FOLLOW THE WHITE RABBIT

Start Of Something New

2011-03-30T11:45:00.000-07:00

I'm moving to London, England! I've been dreaming about living + working in Europe for as long as I can remember, and I'm pinching myself that it's actually happening. I've learned that as much as you might have big dreams, you must make the initiative for it to happen yourself. You simply cannot wait and hope it happens someday. I've lived that way for far too long. I'm so excited and can't wait for all the adventures that await me there.

North America, it's been a slice. Bye for now.

Painting: Lettering With My Dad

2011-03-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I painted with My Dad. He's retired now, but he used to be a sign writer. He hand painted signs for over 10 years until computers were introduced and he had to switch to vinyl lettering. My Dad actually taught himself how to letter. Now that's discipline and drive! We spent several hours painting together. He shared information about lettering, colour and compositions, which I will try to incorporate into my own work.

My Dad uses '1 Shot' sign writing paint. It's called '1 Shot' because you can lay down the paint in one shot without having to go over it. The paint is oil based, so it stays a bit wet and tacky. It smells strong, but I like it as it brings me back to being a kid and watching my Dad paint. He taught me an old sign writing trick: if the paint has chunks it, you filter it through nylon.

The brushes he uses are made specifically for sign writing. They are made from Russian Squirrel hair (!) + assembled in France. I love the little wires that hold the brush ends together, you really don't see anything like that nowadays.

Dad showin me how it's done. He's left handed, but was showing me how to maneuver my hand (as a right-handed person). His control and lettering with his 'wrong hand' was way better than my right hand! lol. This was our practice board. Dad's stuff is on the right, mine is on the left. He painted the sign above as reference when he was lettering signs. I love the font, it's very comic-book-like.

I've done a few test strokes, and now I'm ready to paint it for reals. I found the brushes a bit difficult to use as they have really long hair, and I'm used to brushes with shorter hair. I find I have more control with shorter brushes. I'm using a 'Mahl' stick, which is a painter's tool for keeping your hand away from smearing the paint and for maneuverability. You rest your painting hand on it and can go from thick to thin lines and make a nice curve just by moving the Mahl stick around with your other hand. It takes some getting used to.

My Dad freestyles some letters. He hasn't painted in a while, but he's still got it!

Photos: Bear River

2011-03-29T12:27:00.000-07:00

Some pics from my visit to Bear River, Nova Scotia.

Sculpture: Sock Fairy

2011-03-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

I made this sculpture about 8yrs ago. I started off sketching out on paper the position I wanted her to be sitting in. Then I started with a base -- I used a wire armature to get the pose I wanted (an armature gives the sculpture a bit more strength). After that I covered the armature with Super Sculpey and sculpted all her features the way I wanted. I hand painted her, made her crown and wings out of wire (which was then covered with bits of silk scarf my Mom was throwing out). Her hair is donated from a My Little Pony.

The idea behind the sock fairy is that she steals socks from the dryer. That's how our socks go missing! I had planned to make a series of mischeivous fairies, but you know, life gets in the way. I hope to re-visit sculpture projects like this someday.

Photos: Toronto

2011-03-25T19:04:00.001-07:00

Some pics from my visit to Toronto in March.

Urban Vinyl: 'For The Love Of Vinyl' show

2011-03-01T00:11:00.000-08:00

I just finished my custom Symbiote for the "For The Love Of Vinyl" group show at Dragatomi in Sacramento, CA. The show runs from March 12th to April 2nd, and features the work of 25 artists.

I named him 'Let Go', which is inspired by my upcoming relocation from Vancouver, Canada to London, UK. I will be moving next month, and although I am SO excited to experience life in London and looking forward to the new adventures that await, I am also sad about (temporarily) leaving behind all the amazing friends I've made during my year here in Vancouver. Sometimes we have to let go of things deep in our hearts to make way for the new love that will grow there.

"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together."
— Marilyn Monroe

Here's a couple shots of him in progress:

The Symbiote has such a huge head, so I wanted to paint the majority of the design there. I wanted a huge heart as the focal point, as if he's solely thinking with his heart. I wanted the heart to be bold and the rest of the colours to be very soft and feminine. I drew the sketch directly on the toy instead of drawing it out on paper first.

Art Show: TOMS Shoes for Seven @ Ayden Gallery

2011-02-08T23:16:00.001-08:00

I finished my custom TOMS shoes! As I mentioned in a previous post, Ayden Gallery is hosting a show called 'Seven' in celebration of their 7th anniversary! Over 50 artists will add their personal touch to TOMS shoes. The shoes will be on display at the show opening at Ayden Gallery (Vancouver, BC) on Friday, February 18th, 7:00pm - 11:00pm. The shoes will be for sale and all proceeds go to charity. Find out more at the Facebook event page here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=198895993457931

When I was thinking about what I wanted to paint it was important for me to create a design that I would actually wear. I also wanted to paint something with a typography theme choosing names of characters from the story Alice In Wonderland. I wanted to feature the main lettering 'White Rabbit' as bright and bold. Then I added some 'supporting text' as subtle design-y looking shapes instead of being recognizable as text. The light blue text says 'Jabberwocky'. (You can see the in progress pics here and here.)

In Progress: TOMS Shoes customs

2011-02-01T23:41:00.001-08:00

Previously we saw my custom shoes here. Since then I've completed the lettering. I still have a ways to go, but I thought it would be fun to show some in progress shots.

Urban Vinyl: Tuttz customs, Vici is unveiled!

2011-01-31T00:34:00.001-08:00

The 3rd and last of my Tuttz customs is finally finished! I’ve named him “Vici” after the famous phrase by Julius Caesar: “Veni, Vidi, Vici.” (“I came, I saw, I conquered.”). Vici will be for sale in my Etsy shop this Thursday at 12:00 noon PST, and will be priced at $150. He is completely hand painted by me with acrylic paints and sealed. He was sculpted and cast by END of Argonaut Resins. He measures 6.5 inches high, he’s one-of-a-kind and signed on the bottom. You can see my other two Tuttz customs here: Veni and Vidi.

Vici's Story ("I conquered")
Vici has come a long way to be where he is now. He's been through very difficult times but he's survived. The bloody heart he bares on his shield shows others of his past... he's faced his demons and come out on top. This heart has strength. "You've got to find the strength inside to lead you out of here. One steps guides another till the way becomes clear." ~Down On Love by Sarah Blasko

Art Show: Seven @ Ayden Gallery

2011-01-25T23:45:00.000-08:00

Ayden Gallery is hosting a show called 'Seven' next month, in celebration of their 7th anniversary! Over 50 artists will add their personal touch to TOMS shoes. TOMS is a very noble shoe company: "With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One." Some of the big names in the show are: Ben Tour, Camilla d'Errico, Lani Imre, Kristian Adam, Mandy Tsung, Peter Ricq, Peter Taylor and Peeta. The shoes will be on display and up for auction through the month of February. All proceeds go to charity. More info in this article.

Ayden has asked me to participate in the show! Here are a few shots of my TOMS shoes. I chose to work with my size; Women's size 7. You can see I'm adding the base colour in the top right-hand pic. More sneak peeks coming soon... :D

In Progress: 3rd Tuttz Custom Vici

2011-01-25T23:33:00.000-08:00

Here's a sneak peek at my 3rd Tuttz custom; Vici. I'm so happy that he's... FINISHED! I promise pics this weekend. :D I had to put him on hold for a while because I fractured my hand and was unable to use it for a few months. But now I can draw and use a paint brush, so it's about time I got him done! This pic was taken while I was painting the lettering on his toes. He will be for sale soon. Stay tuned...

Check out my 2nd Tuttz custom Vidi and my 1st Tuttz custom Veni. Both are sculpted by Argonaut Resins.

Photos: Mounted Heads

2011-01-21T12:40:00.001-08:00

What a great theme!

Drawings: iPad + sketches

2011-01-16T21:18:00.000-08:00

I haven't drawn in a while so I thought it was about time! Here are a few things I doodled in my notebook with a ball point pen. I coloured them in digitally.

And this is my first sketch on the iPad. It's really fun using just my fingertips to draw.

Photos: Flat Track Roller Derby

2011-01-10T21:18:00.000-08:00

A few pics from the Terminal City Rollergirls All Stars VS Jet City Rollergirls Party Mix bout on December 17th, 2010. The final score was TCRG 136 - JCRG 69. Watch a video of the bout here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eu2yQopucc

Trixi Trippin Chix gets through the pack.

Barra Couga blocks a player from JCRG.

Risquee Bisnatch was an unstoppable Jammer in this bout.

Amazombie is knocked over but quickly gets back up again.

Pics from the Co-Ed Open Scrimmage (Black vs White) bout on December 21st, 2010. Players were from TCRG, Vancouver Murder, Mainland Misfits, Fresh Meat + more!

Widow Maker, Last Rites, Noah Backtalk, Rye n' Coke and Rusty Bearings, were just some of the Vancouver Murder players in this game.

Andi Struction tears up the track as Lead Jammer.

Art Show: "Art Jam 5"; live painting at the 9 Lb Hammer in Seattle

2010-12-13T23:39:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I went down to Seattle to participate in 'Art Jam 5'; a live painting event with a bunch of local artists hosted by artist Augie Pagan. It was held at a pub called the 9LB Hammer. "To keep the event affordable and open to the general public, no piece of artwork sold for over $50." (more info + pics in this article). The place was jam packed! Lots of art apprecianados bumpin' to the music, chattin' over drinks and watching the artists paint. The place had great energy, and was perfect timing for me to start painting again after fracturing my drawing hand (blog post on that coming soon, I promise)!

