Katherine Chiu

True Pablove 2012

2012-01-31T23:05:00.000-08:00

The PabLOVE Foundation is constantly doing great things, and it's time to celebrate the upcoming event True Pablove 2012 Valentine's Family Celebration. Last year was a kid's wonderland, as there was an obstacle course, and booths to make bags and adorn cupcakes. This year will prove no different as there will be art and crafts for the kids, live music, and local eateries. There will also be a silent auction, which includes a chance to bid on one of my portrait paintings. I'll be helping out at one of the booths painting shoes, so stop by to have a pair of hand-painted new kicks! Tickets are $60 and can be purchased HERE.

Happy 2012!

2012-01-18T23:49:00.000-08:00

Holy dog, it's a new year! Above is a birthday gift I made for my friend of her dog Brownie. I'm having a lot of fun making these wooden cutouts.

Hope your year is off to a fresh start!

Holiday Fun

2011-12-12T22:49:00.000-08:00

I'll be in San Francisco this weekend for the Sweet Breams show and I'm bringing some of these:

You can also snag them off of our store G L A M K A T. Happy Holidays!!

Of Creatures and Wilderness

2011-11-03T22:25:00.000-07:00

Hey wild things, if you missed APE, if you live in the Bay Area, or if you like dessert with your art, stop by Sweet Breams for a show featuring Jason Elvrom, Arree Chung and yours truly. Our show will have affordable framed paintings and home decor items from GlamKat that make unique gifts for the holidays. The fun starts November 11 and will run until the end of the year!

Thanks!

2011-10-06T21:57:00.000-07:00

Thank you for all those who came out to APE and showed your support along the way! It was a great experience. The show had lots of stellar comics and art, and I was happy to get this sweet print. If you missed the fun, you'll have a chance to see our framed prints, books and tees at an upcoming show at Sweet Breams. Details to come!

Jason's book of recognizable landmarks of Los Angeles is available HERE.

Arree's sketchbook will be available at the show in November.

And now...break. I'll be back shortly.

October 1-2

2011-09-30T08:38:00.001-07:00

Find us at APE! Booth #449.

APE

2011-09-19T21:02:00.000-07:00

Hey there, these last few weeks I've been in the studio going APEshit crazy creating stuff for the Alternative Press Expo. I'll be sharing a booth with the talented artists Jason Elvrom and Arrree Chung. GlamKat will also have some featured items! Stop by if you are in San Francisco October 1-2.

I'll be selling calendars, prints, tees, and zines. The Homesick zine is a collaboration with writer Tamon Go and is a nostalgic story of an astronaut and his pregnant wife. I'm excited about this project as it's been really a labor of love. All these late nights spent drawing, cutting and stapling has been a throwback to Art Center school days.

Hope you catch the creative energy at APE. See you there!

Thomas and Kate

2011-09-06T20:28:00.000-07:00

Back in February, I donated a portrait to the silent auction of the True Pablove Event. I was excited to meet the winning family the DeWitts a couple of weeks ago. The bright kids Thomas and Kate were up for the photo shoot (Thomas negotiated for every five photos I took he would get a marshmallow). Both seemed most natural in the pool as they are avid swimmers. A young athlete, Kate competes in the 60 meter after school.

Chain Letter Show

2011-07-19T22:04:00.000-07:00

Come out this Saturday for a massive group show at the Bergamot Station.

C H A I N L E T T E R
Shoshana Wayne Gallery
2525 Michigan Ave B1
Santa Monica, CA 90404
July 23-August 25, 2011
Opening Saturday, July 23 6-8pm

I'll have a few paintings in it! Guaranteed to have someone you know or admire.

The Descent

2011-07-04T11:21:00.000-07:00

Happy July 4th everyone!

I've been listening to Royksopp, the Norwegian electronic band, on a loop lately which I think birthed this spooky piece.

This painting and others will be in a massive group show at the end of the month. Details to come.

Bella

2011-06-05T12:22:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I paint fabulous dogs for fabulous people.

Dogs are, in some ways, like people. The goldendoodle Bella got a haircut that was much too short and her owner Steven Kay said she was not herself. I know I've had a bad haircut and moped for days. With that in mind, I painted Bella with messier locks, less like a dressed up poodle and more of the rascal that Kay notes would bring rocks into bed.

Groovy

2011-05-16T21:09:00.000-07:00

Stuff like this makes me happy. My student Josh won his school's yearbook contest, so his art will be on the cover of his fifth grade yearbook!

