Finishing my crocs today with a slight hangover. Another awesome holiday week. Birthdays, Xmas parties and secret rendezvous. Friday night got home soaked head to toe like I'd been in a waterpark from sweat after leaving Teddys'. Yesterday was family shenanigans that went into the night (no comment). Got home, accidentally fell asleep to my favorite Christmas movie: Die Hard. Awoke 'round 11 confused then quickly got into the shower and headed to a party a stonesthrow from my place. Drank nog and laughed my goddamn ass off. So many good stories exchanged. Thanks Mandy! And for some bizarre reason 5 of us were dressed exactly the same. we felt totally unoriginal but then agreed to fight crime together since we all had awesome uniforms now. Wow! That was like writing out my grocery list to y'all. Sorry. RIGHT! WORK! I begin laying the first coat to the biggest piece I'm doing for the gallery show. Elephants! Elephants! Elephants. The image hit me the other day, hope I can stay true to the vague thing in my head. Super looking forward to detailing their scaly skin...
My ipod has been kicking my ass after an Amoeba visit. First of all I went to buy presents but ended up buying myself a bunch of music: whoops. here's what I got...
1) Daft Punk; Alive (cannot say enough about this album, the next best thing to going to the greatest show ever! seriously. pick it up. 100% guaranteed) 2) Deerhunter: Deerhunter and Fluorescent Grey (this band doesn't stop making me so happy) 3)Missy Elliot: ...So Addictive (on random these songs are always surprising and awesome especially when mixed with Dhunter) 4) Beastie Boys: The Mix Up (the latest instrumental album. really mellow and great) 5) Justice: Waters of Nazareth (remixes. 'nuff said) 6) Daft Punk : Samples Collection (just like it sounds) 7) The Go Team!: The Go Team! (this band just doesn't sound like anybody else. I wish DJ's would play them at parties)
on random in the studio (blasting 'cause I seem to be alone in here today). Making this another perfect weekend in a long line of consecutive perfect weekends. Blahblahblah...
PS!!! - So, still obsessed with the Beatles. Does anybody out there have all their albums on their iTunes? Revolver/Rubber Soul on up? I have tons but just wanto get organized and get them on a data disc. Yes? Anybody?
had to post this. it's a still from Spike Jones' Where The Wild Things Are. can't wait!
LOST Season 3 out today! Might just give myself the flu and settle in front of the TV with my Boston Terrier, Bucket and fireplace into 2008.
Other than that have spent all week obsesively listening to Deerhunter while painting/driving/sleeping. I might have a problem. Plus Bradford Cox is a really great guy that's fun to drink with. Behold.
finally, this has been killing me since Thanksgiving...
So, last night I got to go to one of the most unique moments I can ever remember as far as moviegoing experiences, Crispin Hellion Glover's 'It is Fine! EVERYTHING IS FINE.' where the man himself spent an hour reading from and acting out several passages of his books and then showed this amazing film. It's essentially about Steven Stewart (a man with palsy confined to a wheelchair and who's speech is unintelligible) seducing, raping, and killing a series of women after smooth talking them and seducing them. It's a cop drama/murder mystery like nothing I've ever seen. I was crying with tears of laughter while biting thru my fingerless gloves the entire time. Unfortunately I think I was the only one that saw it as a comedy but who cares, I loved every second. Crispin then talked for over an hour and was very forthcoming about the film and his own life. Truly, truly an amazing nite....
Hmm, what else? Got to hang with my gallerists this weekend and talk about my show and was given an amazing proposition that I can't talk about on the internets but my head is officially blown. In the meantime I'm going to be done with these crocs in the next coupl'a days. This'll probably be the last thing I post on this particular piece but truly, truly it's my favorite thing I've done and that's rare that I enjoy a piece while I'm doing it...
My mom's in town and this might be my favorite conversation we've had in a long while (the first line's her)...
Remember that film about the dome? What? There was a midget with no legs who rode atop a giant monster who smashed things the midget told him to. Master Blaster from Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome No, I don't think that's right.
Hmmm, AND I get to go see the new Judd Apatow film with Josh tonight and then get to see the new PT Anderson flick in a few days! I've never seen this many great movies back-to-back so consistently that I can ever remember.
Spent last weekend Christmas shopping, including a drive to the Torrance Japanese Mall! Pocky-rific!
So, it's a big gallery night. My friend and artspace mate Saelee Oh is having her Giant Robot show tonight! Also my gallery, Crey Helford is also rocking it... Also I'll be posting soon on Martha Rich's (my other studio mate) show at Le Luz. see you all out tonight!