[My card suit monsters meet Lawrence's heart pantied Alice]

I collaborated with Lawrence Ruelos on an Alice In Wonderland themed piece. I haven't really done a collab before.. and definitely not in front of a crowd. It was fun tossing around ideas with Lawrence and watching our pencil sketches come to life as we lay down the paint in our different yet cohesive styles. I was a bit nervous going on stage at first because I'm not one for the spotlight, however the excitement of both the opportunity to paint + to collab with Lawrence outweighed any apprehension I had. My first time painting in front of a crowd + my first time painting after my hand fracture = big accomplishments for me! Lawrence had painted in the previous Art Jams so he was a pro. ;) We painted for about an hour and unfortunately it wasn't enough time to finish our piece (we had to wrap it up to let other artists have a spot at the easel), but I'm happy with how our piece turned out anyways. :)

The last time I was at a live painting event was this summer at the San Diego Comic Con where I watched Dave Flores, Joe Ledbetter, Angry Woebots and Yoskay Yamamoto breathe life onto large scaled canvasses at Munky King's Omi mask launch party. I was glued to the spot at that event... it was hypnotizing watching my art idols create their signature styles right infront of me. So to have the opportunity to be an artist in an event was huge for me + I can't thank Lawrence and Augie enough for having the confidence to give me a chance. :) Our piece sold to one of Lawrence's awesome girlfriends who skates for the Jet City Rollergirls (derby girl, wut! wut!). It makes me happy to know the piece is going to one awesome chika! :)

Dev, Augie and Shane White collaborated on this sweet monster piece.

Yet more awesome paintings! It's exciting to me that everyone has the same tools... canvas, brushes and paint + yet there is so much uniqueness + variety in each individual piece. /art dork This event is such a great idea. I hope there are more in the future!

[Moi Painting my monsters, Photo by Lawrence Ruelos]

Photos: Hipstamatic for iPhone

2010-11-19T12:29:00.000-08:00

This month I caved + got an iPhone just like everyone else. I didnt think I'd love it so much, but I do. I'm obsessed with it. Not only can I check my email and Facebook wherever I go, but I can take pics with it too! My phone has become the perfect lightweight camera for a girl with a fractured hand. There are some pretty awesome photo apps you can download for it, but one of my favs is Hipstamatic because the program makes photos look like they were taken with old retro cameras like Holga or Polaroid. It lets you choose which 'lenses', 'film' and types of 'flashes' you want to use. Instant.total.love. Check it out:

Halloween: Alice In Wonderland

2010-11-19T00:52:00.000-08:00

I'm late! I'm late! I'm late! I'm very late in posting pics of my Halloween costume. To (most likely) nobody's surprise I was Alice In Wonderland (again) this year. (Actually, come to think of it... I've been Alice 3 times now... the first time was at the Alice In Wonderland Made Tea Party @ Royal/T when I had blond hair. /tangent) Unfortunately my sling was not part of my costume, although I probably could have explained it was from falling down the rabbit hole. ;) I actually fractured my hand a few weeks ago and it has taken me out of the game... literally. Expect a post about it!

Art Show: Sweet + Toxic - Conjoined Deer Twins Plush

2010-10-21T00:11:00.000-07:00

Sweet + Toxic were made for the Robots + Monsters group show at Ayden Gallery in Vancouver, BC. Opening Reception: Friday, October 22, 7-11pm. Exhibition runs until Nov 14, 2010

Sweet + Toxic follow their hearts with full force. Their intense love brings them both the most sweetest joy and the most toxic pain. Most of the time the candy coloured duo have a happy outlook on life with their strawberry pink palette and kawaii fabric details. Their favourite dessert is Strawberry Shortcake and they fight over who gets to eat most of the whipped cream.

I just wanted to say thanks to my Bro who helped me with the finishing details due to my injured hand. Thanks Jess! :)

Plush Art Show: Animus + Euphoria + 2 Deer for Plush You 2010

2010-10-04T22:51:00.000-07:00

These plushies of mine will be on display at Plush You this year. The opening reception is this Friday from 5-9pm at Schmancy in Seattle, WA. Stop by if you're in the area!

Animus + Euphoria
Animus's name was influenced by 'Animus Vox', one of my favourite songs by Glitch Mob. As well as symbolizing masculine energy, Animus also means 'strong dislike' which I find a contrast to really liking the song Animus Vox! So I thought it was fitting to call the sad-faced sister 'Animus', while the happy-faced sister would need to have a positive name -- 'Euphoria'. Their contrasting names were also inspired by the rabbit print on their bellies. The print shows a happy idealistic union of two rabbits. I wanted the sisters to reflect the reality of this union -- happy and sad. One cannot know happiness without experiencing sadness. There are two sides to every coin and these sisters know that very well. Sometimes Animus leads + days are sad. Other times Euphoria makes all the decisions and days are happy. They don't always agree with where they are going, but they must work together to find a balance in order to move forward. Animus + Euphoria remind us to take each day one step at a time, and to embrace the ups and downs in life.

Strawberry Death Cupcake Deer + Cherry Death Cupcake Deer own the gothic lolita themed cupcake shop in Deerville. They decorate their cupcakes with tiny plastic bats, hissing cats and smiling jack-o-lanterns. Their favourite holiday is Halloween and they cannot wait for it this year because they love dressing up!

Press: VancouverIsAwesome.com

2010-10-04T22:43:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention that I was featured on VancouverIsAwesome.com a couple of months ago! The Proof is one of VIA's weekly series about local Vancouver artists. You can read the full article HERE. My awesome friends Dave Mah and Megz Majewski have also been featured on VIA too! :D

Urban Vinyl: Toyssssss!

2010-09-29T09:09:00.000-07:00

My newest aquisitions! :D

Original Pandara (limited edition of 20) + Blue Anniversary Pandara (limited edition of 5) by Paul Shih. Blue Pandara was a gift from my awesome friend PodgyPanda. <3

Junko Mizuno Dunny (3/50) from the Femme Fatale series + Skull Boy SDCC 2010 exclusive (limited edition of 60) by Junko Mizuno. Junko signed the top of his head for me! :D

Seiko (1/20) from the Pure Trance blind box series by Junko Mizuno.

Seiko the idol loved singing since she was a child. After numerous auditions, she was finally discovered and followed the path of the very pop stars she always admired. However, lately she has grown sick and tired of her managers forcing her to hide her own personality and act like someone else.

Pocket Gator Mummy (Piderman) + Pocket Mummy Boy, both SDCC 2010 exclusives by Brian Flynn + Super7.

Original Rose Vampire + Clear Green Rose Vampire SDCC 2010 exclusive by Josh Herbolshimer + Super7. Josh drew a heart on Clear Green for me! <3

My mantle. Lots o toys + prints by Krista Huot + PodgyPanda!

And last but not least, my haul from SDCC 2010 (tagged on Flickr).

Photos: Vancouver Bokeh

2010-09-27T20:00:00.000-07:00

My obession with bokeh continues + a self-portrait.

Etsy: Plush Deer, Felt Art on Canvas + Photo Prints

2010-09-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

I've added some new items in my Etsy shop! First up is 3 Felt Art Canvases featuring deer silhouettes. They measure 5 x 5 and are ready to hang.

Next up is 5 different doll-themed photo prints. I actually had these printed up 2 years ago but they ended up in storage for a while when I was moving around. I found them in a box + thought it would be a better idea to list them. They measure 5 x 7 and are printed on high quality Kodak Professional Endura Paper with a Luster finish. They come unframed, with a signature on the back. Check out my Etsy shop for more prints.

And last but not least is a new plush mohawked deer: Miss Blueberry Pie. She likes to go antique hunting at the local flea market. She loves buying old furniture and decorations to restore and re-paint.

Roller Derby: It starts with Fresh Meat

2010-08-31T19:33:00.000-07:00

And now for a post that is completely unrelated to art... I was accepted into Terminal City Roller Girls' Fresh Meat Team!!! Fresh Meat is TCRG's bootcamp/training team that practices 2-3 times a week for 5 months. If I'm lucky enough to make it to the end of the camp, there's a draft into the league which means (if I'm super duper lucky) I could be playing on a TCRG team next season (starting March 2011)! Of course I will have to work my ass off and dedicate most of my time to learning this amazing sport (my Friday + Saturday nights are already gone), but I'm really looking forward to devoting a large amount of time to roller derby.

[Bad Reputations vs Riot Girls in TCRG's Championship Bout 2010. More pics here.]

How did I become interested in Roller Derby? Well, my interest is quite recent. In February I moved to Vancouver to start a new job + a new life all by myself. On the plane I saw Drew Barrymore's directorial debut: "Whip It". I liked the movie + I was inspired by the strong female characters who were both very feminine but badasses too! The movie made the sport look like fun, and that it was attainable. When I arrived I googled: 'Vancouver Roller Derby' and found that Vancouver has a flat-track league (Terminal City Roller Girls - TCRG) which has been around since 2006 and hosts 3 teams (the Bad Reputations, the Riot Girls, and the Faster Pussycats. I attended TCRG's first double-header bout of the season in March with a bunch of friends. I instantly fell in love with the sport. Watching those strong women skating around the track and competing in what looked like a fun sport made me want to play too!

[On the left: My collection of knee-high socks + helmet. On the right: Riedell 125 rollerskates.]

At the time my job was very demanding and required me to be committed 6-7 days/60-90hrs a week. It wasn't until my contract ended at the beginning of July that I could finally buy my rollerskating gear (after much encouragement from my brother -- thanks bro!), suit up + join Raw Meat every Friday night. Raw Meat is a group of derby-driven girls who are looking for other like-minded people to skate with. So, I've been skating every friday night with that amazing group of girls since the beginning of July. I was a little nervous about my first time on rollerskates because I had never been on them before, and I'm used to hockey skates. But after a few laps around the rink I was doing okay, but I have A LOT of basic skills to work on... stopping, jumping, etc. After skating for about a month I signed up for TCRG's Fresh Meat tryouts (which were this past Saturday). I tried out... and I made it! *squeals* Having any kind of drive to play a physical sport is very new to me, but I am so drawn to roller derby that I can't explain. I've never wanted to be a part of something this badly... not since I was beginning to persue my career in animation! I've also never tried out for anything. I feel like I've gained a few personal accomplishments in only 2 months. I feel very happy and very thankful that I have the opportunity to train further. :) I'm so ready to soak up all the knowledge I can during Fresh Meat!

