Waffurusoru: An Art Exhibit of VANS Sneaker Culture

This is a great morning! Came across this campaign for an upcoming show that I am part in with Off the Wall Site at Yojie's in Diamond Bar. This show is about the Vans Sneaker culture and I already know what I want to do for the show.

 

This morning, I saw my offical intro campaign being blasted on the social networks. So cool!

You can go on the site and check out the other artists that are featured.
I really appreciate marketing efforts like this. Makes us artists feel super supported and amped!

It's a great day today in the city. 81degrees. It was wonderful waking up to such beautiful natural light. (Not saying that I don't appreciate rainy days and cloudy days. I love those days too. But today was extra vanilla-y and warm.)

 

And it looks like this guy is going to have to go in and get a summer cut.

 

 

Stay tuned for works of progresses!

Skateboard decks

So what do you do when you have a friend who is a professional skateboarder and goes through decks like he goes through underwear? You give me the decks and I will used them as blank canvases.

 

I couldn't believe how many decks he goes through and was going to just throw them away. I even asked for the broken ones. Reclaim and make it into art.

 

The bottom piece is called "Power of 3: the Spirt, the Heart and the Primal." It will be on display at the Power Animals III show at Spot Logan Gallery, curated by the folks at Thumbprint Gallery.

 

 

 

 

This piece was painted a couple of years ago for the "Board Out of My Mind" Group Art Show put on by Assembly Line Collective at Sk8 Cafe and Gallery. That show was super packed and I stayed outside the whole time. (I don't like tight, closed space.)

 

 

 

 

I have been collecting skateboard decks from some of my favorite artists. I need to find a way to hang them. I know Skateology has deck hangers for 10 dollars but maybe I can rig something up with metal and wood. Here is part of my art collection with Mahfood, Sam Flores, Craola, TokiDoki, TokieDoki x Hello Ktty and Deseinswell.

 



 

i wish i was quick to grab the Murakami x Supreme collab they released back in 2007

East West Players 47th Gala "Spirited Away"

I have so much fun at my jobs, despite of the crazy hours I put in the office. As East West Players designer, I get to make the promotional art for all their events, including the Spirited Away Gala. Above is the invite I designed with a foil emboss. I'm happy how it all turned out.

In addition to working, volunteering at the gala held at the Hilton in Universal Studios is a must. I got the fun job of working with the VIPs, particularly the artists and the actors/actresses. =)

Everybody was pretty nice. But they assigned me to VIP escort the one person I would possibly lose my shit with and fangirl out- Steven Yeun from "The Walking Dead." In fact, staff kept referring to me and calling me their "Walking Dead Expert" as they asked me questions about Steven's character, Glenn. Yeun was awarded Best Breakout Performance at the Gala and a special performance was dedicated to the honorees with a special song.

I was informed that a lot of it is waiting... and timing. I was given a schedule and I kept my eye on my watch the whole time. 

The ballroom with the lights matching my designs.

What the ballroom looked like on stage.

My friend K and the marketing director who I work closely with. I was not allowed to take pics with my phone because it was unprofessional. However, with Kat having clout, she was able to take a pic with me and Steve. Not before she blasted me and told him how much I was a big fan. haha! He was mad cool and was a very nice guy.

Can't wait for season 4!

Warrior Dash 2013

Warrior Dash 2013 took place in SoCal at the end of April. This is the second Warrior Dash Team BreastMode has participated in and this time, we invited the men.

Also new to the team is my cousin R who joined us this year for the race. This woman kicked ass! Those obstacles were not easy and she tackled them one by one. (P, who ran with us last year, just had a baby and her husband took her place. How sweet is that?)

And of course my darling nephews and niece came out to cheer on their parents.

While his sister Peanuthas fun with my Viking hat, Bubba is not too thrilled and kept it on long enough until I took the picture.

This is the only pic that was taken during the race, the ditches with the barbed wire. Last year, all the obstacles dealt with height. This year, the obstacles were more about balance. What made it tougher is that they had two mud pits. The first mud pit made it harder to do the rest of the obstacles because of the weight and because it made everything so slick.

Bottom line, I made it and I earned my third medal for the year!

No makeup and feeling great after our 5k run!

The next best thing after accomplishing a race is the after party! A UK study says that the fastest way to dehydrate is to drink beer. I don't normally drink Bud Light but OMG, it was the most refreshing drink I laid my lips on! Live bands, turkey legs, beer, hot men walking around their shirts off- it was wonderful!

The cutest way to end the day is seeing these little ones sport their "Future Warrior" shirts.

Hello Kitty Friday

I came back from my coffee run with Melinda and there were two packages waiting for me in my office. One was from Sanrio. I ordered this YESTERDAY and BAM!- in my hands the next day. Wow! Super impressed with the speedy delivery. I ordered a case for my iPhone 5 and a Tokidoki x Sanrio collaboration for my tablet. It also comes with a huge tote bag as a free gift. Hurrah!

 

 

 

 

The fabulous package of the day is my new Toygami Louis Vuitton Hello Kitty. I was in an artshow with Toygami not too long ago and was able to meet him in person. I told him I really wanted the LV HK and he said he'd make a new one and sell it to me. I thought it was awesome for the following reasons:

 

1.) The fact that he designs his hown paper collectible figures is impressive. Takes a certain talent to use his mathematical design skills to come up with a blue print to come up with a blue print. It's one thing to be a dope vector illustrator but to make a blue print to make a flat print into 3D pbject is a whole different game. You should see some his more complex figures!

