dalva

Sprouts, Sculptures and a lot of Cat pictures

2012-01-30T17:53:00.000-08:00

some things sprouting up- basil, green onions, arugula and cat grass (thanks to Kim and Danny at GreenAid Seedbombs!) pocket loves the grass, and i am excited to have fresh green things to eat, eventually

pocket carefully observes my painting technique:

a piece in progress, after a late-night painting session

today pocket discovered that the mini disco ball that was hanging in the window is a great toy to bat around the house..

she carries it like a mouse by its tail...

and here are some pictures of a new piece, "Pauses"

she's sitting on a bit of driftwood, more info soon!

I am alllllmoooost finished with my new series "All Eyes Averted" that will be showing at WWA Gallery in Culver City starting February 18th! A preview will be up soon and if you would like to be added to the preview list, check out the gallery's website here! Excitement!

the end!

getting things done, and some treasures

2012-01-19T18:40:00.000-08:00

sooo my lovely sister Cory was so kind to give me one of her oldish cameras for my birthday/christmas, which is soo exciting so... i've been taking lots of pictures - of some new stuff, some stuff in progress, and...ya know, plants and cats.

here's some detail shots of one of the newest pieces i've recently finished

and an in-progress shot of my attempt at resin-pouring- things worked out okay, but it's a tricky process, and i would definitely do some things differently if there is a next time attempting something like this...plus it stinks up the house like mad.

and just for funzies: today i made out like a bandit at the thrift store- i was poking around an old sewing desk (the ones with the built-in machine) and opened the drawers to find a goldmine of vintage sewing supplies, silk thread, and- the kicker- photos from August, 1968, of who i would assume is the seamstress, hanging out with her friends at the beach! this is why i love scrounging.

and here is what my evenings usually look like-

zach contemplating his paintings for his upcoming show...

...in-progress pieces hanging on the wall, the only place they are safe from...

...this monster, who insisted on shoving herself into a box that was about 2 inches wide. she loved it.

the end!

experiments in dyeing with vegetables and etc.

2012-01-15T09:30:00.000-08:00

so. it is nearing the time where i freak out about the upcoming show and put my nervous energy into random and unnecessary experiments. the onion-skin silk-dying experiment was a success. the "i'm going to melt all the old candle bits down and make new candles" experiment was much much less successful (read: wax all over my kitchen counter, as it drained out of the poorly-constructed "molds"- resulting in two mildly misshapen blueish candles that may or may not burn correctly.) So! i will show you photos of the fun process of dyeing fabric with the dry crumbly skins of yellow onions. it makes the house smell like soup.

you start by gathering as many onion skins as possible- just the outermost layers. this is about a 24 oz. jar, stuffed full!

then you fill a pot with water, get it a-boilin', then put your onions in- you can see from where the spatula is in the water, it dyes the water almost instantly, but for a good dyebath, let your onions simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes - it turns an incredible red-orange color. then remove your onions- you are really supposed to keep them contained in a cheesecloth bag or the like, but who has cheesecloth just layin' around, right?

then you should rinse your fabric, and, while it is still wet, dip or submerge it in the dye- i used Habotai silk scarves, which already had rolled, hemmed edges. . . fancy!

I wanted a dip-dyed effect, so...i just dipped it in. this was my first attempt, so i didn't want to try something too crazy. let this simmer for about 15 or 20 minutes, or until you like the color- but remember that it dries a lot lighter.


and here they are! i did two- the first one is on the right, the second one i dyed twice, as its first pass was not dark enough for my liking. below are some shots in different light- the color turned out really nicely, i think- the top photo is the most accurate, color-wise. the scarf on the left now lives in Switzerland with my lovely friend Danielle, a bit of California sun to bring with her to the deep winter mountains! As far as permanence of color, we shall see- i didn't use any mordant (such as salt or alum) as most online tutorials involving onions said that it lasts well without fixative. i definitely won't be washing these in the machine, but...they are silk, so i wouldn't anyway. as a side note, the don't smell like onions, which is good. i rinsed them in cold water after their onion soup bath, and put a bit of laundry detergent in to get any extra dye out- it seemed to brighten the color a bit, which was nice.

oo also i kept the remaining "dye", and, as mentioned before, its a beautiful color and i couldn't resist taking a photo in the sunshine.

in less onion-related news, here are some in-progress shots of some pieces that are almost done, yay!

and, an obligatory Pocket photo.

she was not amused by the onion thing, and kept lying in my path.

the end. <3

animation station!

2012-01-06T23:06:00.000-08:00

soo i am excited about this, i recently learned (approximately a few minutes ago) how to make an animated .gif ! here it is.

also, i finished that piece. yay.

cameo appearances

2012-01-02T13:02:00.000-08:00

happy new year! since the world hasn't come to an end just yet, here's an update of new pieces I'm working on for my upcoming show at WWA Gallery in February! time is passing...ahh!

and, for funzies, a photo of a walk out onto the marsh in the Bay Area, which was lovely and chilly and full of birds quietly flying by

and my little table on new years eve, which was eventually filled with delicious snacks and bon bons and good friends' resting glasses of spirits

sculptures sculptures rah rah rah!

2011-12-19T01:03:00.000-08:00

update, go!

some tiny wood floors i made for a new sculpture...

the final product of my sculpting class! sad its over, but i learned so much.

silly, but i was really excited to drive by a giant fallen branch off of a very giant old pine tree- i snuck a couple little branches to bring some holiday cheer to a corner of my apartment. decorated with mini ornaments and random sequined trim. pocket loves it. i'm surprised she hasn't eaten the entire thing yet.

and here's where i'm at tonight with this sculpture- the top halves of the ladies are sculpted, with the bottoms being made with my new favorite material- fabric medical tape- and the remnants a pillow's stuffing. lacy magic costumes to follow.

working away

2011-12-05T18:46:00.001-08:00

my workspace, in the beginning stage of making this new piece- you can see the armature, which has been covered with aluminum foil, and then masking tape to keep it in line. also always around, sketches, and my notes on proportion and anatomy, and, of course, coffee.

pocket, who takes very detailed notes on the comings and goings of the birds, and the squirrel that daily runs along the fence outside the window, tempting her. one time it had a walnut.