My first Fresh Meat skate is next week + I can't wait......

[All my gear! Go to Flickr to see all the tags.]

If you want to watch Roller Derby there's probably a team in your area. Check out the Worldwide Roller Derby Roster and go support your local team! If you want to buy skate equipment I recommend the derby-owned online shop Rollergirl.ca, they offer excellent service and sized me perfectly. If you're in the Vancouver area and want to rollerskate with other girls, join Raw Meat's Facebook Group for updates on skate times.

In progress: Tuttz customs, Part 4

2010-08-21T16:11:00.000-07:00

Vici is my 3rd and final Tuttz custom. Here's a pic of him in progress. He still has a few more layers of paint + some details left to go. To be continued...

Animation: Sucker Punch Trailer

2010-08-19T23:55:00.000-07:00

Sucker Punch is the latest movie I animated on. The sequence I worked on features the main actresses fighting robots in a train. You can see a glimpse of it around the 0:39 mark.

Photos: Vancouver at Night

2010-08-12T17:34:00.000-07:00

Evening pics with bokeh overload.

Etsy: 5 New Plush Deer

2010-08-11T14:43:00.001-07:00

5 New Plush Deer are now available in my Etsy shop! (The light brown one has already been claimed.)

[On the left] Blueberry Lime Deer likes to relax on the beach under a rainbow umbrella with a margarita. She loves sunny summer days.
[On the right] Strawberry Sorbet Deer works in a French bakery and makes all kinds of yummy treats. Her favourite is the éclair, which she looks foward to eating after her shift is over.

[On the left] Blueberry Ice Deer loves to go skating on the frozen pond. He twirls and spins and likes to race his other deer friends. After skating, he likes to sip a cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream.
[On the right] Dark Chocolate Deer likes to see old movies from the 30's + 40's at a retro art deco style theatre downtown. She dresses up in her (fake) furs, grabs some popcorn + watches dramas and murder mysteries that were made before her parents were born.

Fraise La Crème Deer owns a dressmaking shop in Paris. She uses vintage wedding dress material to make dresses, skirts and hats. She has a weakness for deep fried ice cream which she likes to share with a friend so she doesn't feel guilty about her indulgence.

Photos: Vancouver with a Holga 120N, Part 2

2010-08-08T16:32:00.000-07:00

More pics with my Holga 120N (click here for previous pics).

"Fountain of the Pioneers" by George Tsutakawa. I love this sculpture cause it looks like a robot. The way Holga captures water is amazing.

Urban Vinyl: Tuttz customs, Vidi is unveiled!

2010-07-21T15:08:00.001-07:00

The second of my 3 Tuttz customs is finished! I've named him "Vidi" after the famous phrase by Julius Caesar: "Veni, Vidi, Vici." ("I came, I saw, I conquered."). Vidi will be available at Dragatomi's booth (#3848) at the San Diego Comic Con 2010. He is completely hand painted with acrylic paints and sealed. He measures 6.5 inches high, he's one-of-a-kind and signed on the bottom. I have 1 other Tuttz custom coming up with the same design in a different colorway. The last Tuttz will have "Vici" on his paws to make the trio a cohesive set. He will be revealed over the next few weeks.

This Tuttz was hand painted by me and sculpted by END of Argonaut Resins. END is releasing limited edition tint colorways of Tuttz with exclusive chase figures, so keep an eye on his blog! My Tuttz customs will be the only fully custom painted figures for sale.

Urban Vinyl: Ganmetall Celcius Custom Show OPENS TONIGHT!

2010-07-10T08:59:00.000-07:00

If you're in LA tonight, go check out the Ganmetall Celcius Custom Show @ Toy Art Gallery, 8-11pm. My custom Till Death will be on display + for sale, along with some amazing customs from over 60 other artists! If you can't make it to the opening the show will be streamed live at www.aoptv.com.

Drawings: Randomness

2010-07-03T16:10:00.000-07:00

Random sketches...

Urban Vinyl: Ganmetall Celcius Custom Show, Part 2

2010-06-22T16:14:00.001-07:00

This is my Celcius custom for the Ganmetall Celsius Show @ Toy Art Gallery in Los Angeles, opening on July 10th, 2010. The show is sponsored by Kuso Vinyl, Rotobox Vinyl and Spanky Stokes.

Inspired by love, Till Death is a dark angel who is like the Anti-Cupid. He swoops down when he is called upon to end beautiful unions. "All good things must come to an end", said Chaucer in 1374, and those are the words Till Death lives by. But Till Death knows that regardless of what happens the heart speaks the truth, for: “Love is not written on paper, for paper can be erased. Nor is it etched on stone, for stone can be broken. But it is inscribed on a heart and there it shall remain forever.”

Urban Vinyl: Ganmetall Celcius Custom Show, Part 1

2010-06-16T01:50:00.000-07:00

Here's an in progress shot of my custom for the Ganmetall Celcius Custom Show held at TAG in LA this July. The base is Kuso Vinyl's DIY Celcius figure. I decided to paint the base coats first, then sketch what I wanted overtop of that. Can't wait to finish this guy!

Photos: Vancouver with a Holga 120N

2010-06-14T00:24:00.000-07:00

Here are some of my first pics from my Holga 120N camera (it uses real film)! It was my first time shooting with a Holga, and to say I was nervous is an understatement! (The last time I shot with real film was last summer with a 35mm disposible camera) Because it's not a digital camera (nor takes batteries) there's no way to check and see if the pic has turned out or not. You just point + shoot and hope everything turns out okay. The Holga has a viewfinder so you don't actually look through the lens when taking a pic (unlike just about every digital camera out there), so you have to judge the focal distance yourself. I had no idea if anything was turning out, but after getting my pics developed I learned that the Holga has a large focal distance so chances are that things will be in focus. I got 10 pics from a 12 pic roll because I had the lens cap on for 2 of the pics (haha). I had to go to a special store in Vancouver to have the roll developed because no one develops 120mm format film. The cost to get the roll on CD (no prints) was $20.00! :O It's a little pricey but after seeing how the pics turned out I can't wait to go out and shoot more!

I love how this pic of Yaletown looks like it was taken in the 40's (minus the new cars of course).

Table + chair legs on the patio @ JJ Bean.

This is using the fisheye lens. I'm not sure why the film screwed up, but I really like the imperfections of the Holga for this reason!

Here I'm experimenting with double-exposures (so awesome that the Holga lets you do that!).

Eros Bendato Scrippolato by Igor Mitoraj, from the city-wide art exhibit Vancouver Biennale:
"This work depicts a fragment of an ancient monument to Eros, the god of love, here blindfolded, suggesting that love is blind."

Art Show: Animalopolis @ Ayden Gallery, Vancouver, BC

2010-06-10T21:37:00.000-07:00

If you're in Vancouver tomorrow night come stop by Ayden Gallery for the opening reception of the group art show Animalopolis. There are some really cool artists in the show and I'll have some plush there too!

------------------------------------------------------------

ANIMALOPOLIS
Opening Reception: Friday, June 11th, 2010, 7-11pm @ Ayden Gallery, 88 W. Pender St, Tinseltown Mall, Vancouver, BC.

ARTISTS:
Kristian Adam
Mandy Tsung
Shwa
Fia Cooper
Emily Beaulieu
Taka Sudo
Megan Majewski

MUSIC BY:
Cherchez La Femme

Free Admission | Artists in Attendance | Live Painting | Drinks | Exhibition closes July 11th, 2010

Urban Vinyl: Tuttz customs, Veni is available!

2010-06-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

Veni is now available in my Etsy shop.

Veni's Story
Armed with a strong shield over his heart, Veni ventures out into the unknown. Unsure of what his future will bring, he carries with him an open mind, a free spirit and an open heart. Veni looks forward to each and every adventure that crosses his path, whether it is good or bad. Although he believes that each experience teaches us something about ourselves and about the world around us, he holds onto the shield over his heart tight. He's a quote collector and his favourite is by the German writer Goethe: "Just trust yourself, then you will know how to live.".

Click here for more pics.

Photos: Vancouver + Self Portrait

2010-06-09T00:53:00.001-07:00

Places in Vancouver I've discovered latetly...

Plus an artsy self-portrait pic:

In progress: Tuttz customs, Veni is unveiled!

2010-06-07T22:12:00.000-07:00

Tease no more! The first of my 3 Tuttz customs is finished! I've named him "Veni" after the famous phrase by Julius Caesar: "Veni, Vidi, Vici." ("I came, I saw, I conquered."). Veni drops in my Etsy shop this Wednesday at 12:00 noon PST, and will be priced at $125. He is completely hand painted with acrylic paints and sealed. He measures 6.5 inches high, he's one-of-a-kind and signed on the bottom. I have 2 other Tuttz customs coming up soon and they will have the same design but come in different colorways. The other two Tuttz will have "Vidi" and "Vici" on their paws to make the trio a cohesive set. Those two will be revealed over the next few weeks.

Veni's Story
Armed with a strong shield over his heart, Veni ventures out into the unknown. Unsure of what his future will bring, he carries with him an open mind, a free spirit and an open heart. Veni looks forward to each and every adventure that crosses his path, whether it is good or bad. Although he believes that each experience teaches us something about ourselves and about the world around us, he holds onto the shield over his heart tight. He's a quote collector and his favourite is by the German writer Goethe: "Just trust yourself, then you will know how to live.".