 

2.) LV print is so funny! I do love LV but it is pricey and what it stands for often contributes to the classism and consumerism that creates a gap between the "haves" and the "have nots." And what better way to make a social commentary on how a well-recognized monogram print conditioned us to think that whatever it is printed on makes it seem extra expensive. You take two brands, both oversaturated brands in marketing, combine them together and print them on something as delicate as paper and THERE you have it: Classy designer urban paper toy.

 

 

I'm super happy that it is in a case, labeled and signed.

 



 

Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival 2013

It's that wonderful time of year again: The Los Angeles Pacific Film Fest and tonight FilAm Arts will be co-presenting not one film but TWO films. We are proud to be community partners with Visual Communications and honored to have this progam be part of our calendar.

Directed by Benito Bautista, this heartfelt documentary puts the spotlight on the elder haranistas, as they share with us songs and lyrics that were popular with generations past.

There are two screenings:
May 4th- 7pm $13 CVG Theaters in Ktown (Performance by Harana Men's Chorus)
May 11th- 8pm $13 (Performance by Philippine Chamber Singers of Los Angeles)

Philippine Chamber Singers of Los Angeles
https://www.facebook.com/PCSLA

Buy your tickets at:
http://laapff.festpro.com/films/detail/harana_2013

When I watch this clip, I am reminded about the trips back to my parents' homeland. Tropical forest, sea breezes, smiling faces, good food and LOVE. During the evening, the elders would sing on the front porches and it takes me back to a time where things are sweet and romantic. I can imagine my great grandparents meeting, and my great grandmother shyly looking out the window and my great grandfather played the guitar. 

Romance lessons from the ancestors/elders. =)

The second movie that we are presenting is "What Isn't There".

"Gibson Bonifacio stopped speaking when he was a child.

Now twenty years old, he is back in Manila for Christmas. While always festive in the Philippines, for his family it is tinged with sadness, marking the anniversary of his twin brother’s death. Against the backdrop of the vibrant local music scene, his childhood best friend tries to reconnect with him, while he unexpectedly finds a chance at his first, real romantic relationship.

Gibson reconsiders and redefines his relationship with his family, with himself, even with his dead brother: the only person he talks to."

NKLA Super Pet Adoption Fair at the La Brea Tarpits

May 3-5, 2013

5801 Wilshire Blvd  Los Angeles, CA 90036

Food trucks * Vendors * Special lower adoption fees * over a thousand pets looking for homes

May 3-5, 2013 La Brea Tar Pits Free Admission Over 50 shelters and rescues Open every day at 11 AM All Shelter adoption fees less than $100 FREE microchips courtesy of Found Animals Foundation 10+ of LA's hottest food trucks onsite Plus tons of pet-friendly vendors!

In a few hours, I will be volunteering at a huge adoption fair at the La Brea Tar Pits.

Over 80 shelters and rescues will be present, featuring over a THOUSAND available animals looking for their forever homes.

Shelters are reducing their adoption fees to less than $100 and that would include spay/neuter and their shots. NKLA is a movement where we are trying to get LA to be a "no kill" city. 

We do have an overpopulation that we need to address and one of the ways in facing that issues are education and promoting adoption over buying. 

Recently I took in a foster from one of the local rescues. I just went in to look at the adoptables when I saw this one particular pup. He was a small shih tzu and he looked very uninterested in what was happening at the fair. The minute I picked him up he melted in my arms. 

The rescue volunteers asked me if I would like to foster him. He didn't have a foster parent and he would go back to boarding. Well, even though he was saved from the shelters, being boarded would still be the same as it was in the shelter- being crated and not being part of a loving home.

I took him in and with a couple of hours, he felt right at home, even getting along with my other shih tzu, Koki. I felt he had a lot of hair that was just growing every which way so I took him to my dog's groomer who does amazing work. 

This is him before the grooming

and this is him after

I didn't realize how young he was until they took out all of that hair. Also, it turns out that he is a white and grey brindle and looks like he has tiger stripes. As much as I love him fluffy, I felt that he needed a change of pace and cutting off all that hair allows him to be more comfortable.

As the weeks go by, it was a natural decision to go ahead and adopt him, making him a permanent family to my home. 

These guys are instant brothers and I couldn't be any more happier! I am extremly blessed to have such great dogs.

This is why I am now volunteering some of my time and skills to these rescues. I want to do my part in making sure that we do our best as a community to not add to the high population of domestic animals and overflow of shelters. 

and to think, THIS is him on death row right before the rescue came in and saved him.

So happy to have this guy in my life

Wham Bang Pow! Version 2!!

 

 

I'm proud to be showing at this upcoming Wham Bang Pow! show ! More fun nostalgic based art coming your way!

 

April Pomona ArtWalk at Vintage Renewals Harajuku x Hello Kitty Art Show

In April, Stephanie and I exhibited and vended at Vintage Renewals' 3rd Annual Kawaii x Harajuku x HK Artshow during Pomona's monthly artwalk. If you haven't been yet, Pomona has a thriving Art District and their artwalks are well-attended.

When I saw the invite, I knew I had to be part of this show. HK has been has been a childhood favorite of mine so making art for this show would be easy breezy for me.

"Galaxy Sisters: Little Twin Stars"
SOLD

 

"Hello Kitty"

SOLD

 

"ChocoKat Vixen"

"My Melody and Me"

 

 



I had so much fun painting these that I also made button packs to sell.

 

The show itself was filled with amazing people and HK fans. Everybody was incredibly nice and I felt right at home. More pics of the actually event to come.