here is the piece, part-way through, unbaked

this is my class study- this is after the third week, we have one more week of sculpting. i think i am going to take this class again, if i can. its so interesting to spend so much time, with the live model in front of you, concentrating on muscles, structure, and all that goodness.

here is the sculpture, baked and ready for paint

and here is a sneak of the painted sculpture. i am still deciding if she'll have hair or if the background will have dimensional bits. we shall see.

and here are the cameos, which i still have a bit of work to do on.

this was a rather productive, yet mostly antisocial, weekend/week.

in the midst

2011-11-28T18:48:00.001-08:00

so i'm in the process of starting and sketching some new pieces, i thought i'd show a little taste of what that looks like

these are a few of a series of "cameos" that i'm working on,

i have a number of these little wooden plaques, hopefully i can finish all of them:

and here is one with the first coat of paint...she's not quite so wall-eyed anymore..

and here are some sketches and my little list of inspirational ideas, quotes and random phrases, typed on my mother's teal typewriter. things are more important and sincere when you type them on a typewriter, right?

ok, now...back to thinking and planning!

sketches, sculptures, teasers and a paartridge in a pear treeeee

2011-11-18T17:07:00.001-08:00

so! here are some things i've made recently and

some things ive been working on that aren't quite finished:

the above and below photos are of my sculpture i'm working on in my class at Santa Monica College- which has been super helpful, the teacher, David Simon, knows everything about anatomy.

the "before"s were all taken at the beginning of the 3rd session of this pose (i wish i had pictures from the beginning, but i didn't think of it at the time, garsh darnit) The "afters" are 5 hours later.. i still have two more 5-hour sessions to work on this sculpture. phew. she'll get some boobs by then, most likely.

next up, a partridge puppet that i made for BoomKat Dance Theatre's holiday show, "Stations", which is showing in Santa Monica at the Miles Memorial Playhouse! The show runs Nov. 26th to Dec. 30th- go see it! these guys put on some amazing shows, with impressive dancing, singing and general magnificence. More info HERE

(fun fact: the partridge poops repeatedly on someone in the show.)

(which is why he's got that evil look in his eye.)

also, last night i randomly went to a sketch night at Gnoman School in Hollywood, where my good buddy Alyssa is taking classes- they had a number of steampunky babes lounging about for the drawing pleasure of a good crowd! and free soda. these two factors mean i'm going back again as soon as possible.
the event was put on by them Gallery Girls, who bring the lovely all around LA.

ps: thanks to alyssa for letting me borrow her pencils.

and, finally, a little teaser of a new piece i'm working on for an upcoming show

at WWA gallery in Culver City...

super long post! bam!

Puppet Video

2011-11-11T20:31:00.001-08:00

so, as promised, here is my silly little video, featuring the acting genius of Ken Flewellyn, and the puppeteering genius of Zach Schoenbaum. They also wrote the dialogue. I made the puppet, filmed and edited the video. This was my first time using actors, and I spent too much time getting outtakes (which-DAMN! i forgot to include...i'll figure that out somehow.) and ran out of room on the camera's card. so...i made it work, i guess. rambletown. enjoy!

and here is the video link!

La Luz de Jesus 25th Anniversary show opening!

2011-11-05T15:23:00.000-07:00

Hello! No big plans tonight? go check out La Luz de Jesus's 25th Anniversary Show! I went last night, its a great show! Here's a shot of my contribution, "Lunacy", hanging next to the great Shawn Barber's portrait of Billy Shire, how exciting!

Also, my piece is part of the book they created for the show (which is why I made this piece almost a year ago and it is only showing now!), here is the blurb:

"The book, La Luz de Jesus 25: The Little Gallery That Could, features images of all the art in the show, a personal anecdote about Shire and the gallery written by each artist, essays by La Luz gallery directors and a foreword by Shire. The book is much more than a simple record of this remarkable exhibition. Together, the images and essays present a history of La Luz de Jesus through the eyes of the artists whose careers are intertwined with Shire and his gallery. "

The show will be up November 4th- 27th, the opening reception is Nov.4th and 5th, 8-11 pm!

ps my piece is still up for sale! it lights up! the moon changes phases! buy it?

Puppets and Hashfanzine

2011-10-29T18:34:00.000-07:00

Helloo!

So I have made a new puppet. He is a therapist. There will be a video by the end of the week. Also, some halloween goodness will be coming up soon!

aaand you should download this awesome Italian magazine, which, if you read Italian, has an interview with little old me! and, if you don't read Italian, the magazine is full of lovely design and amazing art! Download it here: http://www.hashfanzine.org/2011/10/hashfanzine-n-03.html

my first video

2011-10-18T19:54:00.000-07:00

here is a little video i made for a class i am taking. we had to shoot a product, so i chose one that i use all the time - Winsor & Newton gouache. The video is nothing special, it is my first attempt at anything like this! also you should mute it if you watch it....the sound is just background noises that I forgot to take out, woops!

_video link here_

Publicity!

2011-10-13T23:22:00.000-07:00

Hey so this is a little article about Homeroom gallery's show,

which my piece "Hours" is in on Fecal Face! woohoo!

Check it out, Go to the show, its up until Dec. 9th,

with lots of cool special events each week!

A Long Walk Home

2011-10-04T13:15:00.000-07:00

Here are some full shots of my piece for the Busted Art Auction, which is still up until 10.11.11!

Get it before the bidding ends, HERE!

Lunacy!

2011-09-28T12:15:00.000-07:00

OH duh I just realized, although I announced that this piece is now finally for sale through La Luz de Jesus,

I never put up the full view of it! So here is my piece for the 25th Anniversary show, "Lunacy"

for more information contact the gallery director at 323.666.7667

or email info@laluzdejesus.com

Busted piece Available soon! and other news!

2011-09-28T11:27:00.000-07:00

Coming up is Art in Support of the Busted Foundation :

As you can see, there are a lot of great artists supporting this cause; 100% of the proceeds go to women fighting breast cancer, to help pay for their treatments and bills.

This year the pieces that will be auctioned on eBay starting Oct. 1st will be on display in Chinatown at the opening of the

Mirror Gallery!