This Tuttz was hand painted by me and sculpted by END of Argonaut Resins. END is releasing limited edition tint colorways of Tuttz with exclusive chase figures, so keep an eye on his blog! My Tuttz customs will be the only fully custom painted figures for sale.

Etsy: More Mini Ghosties

2010-06-06T22:16:00.000-07:00

They've landed...

Art Show: Animalopolis @ Ayden Gallery

2010-06-06T21:28:00.001-07:00

This weekend I got my plushies ready for the group show Animalopolis at Ayden Gallery. I'll be showing 9 deer and 2 dolls. The opening is this Friday at 7pm, and the show lasts for a month. Come check out the show if you're in Vancouver! You can even RSVP on Facebook.

Drawings: Random Sketches

2010-06-06T20:53:00.000-07:00

Same chicka, different outfit.

In progress: Tuttz customs, Part 3

2010-05-30T12:11:00.002-07:00

Here's a couple sneak peeks of one of my Tuttz customs for Argonaut Resins. Still got a ways to go...

Oh, some people have been asking when/where they will be available.
When = Soon! There are 3 of them, and they will be released one at a time.
Where = They will be sold in my Etsy shop.

Drawings: Random Sketches

2010-05-30T12:11:00.001-07:00

Some sketches I did this week. I added the colour in Photoshop.

Etsy's Plush Team: Get Stuffed, Volume One

2010-05-24T11:08:00.000-07:00

Plush Team's first book is out now! You can pick up a copy here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/plushteam The softcover book is 120 pages and features the team members from 2009. My spread is below: :)

Drawings: Random Sketches

2010-05-24T11:04:00.000-07:00

Recently I was accepted into the group Girls Drawing Girls (http://www.girlsdrawingirls.com), which is an extremely talented bunch of female artists in the animation industry. Check out their blog, and shop. GDG's Volume III book (full of pin-up art) just went on pre-sale at a discounted price and includes a special edition print! Oh, you can also follow Girls Drawing Girls on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/girlsdrawingirls

The artists in that group are all so amazing and it makes me feel very intimidated! I haven't been drawing in a while (eep!), so I've been pushing myself to draw more. Here's some things that have spilled out of my head and onto paper:

In progress: Tuttz customs, Part 2

2010-05-19T20:31:00.001-07:00

I've sketched out some designs on one of my Tuttz customs. Next pics will be adding paint!

Vancouver Hip Hop

2010-05-01T23:39:00.000-07:00

"Just For Kicks" was an awesome bboy battle event that happened in downtown Vancouver this past Friday. 6 crews battled it out on a ballroom floor with some sweet dance moves.

The opening of "Paint Your Faith" graffiti art show was 2 weekends ago at Ayden Gallery. The opening was packed, and the art was amazing.

There is also a huge mural being created in conjunction with the Paint Your Faith event. Below is a pic of graffiti artists Peeta & Titi Freak hard at work.

Below Indigo & Faith47 paint their sections of the wall.

The wall has since been completed. Check it out (+ the show at Ayden gallery) if you're in the neighbourhood (next to the Woodward's building)! It's located at 55-57 W. Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC.

In progress: Tuttz customs, Part 1

2010-04-28T22:11:00.000-07:00

Argonaut Resins has revealed its latest resin figure... Tuttz! Argo has asked me to be a guest artist on this project and hand paint 3 blank custom Tuttz. I painted a Kalua Moola and Destroyer custom for Argo a few months ago, so I am stoked to be painting these figures and can't wait to lay down the first drop of paint on these guys! In progress pics to come soon...

For the collector, Argonaut Resins plans on releasing Tuttz in waves; available exclusively through selected online shops. The Jade versions (+ 1 painted variant) will only be available via Plastic & Plush (www.plasticandplush.com), and the Ash versions (+ 1 painted variant) will only be available via Spanky Stokes (www.spankystokes.com). Keep an eye on the Argonaut Resins blog ( http://argonautsresin.blogspot.com) for more updates on the release of Tuttz, as I hear there will be more coloured editions coming soon...

Art Show: 3 Plush Deer in “Freaks + Geeks” @ The Fall Tattooing, Part 2

2010-04-28T21:52:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics to follow up my previous post about the Freaks + Geeks art show @ The Fall Tattooing in Vancouver. There are only a few more days left to check out this show! It's located at 644 Seymour Street between Georgia + Dunsmuir.

There was a great eclectic mix of artwork from paintings to photographs to clothing and plush. My favourite piece was (unsurprisingly) a white rabbit hand-cut out of paper. The detail the artist put into creating this piece was unbelievable.

My deer were displayed in a glass case next to a gorgeous handmade Steampunk-esque outfit with corset + furry neck ruff.

I thought these pieces below were pretty dope.

Vanilla Deer sold to a lovely lady on opening night, leaving Strawberry + Licorice Deer standing together under a plush Tooth Fairy doll (with a bottle of real human teeth!). To the right is 3 small illustrations by tattoo artist/illustrator/curator Nomi Chi (www.nomi-chi.com) and just to the right of that is Megz Majewski's (www.deadkittie.com) siamese twins painting.

At the end of the night there was a performance by piercing suspensionist Russ Foxx. (Warning: The video is not for the squeamish!)

Art Show: 3 Plush Deer in "Freaks + Geeks" @ The Fall Tattooing

2010-04-08T00:21:00.001-07:00

These 3 plush deer will be in the Freaks + Geeks art show @ The Fall Tattooing (644 Seymour Street, Vancouver, BC) this Friday, April 9th @ 8:30pm! There will be over 20 artists showcasing their work, as well as live painting, music + drinks! The show runs until April 30th, 2010. If you're in Vancouver, come by and check it out! :)

Vanilla, Licorice + Strawberry run a cupcake shop and sell what they think are very delicious flavours. Marshmallows with crickets, Raspberry Tarts with ant legs, and Blueberry Pie with bee wings are just some of the flavours they're offering. For some reason their shop isn't that popular, although they don't care. Less customers means more tasty snacks for this trio!

Photos: My Apartment

2010-04-06T22:48:00.000-07:00

I moved to Vancouver just over a month ago, and here are some pics from my apartment. :)

My sewing machine is all set up and ready to go. I LOVE this sewing area, it's my favourite place to work because of the view. :)

Here's a bunch of deer that are cut out and waiting to be stuffed.

"Snow Falling on Poppies" by Krista Huot.

Left Top: "Two Sisters" by Audrey Kawasaki / Left Bottom: photo print by me!

Right: "A Want To Believe" by Eric Fortune (gift from an amazing friend!)
+ a bunch of other fun stuff like a signed Emilie Autumn poster (from another amazing friend!)

A selection of Mark Ryden's postcards from his "Snow Yak Show Microportfolio".

Some of my toy collection + DIY vinyls waiting to be customized...

Me! ...watching Amelie. :)

Photos: Vancouver Island

2010-04-04T10:47:00.001-07:00

Here's a few pics from my trip Vancouver Island:

Photos: Seattle (EMP|SFM)

2010-04-03T21:04:00.001-07:00

I visited Seattle a few weeks ago and saw the COOLEST building ever, the Experience Music Project | Science Fiction Museum (EMP|SFM). It was designed by Canadian Architect (and fellow Torontonian) Frank O. Gehry. The building has no flat edge -- it's entirely curved and covered with metal panels in different colours. It was so much fun to photograph.

Photos: Winter In The Maritimes

2010-02-14T09:58:00.000-08:00

Here are a few shots of Bear River, Nova Scotia when we had a HUGE snowstorm that kept schools closed and left mail undeliverable. Although it was a nuisance (we were snowed in and could not even get the car out of the driveway!), it was beautiful and so picturesque.

The photo below is a snow sculpture in Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec. I spotted a bunch of sculptors out around 8am carving huge figures for the winter carnival. I admired their dedication -- not only was it super early, but it was SUPER FREEZING, too! Rivière-du-Loup is a very cute and quaint town in Quebec, along the Trans-Canada-Highway near the New Brunswick border. It means "Wolf River" in French. My dentist is convinced that it's named after the "Loup Garou" AKA the legendary werewolf! haha. :)

The last pic is the view looking west across the frozen Saint-Laurent River in Quebec. It was an icy cold -12C degrees that day, but the colours were so soft and pretty!

Inspiration: New Acquisitions

2010-02-13T09:36:00.000-08:00

I added some new pieces to my collection this month. The first thing is Krista Huot's latest print "The Key". It's a limited edition print numbered at 3/25 and was released at her "Nepenthe" solo show at Gallery 1988, San Francisco. Check out all the work from the show here: krnepenthe.blogspot.com/

The next thing I purchased is the Sweet Monster Fulcraim by Kaijin. He comes with a laminated certificate that indicates the show he was launched at (Kaijin Exhibition @ One Up, Tokyo, June 9-15, 2008) and is number 67/80. He has two faces and is full of hot pink awesomeness!

I also picked up the 3 inch Mori Chack Dunny à la Gloomy Bear style from the 2009 Dunny Series. And my friend Troy Stith sent me his DIY Lil' Lucha Dentadura! Troy hand casts his own resin figures, which I think is awesome. I plan on customizing this little guy soon.

And last but not least, my sweet friend Leeanna Butcher sent me these gorgeous Alice In Wonderland postcards! It's been a great month! <3

Plush: Sissiboo for Kat Brunnegraff

2010-02-12T22:35:00.001-08:00

Sissiboo was made especially for my super talented artist friend Kat Brunnegraff, who wanted a foresty-themed doll. She has an obsession with owls, so I thought it was fitting to name her doll Sissiboo (the word has owl roots... see below) and is also a local name here in Nova Scotia, Canada! :)

Sissiboo's Story:
Sissiboo ran through the winter forest towards the rushing sound of the river. She got to the river's edge and looked at her surroundings. It was chilly and there was snow on the ground. Parts of the river were frozen, but the stream still found a way through the ice and snow. A Great Horned Owl suddenly swooped down and landed on a stump next to her; sending up a cloud of snowflakes as its wings flapped and folded in.