So, it's been awhile since I posted anything and I'm in a really good mood tonight so I'm making this one kinda chatty. Business first: After finishing up the last of my current freelance I was able to get back to the studio and paint some crocs. Between my freelance deadline and the mishap with my last piece (just glad to never have to see it again) my hands were full and all I wanted to do was paint my solo show. But I guess what's great about having these different gigs is that yes, freelance is a downer as far as it being time-sucking but sometimes admit I get bored with painting as well especeially if I'm not into the piece. Blah, blah, blah. Point is I'm painting crocodiles, swamps, trees and murky waters and ALL IN OLIVE GREENS. So far this might be my favorite thing I've ever painted. Atleast the most fun I've ever had painting. Here's a tiny square in the middle of the piece (as it stands so far)...
The group show I'm in is having it's opening tomorrow night (Tuesday the 4th). It's an odd night for an opening but it should be alot of fun...
Um, let's see. Oh! It's official: Every. Single. Friend. I. Have. Just broke up their realtionships. It totally bums me out 'cause a few of them were amazing couples. But... I get my friends back! When I had a break up a long time ago a friend emailed me this Onion clipping. It pretty much sums it all up...
Thanksgiving was so great this year. Half family/ half orphans' functions. I think my favorite movement amungst friends is the Orphans Holidays when people don't go home for a holiday and spend it with friends as family. Because really, nobody's actually from LA (except yours truly ofcourse) so this tradition had made some holidays feel like they did when I was a kid. But I get to drink now. This last Halloween and Thanksgiving might've been the best I can ever remember actually.
Currently obesessed with the Beatles. Happens every few years. I heard Paul on Howard Stern and he told so many great stories that it made me so happy that the best band in history has a frontman that's really down to earth and has such a great sense of humor about the entire experience. So, this prompted me to Netflix the Beatles Anthology discs. Specifically the time of Rubber Soul/Revolver. The best story was Paul talking about getting pressured by the rest of the band to try Acid. In his words, "I had to do it. I was getting pier pressured by the Beatles" Oh, and 'Nowhere Man' is hard to play live. AND they showed their first live performance in Japan (pictured below)!
Ehhhh - kicked the flu's ass last week. I felt myself coming down with 'the sickness' so rather than stay in for the day I had a great steak for lunch and went for a run at night to sweat it all out. Tough love. Fuck you flu! It was gone the next day.
Had a celebrity in the artspace yesterday. They turned out to be really cool and they're gonna come to my gallery show which made me pretty stoked.
also sw a great great movie last weekend. Margot at the Wedding. Really sad, really dark, uncomfortable and funny. Spend a gruelling 2 hours with somebody else's family and come out releived 'cause maybe our own lives are ok.
I'm still reading Cormac McCarthy's book The Road (I'm a slow reader ok!). It's beens such an amazing ride reading this thing. At this point father and son are at their darkest days. Excerpt:
' He was beginning to think that death was finally upon them and that they should find some place to hide where they would not be found. There were times when he sat watching the boy sleep that he would begin to sob uncontrollably but it wasn't about death. He wasn't sure what it was about but he thought it was about beauty or about goodness.Things that he'd no longer any way to think about at all '
amazing stuff.
It rained! I Says It Rained! To be honest since I've been painting again I feel so amazing. I'm feeling happier than I can ever remember for the last few days. I got a call from an old friend today and he's basically in the place in his life that I was in 2 years ago and all I can think is -that poor bastard. It really made me appreciate how great things are now. I guess everything just happens the way it needs to so that you get hurt, you pick yourself up, learn from it and feel better that you are no longer in that situation. Whew. I'm rambling. Oh, oh right. It rained (and no shit -The Beatles 'Rain' just came on iTunes) which makes me happier than almost anything. I just like the grays, ok?
Went and dropped a present off to a dear friend tonight after a bit of a tiny fuck-up.
Ok well, that's it for now. If you got this far I can't imagine why.
so, spent all night working on finishing this piece. it turned out pretty ok. the bad news, late last night I put a shelaq layer down and this morning I awoke after 4 and a half hours sleep to find it dried and looking like I poured a sloppy jar of honey on the canvas. I've spent the better part of the day putting a second layer down and blowdrying it with a hairdryer to even it all out (and I'm starting to get a bit of a toxic headache ahhhghhh) but as of now still looks like honey. readers, I might've fucked this one up...