963 Chung King Road, Los Angeles

come check it out and support another great cause!

here is a preview shot of my piece:

for more information go to www.artinsupportofbusted.com and www.bustedfoundation.org

So I missed an announcement:

my Pig Footed Bandicoot is available now for sale through the Echo Park Time Travel Mart!

this place, if you haven't been to it, is great and amazing: the store front is filled with amazing trinkets and novelties, such as Caveman's Toolkits (a box filled with different sized rocks), Famous Last Words, funky hats and costumes, toys, books and lots of fun gifties, all in beautifully and cleverly designed packaging. Behind the store is the real gem- a free (supported by donations and the store's sales), volunteer-based tutoring center for local kids, offering help, creative writing and thinking workshops, books and a quiet friendly space to work. SO- go check it out, buy some awesome art (50% of the sales go to the tutoring center!) by my lovely friends (Allison Reimold, Jessica Cooper, Zach Schoenbaum, Sinae Park, Jay Doronio and David Ra!)check out their amazing products, and be happy to support a wonderous idea!

also a HUGE thank you to Shannon Losorelli for putting it all together!

excitement!

2011-09-15T20:18:00.000-07:00

SoooOOooooOoo i am extremely excited about this show that i am participating in in November-

La Luz de Jesus's 25th Anniversary Show!

the group of artists that will have pieces at this show is unbelievable and i am so honored to be on the same walls as the likes of Liz McGrath, Tim Biskup, Mark Ryden, Nathan Ota, Shag, Robert Williams, Bob Dob, Daniel Lim, Eric White, Jessica Joslin, Danni Shinya Luo, AHHH and so many others...i could go on...but i won't.

check out the preview HERE

there are so many people showing (200+ artists) that there are two weekends,

October 7 and November 4, 2011

- i am in the November 4th show.

please take a look online and come to the show if you are in the los angeles area! it'll be an amazing party.

Septembering

2011-09-12T17:28:00.000-07:00

soo here are some things i've been working on, finishing and fiddling with:

this is a work in progress that needs a few more details done. this piece is more flat and textile-y than most of what I've done. It was pretty fun to do this way...we'll see.

this is my Pig-Footed Bandicoot "taxidermy" - for the Echo Park Time Travel Mart's upcoming "Extinction" show, coming September 24th! more info soon.

he plays music!

this is my "Girl with the Green Ribbon"- it is for sale through WWA Gallery's "cabinet of curiosities" - check it out!

And also Julian Callos' AMAZing show is on right now there, don't miss it!

thats all for now.

maggie

2011-08-08T17:24:00.000-07:00

here's the drawing for a poster i'm working on for a play about Mary Magdelene.

not my usual realm of subject matter, but it was nice to just draw a little bit.
i'll show more as it progresses!and thanks to Sara Kumar for asking me to do this!

old lady status

2011-07-27T23:12:00.000-07:00

sooo i made a quilt.
i am an old lady.
i am really pleased with it, i didn't think it would turn out as satisfyingly quilty as it did.
i used a lot of old tshirts and bits of fabric that i have loved or were given to me by those that i love.

also, pocket looooves it. she blends in sort of, for she too is patchwork.

Red Engine

2011-07-27T18:50:00.000-07:00

Helloo!
the lovely people at Red Engine Studios put some of my classwork in the "Student Gallery" section of their website, woohoo!
If anyone is looking to take some amazing entertainment-related and traditional classes, its the place to go!
Also here is my last painting from that class, as well as my finished Prince portrait!

he will make sweet, sweet love to you with his eyes. watch out.

hours and hours

2011-07-06T16:05:00.001-07:00

way after the fact, here is my piece , "Hours" from the Upper 600s show a few weekends ago.it is reversible, like an hourglass.

for purchasing inquires, please send me an email!

also this is my little experiment in banners. i still have lots to work out.
i'm going to sell these two for cheap, since they are my first attempt, if anyone is interested.
they have bamboo at the top, strung with embroidery thread for hanging. they are backed with white fancy fabric. the "now what?" is hand stitched onto the velvet and cotton.
please email me if you are interested in purchasing one! or both!

cats n paintings n ideas

2011-07-06T02:33:00.000-07:00

it was real warm today and pocket decided she LOVES the little fan i had going.
look at that face of bliss!

a portrait of prince that i am working on. still need to do more...i'll be done by the end of the week, as this is my last week of classes at Red Engine Studios! wah! : ( it went by so quickly...

(pocket also loves the pincushion. i intervened before she ate any pins.)

well i made another dreamcatcher, this one is more normal so far.
not sure what to do with it now.

we got to paint sarah last saturday, which is always fun. i wish the face turned out better...

i'm trying to improve my sewing skills. i have ideas but they never turn out nice enough. also i think i tend to try to use the wrong materials because i think they will work, or at least i pretend they will, when really i should be using something more suited to the project.

what project, you ask?
below is my first attempt.
i'll get better. im still not really sure what im doing. so i won't tell you yet.

and finally some random drawing, because its too hot for shirts.

dreamz

2011-06-29T16:33:00.000-07:00

here is the finished little dream catcher.
it has lots of pretty things hanging from it, some crystal beads, feathers and whatnot.

it is for sale, if anyone wants to buy it! $45 ! email me if you are interested!

summertime

2011-06-28T19:43:00.000-07:00

so here are some things. this little tea sprite I made a long time ago but never took photos of it finished- i poured resin for tea, which was dyed green with ink and a little silver ink to give it sparkle! her hair is actually made from tea bags. i drink a lot of tea.

this is a work in progress- i am making a small (7" diameter) dream catcher. mostly because i need something to keep me busy. maybe ill go into mass-production.

here are some shots from the amazing Terra Obscura show put on by the Upper600s! A lot of people put a lot of work into this show, and it showed! my old dream catcher/ chandelier was hung over the band, which was fun! i managed to not take any pictures of my piece, duh. i'll show it to you when i get it back.

this was the garage room, which was really amazing! blacklights and string, turned out even better than i imagined! you can see my piece in the foreground there.

and finally, another life study. kind of a weird photo...
anyway...yeah. someone want to offer me a job? commissions? anything?

work in progression

2011-06-13T15:55:00.001-07:00

hello! i am taking a break from working on this piece to show you all whats goin' on here.... my piece (still unfinished! AHH no time!) for an AMAZING show that will be up for this Saturday ONLY! In case you didn't already know about it - Terra Obscura- put on by the Upper 600s and featuring a heap of amazing artists! go to it!

this is sort of a reversible piece- it can go upside down, well..there is no right side.
its supposed to be reminiscent of a hourglass, or just the reversibility of things.

here's how its looking now, i'm not sure i love the paint job yet...we'll see how it evolves.

this is the frame/stand that the figures will go in. i cut wooden triangles for the bases.

aaand finally, this is a 3-hour figure study i did on Saturday.

loveboat!