"Sissiboo, we have a matter to discuss.", the Owl said as it nodded its head. "I've been chatting with my five owl brothers, and we have all agreed that we need to ask you for a favour."

Sissiboo tilted her head slightly to the left with a curious look on her face.

Owl continued: "The Great Lady Kat of The Dominion of Ohio is one of our oldest friends. She is in great need of a forest companion, and we think you would be best suited for this task. She lives in the Silver Ohio Woods where the princesses and unicorns live and has a great menagerie of animal and monster friends."

This sounded fantastic, but Sissiboo was a little unsure about leaving her familiar forest behind.

"Lady Kat knows the legendary Argyle Owl", the Owl added, knowing that would sweeten the deal.

Sissiboo's eyes widened... "The Argyle Owl!!!!", she exclaimed, and thought about the magnificent purple and blue bird who sings melodies of rainbows and grants magical wishes. "Oh... when can I leave?! What should I pack? How far away is The Dominion of Ohio, and how do I get there?", she asked while bouncing on the spot.

Owl chuckled and clicked his beak. "Not to worry dear little one, my five brothers and I will fly you there.".

Sissiboo closed her eyes and said goodbye to her forest. The Great Owl hooted and flapped his wings. Five identical owls joined Great Owl as they swooped down and picked up Sissiboo gently in their talons. Sissiboo and the Six Owls sailed off into the cloudless sky towards the setting sun, and towards The Great Lady Kat in The Dominion of Ohio. :)

Origin of the name:
Sissiboo is the name of a river near the small town of Bear River, Nova Scotia. The legend behind the naming of the Sissiboo River is based upon a Loyalist settler who encountered members of the Mi'kmaq Nation. The Mi'kmaq wanted to show the Loyalist six owls that were in a tree nearby and pointed in the general direction of the tree, saying in French: "six hibou". The loyalist thought that he was pointing at the river, which was in the same direction, and was saying: "Sissiboo".

Plush: Boba Fett

2010-02-09T20:00:00.001-08:00

Introducing plush Boba Fett! He is a very special commission made especially for Mark Austin, who played Boba Fett in the Special Edition of Star Wars: A New Hope! :)

Mark was an animator at ILM when he was asked to play Boba Fett in the new Mos Eisley docking bay sequence with Han Solo + Jabba The Hutt. He was already a huge Boba Fett fan prior to his role in the film, so having the chance to play his favourite character in the Star Wars legacy was amazing experience for him. I met Mark when we were animators on the movie G-Force at Sony Imageworks. Mark saw photos of my Princess Leia + R2D2 plush for the Stitch Wars plush show and asked me to create a plush based on his favourite Star Wars character.

Boba Fett is by far my most detailed and time consuming plush doll to date, but I really enjoyed using image references so I could add lots of little detailed stitching. :)

Press: Interview for Electric Playground

2010-01-24T07:42:00.000-08:00

I was asked to be one of the artists who was interviewed in the Chuckwa segment for the TV show Electric Playground. Miri was a super sweet host, and asked me about my plush and urban vinyl customs. It was an amazing experience. Check out the video below:

After we figured out the set-up, the camera guy takes footage of the deer.

This was the final set up with my plush deer and Kalua Moola custom.

Inside of the Chuckwa store.

And this is me after the interview was over... happy, relieved and ready for a chai latte at Starbucks! haha.

Urban Vinyl: Destroyer Custom

2010-01-21T12:43:00.000-08:00

A few months ago I mentioned that I was customizing a Destroyer figure for Argonaut Resins, but could not reveal it until it was time. After the long wait, it's finally time to reveal my custom! The Destroyer was designed by O_Negative, sculpted by Eric Nocella Diaz and hand painted by me. This custom and many others are now available in the Argonaut Resins shop. A proceed of the sales will go to the Operation Smile charity (which provides free surgeries to repair cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities for children around the globe).

When I was thinking about how to approach his paint job, I looked to his design for inspiration. His huge bugged out eyes, clenched teeth and crazy hair made me think of electrocution, so I tried to incorporate that into my paint job -- with the jagged electricity styled shapes of ice blue, lime green and grape. This custom is by far my most intricate piece I've painted to date. I spent many long hours bent over him with my tiny brush painting precise clean lines. I hope you like him! :)

Plush: Commissions (Deer + Pierrot)

2010-01-18T13:04:00.000-08:00

I finished off a couple of plush commissions this week. First off I made a plush skull deer with mohawk for my awesome friend Troy Stith. (Dude sculpts his own toys! Check out his Flickr, he's rad.)

The second plush I made was a Pierrot for an awesome customer who wanted her doll to be female (instead of the male Pierrot I made in the past). I've named this one "Pierrette". :)

I have more commissions in the works, so expect another post soon! :)

Urban Vinyl: Petit Astrolapin

2010-01-16T09:06:00.000-08:00

I picked up the new Petit Astrolapin - Black Team A from Rotofugi. I love this guy's simplistic design! He's designed by Mr. Clement, and comes with space gear. Welcome to Earth, Petit Astrolapin. ♥

Mish Mash: Plush, Designs, Paintings + new camera!

2010-01-07T17:58:00.000-08:00

Here's a shot of my craft table today with 4 commissions in the works. I'm having a lot of fun with these ones. :)

Below are my entries for Matt JOnes (AKA Lunartik)'s Lovely Cup Of Tea design competition. Check out the finalists HERE, and all the entries HERE. It was fun creating a design from a blank template (although I much rather work on a custom in person). My theme for the one on the left was: black + pink, drips and gothic lettering. The one on the right was obviously inspired by Alice In Wonderland. :)

My Mom found a stash of my old art projects from high school, and this one was my fav in the set. I drew/painted this in Grade 11 (mid 90's) for an "album cover" art project. I chose the band "Tokyo Ghetto Pussy" because I was really into their song "I Kiss Your Lips" www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAmN3ji-iVE at the time (haha). I also really wanted an excuse to draw anime-inspired characters, cause I was totally into Asian design. I omitted a "T" in "Ghetto" so the design would be symmetrical. Haha, how "ghetto" is that!!! LOL.

Below was an assignment for Life Drawing class. First we drew the model (I drew her twice because I was bored :P), then using pieces of construction paper, I ripped off sections to block out shadows, highlights and midtones. I did this in highschool (mid-90's). I kinda like it.

And last but not least... my Dad gave me his old 35mm Canon TLb camera (made in 1974)! Wooo hooo! It's got a 50mm 1.8 lens and a 135mm 3.5 lens. I used to shoot with this baby in highschool (yes, I'm that old). It's pretty good. I shot about 95% of my Toronto Graffiti pics with it. I'm really looking forward to buying some 35mm film and shooting with it again.

Photos: Snow + New Year's Eve Bonfire

2010-01-07T17:57:00.001-08:00

We had a ton of snow here in Bear River, Nova Scotia. So much snow that we were actually snowed in! It was beautiful, though. I trudged around in the knee-high snow taking pics and protecting my DSLR with an extra hat. haha. This is what I captured:

Below was our New Year's Eve bonfire. The blue flames were made with gasoline... hehehe.. :)

Photos: Toronto

2010-01-01T14:52:00.001-08:00

I also was fortunate to swing a 1 week trip to my hometown Toronto! I grew up here, and although I haven't lived there for a while, I will always consider it home. This is what I captured when I was there:

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T14:34:00.001-08:00

"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."
~ Abraham Lincoln

Wishing everyone all the best in 2010! <3

Photos: Dominican Republic

2009-12-27T17:53:00.000-08:00

I visited the Dominican Republic for one week earlier this month, and I had a great time. The water was crystal clear, the beaches were made of white sand, and the sun was hot: around 25-30C everyday! The showers didn't have hot water until after 4pm, so it was best to swim in the ocean during the day (it was so warm), and then shower in the afternoon. The Dominican Republic is a beautiful lush island full of friendly people and signifigant history. It's the place where Christopher Columbus landed in 1492, so there is a ton of old buildings dating back to the 1500's in the capital city of Santo Domingo. A lot of Spanish influence remains on this island in the architechture, culture, music, and of course the language.

BELOW: This pic below was taken on Calle El Conde, the main shopping strip. I fancied it up a bit in Photoshop, using bokeh from pics I took in Nova Scotia. :)

BELOW: The Panteón Nacional, was the last building constructed by the Spaniards (1748) in Santo Domingo.

BELOW: Posh café's in a pedestrian-only area of Santo Domingo.

BELOW: The Reloj de Sol, erected in 1753, is one of the oldest sun dials in all the Americas. It was used as the official time-teller and could be seen from the government offices in the Casas Reales. This dial sits atop a large stone pillar and has two vertical dials or faces. The Southeast face is to measure the morning hours, and the Southwest side is for the afternoon hours. The large metal plate with its raised parts show the hours by the shaded markings.

BELOW: This is the oldest church in all the Americas! Construction on the Catedral de Santa María la Menor begun in 1514 and was completed in 1540. Fronted with a golden-tinted coral limestone facade, the church combines elements of both Gothic and baroque with some lavish plateresque styles as exemplified by the high altar chiseled out of silver.

BELOW: A hotel sign in Boca Chica. Most hotels were lined with barbed wire, and even some residential homes used a smaller barb for their fences.

BELOW: I saw breathtakingly amazing sunsets each and every night. :)

Etsy: SALE!

2009-12-05T09:28:00.000-08:00

Everything in my Etsy shop is now on sale until the end of Sunday (tomorrow). Starting Monday my shop will be closed for 2 weeks because I'm going on an early Xmas vacation in the sun à la Dominican Republic! :D

http://www.etsy.com/shop/followthewhiterabbit

Plush Art Show: 2 shows opening this weekend!