My other student Ashley won it last year.

And if you get a chance, check out LACMA's Human Nature show for these tiny elevators. The doors function!

Freefall

2011-05-10T23:43:00.001-07:00

It's nice to take a break from commissions and do a painting just for the hell of it. I watched the documentary Surfwise a few months ago of a family of surfers that really stuck with me. The film features Doc Paskowitz, who abandoned his medical practice to seek the utopian dream of traveling around in a camper catching waves with his wife, oh and nine children. It's a really interesting depiction of a complicated family and how being raised on the water affected the children's futures. I liked the idea of the water being their home and how the sensation of being weightless defined their youth.

Pugs

2011-05-03T21:26:00.000-07:00

This latest woodcut is of my friend Trica's pugs, Coco and Kuma.

I admit I bought into the myth that pugs are portly and lazy, but Coco and Kuma are lean and athletic. After performing some tricks, here they pose with Yoda-like zen.

Wedded!

2011-04-04T22:13:00.000-07:00

About two years ago, I did a painting of my students Josh and Moses Ma.

Their parents Lindsey and Staci celebrated their 12th anniversary this past weekend. To commemorate the occasion, Staci commissioned a wedding portrait.

The pair met as teachers assigned to the same grant. Staci mentioned she initially found Lindsey's Type A personality annoying. Now? Oh, he's in charge of the kid's schedules. I've been going to their house every Saturday and couldn't imagine a couple more suited for each other. Staci and I sneakily hung up the painting in the living room to surprise her husband. I think he was slightly fazed but happy.

Gift Cards

2011-03-25T17:34:00.000-07:00

If you would like to surprise a loved one with a portrait, gift cards are now available! This card is redeemable for a custom portrait anytime.

xoxo Katherine

Travel Time

2011-03-25T17:01:00.000-07:00

This latest portrait is for the Klamser family in Los Angeles. Robert Klamser surprised his wife with a portrait gift card for Valentine's Day. (Keeping in tradition, Christina gave her husband photos of the kids last year).

I met the spunky kids Harrison and Shepard. Their rooms were adorned with patterns of planes, cars and maps so I thought it would be fitting to have a travel theme. Christina's family hails from Colorado and the Klamsers travel there twice a year.

Speaking of travel, I'll be heading to New Orleans in a couple of weeks!

A Bedtime Story

2011-02-23T20:51:00.000-08:00

I'm really excited about this painting for Claire Wheeler, sister of Emma Nolan. I painted a portrait of Emma and Christopher Nolan's children more than a year ago and was thrilled to be able to work with them again. Emma contacted me during the holidays to send a gift to her sister in Oxford. Sadly, traveling to the UK was not in my calendar, so I worked off of photos of the kids.

Claire described Olive as a bright and girly character and Fred as the more quiet observer. I pictured Olive and Fred snuggling under the covers and listening to a bedtime story that has come to life in the background. Not meeting the family in person somehow freed my imagination and made this painting more whimsical.

GLAMKAT spring collection

2011-02-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

I've been busy creating some new items for GlamKat:

Also check out these original Blood Tears by artist Nicholas deSomov. They are handcrafted with Borosilicate glass.

True Pablove Celebration

2011-01-24T22:17:00.000-08:00

Every now and again, I stumble upon someone doing something greater than oneself and it's really eye-opening. Dangerbird Records founder Jeff Castelez and Jo Ann Thrailkill are doing just that, raising national awareness for children's cancer with The Pablove Foundation. The foundation is dedicated to their son Pablo who passed two year ago. I had the amazing fortune to paint Pablo.

The latest celebration, True Pablove, is next Saturday, February 5. There will be fun for the family with appearances by Yo Gabba Gabba, Tinlark Gallery, and Lark Bakery. I'll also be donating a commissioned portrait. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased HERE. Hope to see you there!

xoxo

Brownie

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

I wrapped up this painting of my friend's dog, Brownie for fellow GlamKat creator, Katherine Wang. It was raining the day I came over to shoot Brownie and he happily sloshed through the puddles and ignored me. I managed to get a sweet picture under the avocado tree. We both agreed that Brownie has his handsome moments, but at the end of the day, he's a big slobbery dog. He's no prince or lead. If cast in a movie (as a human) he would be Ducky from Pretty In Pink, earning the title for man's best friend. I know I always had a soft spot for Duckies.

