simmichiko design...

i got a shout out on simmichiko's blog this week for designing elements of her blog identity.
first i designed a logo for her. i drew out each one of the letters and picked colors to enhance its visibility in the collage header she wanted...
i edited all the photos and drew out all the graphics included in the header.
and for copyright purposes, i made a little watermark emblem she could use on her blog photos. my favorite feedback on this project was that i designed it "wicked cute." i'm happy, because that is exactly what i was going for! love you susan.
check out her blog for make-up tips and indulgent shopping suggestions! click on the images to go simmichiko's blog.

an art adventure: nucleus to lebasse...

saturday night, i decided i could make two events that were occurring at the same time practically twenty miles apart. with a little planning and a posse of crime fighters, we headed to alhambra for an early dinner. i didn't want my girls to starve while i dragged them all over southern california. we ate a pretty filling dinner at Baccali about 5pm and headed to Nucleus Studios around 6pm. their current show was October Shadows: drawings, paintings, and sculptures of the halloween variety.
i was mesmerized and disturbed by the art of Cam de Leon. there was a cute little painting of trick-or-treaters that made us smile too...although the october shadows show was cool, the point of going to Nucleus was to meet James Jean. i missed his book signing at GR2, so i could not miss this one too.
i bought his book of 12 prints, Kindling and all three of his artist series Hint Mints (previously posted here). he was really nice despite the hot lights he was sitting under, and did this quick, quirky sketch for me. its cute and a little freaky at the same time, i like it...
part one of the adventure was complete with treasures successfully gathered! we left Nucleus a little after 7pm and fought a little traffic to make it to LeBasse Projects just about 8pm. it was opening night for Nate Frizzell's solo show! Mr Beau Basse, who we met last week, helped me get a sketch from Nate too! he wrote "i'm sorry," but Sir, for a little drawing in the middle of your solo show, it's pretty fantastic...
Yoskay Yamamoto was running around in an animal mask; i've met him before, but i was too nervous to say 'hi.' i took a picture of a little Yoskay sculpture on Nate's installation tree though...the show was called Lost in the Thicket and this was my favorite piece, Never Alone...
and these are my friends...

also at LeBasse Projects was the Kids are Alright show in the Project Room. i loved this piece in person...
awesome night, all around. both events ended at 10pm, but we were on our way to get dessert at Cafe Ugo by 9:30; perfect way to end the night.

laments and lullabies...

i love lori earley. man i wish i was in london to see this show at the opera gallery...
isn't lori just as beautiful as her art work? she has it all. haha, hear the admiration gushing from me?

images from arrested motion.

dj rawkim...

i finished a logo and business card for DJ Rawkim a few weeks ago. it was a fun project, especially creating the image on the front of his business card...

this is essentially his logo and bumper sticker. he's a local south bay dj. check him out

sketch lamp...

this lamp twists from a lamp to a light box! its perfect for small sketches, so cool...
this is designed by Hung-Ming Chen(Hommin) & Ninna Kapadia.
article on dezeen.

at beyond eden...

so i was able to get my animation friend and postal sketches participant, eileen, to come with me to barnsdall park for beyond eden. parking was practically non-existent, so we had a little adventure circling around. once we got into the building we were overwhelmed with art...
we found a print by our CSULB friend Kevin Tong in the Gallery 1988 corner (blue image on left).
this was the LeBasse Projects gallery area. i got pretty star stuck when the owner, Beau Basse, came to talk with us; hope i didn't babble too much.
part of the Heroes & Villains exhibit was a little room covered in contact sheets and polaroids of the artists photographed for the show by Tatiana Wills and Roman Cho.gallery nucleus had a b e n c h set out for us to sit and admire!
i took almost a hundred pictures and that was no where near how many pieces where actually there.

beyond eden art fair...

this looks like an epic group gallery art show. i should really go. who wants to come with?
its ekundayo covering an entire wall!
it was the map of participating galleries that convinced me i should attend. click on the map for the gallery listing.
images from arrested motion and the beyond eden site.

urban jewelry...

for some reason over-sized things are just enthralling. these pieces are by Belgian designer Liesbeth Bussche somewhere in the streets of Tielrode Belgium. it's jewelry for the streets and i like it!
images and original article found on fubiz.

i love your blog: 10 random things...

alright, so i was tagged with an {I ♥ your blog} award by my adorable friend simmichiko. check out her blog on all things indulgent here. so, being tagged means i have to list ten random facts about myself. since this blog is about my inspirations, these are things that make me smile and help me function...