So, I'm finishing a piece tonight and dropping it off tomorrow for a group show I'm in that's protesting the war. I don't like wars and kinda liked the opportunity to essentially paint a propaganda poster. Anyways, the show's on Tuesday, December 4th from 7-10 at The Corey Helford Gallery on Washington. Oh! And they'll be giving away posters of all the pieces which is pretty cool. See ya there!
So, I had colliding boners last night. Daniel Clowes, my personal GOD and favorite comic book artist of all time was on my favorite show ever, The Simpsons and a juicy big role too. He along with Art Spiegleman and Alan Moore come to the new Springfield comic book store that puts Androids Dungeon outta business. Also Jack Black played the town's new comic book king. Funny thing is the episode ends with Comic Book Guy outta business, hmm. On top of that the episode was one of the best of the new season.
*quick step inside me brain: so my headspace is filled with really nothing more than Simpsons episodes and the basic functions that allow me to drive and wipe myself etc. ok I'm getting off topic but that's how I'm wired. Aaanyways in this new episode Jack Black sings Tom Jones's What's New Pussycat in Korean (?!) so right afterwards I was humming the song to myself and remembered that within Dan Clowes' Eightball story 'Ugly Girls' a character serenades a pretty girl with the What's New Pussycat lyric "I've got flowers and many hours to spend with you..." so my brain just tied together two random fun facts together that connected the Simpsons to Clowes. it kinda made me laugh at the things my mind will bother itself with. boy, that story went nowhere. I gotsta spend the rest of the night painting and writing jokes. g'night 9 to 5'rs.
found an amazing interview with Cormac McCarthy author of the book 'No Country for Old Men' (whose only given 3 interviews over the last 50 or so years) by none other than Joel and Ethan Coen!!! Click image for wonderfullness
my buddy Kemper is having his yearly birthday/Thanksgiving meal and just had to post the invite 'cause once again he has outdone himself. Even better than the Star Wars burger battle scene this flier proves once again why he gets paid the graphic's big bucks...
So, the Squid and Whale piece is DONE as of this morning! It's been a hard road and it's not my favorite but I wrapped her in plastic and stored it away and hopefully in a few months I'll like it more. I'm just too close y'know. This one I really wrestled with (again, here's a tiny close-up of this five by fiver)...
Hmm, other than that another action-packed week of Cintiq'n during the day and paint'n at night. Other than that the events have been coming hard and fast including seeing NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN twice! Movies are never better than this. I would consider seeing it again. Then next day an amazing Avalon performance by Of Montreal followed by lotsa dancing and drinking at Teddy's and quickly followed by Mels' tuna sandwich and onion rings (don't do the last part). Next day brought a really fun gallery opening by Natalia Fabia at Corey Helford followed by a random party atop the Hollywood Hills but the topper was last Thursday night. Got a call by my writing partner to get to the Kodak Theatre for the Victoria Secret Runway party and yes readers lotsa, lotsa pritty ladies.
*sidenote: it's really funny when hundreds of these models end up in the same room 'cause they're all used to being the center of attention and once one cuts in the drink line six more follow and the catfight is on! it was fucking fascinating to behold.
...aaanyways, as fun as all that was readers I need to admit something. my heterosexuality was severely tested. yes, read on. I ended up hanging in a couch area with the top Brit hot guys on the planet. Here's the list: Orlando Blume, Gerard Butler and Jason Statham and a few more obscure Brits. Statham and I ended up on the street and he told me where to go for the afterparty. almost jumped in his limo with him but didn't wanna ditch my truck or my friends and didn't want to tempt myself to the limitless possibilities of man love. C'mon guys! We all watched 300 and felt kinda funny at the lead Spartan or when the Transporter got naked and greased himself up to fight six badies in an auto garage or OR got lost in Legalis's eyes after he took down that prehistoric elephant?! Right guys?!?! No? ok...
So, it's been another week of spending my days drawing boards on the Cintiq and nights in the studio painting a giant squid. Lemme tell ya, that fucking squid is kicking my swollen balls in. everything about this new one is hard and I've been mad at it all week but it's finally starting to really look like something -y'knowwhatImean? just need to finish painting all his suctiony suction things and I can start painting the whale. promise to post a lil something on that soon. Oh, and all my panels show up today! I've had to make room for over 20 5 foot wood blocks. my back will be feelin' it for sure. th'bigger news though is that I got Guitar Hero III for Wii! Holy Jebus it's the greatest thing I've ever played, seriously. I'm killing it on hard and ended last night's game battling Slash (and I beat My Name is Jonas in one try thank you very much) but that GnR muthafucka cheats and he won round-after-round. and to top it all off Matt and Trey aired a GH episode of South Park last night that chewed up my brain and left me with a stain on my pants.
oh, and last weekend was actionpacked as well. Saturday was Giant Robot's big show in Lil Tokyo and my pals Seonna, Souther and Saellee all had beautiful, beautiful work up on the walls. the night went onto light animation, noodles, Vincent Gallo and wedding dancing. here's a lil' proof...
