is an image by Camille d'Errico whom i'll be exhibiting with in Spring. :)

Go to this if you are in LA area!

details:
ISM: Untitled Love Project // BOOK RELEASE + ARTIST SIGNING
Saturday, Dec. 13th. 7-10PM
@ Cerasoli : LeBasse Gallery
8530-B Washington Blvd. Culver City, CA
artists in attendance: Amy Sol, Anthony Clarkson, Brandon Francis, Caro, Courtney Oquist, Dave Pressler, Erik Siador, Haubs, Ken Garduno, Kristyn Dors, Melanie Moore, Munk One, Nicolette Davenport, Patrick Ballesteros, Ronald J Llanos...+ more

"After two years of exhibitions, interviews and editing the ISM: Untitled Love Project book is finally finished.
http://www.ISMcommunity.org/ulprelease

*above is my contributing piece which is featured in the book, along with interviews

"The untitled LOVE project is an emotionally influenced experiment examining the broken heart. Each individual artist revisited a past relationship through their medium.

The book features each original artistic expression accompanied with interviews, short stories, or journal entries regarding the story behind the conceptual recollection."

Click here for full list of artists!