Tinlark News

2011-01-07T11:29:00.000-08:00

After four years and nearly 30 shows, Tinlark Gallery has closed its doors. Tinlark has been great to me and other emerging artists, so I'm sad to see it go. The curator Cris McCall has always had a keen eye for selecting art that is welcoming, as her philosophy has been that collecting fine art shouldn't be intimidating. She is still doing exciting things over at Tinlark, as it is now Tinlark Consulting, where she can help create your collection or brighten your home with inspirations. Here is an example of a client she has worked with, with my art in their home!

View a retrospective of all Tinlark shows HERE.

Look There 2011

2011-01-02T12:11:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Maybe last year sucked for you, maybe it was great, but here's to making it even better. In this time of reflection, here's a piece about transforming. It's comforting to have your mother's guidance, but there comes a time when you lose that sense of security and find your own direction. This painting was inspired by the permutation graph.

I skimmed the rather dry but fascinating accompanying analysis. Wow, I wonder what the algorithm is for 2011.

Wedding Programs

2010-12-17T10:42:00.000-08:00

Love is in the air! Well, at least for the happy couple, Jennifer and Enoch, who tied the knot last weekend. I designed these wedding programs for them. The wedding was held in a church, and we agreed to make a subtle reference to that with the blind cross on the front. All letterpress was done by Flora and Fauna Press, one of the remaining great studios who does things by hand. Thanks to Christine Brandt, who helped me tie the ribbon to all 250 programs!

2011 Calendar

2010-12-10T13:41:00.000-08:00

Still trying to figure out what to get for your picky friend? Your shopping just got easier. Ring in the new year with this calendar of 12 prints by yours truly, designed with the seasons in mind. The pages will take you from the Andes mountains to the Malibu beach.

Available under the JUNEBUG store. (Make sure to scroll down).

Permutation

2010-12-06T22:24:00.000-08:00

This portrait is of my cousin Yenching. He's asked for this painting for umm years now and alas I've gotten around to it. I applied the background with layers of acrylic paint and ink, building it up and then sanding it down. I couldn't help but think that is how Yen has lived his textured life, developing a particular direction only to switch his job or his home. I admire his spirit for constant change. Last I heard, he's in Taiwan now.

Happy Holidays everyone! Here's to family no matter where they are.

GLAMKAT winter collection

2010-11-24T00:05:00.000-08:00

So much new stuff! Follow GlamKat HERE and shop HERE.

Viva La Art! Part 2

2010-11-07T11:35:00.000-08:00

Come out and party for a good cause (part 2)!

Viva La Art is hosting another event Saturday, November 20 in Downtown LA benefiting CoachArt, a charity providing free lessons in art and athletics to children with chronic illnesses. I'll be donating this print below.

Discovery

2010-10-27T16:21:00.000-07:00

This is a painting of my sister Jocelyn for her birthday. Her birthday is not until December, but seeing as we talked about doing this painting last year, I may be late on this instead of early. My sister has always been an introspective gal, taking her experiences and understanding how she can grow from them. She’s lived in New York for the past few years and I think that urban sprawl has shaped her personal journey.

We sat in the backseat of the car on the way to some lake I have now forgotten the name of, and talked about head versus heart, what you have to do versus what you want to do. Belle and Sebastian say it so much better, so I’ll leave you with their words:

“What I want to do is…all over the place. It comes thick and fast-as ideas, desire, and daydreams. It’s inspired by lust, by pride, and by a false sense of entitlement. But then want turns to must…it’s a fine line sometimes; it’s probably happened to you already today. A fork in your metaphysical road in which you are aware of the two choices. You hesitate and listen for a small voice to whisper in your ear…”

Aerial

2010-10-06T10:17:00.000-07:00

There are some days when I admit I become the tortured artist and hole myself up in my studio, sulking and frustrated. But then there are other days when my job is pure play. I wrapped up this portrait for Jackie and Jeff Filgo. Their children Maggie and Jesse were great fun to paint. When I went to shoot them, they dressed up in costumes, made goofy faces, and kept lying on the floor.

I chose an aerial view of them. This painting can be hung horizontal or vertical!

Mural Unveiling

2010-09-17T14:32:00.000-07:00

The above painting Uncharted will be on permanent display at the Pasadena Federal Credit Union. Come out next Thursday to celebrate their 75th Anniversary, where they will be unveiling a 90 sq ft mural by fellow Art Center Alumni Jerry Ortega. This should be interesting.

