Getting A Head in America

The Bomb Pop is a Popsicle originally created in the 1950's by some white man in Kansas City. All to telling. The Bomb Pop was too good to pass up as a symbol of American economics.

"Getting A Head in America"
Watercolor and ink on paper

Prayer of Saint Francis

I've had this little praying hands plaque for years with the intention of painting it. In the recent I had a reason to do so. It was done out of significance and care for someone I hold dear. The before photo is where I started to gesso it. The end results follow, I just pasted the prayer on the back to give the plaque meaning. The prayer of Saint Francis is very beautiful in it's simplicity. A few years back we saw Patti Smith in Golden Gate Park and it was powerfully interpreted by her, I've attached it below.

Before

After

Prayer of Saint Francis on the back

Patti

Roy

Roy is the first character in a series that I'm creating about vintage Americana. The focus will be primarily men that have inspired me. Both fictitious and real. I've always been deeply attracted to the fringe, it's in my nature. Be it art, people, culture, music. So many interesting aspects of American grit are gone, at least heavily subsided. You can always find it underground, where grittiness has always thrived. Roy looks as if he wants to kill you but really he just wants to be loved.

 Roy

Shortly after I embarked on this homage, I found this amazing vintage photo of this hussy with a Roy tattoo. Perfecto!

JUST LET GO

Sometimes we hold on to things that weigh us down. Burden us. Like hungry wolves. If we can, we should let it go, take off the coat and head toward the sun. I have two pieces in the San Jose Creatives group show at KALEID Gallery.

JUST LET GO
Mixed Media

Half Asleep

Have you ever felt like your dream or nightmare was so real that you really weren't sure in that half asleep state? That's what inspired this painting.

Half Asleep
Watercolor, ink

REZHIM

A piece I created in response to Pussy Riot, the Russian female punk band that are currently on trial for speaking out against Putin. The piece also represents a beaten super hero/hypnotized woman that's forced to drink what the goverment has given her. Politics, control, the usual.

REZHIM - Regime
India ink, Gouache

Group show at KALEID Gallery 7/14

Exquisite Corpse is based on the Surrealists techniques exploiting the mystique of spontaneity and collaborative creativity through a visual parlor game. The exhibition will take place in the feature gallery of KALEID with a public artists reception on July 14th 7-10 pm and will be on view through July 27th. Each participating artist was given a blank piece of paper on which they created one third of a figure (head or torso or legs, assigned at random). KALEID Gallery staff will collect and arrange all 60 of the individual pieces into a unexpected complete figure. Come out!

I'm happy that I got legs as my project. My piece is based on Chinese Communism, a mix of humor and extremism. I used symbols dealing with China's current collapsing economy, shoddy imports, crimes against humanity, the un-scrupulous one child family planning policy for instance. Women bear the very men who sit in these seats, the archaic scrutiny is rather shocking.

Hencho en China
Mixed Media

Veil Interpretation

Over the years I've been fascinated by veils and coverings. Although the wearing of veils lies in constant question, so should the reasons for lack of clothing. I've definitely incorporated the interest into my art. I like to buy statues and give them my own spin with a dia de los muertos influence. I grew up in a catholic family, although I wasn't completely made to practice, it was more than present in my childhood. Although I do question catholic antics, I like the paraphernalia. I find the range from antiquated beauty to gaudiness inspiring. Here are a few pieces of my art above. Below are some profound photos. Muslim Brides and Anti-GaGa rebellion!

Among Muslim women, the debate about hijab takes many forms. Many believe that the veil is a way to secure personal liberty in a world that objectifies women. Understood in such terms, hijab protects women from the male gaze and allows them to become autonomous subjects. The veil is not a uniquely Islamic convention; the practice has a long history in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Catholic nuns engage in the practice, of course, and there are several references to the practice in both the Old and New Testaments. Ironically, the representation of veiling in the Bible is much more problematic than those in the Qur'an or the Hadith, because the Judeo-Christian sources imply that women should be covered because of their inherent inferiority.

I can totally relate to them - Muslim elementary school student holds a defaced poster of US pop singer Lady Gaga during a protest in Solo, Central Java, Indonesia, against her concert that is scheduled to be held on June 3. Lady Gaga might have to cancel her sold-out show in Indonesia because police worry her sexy clothes and dance moves undermine Islamic values and will corrupt the country's youth.

Hoo

Here's a little abstract owl I painted for my friend Van Bui. 

Teenage Lunch

 

On top is my painting of Lydia, on the bottom is a poster from Black Box. I just so happened to stumble upon a CD of some old art of mine Frances had put together. I honestly never thought I'd see this again. It's not the greatest image, but it works. I gave it to some friends some time ago.

SEVEN FRAGMENTS

Black and Brown Vintage Clothing Store located in sunny San Jose California just had their seventh year anniversary. Congratulations! A lot of mom and pops don't make it in the Silicon Valley area. More known for it's status driven, high techie devoid-ism culture, some might be surprised that San Jose actually has it's gems of people and odd things happening for those who want a little more. The owners Moe and Irene came up with the brilliant idea to celebrate their seventh with an art show. The theme was to showcase artists they previously featured from the last seven years, with the theme being 7. I decided to turn the flier I made from our show into something new. I wanted to represent how much could change and evolve in 7 years. The flier is two nuns facing each other entitled "Face to Face". I decided to make over-exaggerated jewelry based on the piece. How to display it was tricky.
I bought a used mutilated mannequin torso and re created one of the nuns from the flier into a 3-D display. I gave her back her dignity. Her previous owner cut her breasts off!
For the jewelry, I transferred the image onto metal, then cut it into shapes. I cut pieces of mirror into these shapes, then attached the metal to the mirrors. I wanted it to resemble an Egyptian Menat with an art deco emphesis. The Menat was meant to ensure good luck and fortune and protect against evil spirits (that voodoo that you do). It was also worn for protection in the afterlife and is often found buried with the dead. Worn by women, it was expected to foster fruitfulness and good health, while among men it signified virility.

Here is a before and after of the end result. The show is up for a month, anyone in the area should check it out. Some amazing works came out of the show!

EnDanger

Our art show is up through March 1st at On the Corner Record Shop in Campbell Ca.