Floral Pattern: Yes?

Music: Major Tom (Coming Home) by Shiny Toy Guns
TV Show: Community

I recently did a "technology update" which just means that I updated my website and revamp parts of it since the six months I have been inactive (it's so horrible; everything is so outdated). There wasn't any new art to add since many of them are still in the making but regroup some parts of the gallery and I did add a little photography section, which consist mostly of the photos I took for Teaa's Flowers and something for my mother. I wouldn't consider myself a photographer but I taken pictures every so often as a hobby.

This is the one taken from my mother's garden if you were wondering...
from her Delia plant.

Since we are on the topic of flowers, there was a period in time when floral prints were super popular and people, primarily females, used them for everything. In the 90's, most of the swimsuits in department stores were covered in them and they were really cool back then. Every sweater and blouse that we would now consider tacky were splatter with a hodge-podge of these floral patterns. These bright, color clashing shapes were everywhere and then people thought that they were lame and it became a thing in the past. Only grandmas sport them. Anyways, I think they are coming back. I keep seeing product labels floral patterns. It's like they are trying to over thrown the minimalist movement or something.

I would say more about it but I'm too busy rummaging through my aunt's old sweaters bin from the 90's. They better be coming back or else I'll be the only one looking awful for the next couple of months.

Is Snow White the New Trend?

Current Obsession: Jason Isaacs and Ralph Fiennes' films
Music: Heads Will Roll by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Food: Avocado

This is my belated Halloween post. Seems like I'm always tardy for everything...

I was suppose to go to several Halloween parties but something got in the way so instead I went to none. (Actually, I went to one a week prior but it was also part gallery show so it shouldn't count.) Probably one of the first Halloween in at least 4 years where I didn't do anything.

It was a tradition in my art school to celebrate the holiday by dressing up and then parading in the gallery with onlookers cheering and raving at the sidelines. Since this is my first Halloween after college, I decided to continue the tradition and do a little closet/trial (aka. last minute, why are you surprised?) costume. For this year, I was Snow White... or at least tried to be.

I ran out of apples so here's me with a tomato.
Whaaaaat? Tomatoes are fruits and they happen to be red-orange, which is similar to red but more orangy.
Someone thought that I was a school girl doing a tomato juice ad. Kinda far from Snow White.
*Fails*

For the past year, there is rising trend with fairy tales, Snow White in particular. She is not close to being my top my favorite fairy tale character and probably one of my least favorite Disney princesses; however, there is something about her story that intrigues people enough to usually star her as the main protagonist in many of pan-fairy tale based fictions. Television series such as 10th Kingdom and the new Once Upon a Time had her story as a basis for their show. She is also the main character in the Vertigo graphic novel series, Fables. In the upcoming year, 2012, there is already 2 movies in production about Snow White, one starring Kristen Stewart (the Twilight Saga) and the other with Lily Collins (The Blind Side, Abduction), not to mention the countless number of Snow White films in the past.

Why is there such an obsession with Snow White? Is she the Batman of fairy tales or is there something I'm missing? Or perhaps society nowadays, blackened by the evil clutches of greed and corruption, look towards a tales of purity and innocence as a means to escape the awful reality. I will probably see the movies anyway because I like creepy fairy tales.

Is it avocados? Because I have avocados.

1st Gallery Show

Current obsession: Jason Isaacs
Music: Disney & musicals

I deeply apologize for not updating in so long. This blog is undergoing some major changes. First off, I reformatted the entire layout. The background image is taken by me for Teaa's Flowers. The colors were so lovely and vibrant that I ended up with a theme based around it.

I had my first gallery show on Saturday, October 22nd. It was curated by Elena Katz and feature works many young established artists in Chicago.  I had 3 paintings up on display. One of the pieces is brand new. It's not finished to the point in which I would have liked for the show but I ran out of time (after a full week of nonstop painting too). The piece is called Cinderella and it will be finished by the time for my good friend/fellow artist, Joy, and my next show. Here is sample chunk of art thus far:

The full image will be a surprise.

It was pretty awesome to see all the people that showed up in a mere 3 hrs. I almost sold one of my old editorial pieces, "Homeless House;" however, the buyer changed his mind last minute. The piece almost didn't make it to the show. I am happy either way because it shocks me to see that people actually enjoy and appreciate my artwork.