2011-05-22T21:19:00.000-07:00

my teacher/friend/amazing artist Daniel Lim was married earlier this year,
and I made a little portrait sculpture of him and his lovely wife in a little love-boat as a wedding gift.

this was my first real venture into sculpting a specific person,
and i think they turned out pretty accurate, if i do say so myself...

if anyone is interested in a commissioned piece of this sort, or knows someone who's getting hitched and wants a unique and personal gift, I would love to make more!
this could be a wedding cake topper, an individual portrait sculpture, or anything else you could dream of. Just send me an email at jlldalva@yahoo.com and tell me what you're thinkin' of!

this and that

2011-05-22T20:49:00.001-07:00

a little pile of things to show!

a little sketchy painting for fun-zies.

my finished (although i actually want to do a little more on it- some lighting changes and maybe a wash of color?) skull study. all those little bits were tricky.

my first live figure painting in a looong time-
this was done in a three hour class at Red Engine Studios.

my second oil painting- this time using white, black and red.

this little doll i started in a moment of "fuck what am i doing i should make something"- but now i don't know what to do with her. she doesnt have any legs at this point... i tried doing a less opaque paint job on her face, which i think i like. i am torn between sculpting in a more stylized way, like this, or in a more realistic fashion. any thoughts?

a surprise trip to northern california for my mom's birthday- we went to our little place in mendocino, i painted this little gouache study of the barn in the morning before we went to get breakfast. its too lovely up there to sleep in. my socks were soaked from the dewy grass. it really needs a brighter yellowy green grass color, i didn't bring the right colors... i want to go back already. my dream is to just go and live there for awhile and paint everything. and make things out of things i find in the ancient forests.(the deer skull i painted above was found under the stand of giant cedar trees that protect the house from winds)

another fantastic adventure- to the Wildlife Waystation in Angeles National Forest. I've been here a few times, thanks to Gary Geraths who arranges trips. Its an amazing sanctuary for abandoned, mistreated, orphaned, lost or unwanted wild and exotic animals. They are a non-profit organization, mostly relying on volunteers to care for the 450 + creatures that they have in the facility.
we were sitting about 3 feet away, with only chain-link between us and the gigantic tiger, a pride of lions, a liger, a baby bear(who spent the whole time begging for treats), an alligator, growling leopards that sound like old motorcycles, grizzly bears, wolf-hybrids and a potbellied pig named Grampa.

the Waystation is in the running for a nice chunk of monies from Chase Bank-
GO HERE and vote for them so they get money to feed their animals!

and finally, another gouache study of the inside of our little house in Mendocino,
painted on a chilly rainy night, which turned into a lovely sunny day.

spring springing

2011-05-13T18:29:00.001-07:00

a work-in-progress shot of my study for the oil painting class
i just started at Red Engine Studios, i'll show the finished product soon!

sketchbook pages!

my gouache study i did a while ago in solstice canyon, near malibu.
thanks to andrew hem for tips and letting me crash your class!

this is a little mock-up i did for my concept for the upcoming show with the Upper 600s, an amazing group of artists and designers that put on crazy art shows in very un-white wall gallery type settings. this may become the design for one area's walls, but...human sized. this is about mouse-sized. made with string, foam core and hot glue! i'm super foam core!

various little things

2011-05-01T20:06:00.000-07:00

hello
here are some dumb little sketches
and the start of my pig-footed bandicoot.

little gouache sketch of galliano's fall 2009 makeup. too bad he's such a jerk...i really love these faces.

uhhhh pocket was found sunbathing inside this little greenhouse. love.

this is an extinct Australian animal, which, unlike all other bandicoots, had small, deer-foot-like toenails on its front paws, and a single toenail on its back paw that was shaped like a horse's hoof. weird little thing. this guy is about the size of a kitten, which is, apparently, accurate.

ok. uh i have not been making enough things and am in a rut. any suggestions are welcome!

Finally!

2011-04-09T14:21:00.000-07:00

so its been awhile, i had computer problems involving a full glass of beer, but all's well! so here's some shots of a piece i just finished for an upcoming show. I'll show the full photos later, the show won't be until September or October, and it will also be put into a book! its one of the more complicated pieces I've made in awhile. I put a lot of work into it, I'm glad its done!

some process shots of the herons, with my handy bird identification book and my trusted accomplice, pocket, in the background.

detail shot of one of the night herons (well more closely based on a green heron, but still.) and some tiny books and tarot cards i made.

titties.

the other side of the floor, with a luna moth being pursued by another heron.

also, here's something I worked on at my job job, which was for my bosses' kids' school play of Alice in Wonderland. I swear if I do another Alice project, I will start barfing white rabbits and teacups. It was fun nonetheless.

the book was 8' by 6', i included the last picture with a forklift in the background for scale. giant! each page had lyrics to songs as well as my illustrations.

mooning

2011-03-07T10:51:00.001-08:00

hello! here are some progress shots of my next piece. it moves! there are lights! magic!
i used some new sculpting techniques for this figure, which has helped a lot.
starting out with a creepy skullface, with help via this blog

moon mechanism in the works...i just hope it works!

and a painted detail, with lots to still be done.

more to come soon!

Everything But The Kitschen Sync- Opens Friday!

2011-03-03T21:04:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow night at 8, the 14th annual
Everything but the Kitschen Sync show
opens to the public!
come see my piece, and over 200 pieces by 123 artists!
its always a great party and a perfect way to see new fancy art!
La Luz de Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
phone: 323-666-7667
email: info@laluzdejesus.com

Society of Sixes!

2011-02-16T19:43:00.000-08:00

hey friends!
i joined and have one glorious post on Society6 !
check it out here!

<3 dalva

leaky!

