"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!

what do i like?

I've been asked a couple times who my favorite painter is. Twice over the course of the last 24 hours, by my dearest friend Andrew over thanksgiving dinner, and by a gentleman whilst hanging out at Beauty Bar the night before. There are quite a few painters that I admire, both times the first that comes to my mind is Balthus--
































others: Henry Darger, Marcel Dzama, Thomas Eakins .... to name just a few.

I glossed over a really great book a few days ago. "A catalog of hand-drawn patterns" which is another thing that I admire, and there are some meticulous, beautiful examples that can be found in the book, "Over and Over."


I might try to buy this book but I am still waiting to receive Kramer's Ergot 7 from an online retailer, which i hope is coming soon.

wishlist: "Skim" by Jillian Tamaki

currently watching: "Leon" (The Professional)

robot reference

Some reference photos I've gathered through the internet, in light of my latest project.

penelope cruz


aki hoshino

heidi klum

This is just a sampling of my folder filled with hundreds of these photos, i admit its fun collect these on behalf of my new series. My upcoming pieces are pretty much influenced by combination of these photos (the models seem almost robotic-like to me) plus my own personal experiences.

Reading now: Henry Miller

Listening to: Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
The Dodos - Visiter