1. sketchbooks/stacks of paper...
i am obsessed with stacks of paper: photos, magazines, notebooks, postcards, and especially sketchbooks. i tend to have 2 or 3 sketchbooks started at a time, but i never fill them to the last page.
2. postal sketches...
so sketchbooks, brings me to my art project, Postal Sketches. this project is my baby and i'm so excited about the artists helping me with it. this project pushes me to grow as an artist. originally the idea a way to keep in touch with some CSULB art classmates, and so i'd get a package in the mail once in a while, haha.3. snail mail...
everyone loves getting mail, right? real mail. Postal Sketches was a strategic way to get myself some mail, in addition to that i do exchange snail mail with my best friend. my new year's resolution tends to be to mail more cards.
4. art supplies...
i tend to buy too many art supplies. also, i am very particular about their care. its actually hurts to see someone mistreat my pens, brushes, and marker tips.
5. hazelnut latte...
like so many people out there, i run on caffeine. hazelnut lattes and almond milk teas are my weakness. what morning with a warm cup of coffee and a full blog roll to read isn't great? (yes, i love coffee so much, i look for it in china.)
6. blogs...
obviously, i love blogging, and i attribute it to my fabulous photographer friend, adrienne gunde. her excitement for blogging and sharing all the little things that make life wonderful is infectious.
7. art show openings...
at galleries, we find the artist, their new art, and people with similar fascinations. i find out about all these art show openings through blogs and my best friend. its always good to have people around you to fuel the creativity.
8. peoples...
i love making art and sitting in front of the computer or canvas for hours, but i need go out. i need to see people and be inspired by my family, friends and boyfriend.
9. baking...
i show my love to all those wonderful people by feeding them with my baking. i am not the best baker, but i try, and if that fails, i buy the pre-made dough.10. clients...
yes, really. when i'm hired as a freelance graphic designer, i need to know the client's vision. they don't always know they have a vision but they do, and when i get it out of them, it's pretty motivating.

i now, in turn award {I ♥ your blog} tagging to:

connie chung of ...like a fat kid loves cake... , prose n conns
tammy hsia of my take on it
adrienne gunde of adrienne gunde photography
chris kawagiwa of sketchboy01
jen herr of les cahiers
mai s kemble of silver spoon

i'm not even sure all these people read my blog, but i do love your blog!

'accordian' table...

this table is freakin fantastic! it's an entry at the International Design Award 2009, by Russian designer Olga Kalugina. it opens up like accordian with storage spaces and drawers...images from design blog.

oh joy! stationary release party...

this is not the usual type of art opening i go to, but i think i still want to go...
it's the launch of the new Oh Joy! Collection for Chronicle hosted by Urbanic, Oct 15th, 2009.

Join us for an evening of
cupcakes & champagne
to celebrate the launch of the
Oh Joy! Stationery Collection
recently released by Chronicle Books

• Meet and mingle with Joy Cho of Oh Joy!
and other design enthusiasts in the L.A. area
• Snap some fun pics in our photobooth
• Indulge in the sweetest of frosted treats

Thursday, October 15th
7 - 10 pm
Urbanic Paper Boutique
Venice, CA

Kindly RSVP to hello@urbanicpaper.com

chicago sleepover summary...

i love chicago. there was visual stimulation almost everywhere i looked. my main attractions were millennium park, wicker park, miraculous mile, and the art institute of chicago.
this is the The Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, by Frank Gehry who did the Walt Disney Concert Hall before this. the pavilion looks awesome from every angle. of course the 110 ton Cloud Gate at Millennium Park is a must see too...
"Wicker Park" is my favorite movie, so i had to go to that part of the city too. Wicker Park is reminiscent of the trendy shopping area on Melrose, except a little more low key. these are our new robot friends on the walls of Lenny & Me store and gallery...After shopping around Wicker Park, we made our way to Rotofugi Toy Store and Gallery. this was definitely a highlight because i had found the Brush Project and the store online and didn't really think i'd actually be able to go. at the gallery, the girl in mary poppins shoes went into the back and pulled out a late, but excellent, entry by Shag for the brush project. we felt so exclusive, hehe.
and the current show at the gallery was perfect for my trip; it was chicago artists creating chicago inspired pieces!
David Soukup - Downtown Shuffle was my favorite piece in the show.
Thank you to the fabulous ladies that were working at rotofugi on sunday, october 04.
i cannot pick a favorite piece from the Art Institute of Chicago's museum. the place was practically my entire college art history curriculum. they had dali, renior, magritte, picasso, o'keeffe, miro, monet, manet...it was definitely amazing.
this little guy was painted in the middle of crosswalks all over downtown in different colors. i haaad to include him.

an enormous, elephantine thank you to my best friend for this incredible trip. i love you connie!

PS. we saw Jessica Alba sunday night after dinner when we were walking on Hubbard Street! she's there to film "Little Fockers" says Chicago Tribune and NBC Chicago.