Another collaboration in the works.

Cyrus Sutton, Director of Under the Sun, wrote me the other day. We had corresponded previously about trying to work on something together or providing artwork for an animation. Well, he wanted an image of Boyfriend, currently on display at the Oxbow store in Anglet, France, to use in an animated sequence for his latest project: Korduroy.tv


I am excited to see how he adds to the image and makes it move.

Screen printing: different substrates

I am enjoying my screen printing class so much. I pulled the design below on three different substrates, handmade Khadi Paper, hand-me-down printing paper from J and Canvas.

Khadi Paper:

Printing paper:

Canvas ( I actually have two of these. I gave them a denim jean edge and backing so that they are coasters):

Collaboration: writing + illlustration

I asked my friend, Fabrice Le Mao, if we could collaborate on something. Since he is a writer, native language French, he sent me this small writing in English:

He hasn't shaved in two week. Out of laziness, he tends to think. Not the lonely man laziness or the "laissez aller" à la Barfly... No, it's more out of a nonchalant mix in between being curious to see my face with a lot of hair on it, having a lame razor that seems to like it when it peels my skin off and pushing the day when I'm gonna have to do it for a good reason. It's funny... He spent a little more time in front of my mirror now. He recognize those eyes but the rest is not really what he's familiar with. A lot of hair everywhere. Black hairs, grey hairs... Who's this guy? A normal guy. An everyday type of guy. He seems to look at his life's story while staring at his face, but he can't help but dreams of another story for his life. A story sans the « faux pas » and the shenanigans. A story without all the boring and tasteless episodes that life seems to throw at you if you don't care for it. « Because people usually fuck up their life from boredom », he thinks. His life has been a rollercoaster or so it seems until, for no reasons at all staring at his face in the bathroom’s mirror, he compared it to James Bond's. The very thought of this makes him smile. His eyes focus on the little riddles around his eyes now and, thanks to the extra hair, he likes them. His life seems so boring compared to Bond’s, he could die from boredom. He grins and breath and relaxes from this thought : "What if my life was much quieter… like an office clerk? What would it be working from 9 to 5 doing the same exact shit over and over?" The hair still seems powdered with salt but it's ain't that bad. The beard definitely has a "barfly" flavor but that's okay too. What about that novel he's been trying to finish about this guy who tries to save a fucked up world that’s falling apart?... Well, stepping back, the world is not falling apart. It may be the world like we used to know, like we used to think it was going to be… but Earth, that dear old planet will still hold and support life long after we'll be gone. It's up to us to figure out if we want to be a part of it or not. »
The man in the mirror seems familiar but there is a twist somewhere. « The idea behind the novel doesn't reflect who I am, what I've been becoming and all those thoughts that obsess me… There is no God. It's only the Principle of Life. Life is the only constant form in the Universe. From the molecules up to the galaxies, it is the Principle of Life in full effect. Praying God is praying life. However I'm looking at it, I can't find another explanation... and I'm not only talking about the "God gave us free will" shit! Coming down to an earthly and human point of view we have the free will to not fuck up our own life if we fight hard enough for it. And that’s the motto in the Great Principle of Life : if we screw you get screwed. Nobody gave us the directions for use. And up until our last breath we are still learning about life. Nobody said it was gonna be easy. An ironic voice somewhere inside his head says: "like love, Baby!"... Yeah right, like love... Love erected as the perfect reflection of the Principle of Life. It's been a minute and fourteen seconds since he sent her a text message and his phone vibrates.

Loveswell Set: Before and After

Before:

After:

And the creative promotional version:

Loveswell Set - Amazing

So I have been in LA the past couple days with J painting the set for Loveswell, it opens tomorrow night, and it was a lot of work, but entirely worth it. If you would like something entertaining and beautiful to do Friday evening I recommend attending.
Below is an almost completed photo. At this point I still needed to outline the top or furthest wave and add some of my 3-D treatments. I really should have moved the ladder and closed the door on the stage, I am a much better designer + artist than photographer. Anyways I will post more photos after opening night.

I would also like to thank John Forston and everyone on the production team and at the Hudson for their help, support and positivity in regards to my work. Also to my parents and J, of course.

New art process: Serigraphy

Screen printing is by no means "new;" however, the process is new to me. I am taking a screen printing class at the UCSD Crafts Center. Below are my first two projects.

This one was made using paper as a blocker for the ink and the one below uses rubylith to create the image, lots of exacto blade magic.

The Loveswell print is actually a small note card. We were allowed to make six prints so four went out as invitations/reminders for the theater production. I kept one and the other I sent to John Forston, the actor of the performance, as encouragement.

The Stargazing print is based upon a sketch I did for a commission.

New business card

I finally ran out of my mini Moo Cards, everyone really liked them. Since I needed new cards, Loveswell opens soon, I made this design yesterday. I am designing the set of Loveswell and will have artwork up in the cafe attached to the theater.
The artwork on my business card comes from the pieces I sent to Anglet, France that I still have not discussed on my blog yet, but are posted on my website. I also decided to stick with one design versus the 100 images you can provdie Moo Cards, to have a standard sized card and have them made close to home by Santora Media Group. I cannot wait to see the physical cards. I also kept the information provided simple. I think listing my website and my email address is redundant, especially since my email states my web address. I also left out my phone number, I value my privacy and prefer writing it on the card when someone needs it.