In other news, my students rock. Both got first place at the Los Angeles County Fair! Check out Josh's display of his medieval collection.

Heads Up!

2010-09-16T22:19:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Viva La Art for featuring my work today! Portraits of your family are available for the upcoming holidays. (Yeah it's that time again.) Might I also suggest one of yourself? These paintings have been really meaningful to me and I hope to you too!

Hazy Lazy Days

2010-09-06T18:29:00.000-07:00

Here's a painting for the end of summer. Hope you had the chance to escape the heat wave and hit the beach. I went to the beach a whopping total of two times this summer. I worked a bit looser with this painting and had to stop myself from adding too many details.

Road Trip USA

2010-08-29T22:52:00.000-07:00

Hey there,
I just got back from a road trip across America. We took Route 66 for most of the way and it's comforting to know that parts of the route are well preserved and thriving with nostalgic art.

In the spirit of the traveling gnome, I took a pillow along with me that GlamKat designer Katherine Wang and I made. See the adventures of Pillow Idgie!

At the Madonna Inn

2010-08-04T09:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's the (gulp) self-portrait. I've been creating portraits for others for a while, so I thought it would be fitting to turn the camera around on myself. And what better place than at the Madonna Inn?

A couple months back, I visited San Luis Obispo and stopped by the famous Madonna Inn. Madonna Inn is known for its gloriously themed rooms. There's the Caveman Room, where you and your loved one can find your inner primate in its built in stony walls, equipped with a rock pond and waterfall that flows in the shower. There's also a Jungle Rock Room, Golfer's Room, 50s Room, Crystal Room and Desert Sands Room. I wasn't able to spend a night there, but I did hang out in the lobby and was inspired by the explosion of colors, particularly its pink rose carpet.

My sister and I are taking a cross-country road trip from Los Angeles to New York starting next week. I hope to see much more kitschy fun like this!

Dancers

2010-07-14T14:14:00.000-07:00

Remember those days way before you knew what insecurity was? Running around in a tutu was adorable and you didn't feel self-conscious. I wrapped up painting these adorable girls Alex and Scarlett for Jennifer and Rob Wexler.

The girls insisted on wearing their tutus and then danced a rendition of Singing in the Rain on the balcony. The setup was rather theatrical and looked like a modern day Degas painting.

Happy July everyone!

PARTY time

2010-07-09T18:41:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon these cards that I designed a while back for Paper Culture. They are still for sale HERE and perfect for that summer party you plan on throwing. Do people send invitations through the mail anymore? I think they should; receiving stuff in the mail is much more fun than through email.

My student Josh and I finished a TV today. It's of the Last Airbender show, which I didn't know was a cult series on Nickelodeon which the film is based on.

Trooper

2010-06-27T11:31:00.000-07:00

Thanks for those who came out last weekend for the Get Art Fundraiser!

Here is my friend Selina Zhong's dog, Miora. Selina rescued her from the shelter shortly after Miora had a tumor removed from her side. Such a trooper! All together now, awww.

Wood Cut Necklaces

2010-06-14T23:06:00.000-07:00

I made some necklaces. Check it out here and here.

Get Art + Food

2010-06-09T10:08:00.000-07:00

Come out next Saturday, June 19 for GET ART 3. Get Art is an art party that benefits Project Angel Food, a nonprofit organization that cooks and delivers free meals to those afflicted with life-threatening illnesses throughout Los Angeles. The first few meals were created in a church kitchen, and today they deliver over 13,000 meals a week. That's some kind of awesome. I'll be donating a painting. Hope to see you there at Siren Studios!

Saturday, June 19, 6-7pm VIP, 7-11pm General, Siren Studios, 6063 W Sunset Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028

Summer

2010-05-19T11:29:00.000-07:00

Can you believe summer is just around the corner? I started a series of the seasons a couple of years back with the paintings Fall, Winter and Spring (all of Marnie Owen’s private collection). It’s taken me a while to round out the series with Summer.

Summer, in general, represents childhood and adolescence. I was thinking of this when I found this great vintage photo of what I thought was triplets and then discovered was a younger sister with older twins.

The expression of the girl was very compelling and made me think of her story. What would it be like growing up with siblings with an innate bond? Would you feel perpetually left out?

I'm going to try to stay outdoors more this summer.

