Hog Sweat

This summer has been the sweatiest summer of my entire life, I am 100% on this claim.

In addition to working in a hot little kitchen, I have been tending a garden plot started by Tara Megos, and I slaved away with Craig Bowers for a good few weeks to pull together our first show (which ended up being a big group, 65+) titled: VEND SEND MEND at Sub-Basement Artist Studios in Baltimore.

We had great entries made from all over the world and it was a thrill to see each new entry make its way over in the mailman's mail hands. It just so happened that on the same night of our opening, July 1st, there was an R. Kelly concert at the 1st Mariner and traffic was total shit. Some have told me that they were stuck in traffic heading over to the show and decided to just give up and get some ice cream instead. For all those who stood in traffic because they were trying to make it to the Vend Send Mend opening: I love you.

Thank you Jefferey Kent and Jennifer Tam at Sub-Basement! You guys are the best.

Check it all out! VSM:

http://vendsendmend.com/

http://vendsendmend.tumblr.com/

http://www.subbasementartiststudios.com/subbasement/index.php

And here are some links to some great contributors of Vend Send Mend:

http://www.willemrosenthal.com/info.html

http://www.warrenlinn.com

http://www.seanandrewmurray.com/

Okay, anyways, there are tons more: Harry Campbell, Dadu Shin, JooHee Yoon-- just check out the website!

But that's not all!

Yerin and Julia are responsible for the new pop-up gallery on W. Chase St!

http://nomadgalleryproject.blogspot.com/

You can check out their blog or look them up on facebook. We are all working together to pull the place together in time for Artscape. There is a show coming up there titled: SURFACE.

In other news, here is an album cover I came up with for my dear friend Patrick Takashi Shiroishi. He makes music and if you are not deaf I suggest you look him up!

This is an igloo house (yes, there's a balcony on the backside with escape ladder) :

More SOOOOOOOON!

Taiwan Travel Posters

This first image has nothing to do with the rest of the post. It is a copy of a drawing by Will Laren. I don't remember where this guy is from or what's going on but he is really surprised.

I recently completed a short series (3) of travel posters for Taiwan since I had such a great time when I was there in December/January- There were some great moments in geography. Whatever that means.

Below are thumbnails and sketches and 2 of 3 finished posters inspired by my last visit to Taiwan:

Yi Lan

Taroko Gorge

I drew a lot when I was in Taiwan but it just didn't seem like it was enough. Some of these places blew my mind.

A windy day at the beach / Hua Lien

Mom running against the wind, doing well

Toroko Gorge gorge

See two people down there

I may do a small tour with photos from Taiwan-

I lost my phone. Has anyone seen it? It is a blue samsung sliding phone. Thanks!

MICA out, Summer in

Summer! And Congratulations to those graduating from MICA this year~

This past semester was busiest I've ever been in my life. Between working 3 jobs, taking 18 credits and helping a friend brush epoxy onto his canoe I also managed... well, I managed.

In my last post I mentioned being one of the winners for the 2011 Words on Wheels joint project with Baltimore schools. There was a reception where we met with the young poets and were given the chance to get to know them a little better. Here are a few links to the Words on Wheels event where you can view other winning poems as well as a video which contains several interviews.

http://www.mica.edu/Browse_Art/Words_on_Wheels_2011.html

http://mta.maryland.gov/news/press/index.cfm?id=693&year=2011&month=4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pmgeTkXhRY

Another recent big deal was the outcome of my portfolio for MICA's Undergraduate Competitive Scholarships. I was fortunate enough to have been awarded two scholarships: (1) the Nancy Lee Rhodes Roberts '39 Scholarship and (2) the Seymour Mandelbaum Merit Scholarship.

Its hard for me express how helpful these scholarships are. I was actually really close to not returning to school next year because I lacked the financial backing. However! Thanks to these scholarships, I can be in school this next year. So, from the bottom of my black, rotting heart, thank you, donors!

In terms of artwork, I am working on a comic that I started for my Sequential Arts class: PAPER MOUNTAIN. When completed it will be 20 pages. Here is the first page of the story and also a progress shot of me trying to get my act together during finals week:

Here is a link to my sequential arts class blog where you can view other works by my charming classmates: http://sequentialartbaltimore.blogspot.com/

I am shooting to complete the comic this summer and I will also try to find a publisher. So if you like me and you know a publisher, please set us up on a blind date. I am really good with dates and I will never disappoint.

Thanks for sticking around!

There is more to come!

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE - Mural and Lantern!

Hello, its been a long time since I last posted and many things have happened.

Here is, for example, a short list of things that have happened to me recently:

1. The Rivals of the West 2011 Spring Season is no longer consuming my life

2. I was one of the winners for the Words on Wheels project

3. Recently received a large scholarship from the Undergraduate Competitive Scholarship competition at MICA and I need to thank some people for making that happen~

There have also been some truly terrifying events: I heard a terrible decapitation story.

Below are a few photographs of the installation my sister, Frog, and I put together with the help of Kimberly Hiles and Dan Talbot. We designed and built the lantern and created the mural in the MICA Gateway building for the Rivals of the West 2011 Spring Season. This Installation was for A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE.

Take a look at my sister's blog: http://frog-wang.blogspot.com/

There is a lot to say about the experience of working with so many people on a theatre project but I will save that for some other time.

For the time being I leave you.

Test

Alhambra Source # 2

A few months ago I did an illustration for the Alhambra Source on an article about disappearing homes in Alhambra. This is the illustration and a link to that article:

http://www.alhambrasource.org/stories/alhambra-danger-disappearing

I just finished another article on the dangers of biking in cities without bike lanes. The article hasn't been posted yet, but here are the sketches I sent and the finished illustration:

I think Michael has a point in his article.

" Upbeat" poem by Rasethamir El

At MICA there is this project with the MTA and a few other folks where we take poems written by local school children and create illustrations based off those poems. This project is called "Words on Wheels." The chosen poem/illustrations are then integrated into the MTA system by being displayed in busses so that passengers can gawk at them.

My poem is titled "Upbeat" and it was written by Rasethamir El (3rd Grade) who is a student at Windsor Hills Elementary and Middle School.

Here is the poem:

You don't have to fight.

Take flight to right.

Don't use your hands.

Be the better man.

Use verbals to get

Through your hurdles!

Here's what I came up with. I hope Rasethamir thinks its okay.

The Play's The Thing and more

This past month has been hectic. Being Head Publicist for The Play's The Thing has turned out to be so much more than I thought it would be. I mean that both negatively and positively.

Anyhow, I am posting 3 things tonight. One page from my sequential arts class and one finished poster for the play Dutchman and one nearly finished poster for A Streetcar Named Desire.

I will eventually post more information on the plays but not until the second poster is done.

This page is from a short comic I created titled Gary and Po.

Charde Fuller is the graphic designer I am currently working with on these posters. Look her up! She's great!