2011-02-12T17:34:00.000-08:00

hey so the show page is up for the always exciting

"Everything But the Kitschen Sync" group show
at La Luz de Jesus Gallery in Los Angeles!
my piece, "seeking" will be there along with 123 other artists' work!
i suppose now i can put up a full picture, since its already on their website!

make sure to stop by if you are in the area,
the show will be up March 4th-28th, 2011!

werkity werk

2011-02-11T21:01:00.000-08:00

helloo!
i've been working at home a lot recently, since realjob is slow right now.
also we've been going on lots of adventures!
here are some highlights!
a tiny quilt i am working on...

from a lovely trip to the huntington gardens! we had barely any time, i want to go back soon.

playing "get the cards in the hat" game. pocket loved it. LOVED it.

two new pictures of my piece that will be part of La Luz de Jesus's Everything but the Kitschen Sync show! full pictures and details coming soon!

and finally, a little dumb project i did. now my camera is not only protected, but fancy!

january things

2011-01-29T22:37:00.000-08:00

various bits that have been laying around!

we made a little tiny terrarium and the rocks grew..
sketchy sketch from today
carpenter bee (found in my parent's ceilings...) in a tiny watch part jar ,
part of my most recently finished piece "seeking":

here's a face detail from "seeking"
i'll show her in full at the end of the month!

and here is a hint at what I'm working on now. new excitement!

some sketchies

2011-01-18T20:45:00.001-08:00

helllo! here are some sketchy gouachey things i've done recently in my sketchbook. woohooo.

and some crow drawings for my brother:

peek

2011-01-05T20:40:00.000-08:00

here's a peek of a piece i just finished.
i think she needs a bit more work still.
this is before costume, hair...all that.
more to come later!

i've got grand plans.

wintertime thingies

2010-12-07T21:59:00.000-08:00

helloo friends!
here are some process shots from my "tea sprite" piece for Cecil Kim's Forgotten Creature show
at his restaurant, Liliya, in downtown Los Angeles.
The show opens this Saturday, the 11th and features a boatload of my very talented buddies!
Come, eat, and be merry!

i need to take proper photos, but i will on saturday.
there is green "tea" resin involved now, and glitter.

also, i was feeling especially yule-tidey and made a wreath and decorated our little bonsai tree!

and finally, because everyone cares, here are some pictures of the cats.

hobo and pocket are new roommates and dont really get along,
even though they are estranged siblings. the first two photos are before the drama started...
just simply looking at things that cats look at out of windows.
pocket in the bedroom, and hobo waiting for her to come inside, so he can play with her.
and she can run away. and hiss. and growl like a banshee.
its fun, i promise.

Busted!

2010-10-10T15:30:00.000-07:00

Here's the link for the art auction for Busted Foundation,
all proceeds go towards helping women pay for treatment for breast cancer.
Lots of really amazing artists participated in this,
including Chet Zar, Ana Bagayan, Tara McPherson, Brian Viveros, and Shepard Fairey!
big thanks to Diana Gomez and the Busted Foundation for inviting me to participate!
check it out here:

http://www.artinsupportofbusted.com/

go buy things! its for a good cause!

Fiiiinally!

2010-10-03T19:17:00.000-07:00

Hi friends!

So I finally have finished not one, but TWO pieces,
after a much much too longer leave of working my ass off at a real job! yay!

the first is a little sculpture based on The Ring,
for my first time showing with WWA Gallery in Culver City!
the show is Horrrorwood and it opens on October 15
it should be a great show, featuring lots of my buddies!
9517 Culver Blvd, Culver City 90232
more info here!

oOOoOoo scaaaryyyy! no?
i saw this in a theatre full of screamers,
one of which may or may not have been me.
i also heart creepy victorian children, so it worked ou.

Also this weekend i finished a piece for an online charity auction show for the Busted Foundation,

which helps women with breast cancer pay for their medical bills.
The auction isn't up on eBay yet, but you can learn more about the foundation here!
she's based on the Greek myth of the Amazon warriors,
who were said to have removed or cauterized one of their breasts
so that they were more easily able to shoot arrows and throw spears.
they were fierce fighters, much like those fighting life threatening diseases.

Yay for finally making things!

woo!

2010-09-11T07:47:00.000-07:00

hey friends! i am sorry for my silence- i have gotten a real job, and have been trying to do other things but am in the middle of everything right now- BUT i have exciting news! I just found out that I got "Outstanding Puppet Design" for the puppets I made for Starmites from StageSceneLA - Neverwonderland and Starmites both got a number of awards, so yayy again! You can read about it here!

puppet show!

2010-07-17T19:17:00.001-07:00

Hello dear friends! Here are some better pictures of the puppets and costume I made for the upcoming NeverWonderLand!

It's going to be an amazing show! I also made the props and some scenic elements.
My dear roommate Danielle did the lovely poster design, as well as helping me make things!
You can buy tickets here, it opens Saturday the 24th and runs through August 22nd.

the cheshire cat - his teeth glow when he smiles, as is common with cheshire cats.

dinah, alice's darling siamese kitten:

and finally, the hood that Princes Tigerlily wears. She's a badass.

come see the show!

rawr

2010-07-06T12:37:00.000-07:00

here is a lame picture of me in the Tiger Lilly costume/hood I made.
I thoroughly enjoyed painting stripes on. Also growling occasionally.
I will be taking better pictures, as well as eventually having pictures from it being worn in NeverWonderLand which opens at the end of the month!

Yart Sale!

2010-07-02T22:21:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning (Saturday, July 3rd) my lovely roommates and I are having a garage/moving/art sale

I will have for sale many many old pieces of art
like these:

as well as random things.
like a piggy bank and a cowboy robe.
you should come buy them. they will be cheap.

we'll be there, probably drinking.....
lemonade!

8 am to 3 pm
6622 west 86th place
los angeles, california, 90045

(i can give out my address because we're moving and YoU'll NEVER CATCH ME ALIVE)
(also most of you who read this already know where i live.)

recent exploits

2010-06-22T21:26:00.000-07:00

here are some sketches/little paintings/drawings i've done recently.

sketches for neverwonderland tiger lily costume/hood thing. i started building this today:

some sketchbook pages:

and a little painting on illustration board. i forgot how much i like illustration board!

new things!