Faces Around the Community

2010-05-14T10:58:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the year, I got a call from Eric Polczwartek who was working on a Diet Coke commercial. They wanted a mural of the Faces Around the Community. The project fell through, but I loved the idea and decided to finish it regardless. Here is the melting pot of California based on people that I snapped around the many pockets of LA. I wanted to keep a neighborhood vibe, with faces iconic but not stereotypical.

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T11:06:00.000-07:00

Whether it's your first Mother's Day or your 40th, here's to making it a good one! Dave Goetsch got in touch with me last week to surprise his wife Jen for Mother's Day with a painting of their son Boon.

I created a painting for Dave and Jen last Valentine's Day.

Since then, they've had this adorable boy!

We talked about making the portrait more from Boon's perspective. What would a room with jungle-like wallpaper look like to a newborn who was seeing everything for the first time? I thought it would be fun to have it be like Where the Wild Things Are, with the room coming to life.

Along with being a new mom, Jen is the co-founder of Disgrasian, a funny take on what it is like to be Asian-American.

Canadian Love Part 2

2010-04-29T23:50:00.000-07:00

This next family is also from Vancouver, although they did not know the previous couple and their proximity was merely a coincidence. (Gosh, I love Canada.) Tracey and Josh were vacationing in Palm Desert Easter weekend, so I drove to meet the sweet young couple and their kids, Stella and Zoe. Palm Desert is cluttered with so many palm trees, but Tracey made a point not to include them since she didn’t want it to look like they were on vacation (unlike the last portrait). Since this wasn’t their natural environment, we agreed that the painting could be more whimsical and less of a literal depiction. We found a great nook at their resort that looked like Stella and Zoe’s secret garden.

I love that Stella has that streak of mischief.

Zoe was taking her first few steps. I spoke with Tracey a year ago about a portrait shortly after Zoe was born, and we decided to wait until Zoe was older and grew more into her features.

I had a great time painting this. I hope I can paint many more families out of state!

Indoor Fun

2010-04-25T20:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks to those who stopped by Tinlark's fun show. Check out the work below, a mix of paintings, sculptures, and illustrations. You can still stop by Thursday through Saturday or make an appointment with Cris McCall to view the work in person.

Yeah! My red cat found a home.

Oh. Not part of show. These are rad pillows I got at UniqueLA from Rock, Scissor, Paper.

And how great is my student?! Here's a pop-up project we made. Check out the hippo hiding in the water.

Oodles of Doodles

2010-04-15T19:33:00.001-07:00

Correction. The opening is next SATURDAY, April 24 from 7-10pm. See you there!

Tinlark Gallery, 6671 Sunset Blvd. #1516, Hollywood, CA 90028

Portraits! Show!

2010-04-14T10:16:00.000-07:00

Umm yeah, that's me.

Hey all! I have this feature on Los Angeles Metblogs written by Tien Nguyen. This gives you an idea of how I approach the portraits.

Tinlark is having another group show and I'm excited to be a part of it! It's called Oodles of Doodles. The opening is next Friday, April 23. I'll post the flyer as soon as I get my hands on it.

Tinlark Gallery, 6671 Sunset Blvd. #1516, Hollywood, CA 90028

Canadian Love

2010-04-07T10:53:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest portrait that I wrapped up. The couple, Elyse and Keith DeBelser, are from British Columbia. I caught them the weekend that they were vacationing in Long Beach with their dogs in their Airstream.

The day of our photo shoot was so bright and sunny it reminded me of a David Hockney painting. Since this wasn’t their home, I wanted to play up that they were on vacation, and capture that intense Southern California sun.

Here is the sketch I sent them.

Framed and ready to ship!

Elyse makes these really fun sock monsters. Check them out HERE.

An Amazing Family

2010-03-31T15:45:00.001-07:00

Two springs ago, I had the good fortune of meeting Grady and Pablo Castelaz for a photo shoot for their portrait. Pablo, awaking from a nap, was tired but then put on his rubber green boots and paraded around the backyard with his older brother. At the time Pablo was battling bilateral Wilm’s tumor, a rare children’s cancer. My meeting with him was brief, but I could sense a fearlessness and spirit far greater than most five year olds. Sadly, Pablo passed away last June after a long fight.

The family is incredible. Parents Jeff Castelaz and Jo Ann Thrailkill, and brother Grady have been so loving and open, recording the tumultuous rollercoaster of their year on PABLOg. I respect that they show the ugliness of cancer, the excruciating waits, the chemo treatments, and the false hopes, making their struggles and vulnerabilities real and relatable.