2009-12-04T16:31:00.000-08:00

I have several plush pieces in a couple of shows that open this weekend...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first show is Go Ask Alice @ Paul Cumes Fine Art Gallery. The opening reception is on Saturday, December 5th from 6-9pm. The show runs from Dec.5th to Jan.7th. The gallery is located at 131 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, CA.

White Rabbit, Alice In Wonderland and Twee + Dee will be in the show! :)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The second show is Stuff This 3 @ Rivet Gallery. The opening reception is on Saturday, December 5th from 7-10pm. The show runs from Dec.5th to Dec.30th. The gallery is located at 1200 North High Street, Columbus, OH. The preview is up, and pieces are now available for purchase: rivetart.com/preview/get_preview?i_show=31

Cora Bella and the Gingerbread Ornament will be in the show! :D

Photos: Diminishing Light

2009-12-02T14:42:00.000-08:00

Plush Art Show: Go Ask Alice Doll + Plush Show

2009-11-30T19:59:00.000-08:00

Here are the 3 plush pieces I created for the Go Ask Alice show. I am very excited to be a part of this show because of the Alice In Wonderland theme. The show will be held at the Paul Cumes Fine Art Gallery in Santa Barbara, CA, from Dec.5th - Jan7th. The opening is this Saturday from 6-9pm. Stop by if you're in the area! :)

Alice In Wonderland
"Well! I've often seen a cat without a grin; but a grin without a cat! It's the most curious thing I ever say in my life!"

I was very excited to create my own version of Alice. I wanted to give her a slight twist from the typical look by putting her hair up in buns, giving her a super frilly collar, and deviating from the traditional blue dress by using a fabric featuring all four card suits. She wouldn't be complete without a little white rabbit buddy and a golden key! :)

White Rabbit
"Oh my ears and whiskers, how late it's getting!"

I made the white rabbit so he matches Alice with his card suits and frilly collar. I added button eyes to give him a handmade feel. :)

Twee + Dee
"I know what you're thinking about,' said Tweedledum: `but it isn't so, nohow.'
`Contrariwise,' continued Tweedledee, `if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic.'"

Twee + Dee were inspired by the characters Tweedledee +Tweedledum, the card suit soldiers, and gothic lolita fashion. I wanted to stay in the pink/red/black/white colour theme and I wanted them to be conjoined twin girls. I really like how they turned out!

My Mom wrote a nice blog piece about it, and even took a little video of my photoshoot! :D

Plush Art Show: Stuff This 3

2009-11-24T12:54:00.000-08:00

Here are the pieces I made for this year's Stuff This plush show at Rivet! They were inspired by Bear River, the rural town where I'm currently located. Last year I made Madawaska and Petawawa for Stuff This 2, inspired by the colours of nature from my trip to this town. I thought it was only fitting that the plush I create for this year's show have a nature theme too!

Cora Bella woke up one day in the dark netherworld with a deer and rabbit spirit standing by her side. She wondered how she got there, in the mists between the worlds. Her memory was foggy and she could barely remember her past, but the ghostly deer spirit assured her that although she was dead, she had a second chance. The rabbit spirit explained that she would have to merge with them if she wanted to return to the real world. Cora Bella stood there deep in thought in the darkness for a moment and then decided to take the chance. She closed her eyes and reached her hand out for the rabbit and deer. When she opened her eyes again, she was standing in a sun spotted grey autumn forest. She sensed a second consciousness inside her head, which was the deer, and felt the fuzzy antlers that were now growing from her head. She looked down at the cream rabbit and smiled. She knew that even though she had returned in a ghostly form, she would have these two spirit guides with her for life in which to explore the world with!

Cora Bella was inspired by the gravestone I saw leaning against a tree at the Loyalist Old Baptist Cemetary (1810-1910) in Bear River, NS. The real Cora Bella tragically died at the age of 7, perhaps from a sickness of some sort. I thought her name was so beautiful and delicate, and an echo of a past time. I could immediately see a character based on her name alone! Deer and rabbits live in the forests in this area, so a ghostly girl who merges with the spirit of a deer and rabbit came to mind, and shortly afterwards my Cora Bella took form.

I also made a Gingerbread Ornament for the show, which is perfect for hanging on a Christmas Tree! :)

Both plush pieces will be displayed at Stuff This 3 at Rivet in Columbus, OH, from Dec.5th - Dec.30th. Check it out if you're in the area!

Photos: Halifax

2009-11-23T11:35:00.000-08:00

I had an opportunity to go into Halifax this weekend for the NSDCC Christmas Craft Market. My Dad was demo'ing his metal working techniques at the show for a few hours, so I took the opportunity to wander around outside to take a few pics. One of the treats about going to the craft show was that it was located right next to Pier 21, the entry port that 1.5million immigrants came through on their journey to Canada (from 1928-1971), including my Grandfather in 1930! It was a meaningful moment for me to see the place where my Grandfather began his new life. I like the quote that was engraved into one of the plaques:

"I am young and old, rich and poor, free and enslaved, fleeing and seeking. I came from every part of the world, with family and alone, with nothing and everything. Two stories complete me – the story I came from and the story I started when I landed in Canada. These merge in the next generation into gratitude to a country which has made it possible for my children to have only one story – the Canadian story.
Pier 21 stands as an important marker of our past, and as a place to celebrate the continued contributions of newcomers to Canada."

Although I'm enjoying my time in beautiful rural Bear River, it was sooo nice being in a vibrant city again with lots of urban landscapes and lights. :)

Photos: Bear River + The Graveyard

2009-11-11T13:38:00.000-08:00

Just a few more pics of Bear River, Nova Scotia! :)

Just down the street from my parents house is the Loyalist Old Baptist Cemetary (1810-1910). This graveyard was very old and unkept with trees growing amongst the broken and leaning stones. There was such a magical quality and character to this place because nature has taken over. Walking through the graveyard and reading all these wonderful old fashioned names (Idella, Cora Bella, Alice, etc) made me wonder who these people were, and what their lives were like back in the 1800's. There were quite a few children/teens that were buried here too.

As always, more pics here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/violet_peppermint/

Photos: Bear River, Nova Scotia

2009-11-04T08:09:00.001-08:00

I'm currently visiting my family in the quaint town of Bear River, Nova Scotia, which is situated on the east coast of Canada. It's always nice to come back to Canada after being in the States for a while. The last time I was here in May (blogged), my parents were busy renovating the 140+ year old house they bought, and now most of the renovations are done so they were able to finally move in. My Mom has been documenting a lot of their activities on her blog, so it's been nice to see what they've been up to while I've been in California. Now that I'm here I get to experience Autumn for the first time in a while, so here are a few pics I snapped of this gorgeous season of change & decay:

More pics from Bear River here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/violet_peppermint/sets/72157622554571475/

Drawings: Custom Mug from Zazzle.com

2009-10-26T19:41:00.000-07:00

I made this mug for my Dad's Birthday this year. :) I had it custom printed through Zazzle.com with the drawings I did of my cat Lucky. Zazzle's printing quality is pretty good, so I would definitely get any future custom mugs made through them. Oh, and my Dad likes his gift very much... infact, he's having a cup of tea in it right now! ;)

Etsy's Plush Team: Breast Cancer Awareness Fundraiser

2009-10-01T14:27:00.001-07:00

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and to raise funds and awareness about this insidious disease, the members of PlushTeam have created mammary and pink themed plush. 80% of every purchase goes to the Susan G. Komen Institute, an international fund dedicated to raising money for Breast Cancer Cure research. My pink deer and more handmade plush are now available in Plush Team's shop! Support the cause and help find a cure! :)

In Progress: Destroyer Custom

2009-09-28T22:58:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited! I was asked to be a guest artist for O_Negative's DIY Destroyer resin figure made by Argonaut Resins! This is the ONLY sneak peek you'll get before his full-paint reveal. I'm really looking forward to painting this guy, as he's already got a pretty sick design! :)

Graffiti: Sketches + Pieces

2009-09-28T22:15:00.000-07:00

I drew this in 1997 for my 1st graffiti piece. I used blue and purple pencil crayons for the lettering and yellow paint for the arrows."

I was really into graffiti back when I was in my senior years of high school ('95-'97). I wasn't into the tagging crap you see on mailboxes, I was into the full out colourful mural pieces. Graffiti is generally thought of in a negative light because of the illegal aspects, but for me it was a very empowering art form. It was a way for me to explore my own creativity because it has no boundaries. I already had a huge appreciation for artistic and stylized lettering from my Dad who was a Hand Letterer/Sign Writer (I talked about this in a previous post), so being able to express myself through my own lettering was exciting. However, not everyone was so encouraging. I'll never forget the time my high school art teacher exclaimed: "It's not art if it's not in the textbook.". Can you believe the close mindedness?! Ugh, it's insane. That basically shuts out most art on this planet! I remember how much her opinion completely frustrated me. Thankfully my good friend Air33 (who was as much into graffiti as I was), teamed up with me and we went out to paint walls together. Female graf artists are rare, so we stuck together, but we were usually not taken that seriously by other artists. We weren't looking for approval though, we were doing it for the fun of it.

I was heavily influenced by DAIM and LOOMIT, as they were both totally groundbreaking graffiti artists at the time. 3D lettering was sort of just emerging, and that was the style that I loved. Every single one of their pieces was totally mind blowing and inspiring. Each graffiti artist uses a fake name to identify themselves and write with. I chose the name STAR33. Stars are meaningful to me because they symbolize hope and guidance. Graffiti gave me artistic hope and inspiration. 33 is a special number in my family. :)

^ This is my very first piece ever! It was my first time spray painting, so I was getting used to using the spray nozzle (as you can see it's quite messy). I found out fast that it's hard to use if you don't have strong hands. :S I had to change my initially planned purple to orange because we couldn't get any purple spraypaint. :P

^ I got to paint on this wall because I was chosen (along with 2 other people) as one of the winners of the Scarborough Arts Council Urban Art Mural Competition in 1996. Each of us were given a huge wall to paint in a dilapidated factory area of Scarborough that was visible from the RT line. It took many weekends in very cold weather to get it done. We were mentored by Sady, who was one of the Scarborough Graffiti greats. It was an amazing learning experience.