2010-06-16T17:53:00.000-07:00

hello!
i've started up working on props and puppets for BoomKat's production of NeverWonderland, which I had worked on in the early stages, but now is back in action. anyway, here are some shots of the cheshire cat's mouth/head- he's gon' glow!

30 LEDs through holes in his mouf. this is bright. real bright.

little cones of poly foam make perfect little fangs

and in his (in progress) head!
he's gonna have crazy glass eyes. alligator eyes.

pocket saw her first squirrel today.

and reeally wanted to eat him.

oh and you can see the partially made pelt of the cheshire cat (that purple and red stuff) behind her!

also- thank you to everyone who came out to the La Luz show!
If you missed it, you can still go and see it (it will be up until the end of the month, or check it out here!)

its official!

2010-05-30T16:20:00.000-07:00

helllooo!
I have eleven new pieces for sale,
you can view them at the La Luz de Jesus Gallery preview page:

here!
or come by if you live in the Los Angeles area -
opening reception, 8-11 pm
Friday June 4th
4633 Hollywood Blvd
info@laluzdejesus.com
323.666.7667

yay!

yay!

2010-05-23T02:10:00.000-07:00

tonight i finished photographing and editing those photos of all my work for the upcoming show! woo!
more to follow, and a very updated website in the next week!

progress report!

2010-05-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

hey friends!

i have been madly finishing things for the upcoming show
at La Luz de Jesus Gallery on June 4th,
here are some progress pictures!

here is my floor during the making of the wiring for my (now almost finished) dreamcatcher chandelier !
Thanks Mike Buerli for helping wire things! And Fu for ideas! And the guys who sold me the right things this time!

this is a closeup, (its her Myspace picture, obviously) of my newest and final doll, a snake charmer. OooOo!

this is what her little hand looks like inside. it helps make the finger strong and easier to position.

and this is a tiny tiny doll, about 5" or 6" tall! She is sad because her house was burned.

That is all for now, but next week I will be updating my website with real photos of all the new work!!

Starmites Review!

2010-04-26T18:12:00.001-07:00

Hey friends! Go see Starmites at the Miles Playhouse in Santa Monica!
It's amazing, I promise!
herre's a review from Stage Scene LA!

fancy town!

2010-04-26T03:08:00.000-07:00

so i was lucky enough to take some reference photos of the lovely Shaina for my next painting, which i started today and got SO much done because its way way way easier to paint something when you get to take pictures exactly how you want them! I think this is my new plan from now on. Also I get great joy from dressing up other people in pretty things! Here's a one of my favorite shots- there were so many good ones, this isn't what I'm painting, but isn't she gorgeous?

right after this picture a train went by about 20 feet away from us.
and thanks to shaina!

Post Penumbra, and other things!

2010-04-20T19:00:00.001-07:00

Soooo myself and over 30 of my lovely artistic friends will be showing art at

POST PENUMBRA

April 24, 2010
7pm - Midnight
Downtown LA
(corner of Olympic and Hope st)

The space has been magically transformed by the ladies and gents of The Upper 600s,
you can see more information at their website, here!
I promise it will be a wild good time!
(I will be showing two pieces, which I managed to forget to take pictures of, so you'll just have to go and see them! )

i did, however, take some new process photos of a new little guy I'm working on:

He now has fabric feathers, but needs many more.

Also, I finished that tiny mandolin I mentioned before.
I will never again try to string an instrument this small.
My favorite part, though, is the REAL wood used for the top of the mandolin!

and, just for fun...this is what my desk looks like while I'm in the midst of things!
alrighty. back to work!

progress

2010-04-14T12:02:00.000-07:00

Here are some shots of what I've been working on.
Above is a close up of a doll that I think will be playing a mandolin in a field of grass.
Below is a detail picture of a oil painting I've been working on.
I've never really painted water- that was tricky but I think I'm liking how this one is going.

and finally, this is Dakota, who keeps me company in the studio when there are no humans around.

puppets are finished!!

2010-04-02T12:46:00.000-07:00

the "Banshee" puppets i made for Starmites are all finished!!!!

yayyyyy! i have never really made a puppet like this before, they are of a foam construction, pretty much all hand sewn, with feather hair. they are pretty silly. they were a lot of work, it should be fun to see them in action, singing and dancing!
modeling them is the talented director of Starmites, Steve Edlund.

This is Ralph, the Intergalactic Cat.
One lucky kid who sees the show will win him as a prize for the best job in the coloring contest! fun and games!

studio and oil paintings!

2010-03-30T13:27:00.000-07:00

so Zach and I have been cleaning/rearranging his garage for the past few weeks and now it is all ready, set up, and lovely and we started painting!

Here are some shots of the paintings I'm working on for my upcoming June 4th, four person show at La Luz de Jesus Gallery (with the lovely Cooper). It's amazing to have the space to do big paintings, as well as the ventilation to do oils! yay!

Glass, Cinder and Thorns Review!

2010-03-24T15:05:00.000-07:00

Go Here to see the review on Art Slant of the show I was part of at 323 East in Michigan!

Glass, Cinder and Thorns Opening!

2010-03-22T11:55:00.000-07:00

Saturday was the opening of the all-women show Glass, Cinder and Thorns at 323 East Gallery in Michigan! I wasn't able to attend, but here are the pieces I submitted. It was very scary to mail them all the way to Michigan, but they survived!
These pieces were based loosely around the story of Little Red Riding Hood, as the show was centered around new interpretations of fairy tales.

"The Hunter"
mixed media in 8"x 10" shadowbox

"Following the Pack"
mixed media in 12" x 22" shadow box

detail from "following the pack"

"the Hood Sisters"
ink, gouache and pencil on paper
14" x 11"

buzz buzz

2010-03-08T18:39:00.000-08:00

here are some things I've been working on, some for others and some for myself:

Zach gave me this chair, for a play called The Rainbow Room, which I am doing the set design for.Its a lovely chair that had some not so lovely green ripped fabric, so I recovered it, as well as its twin.

pocket helped a lot.

and here we have a continuation of my reupholstering kick, but this is a project I've been meaning to do for years, since my good friend's mom gave me this little footstool. it looks much classier now, yes?

the insides were interesting...hay and burlap. I think this is a real old footstool.

ta da!

and here are some "scales" that will soon adorn a puppet, Trinkulous, I am making for Starmites- an Intergalactic Comic Book Musical.
fun fun fun

and here is a look at my giant (about 4' across) dream catcher/chandelier I am making for the show at La Luz in June with my buddy Cooper!

finally, here is the painting I sold (yay!) at La Luz de Jesus' group show last friday!

that's all for now, back to puppet surgery.