AND the next night was just as good! after a few rounds on GHIII had a killer dinner with friends and we watched King of Kong (hells yes, Academy screener time is here!) and then got to go hang with Peaches at the Avalon. I've never seen that many people I know in one place. AND AND my friend Bobby got to play with Miss Peaches while Bucky directed the whole thing. all n all I can't remember having this much fun with work and life. getting laid off might be the best thing that ever happened to me I thinks. anyways, check it...
So, here's my art for the new Peaches single! It'll also be on an upcoming compilation celebrating Delicious Vinyl's 20th Anniversary. Click on image to fill your ears with magic...
So, Mark Todd my artspace-mate is having his show this Friday night at La Luz De Jesus in Wacko. The work is all comic book inspired and so much fun! Again, Friday November 2nd 8-11PM LaLuzDeJesus.com See you there...!
so, got sick of my hair today but instead of making a haircutting appointment I just went into the closet and pulled out the ol' Flowbee. It worked out great. See for yerself!
So, I just discovered the greatest Halloween film ever, 'Kenny & Co.' directed by Don Phantasm Coscorelli. It's about three friends counting down the days till Halloween in the valley in the 70's. I can't think of a film ever that has more moments in it that nail what it was to be a kid. Pretty perfect. Netflix it now!
So, Eric and I watched 'Everything Will Be Ok' latelatelate Saturday night/Sunday morning again and in my inebriated state almost made me cry. I can't stress enough what a wonderful film Don Hertzfeldt has created and command you all to give him your money and watch it ( bitterfilms.com ). Anyways, found a great 3-part interview with the man. go here...
http://bridgerack.com/content/view/14/1/
(i didn't do this drawing btw)
...anyways pulling a late-nighter on freelance and am currently away from my first love, a five foot squid and whale that is proving to be a whopper. it's almost impossible to paint orange and red on black but Souther and Seonna had much advice that turned out to be correct. Ag. Back to freelance...
This had to be the funnest Halloween I can remember (and it's not even over yet). Spent earlt Saturday night at the MOCA for the Takashi Murakami show. For those who don't know (I assume you do) Takashi is probably Japan's biggest pop artist, think Japanese Andy Warhol (?). I've never seen anything this big in my entire life as far as gallery shows go. 10,000 people showed up and the gallery was big enough to support that demand. It was like being at Disneyland. The pieces were just huge, colorful and so much fun.
here's me meeting the man along with friends, Jessica, Katie, Gary and Luke. I started talking to Takashi and he was very polite and nodded and said, "Yes, yes" but then I realised he doesn't speak English. Whoops!
here's a few images from the show I pulled (they were very strict about not taking photos of the art) the first one was my absolute favorite for the show. Robotech + Vagina...
...then rushed home to get in costume. Eric and I went as Jemaine and Bret from Flight of the Conchords. We were a bit skeptical if the costume would work until we got to the parties and every single person we talked to seemed pretty excited about it. We got to bed by Sunday morn in time to see the sun come up and nursed some SERIOUS hangovers yesterday but sucked it up and went to the next event last night and were able to lose the drink shakes with a lil 'hair-o-the-dog' which worked perfectly. Oh, here we are...
I just discovered the greatest site - http://www.plaidstallions.com/ - it showcases beautiful 70's photos of toy aisles/ads etc. SO many memories came rushing back to me with every click. Enjoy all...
started on painting a prehistoric squid battling a sperm whale today. It's kinda interesting painting your phobias. Anyone who's known me longer that two minutes know how much I hate the sea and it's inhabitence. It's just gross n' creepy to me okay? but painting them is fascinating. also started on freelance this week and began using the Cintiq screen. it's gonna take ALOT of patience to get used to it. but sketching and planning out paintings is the absolute best! i got all the planning on this next piece drawn/color designed in like 15 minutes. awaesome. i think i might actually get this 5 footer done this week (ahhhh, optimism. it'll never happen)...