^ This was drawn for my 3rd graffiti piece. I wanted it to look shredded, and coloured like there were spotlights shining down on it. The very bottom of the letters spell out "MANICAN", which was my brother's B-Boy name at the time.

^ Here's the piece in progress on the Keele wall in Toronto that is visible from the Bloor subway line. That's AIR33 on the left and me on the right just before the cops showed up and stopped our progress before we could even get 1/2 way! Haha. :S This pic is from 1997 (man, I feel old!) :P [Pic property of Air33]

^ Next up I did this mural for the North Toronto Memorial Community Centre (NTMCC) in 1997. They didn't allow spraypaint inside the building (due to poor ventilation), so I airbrushed and hand painted the whole thing. I sketched everything out on paper first, then projected my sketches on the wall. Then I outlined the letters and characters with pencil, and from there I painted everything. It took a few months, because I only had a few hours to go there after school. My Dad helped me out tons on this project from letting me use his airbrush, projector, scaffolding and of course a few mural painting tips. Thanks Dad! :)

^Here are some of the (super shiney looking) characters. They're supposed to look sporty since the mural is in a Community Centre. If you notice in the pic of me above, I'm wearing the same red shorts as my mural. LOL. I haven't been back to NTMCC in years, so I don't even know if this mural is there anymore. :P

When I got into College I didn't have any time left to do extra art on the side (they worked us like dogs!), so I stopped doing graffiti altogether. :\ But I still totally love and appreciate the art form to this day! If you want to see Toronto Graffiti ('96-'97) from lots of amazing artists, check out my photo gallery here. My girl Air33 is producing a photography book called T.Oldskool, all about old school Toronto graffiti. Keep an eye on her site because the book will be available soon! :)

Etsy: MOAR Mohawk'd Plush Deer in the shop!

2009-09-16T12:02:00.001-07:00

It's an invasion! More yummy flavours of Mohawk'd Plush Deer are now available in my Etsy shop!

[On the far left] Blueberry Lime Fizz currently has the #1 single on the music charts in Deerville! She writes & sings her own music and loves to make sparkly costumes for her live shows.
[On the far right] Blueberry Grape Tartelette works for a decorating magazine as the lead designer. She has a good eye for sleek, modern and trendy design. The chic magazine you just read was probably designed by her! ;)
[In the middle] Strawberry Cupcake Deer works in a French Confectionery that makes the best sweets available in Deerville. When she's not selling sugary treats, she likes to browse the local antique shops for treasures and afterward enjoys an afternoon tea at her favourite local cafe.

[On the left] Starlight Soda Deer runs the local observatory in Deerville. She is an astronomer and gazes out into the stars every night. She has discovered new galaxy's and still wishes on shooting stars.
[On the right] Grape Tangerine Twist loves to go out dancing at Deerville's hottest nightclub "The Roxy" and meet all the cute Does who are waiting for a dashing young Stag to ask them to dance. He loves to impress the ladies with all the hottest new dance moves.

In Progress: Deer + Kalua Moola + Etsy Shop Feature

2009-09-15T23:01:00.000-07:00

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Thanks to everyone who entered my plush deer giveaway hosted on TokyoBunnie's blog! This giveaway set a new record on TB's blog with 127 entries!!! Congrats to donelleohio who gets to take home a new deer. I plan on having a few more giveaways in the future, so stay tuned! :)
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Here are a few in progress pics of things I've been working on lately. After spending weeks painting the Kalua Moola custom, I wanted to do some sewing again. I've been working on 10 plush deer, and some of them will be hitting my Etsy shop tomorrow. But for now, here are some in progress pics.

Body parts waiting to be sewn...

After hours of work, the deer are all sewn up. Now I decide colours for noses, eyelids and dots...

Lucky is unsure about the growing deer herd...

Here's an in progress pic of my Kalua Moola custom. I had just put sealer on his lower body which is why he's drying upside down. ;)

And last but not least, I was super pleased to discover I was featured on Plastic + Plush's Etsy Wednesday blog feature (09/09/09)! Yay for little brown Ghostie!

Plush Deer Giveaway - ENDS TONIGHT!!!

2009-09-11T10:09:00.000-07:00

My Plush Deer Giveaway ENDS TONIGHT! It's FREE to enter, just leave a comment on TokyoBunnie's blog, and you could be the winner of a brand new mohawk'd deer! Good luck! :)

Press: Kalua Moola Custom

2009-09-09T11:22:00.000-07:00

My Kalua Moola custom is making the rounds across the internet! He's been featured on 4 major toy/art sites in the past week:

...featured on FreshCharacters.com, 09/06/09

...featured on SpankyStokes.com, 09/06/09

...featured on PlasticAndPlush.com, 09/04/09

...featured on VPEast.com, 09/08/09

Photos: Shooting with a 35mm Disposable Camera

2009-09-08T16:16:00.000-07:00

These photos were meant to be in the A Million Little Pictures project, but I got sick and wasn't able to get them in on time. :( The goal was to take 24 photos of a day in our life using a 35mm disposable camera, develop them, and send them off to the show. Even though I won't be participating in the project, I'm still going to feature these pics on my blog anyways! :P

{Alley way in Marina Del Rey} This is a typical street/alley through Marina Del Rey. You generally see surfers walking around in their wetsuits with their boards, bicyclists, and people walking their purse dogs around this area. The Venice Canals and the Pacific Ocean are both just around the corner.

{Urban Self-Portrait} I wanted to take a pic of myself in this urban landscape. I thought this would be perfect -- me surrounded by concrete and barely visible through the dirty glass and graffiti.

The project goal for AMLP was to take 24 photos of our life in one day. I had a ton of ideas for themes I wanted to do, but with the clock ticking I settled for taking photos around my neighbourhood. I decided to capture the things about where I live that is uniquely LA (or Californian) from my perspective. I'm originally from Toronto, Canada, and even though I've been living in California for almost 3 years now, everything still feels very "new" and "different" to me (isn't that kinda silly?).

{Marina Market & Liquor} The signs in LA have such a retro charm with the type of fonts they use. I love the orange/blue/yellow/green in this pic. Someone had tied those balloons to the newspaper boxes (just out of the frame). I also want to point out that alcohol is sold in grocery stores here in the States (it isn't in Canada).

{Looking North on the beach in Marina Del Rey} Usually the smog is so thick that you can't even see the mountains. It's been exceptionally clear lately

The camera that AMLP provided me with was a crappy disposable camera with regular 35mm film (and a piece of fuzz showed up on every pic -- ugh). Back in the day I used to shoot with film all the time. In fact, I used to feel like I was practically the last person to convert to a digital camera! lol. But now that I'm so used to digital, going back to regular film was almost a strange experience for me. I like that digital cameras let me instantly check the photo I just took to see if it's framed properly, what the lighting is like, etc, so I know if I need to re-take the shot again. And I can take like a million pics with my 8gb card without fearing that I might run out of space. With regular film you get one chance... that's it. Even pressing the shutter was so non-eventful. No sound at all. Actually, I thought the camera was broken at first, lol!

{Shadows} It's so sunny here all the time that it tends to wash all the colours out.

{Trees in Hermosa Beach}

My friend Emud Mokhberi who is an amazing photographer insists on shooting with regular film. He let me shoot with his Leica MP once (with a Noctilux lens... ohh so awesome), and although it was a wonderful experience to shoot with such a gorgeous high-end camera + lens, I just can't get past not being able to immediately see what my photos look like. I guess I'm spoiled. There is a lot of trust when you take pictures with regular film. You are forced to give the camera 100% of your trust that it will turn out just right. You'll never know what your photos really look like until you get them back from the developers. I found myself being way more picky about what I took a photo of, and feeling disappointed when I would see a great photo op, but my film had already run out. And then the disappointment when film doesn't turn out after all that work! :S Despite my hang-ups, I still had a lot of fun taking these photos, and I'm glad I did, even if they won't be on display with all the other participants at the Art House Gallery in Atlanta, GA. :P

{Gate} I love some of the architecture here in LA, it's got such an awesome Mexican/Spanish vibe that we don't have back in Canada. That's a skull above the doorway!

{Pathway to home... for now.} This is where I live -- for the moment. I've moved around so much in the past 3yrs that this is just another glimpse of "home", for now.

Kalua Moola Custom, Part 5

2009-09-04T15:30:00.000-07:00

He's finally done!!!! I'm so excited to finally unveil my completed Kalua Moola custom! He took me a few weeks to paint, mainly because I wanted to go a good job, I'm a perfectionist when it comes to clean lines (I rework them until I'm satisfied they're perfect) and I was having so much fun painting him that I didn't want to stop! lol. Even though I start out with an initial sketch, I still let my inspiration guide me as I'm painting and and I re-evaluate my colour choices + designs as I go along. It's a very organic and of course a very fun process!

I've named him "Tough Love", and this is his backstory: Tough Love has a wounded heart that he protects behind his bandaged, bloody fists. He's upset because he's had enough of broken hearts, so he's fighting back! Watch out, cause this tough little guy is on a mission of revenge, and might pop you in the eye if you're not careful!

Kalua Moola was designed by Lord Mesa, sculpted by Eric Nocella Diaz, and custom painted by me! He's now available in the Argonaut Resins store!

Below is a look at the detail on his back. It's hard to tell in this pic but, his tail is sculpted in 3D and super cute! :) Here's the BEFORE pic just incase you were curious what he looked like blank, and HERE is an archive of this custom in progress! Click HERE for more pics!