Remember Remember!

2010-03-04T22:34:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow night, Friday the 5th, is the opening shindig at La Luz de Jesus Gallery for their giant "Everything But the Kitsch N' Sync" show, which myself and some of my lovely friends, teachers, and other amazing artists are part of! Hope you can make it! It's always a party!
more info here!
and here's a snippet of the painting that accompanies
the sculptural piece I posted about earlier:

happiness

2010-02-21T17:12:00.000-08:00

here's my little painting for the "Happiness" show in Phoenix at the Perihelion Gallery, which is part of the big 22nd annual Art Detour art walk. sooo if you happen to be in Phoenix on March 5th, go take a stroll and see some pretty things!
(gouache, ink and pencil on paper- about 8" x 10")

p.s. thanks bob dob!

Valentines Day Bitter/Sweet Show

2010-02-13T17:33:00.000-08:00

Sooooo i totally forgot to put this up before it happened, but i had these two pieces at Vlad the Retailer on melrose as part of the Girls Drawing Girls valentines day show, "Bitter/Sweet" last night! both are gouache, ink and pencil on paper, framed for $100 each.

~~~~if you want to purchase one (or both, they are a set!) of these pieces, go HERE! there's lots of other good stuff to look at!~~~~

oh so many things

2010-02-04T20:15:00.001-08:00

so these are a few examples of what ive been working on, ive been going in what seems like 50 different directions lately.

puppets, which have been a challenge but lots of fun- im excited to start adding features to the banshees
(right now just the under-foam is showing, they will be purple like their arms)

pocket helps me lots, she is very critical.

but sometimes she gets too involved:

this is me (very late at night...excuse my face) with a sample "bear" puppet-
which everyone so far has thought was a cat... that i made to start figuring out eyes and such.
i think i should just say its a cat. its just a generic puppet, i guess.

hands in progress:

also i have been working on a few things for an upcoming show at 323 East in Michigan!
its got babes, snow, and red wolves with real (hand-dyed rabbit) fur.

also i got a email today to say that the piece in the last post will be part of the La Luz de Jesus show! woo!

N'sink....?

2010-01-26T13:32:00.000-08:00

here's the full photo, etc of one of my submission for la luz de jesus's "everything but the kitsch n' sync" group show- hope it makes it in!
"and then she was gone"
6.75" x 11.75" x about 4"
mixed media, which in this case means:
Super Sculpey polymer clay
paper flowers
fabric
thread
wire
lichen
dried flowers from a trip to the angeles crest mountains
vintage lace
pieces of jewelery and watch parts
crystal beads
acrylic paint
false eyelashes
on mdf board in a wooden frame

peep!

2010-01-19T21:54:00.001-08:00

today i finished a piece, here is a little detail shot- more to come later!

girls drawing girls!

2010-01-19T11:47:00.000-08:00

hey guys! im excited to say i am now part of the lovely group Girls Drawing Girls! yayyy!
you can see my first post, as well as some new drawings, here!

things ive been working on/vacation times

2009-12-29T13:32:00.003-08:00

these are some process photos for work i've been doing for a dance/play called Neverwonderland. it was postponed till july, but so far i've made a mad-hatter hat (which pocket was very happy to help me with), an illuminated Tinkerbell puppet and the beginnings of a little Dina kitten puppet. fun stuff!

this is a project danielle and i made- we eat a lot of eggs, so we made an egg-carton christmas tree! i think pocket thought it was the God of the Laser Pointer, and she paid her respects by sleeping under it for hours. also, i experimented with dying some rabbit fur for an upcoming project. it worked much better than i expected, yay!

and i went home for a short but lovely christmas. we walked on Ring Mountain, ate delicious foods and warmed by the fireplace.

Power In Numbers 4

2009-12-15T23:07:00.000-08:00

Saturday was the 4th Power in Numbers show at Gallery Nucleus, which I was lucky enough to be a part of. Here are my paintings, in case you missed it.
They are all 5" x 7" ink, gouache and pencil, and are for sale for $100!

"magnetic north"
"wild west"
"southern comfort"
"east wind"

You can see my work as well as many others at this address!
There, you can purchase the works online, if you feel so inclined. And, from now until Jan. 01, 2010, PIN-4 artwork is free to ship to any location within the USA! Hooty hoo!

sketchy situations

2009-11-12T22:44:00.000-08:00

here's some shtuff i've been drawing!

for gallery nucleus Power In Numbers 4:
(2 of 4)

voyage pieces

2009-10-26T23:24:00.000-07:00

i forgot i never put up full scans of these ink/gouache drawings i did for cecil's "voyage" show a few weeks ago
sooo here they are!

Fletchlings

2009-10-25T20:09:00.000-07:00

here's the full view and more detail shots of the piece i had at Alchemy Archives- which sold! Yay! It's on a plane with its new owners, on their way to new mexico!

Alchemy Archives Tonight!

2009-10-24T16:54:00.000-07:00

i just got back from the last minute madness going on at 695 Santa Clara Ave- it looks AMAZiNG! ya'll should go. 7 to midnight. $5 to get in (gets you a drink, too!) do it! also, Cosio was practicing and i have never heard spoons + water goblets sound so good!

New Excitement!

2009-10-13T21:44:00.000-07:00

So I didn't find out until right before, but work I had in La Luz de Jesus was part of the Beyond Eden show at the LA Municipal Art Gallery at Barnsdall Park last weekend! It was an amazing show-it was so exciting to have stuff in the same room as some of my favorite artists! I took some pictures, in case you missed it!
Also, here's another snapshot of part of my piece for the Alchemy Archives show, on the 24th:
Also, some friends and I went to the LA Opera costume sale on Saturday-the line was long but the bag o' fabric that I got was well worth the wait. The costumes that we saw people walking away with were amazing! Next time, we're going early. Way early. Here are some snippets:

It was a busy weekend.

lamp kitten

2009-10-09T01:03:00.001-07:00