Last October, Jeff, along with Lance Armstrong, biked across America, from St. Augustine, Florida to Los Angeles, California to raise awareness for children’s cancer. Why would you bike 3000 miles in 30 days willingly? Jeff explains to put his body through hell, much like a child with cancer would have to. Each day of the journey was dedicated to someone with cancer. Jeff and Jo Ann have set up a foundation in Pablo’s name, called the PABLOve Foundation. Donations go towards the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles pediatric cancer community, funding cancer research as well supporting the play room for the kids in the hospital.

Playscape

2010-03-21T16:35:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all those who came out to the Viva La Art event! It was a great success as we raised $10K for Homeboy Industries. YEAH!

Here is the latest painting inspired by the sedate colors and solitude of Patagonia. The rooftops there are really that phthalo blue! This painting is HUGE for me, measuring 3x4 feet.

The sun is out in Los Angeles. I got some landscape painting done at El Matador beach.

Viva La Art!

2010-03-05T09:32:00.000-08:00

Come out and party for a good cause!

Viva La Art is hosting a charity event next Saturday. I'll be donating a painting and a portrait for a silent auction benefiting Homeboy Industries, a non-profit that assists at-risk and former gang affiliated youth.

Here's the info below:

ART, DRINKS & MUSIC - SPRING 2010
Benefit party with silent art auction for Homeboy Industries, a local charity assisting at-risk youth to attain a better future.

March 13, Saturday
8PM - 12AM (Auction closes 11PM)
X bar | Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, 2025 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles CA 90067
$20 Donation

CONTRIBUTED ARTWORK BY
Allison Sommers, Andrew Holder, Anthony Clarkson, Anthony Williams, Bob Doucette, Buff Monster, David MacDowell, Espie Munoz, Fatoe, Francesco LoCastro, Glory Tsui, Jay Horinouchi, Joby Cummings, Johnny 'KMNDZ' Rodriguez, Jonathan Bartlett, Julian Callos, Justin Diamond, Katherine Chiu, L. Croskey, Michael Page, P-Jay Fidler, Ramon Cho, Sarah Joncas, Sean Chao, Sophia Gasparian, Stacey Aoyama, Tom Haubrick

That's My Dog!

2010-03-03T17:54:00.000-08:00

My mom is allergic to pet hair, so growing up we never owned a dog. Maybe that’s why I love painting them! Below are some friend’s dogs.

This last dog is a Shiba Inu breed. Get your foxy dog large, small, or as a magnet under GLAMKAT.

Mullet Days

2010-02-23T11:11:00.001-08:00

The latest addition to GLAMKAT. Very few can rock the mullet. I certainly didn’t. More here.

Prints and possibly tees to come. But for now get the original!

A New Store

2010-02-17T14:41:00.000-08:00

Hey Folks! Welcome to GLAMKAT, a store created by two Katherines, yours truly and my friend Katherine Wang. We'll have affordable original art, prints, and stylish accessories. You can follow our meanderings here. See below for some stellar items:

Check back often as we will be updating with new items regularly.

Cheers,
Katherine

Uncharted

2010-02-12T00:16:00.000-08:00

Here is the latest painting, the first of a series of large scale landscapes:

My friend and I are also developing a new store that will have prints, original art, and stylish accessories. Stay tuned!

Tinlark Anniversary Show

2010-01-16T10:34:00.000-08:00

Next Saturday I will be part of this sweet show. All of the works are 6x6 inches for $200. Here is my contribution:

Hope to see you there!

Happy New Decade!

2010-01-08T17:24:00.000-08:00

Focus, aim, shoot! Here is a painting for the fresh stART show. This is a benefit show for therapeutic art programs for at-risk youth. The show will be held on February 20th at the Santa Monica Art Studios.

I also have some art work hanging in Little Moon, a children's boutique in Redondo Beach.

Hope everyone's year is off to a great start!

MUSIC

2009-12-21T16:31:00.000-08:00

Music helps me get through the day. I've been listening to a lot of Animal Collective and Vampire Weekend so I thought I would honor that by creating some art! Animal Collective's latest album is very stream of consciousness so I wanted this piece to reflect that. Listening to Vampire Weekend is like a shot of adrenaline. This poster was a new way of working for me. I painted the girl and name with acrylics and then did the rest digitally.