In Progress: Kalua Moola Custom, Part 4

2009-09-02T10:36:00.001-07:00

Here's a sneak peek of my Kalua Moola custom for the Artist Crossover Series with Argonaut Resins! This is all I'm going to show until he's finally revealed... :D

Plush Deer Giveaway!!!

2009-09-02T09:23:00.000-07:00

WIN A PLUSH DEER! It's free to enter! All you have to do is leave a comment on TokyoBunnie's blog (with your email so she has a way to contact you if you are a winner), and you could win one of my plush mohawked deer!!!! There are other ways to score multiple votes, so please read the fine print. ;) This is my first giveaway ever, and I'm very excited to have it hosted by TokyoBunnie, since I am a big fan of her blog! :D CLICK HERE TO ENTER. The contest runs from today to September 11th. Good luck! :D

Lucky wins the Kitty-Gurumi Contest!

2009-09-01T16:33:00.000-07:00

My cat Lucky won the Kitty-Gurumi Contest hosted by Moonscreations! He has been immortalized into amigurumi form! (I'm so proud of my boy! ♥) You can read all about the story here, and he can be purchased in Moonscreations' Etsy Shop here.

I entered a few pics of my sweetheart, but it was this photo that won Moons over:

You see, Lucky bites his tongue by accident from time to time. He'll be licking his fur and then get distracted mid lick. He forgets that his tongue is out and keeps it stuck out like that for a few minutes until he remembers to put it back in his mouth again! It's kinda hard to tell in this pic, but his right eye is orange, and his left eye is green. Both of his eyes started out green at first, but his right eye started changing to a rust colour over time. Now he's 14 years old and his right eye is completely rust coloured. He can see fine out of both eyes -- the vets are totally baffled by it!

And here is his backstory for the amigurumi plush listing:

Lucky is a cat who has lived up to his name. He is currently on his 5th life, after going through several near-death experiences. Despite his odd interest in risk-taking, he is very lovable, quirky and extremely vain. He insists on wearing a tuxedo every day of the year, and always makes sure his fur is clean and soft.

He loves posing for the camera, and sometimes will stick his tongue out at you if he thinks you're being silly. He loves to be held in your arms, and will nestle his head into your shoulder if he thinks you are extra special.

He loves affection and will never say no to gentle pets or a scratching under his chin (when you do this, he tilts his head and his right eye twitches). Lucky is a loyal companion, and will always be there for you whenever you need a little bit of extra love.

10 Things Self-Portrait

2009-08-31T16:29:00.001-07:00

I was tagged by Leeanna to do another photo "meme" (here's my previous 16 Things About Me meme), so I needed to take another self portrait. So I took some more pics of myself and had fun experimenting with layers in Photoshop.

Here is the 10 Things About Me List:
1. I've eaten crickets and ants willingly. I ordered them at a restaurant. :D
2. My favourite comfort drink is tea. I drink it every single day.
3. When I was 3yrs old, I assumed the identity of a rabbit for almost a year. My parents were very worried. lol. (Story is here.)
4. I have 2 tattoos and want to get more. The only thing holding me back is deciding on a good design, and the fact that I faint around needles. :S
5. My dream is to live in Europe someday. I've been wanting to do this when I first visited the UK with my Grandmother when I was 12.
6. I used to have a Japanese penpal and we wrote letters back and forth for years. We have since lost touch, but I'm happy she was a part of my life.
7. I swear my cat has OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)... he gets totally stressed out if I don't go to bed at a certain time every night.
8. I'm very indecisive with almost everything in my life... except for when it comes to art.
9. I love Spring + Fall, and don't like Summer + Winter. I don't like extreme heat or cold. I like it just right.
10. I'm not religious at all. It has no place in my life.

Press: Vinyl Pulse + Twitter

2009-08-31T16:20:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a week because I came down with a bad cold and it knocked me out for a few days. :( Luckily I'm over it now, but being sick has pushed back my projects by a week, and now I have lots to catch up on. I missed a very important deadline I was aiming for -- more to come on that. :S

Anyways, Vinyl Pulse wrote a nice post where they suggested me as someone to follow on Twitter! Isn't that sweet! :)

Weekly Window Shopping #10: Anthropologie

2009-08-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

This week I’m featuring the online shop called Anthropologie. They sell beautiful (and very expensive) clothes. I love their colour palette as well as the style and cut of almost all their clothing. If I had money to burn, I would shop here. They also sell furnishings and accessories for the home, but I'll leave that feature for another week. :)

[Left] Shoestring Boots - $218.00
[Middle] Inverness Trench - $188.00
[Right] Chipper Tote - $199.00

[Left] Felice Cardigan - $98.00
[Middle] Idyll Respite Necklace - $38.00
[Right] Promenade Cardigan - $78.00

[Left] Citizens for Humanity Dita Petite Bootcut - $158.00 (I wear petite size jeans)
[Middle] Angles & Angles Cardigan - $88.00
[Right] Squeezebox Hoodie - $138.00

Press: Featured on Craftgawker.com!

2009-08-21T21:44:00.000-07:00

My blue deer canvas was featured on craftgawker.com! Hurrah! :)

In Progress: Kalua Moola Custom, Part 3

2009-08-20T14:36:00.000-07:00

Here's another in progress pic of my Kalua Moola custom for the Artist Crossover Series with Argonaut Resins! As you can see, I've painted a bit more on this guy since my previous post. I added a teal cloud to the bottom part of his body and his ears, and I've drawn the tribal-styled designs on his forehead and I'm painting them in dark purple (I know it looks a bit like black, but it's really dark purple). Still got a ways to go...

In Progress: Kalua Moola Custom, Part 2

2009-08-19T10:51:00.000-07:00

Below is a pic of my Kalua Moola custom with the first 2 or 3 coats of purple paint on him. This paint is very thin and takes several coats to build up a nice smooth opaque look (it took like 10 coats), so that's why it looks a bit "patchy" right now. I left parts of him white because they will be painted different colours. You can see my design + colour key sketch in the background. ;)

In this next pic, I've finished the purple base coat (you can see it's nice and opaque after lots of layers), and I've started painting his eyes. I like to start with the eyes because I think that really starts to bring the character and personality alive. Do you like the yellow paint? :) His nose, ears and bandages will be a different colour, so I've left them unpainted for now.

Next I added an outline around the eyes. I think his personality is really starting to come through. You can see what colour his ears will be....

More to come soon...

Etsy: Woodland Animals on Canvas!

2009-08-17T14:35:00.000-07:00

I've launched some brand new items in my Etsy shop -- Felt Art on Canvas! These canvases measure 5x5 inches, and are ready to hang on the wall. I'm starting with this trio of woodland animals, cause I think they're the cutest. ;)

Animation: My Demo Reel

2009-08-17T13:45:00.000-07:00

Want to see what I do for a living? This is my demo reel featuring animation I did for G-Force, Alvin And The Chipmunks and Everyone's Hero. :)

Weekly Window Shopping #9: Tokyo Jazz Panda

2009-08-17T13:40:00.001-07:00

This week I’m featuring the online shop called Tokyo Jazz Panda. "Chester's cutest boutique store! Stylish and fun homeware, kidswear, gifts, snacks, mobile accessories.... We even have plenty of Hello Kitty!" If you're in the UK, they offer free shipping on orders over £20!

[Left] Petit Babie (Colour) - £1.99/each
[Middle] Frog Storage Cart - £19.99
[Right] Strawberry Spoon in Case - £3.99

[Left] Mushroom Clock - £7.99/each
[Middle] Decole 'Daruma' Stamp - £2.99
[Right] Mamegoma Star Strap - £3.99

[Left] Strawberry Mouse Pad (Red) - £3.99
[Middle] Momiji Randoms (Silly Billy) - £11.99
[Right] Strawberry Key Cover - £2.99

In Progress: Kalua Moola Custom, Part 1

2009-08-14T12:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a snapshot of my blank Kalua Moola figure waiting to be customized. Look at how tough he is! He's so ready for me to bring on the paint. I've drawn up a few ideas already (you can see some in the pic), and I'm very close to deciding on my final design and I can't wait to slap on the first layer of paint!

I couldn't believe it when I first received him -- he is hand cast! I'm so used to the factory made vinyl toys, and have never held an original hand cast vinyl toy before. It was like seeing an original painting or something, very exciting! If you'd like to customize your own Kalua Moola figure, then you're in luck! Argonaut Resins is selling 8 DIY KM figures in their online shop. Grab 'em now because they're going to sell out fast!

Etsy: More Mini Ghosties + 1 Plush Deer

2009-08-13T15:24:00.001-07:00

More plushies hit my Etsy shop today! 7 Mini Ghosties and 1 plush deer:

Mini Lime Green Ghostie promotes new growth in any situation.
Mini Yellow + Blue Ghostie helps to revitalize you if you are feeling burnt out from too much work.
Mini Red Ghostie absorbs all the fears and anxieties around him in an effort to try and make things stable again.
Mini Pink + Blue Ghostie helps bring peace to a hurtful relationship.
Mini Light Pink Ghostie helps to show there is love in a situation that might seem hopeless.
Mini Blue + Pink Ghostie helps bring peace to a hurtful relationship.
Mini Lime Green + Pink Ghostie helps to bring out your inner beauty.

Strawberry Cupcake Deer works in a French Confectionery that makes the best sweets available in Deerville. When she’s not selling sugary treats, she likes to browse the local antique shops for treasures and afterward enjoys an afternoon tea at her favourite local cafe.

My very messy Craft Table!

2009-08-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

I always like seeing what other people's craft tables look like, so I thought I'd post a pic of mine as of right this second! It's so messy and completely unworkable at the moment, but that tends to happen when you have a billion projects on the go. I added some tags + description to this photo which you can check out over at Flickr.