okay so this has nothing to do with art or anything, but my kitten, Pocket, got scratched in the eye by another crazy cat and has become a sleepy lamp-style kitten. pooor baby! so sad and cute at the same time...she runs into things a lot. can't fit into bags. she'll be okay. she's a pirate. that is all.

peeky peek peekerson

2009-09-28T22:43:00.001-07:00

here's some parts of what i'm working on for the Alchemy Archives show on the 24th of October! be there!!

695 Santa Clara Avenue, Venice, CA 90291
$5 to get in + gets you a drink!

peek-a-boo

2009-08-24T16:19:00.000-07:00

here's a snippet from a new painting, for the "voyage" show at cecil kim's restaurant.
there are two pieces for this show. pen and gouache on paper.

and now, i am going to get ready for a voyage up north!

Post-show Post

2009-08-10T13:36:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who came to the show at La Luz! It was great to meet everyone!
(photo by Mr. Mehran Azma)

Also I have an official-type website up now, thanks to Mr. Wyeth Stiles at In Flight Studios:
Check it Out!

Four Person Show at La Luz de Jesus!

2009-07-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

I will be in a four person show at La Luz de Jesus Gallery!
featuring the fine work of Misato Otake, Scott Holloway, and Jasmine Worth! And me!

and here's a new photo of something I made for the show:

I hope you can make it!
More info here

marionettes

2009-07-06T11:35:00.000-07:00

i made two new marionettes. they aren't quite finished.

their bodies sculpey, with movable joints. the gray one is pretty much done.
the peach one now has a lovely yellow velvet corset and purple lace ruff around her little neck.

sketch clipping

2009-07-02T15:57:00.001-07:00

part of an ink and gouache little drawing, 8" x 9"

sneak peaks

2009-06-18T18:39:00.000-07:00

here is some things i am working on:

from my sketchbook-

hands! this is their state a week or two ago, i still havent 100% figured out how i'm going to use them
and some kids! this was fun. i think there might be tiny tiny puppets involved by the end!

her little shoes, cute, no?

the collection

2009-05-22T15:23:00.000-07:00

this piece was constructed from an old display case thing i have had since i was little.
the oil painting is sunk into the boxes (thanks woodshop guys!) so that it is flush with the rest.
the birds and various other bits are made with sculpey.
there is everything from lace and buttons to knobs and jewels in the boxes.
approximately 23" x 26"

the poem reads:

chloe keeps her best things
in neat, fancy rows.
but it's hard to find friends
who don't mind the crows.

the birds are perched on driftwood collected at the beach by my lovely mother.

and finally, buttons!

blind

2009-05-22T14:51:00.001-07:00

blind
sculpey, acrylic paint, lace, cloth, doll hair and a feather, seated on driftwood.
about 10" x 7"

i took a shirt from a little doll. her eyes are glass beads.

tiny fingers, with wire inside.

vanity

2009-05-22T14:44:00.001-07:00

vanity
oil paint, sculpey, resin, cloth, bits and pieces of other things on multiple pieces of wood
in a handmade frame
16" x 13"

detail - one hand is sculpey, the other is painted inside the "mirror".

here you can see the weird angles that happen from the side-

the perspective only works from straight on

lone crow

2009-05-22T14:42:00.001-07:00

another shot of the single crow. this was the first one i made.
it is made of sculpey, wire, and a piece of wood.
7" x 10"

i probably should retake this photo...i don't really like it.

father awaiting his lost children

2009-05-22T14:38:00.000-07:00

a semi-three dimensional painting.
oil paint, wood window frame, resin, sculpey cup, antique pocket watch (that still ticks!) on two pieces of wood.
21" x 13"

marionette

2009-05-22T14:28:00.000-07:00

this marionette is made with sculpey for her face, neck, hands and feet, with a foam and cloth body.
everything is hand-sewn and she has full movement. her eyes open and close, too!
approximately 32" tall.
she sits on a swing that hangs from a bit of driftwood, as seen here:

(no strings attached, currently.)

little paintings

2009-05-22T14:17:00.001-07:00

siblings
gouache and ink on paper bag
8" x 10"

siblings detail

adventure in the fog
acrylic and ink on illustration board in a handmade frame
4.75" x 4.5"

teacups
gouache and ink on illustration board.
4.75" x 6.25"

they just wanted a tea party after all
gouache, acrylic and ink on paper
6.75" x 6.75"

harry perry!

2009-05-21T00:18:00.001-07:00

made with roma plastilina
harry perry is that guy on venice boardwalk that rides on rollerblades and plays electric guitar in a turban and visor.
nearly lifesized.

monsters?

2009-05-21T00:03:00.000-07:00

made with sculpey, fabric, and oil paint on wood.
about 25" x 16"

five headed woman

2009-05-20T23:04:00.000-07:00

made with sculpey, lace, beads, metal bits, chain, a transistor and some doll hair. about 24" tall.
this is for sale!

Señor Show

2009-04-30T23:38:00.000-07:00

come! it'll be aammaaziing. promise.

birdies

2009-03-12T00:45:00.000-07:00

i made some crows, with wings that flap.
( in progess.)

things i have made, things i am making

2009-02-07T18:10:00.000-08:00

here is a crow i made. i made another, smaller one, that is even more exciting, but i havent taken pictures yet.

before:

after:
and this is my hydra lady.
and a close up of some of her 5 heads:
and this is an awesome dancing old lady, who i saw at the chinese new year parade.
yay.

trying new paper

2009-01-09T14:11:00.001-08:00

say no to predators
7" x 7"
that didn't quite go as planned
7.5"x 5"

ta da

vacation accomplishment

2008-12-31T14:58:00.000-08:00

"start small"
10.5" x 9.5"

ooOoo 3-D
real snail shells!

aminals

2008-12-24T13:02:00.000-08:00

some stuff from animal drawing.

now that im done with school....

2008-12-14T01:40:00.000-08:00

woo hoo, its vacation time.
that means...an update.
these are the other pieces for the alpha cult show, which is now up in long beach. first we have the cat who wore a pot on her head, and then the poppy flower fairy from those flower fairy books. im so happy to be done. now i just have a lot of photographs to take of everything.