also got to see Control at the Nuart Saturday night about the rise and fall of Joy Division. kinda like a sequel to 24 Hour Party People but with no Steve Coogan -boohoo. anyways, walked out not that into it but after a coupl'a days and alot of Joy Diviaion listening I've realised what a sweet poetic little movie it really is. catch at the Nuart before it goes away on Friday.
finished my cheetah painting yesterday and I really liked it but last night got asked to be in a gallery show in December which is horrible timing 'cause I'm slammed till next year with work. I really wanna do it though 'cause I'd get to paint a propoganda poster which is too tempting to pass up. the big news though is I got my Don Hertzfeldt DVD in the mail today. It's called, 'Everything Will Be OK' and is amazing. I got a chance to see this short last summer and it's impact on me was just as strong. Hertzfeldt is my favorite animator working today and truly makes my head hurt and my heart ache everytime I see his work. Get it now - www.bitterfilms.com ! seriously, do it...
Almost done with my cheetah piece! Funny how much I didn't like this one 24 hours ago. But after some spots and some teeth I like it again. Here's a small 8 inch square of it's 6 feet (see below). Now to paint some bunnies...
Been on a bit of a museum kick since I started my gallery show that will end at the Natural History Museum in NYC (they have a Mystical Creatures show up right now!). But today my recent travels took me to the Getty and Wholy Shit was it boring. Nothing in the entire museum inspired even a fart. In and out in a lil' over an hour and even though it was free we wanted our money back! Oh, the only cool room was the Jesus room 'cause the paintings actually had a design and style from painting-to-painting. And ALOT of gold. My understanding is that Jesus likes gold...
The episode tonight was frackin' amazing! It included atleast a hundred childhood icons from Orco to Totoro!?! SO good!
I start serious freelancin' this week and finally hook up my Cyntiq (that crazy Wacom screen you draw right on) so hopefully since I'll be drawing digitally I'll be more inclined to post more drawings. Been spending my days in the studio paintin a cheetah and a bunny which turns out are tough as shite to draw and/or paint. It's over halfway done which is always the stage I hate the piece the most but with a lil' luck this one won't suck. Point is with this work schedule I don't get to sleep anymore. happy t'do it. I'll have a lil' bit of the image to post soon, 'k?
So, after many late-nighters and many, many listenings to the new Radiohead ( InRainbows.com ) I finally finished the biggest piece for my show. I've never worked so big or so hard on a painting and at times really thought I destroyed it for good but now it is done and I really think it's my favorite thing I've ever painted. I'm proud of it and aint ashamed to say it. It's been so great having the studio be packed 24/7 lately with practically everybody so close to their deadlines. I really feel myself slowly becoming a pretty good painter SO see y'all in June '08 for the unveilling, Ok, here's a small close-up of it....
...and saw Beirut at the Avalon ( seriously, just call it the Palace again, who we foolin? ) last night and it was so, so great. I realized during his set how much I hate wind instruments in bands ( it always sounds like Oingo Boingo to me ) but somehow Beirut breaks thru that and it's really something Bollero-ey and incredible. Ended the night at Little Joy (the name always fits) and had some really great conversations which evolved to people fighting and a long ending pep-talk. Happy to do it!
Souther Salazar (my artspace mate and all 'round great guy) is having his gallery show this Saturday at GR2 (Funny 'cause I saw the documentary below with GR's co-owner, Martin Wong and his wife). The paintings are amazing and make me weep. You'd be a fool not to go. But if you can't it'll be up till the 31st. See ya Saturday, October 13th 6-10PM GR2 2062 Sawtelle Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90025
Oh, and my other artspace-mate, Mark Todd is having his La Luz De Jesus show which I'll post about soon too!
Randomly went to Morrisssey at the Paladium last night and even more randomly ended up at Justice at the Fonda after. SO great - Mr. Fancy Pants sang pitch perfectly and sweated thru and handed out various pieces of clothing to the hungry, hungry, hungry Mexican crowd. My people love that fruity Englishman. He ended the night by wishing everyone a polite, "Valla con Dios". It was awesome. Even better though was Justice, HOLY rave! They blew our heads off. Luckily Souther had their CD when I got to the studio today...
Oh, and just a heads up. I saw an amazing doc this summer by Mike Mills (director of Thumbsucker and main squeeze of Miranda July). It's called Does Your Soul Have a Cold? and it's about clinical depression in Japan and the influx of American pharmacudicals. Really depressing but fascinating. It airs on IFC on October 22nd.
AND here's Mr. Mills video for Blonde Redhead's 'Top Ranked'
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