Teaa's Flowers

Addiction: (on break)
Obsession: Stories and Tom Riddle (but to a lesser extent)

A friend of mine has recently opened up a flower shop in downtown called Teaa's Flowers. In fact, yesterday was the grand opening. The location is 501 north Wells Street in Chicago, Illinois (2 blocks north of the Merchandise Mart stop on the Brown/ Purple line). The shop is right on the corner so it's fairly easy to find.

   

The flowers are high quality in a decent pricing. Delivery is also very inexpensive. The shop itself look relatively modern and is dog friendly. The owner himself has two small dogs that may or may not be in the shop. Also, the shop aims to be green and environment friendly.

There is also an art studio (in the making) downstairs where my friend and fellow artist, Joy, and I will be working at. I am going to probably be there for half the time to work on projects, so there will be artwork feature in the shop every once in awhile.

    

So if you're in town and in need some flowers (Mother's Day and graduations are coming up!) stop by Teaa's Flowers. Also, bring your dog!

 

Apologize for the pictures; only had my digital camera that day.

Addictions and Obsessions

Addiction: Scented candles

Obsession: Fairytales

First blog post! I was going to write an entry focusing on some amigurumi made solely for the school fair, but I have recently taken a break from crocheting to concentrate on school work since the end of school forever (or for the time being anyways) is in 3 days and graduation is exact in a month minus a day. For my last project, I want it to be more fairytale base. In my final presentation (which I have bombed horribly), I presented myself more as a storyteller than an illustrator so I might just continue that route.

To tell you the truth, I don’t know what the future will hold for me. I thought I knew four years ago but it was just the tip of the iceberg (so cliché, I know). It seems like the more I try to find myself, the less I know. Many things happening during these 4 years in college; it has broadened my horizon and my perspective of life. There are so many things I want to do but there are also so many lingering uncertainties. I think I still have time though. What irony! When I was in grammar school, I felt like I never have time for anything and I was deathly paranoid of everything and of all kinds of endings (which left me empty cold inside) but now I feel like I have all the time in the world –well, enough time for some soul searching at least. Have I lost my mind?

Anyway, I want the topic of this post to be on addictions and obsessions. Both of these words have a negative connotation and are synonyms of each other. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, addiction is “the condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with or involved in something,” while obsession is defined as “a compulsive preoccupation with a fixed idea or an unwanted feeling or emotion, often accompanied by symptoms of anxiety.”

Addiction seems to relate more to substance and action (ie: addiction to alcohol or gambling). Obsession is more of a fixation to a conceptual and more idea base (ie: monomania). Usually, fanatics are obsessed with their idols and addicted to their music/acting/looks/whatever. I guess one can be obsess with objects too, like shoes, or perhaps it’s just an addiction to shopping? Both are consider bad for your psyche.

I found this topic interesting since my inner drama queen have a tendency to burst out in claims of a new obsession and/or addiction quite so often, leaving friends to be indifferent to this routine. Maybe I have a problem. My addictions are nothing quite as harmful as alcohol or drugs but they are generally fickle, lasting from durations of 6 months or 1 day, give-or-take. Today, I am addicted to scented candles; tomorrow, I maybe addicted to post-its (I can just feel it in my pinky-toes). Or maybe I am just addicted to shopping, which poses to be a real problem. Anyway, my “addictions” tend to just linger on the side of my mind and I only pay attention to the subject when I think of it or notice it in my peripheral vision.

When it comes to obsessions, however, I cannot stop thinking about it and it dominates and dictates everything I do. I can spend hours or even days research the subject. Sometimes I forgo sleep just so I can continue search of more information about the subject matter and nothing seems enough to quench the thirst for this knowledge. I am afraid to sleep at times because I might lose this connection with this subject and forget all the work I have done in my studies. I only sleep when I can no longer think. This can be a real problem for me.

I want to continue further discussion on this subject matter but it’s 5am already here in Chicago and I need a bit of sleep to get up for school in a few hours. Free feel to comment and discuss on this subject matter though. 

Here is a picture of my current candle addiction.
(It is an addiction because I keep relighting new candles to replace of the old one and sometimes I lit 2 because the first one is not burning fast enough.)

And here's another image for my inner crazy.
Sorry about the quality of the picture. I try using a good camera but the lighting in my room was just horrid.

Love and peace to all.