I'm so glad to get all my holiday shopping done. I'll be relaxing until the end of the year. Have a very Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-06T23:50:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all those who came to the GR2 opening! The post-its were going fast when I was there. Below are the paintings for the Nucleus Power in Numbers Show. The opening is this Saturday, December 12 from 7-10pm.

Here is the latest portrait for Aimee Lubin. I came to their home the day before Halloween and Clementine wanted to wear her ladybug costume.

And check out this very awesome collaboration:

COMBO a collaborative animation by Blu and David Ellis (2 times loop) from blu on Vimeo.

This Saturday

2009-11-29T17:45:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all those who came to the Black Maria opening! Works are still available until January. Next up: Post-It Show 4 at Giant Robot 2. Thousands of art work drawn on post-its will be available for only $20! What a steal. I'm excited to be showing among great artists. I'll have 15 post-its in the show. The opening is this Saturday, December 5 from 6:30-10pm. Show up early to take home your favorites!

Gallery showsss

2009-11-08T17:20:00.000-08:00

It's almost the end of the year so it's time for some group shows! I'll be in these three:

Black Market at BLACK MARIA
November 21-January 2, 2010
Opening Reception: Saturday November 21, 7-10:30pm
3137 Glendale Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90039
323.660.9393

Post-It 4 at GIANT ROBOT 2
Opening Reception Saturday, December 5
2062 Sawtelle Blvd
West Los Angeles, CA
310.445.9276
Post-its are only $20!

Power in Numbers at NUCLEUS
December 12-December 28, 2009
Opening Reception: Saturday, December 12 7-11pm
210 East Main Street
Alhambra, CA 91801
All artwork is $100, proceeds go to American Red Cross

I hope to see you there!

Argentina

2009-10-26T00:31:00.000-07:00

So this isn't exactly art related but I thought I would share some pictures from my trip to Argentina! I hopped around different ecosystems-from the humid rainforest of Iguazu Falls to the snowy Andes in Patagonia and then to the brisk spring air of Buenos Aires. It was a surreal and amazing two weeks!

That's my student!

2009-09-23T23:54:00.000-07:00

Hello! It's been a while since I've posted. I just wrapped up a portrait of Josh and Moses for the Ma Family. I've been teaching Josh in art for the past two years. Here he is posing next to the portrait:

And kudos, he's won 1st place for his comic strip at the LA County Fair!

Also, I'll be in the annual group show at Black Maria Gallery. Details to come. In other news, I'll be traveling to Argentina next week! Salud!

Portraits

2009-07-06T22:33:00.000-07:00

Here are two commissioned portraits that I recently finished. The first is for Sharon Freeark and her lovely children, and the second is for the Callaghans, a very sweet family. A little bit about my process: I visit the families in their homes and take photos for inspiration. I see the kids in their familiar environment and how they interact with each other. Then, I work off of these references and send a sketch for approval before I start the painting.

Update

2009-06-17T23:06:00.000-07:00

Things have been busy! I recently moved to Los Feliz and my weekends have been spent furniture shopping and unpacking. Above is the yearbook cover for this year's North American Taiwanese Medical Association. The theme is the first generation passing on to the second generation. I also wrapped up the above portrait for Nancy Chalfant, a friend from work.

Spring is Here

2009-04-19T23:39:00.000-07:00

Here is some new work. The first is a portrait of Jacklyn for Gloria Guinto. The second painting is continuing the Family Fires series.

New Work

2009-03-14T18:01:00.000-07:00

Here is a portrait I wrapped up for Lee Michel. I loved playing with all the different patterns.

This recent painting will hopefully be the first of a new series about family dynamics. Cold Needles is loosely inspired by the one child policy in China.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-13T17:23:00.000-08:00

Whether or not you are feeling the love bug this year, you have to admit this is a pretty sweet idea. I finished a piece for Dave Goetsch, who wanted to surprise his wife Jen for Valentine's Day with a painting of when they were children. This was really fun to paint. Usually when I am working on the portraits of kids, I envision what they would be like as adults. In this case, it was the other way around.

The Kids are Alright

2009-01-27T21:37:00.000-08:00

I'm very excited to be featured in Daily Candy Kids this week. Here is the link to the article:

http://www.dailycandy.com/kids/los_angeles/article/41059/Brushstrokes+of+Genius/

Happy New Year!

2009-01-11T18:43:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone has recovered from the holiday madness. My mom found this rock, and as a gift I painted a portrait of her in the 70s. It was a nice change to paint so small.