waiting room aquarium

Snow Kitty

2012-01-18T11:12:00.001-08:00

It has snowed about 7 or so inches and it is still going at it! Thus, we had to make a Milly snow-kitty. She was cold, but she liked it.

At the Aquarium

2011-12-12T09:30:00.000-08:00

Last night Chris and I and some friends went to Zoolights and I photographed some of the aquarium's residents.

Our Christmas Card!

2011-12-06T20:44:00.000-08:00

We were unable to do anything like last year's card, however we thought this was a grand capture of Christmas spirit and it features our baby, Milly.

Colouring Pages

2011-12-06T19:23:00.000-08:00

Our Retirement Plan

2011-12-05T12:47:00.000-08:00

Obviously, Chris and I were meant to be together. In the movie Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Santa is named Chris Kringle and Mrs. Claus is named Jessica. Plus, we even look like the characters(though Chris is often less jolly than the real deal and I don't like cookies too much..)
In any case, we're considering retiring up north...

New Colouring Pages

2011-11-30T21:16:00.000-08:00

Extra Photograph

2011-11-25T09:19:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER scarf!

2011-11-24T18:47:00.000-08:00

Just finished this one!

husband that will always be

2011-11-24T10:28:00.000-08:00

Our tradition each Thanksgiving, we've taken a set of black and white images (with no make-up for me) each year we've been together.
I am rather pleased with how they turned out this time.
See the first year's set here.
and last year's here.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Colouring Pages

2011-11-23T14:51:00.000-08:00

Here are some more colouring pages I did the other day. I am going to draw 10 drawings a day (or thereabouts) in order to finish the colouring book for my husband. Asterix is a French cartoon which is very popular, like Mickey Mouse here. Otherwise, I hope you like all the drawings!

MORE Scarfs

2011-11-23T14:23:00.000-08:00

I finished the white and yellow striped one last night-all in one go! It took about 3 hours. It is for a dear friend. The other is for another dear friend, my husband's cousin.

New Scarf

2011-11-15T14:58:00.000-08:00

Finished this scarf last night and it is a present for Chris' aunt. I will be making a lot more scarfs coming up. New colouring book drawings to come later as well.

Old Drawing

2011-10-29T14:38:00.000-07:00

Mister

2011-10-26T20:26:00.000-07:00

I just finished this painting a little bit ago and I am sort of pleased with it.
I had the vision for this painting while driving to school early this morning.
The figure is a lot like those found in my earlier painting titled there is something...
I have decided to call it, "Mister" though I am not quite as confident in that title as many other works, but I like it well enough.
It is my first work other than in school that I have done on primed canvas. I did not like working on this as well because the solvent would not create the texture I am accustomed to.

more colouring pages

2011-10-17T11:56:00.000-07:00

I apologize to all the horse people out there, I am not very good at depicting such a majestic animal! I am running out of things to draw for my husband's colouring book, however, and I thought I should include one drawing of horses.

drawings for a friend

2011-10-16T13:57:00.000-07:00

Nobody Move

2011-10-02T15:36:00.000-07:00

This piece has been a year in the making! I hated how I first drew the lionness and so I just left it by the wayside but today I picked it up again and was determined to get something I am okay with out of the whole thing. I hope you like it and let me know what you think! Some colouring book drawings to come tomorrow!

2 New Möbius Scarfs

2011-09-25T16:15:00.000-07:00

Hello!
I just finished these. The red one is a Christmas gift for a friend.
The other is for my mother-in-law.
Hope you like them!
If you would like to purchase one, I can make one for about $45 and can customize colours and length. Stripes will cost an additonal $7.
To see my other scarf, click here.

experiment

2011-08-25T18:53:00.000-07:00

I used paper that was silver covered in black.
It came with a tool so you can scrape the black away.
It was an interesting experience to work with.
Perhaps, more to come.

new project; another blog!

2011-08-23T20:53:00.000-07:00

here is my newest project!!
the LEVEL FIVE VEGAN blog!

it will contain stories about the garden, vegan health, cooking and other sustainablity related information.
my husband and I are working on it together and I believe it will be a great deal of fun.
HAVE A LOVELY AND REMARKABLE EVENING!

happy

2011-08-19T12:13:00.001-07:00

on the way back to the car after doing our adveture yoga shots, my husband and I came across this couple letting off balloons.
quite lovely indeed.

- - - -
I will confess. I had forgotten art. I had momentarily forgotten I was an artist. I thought I must do dishes and sweep first, then cook, then complete an infinite number of other household tasks, then I could draw. I thought because I got burnt out after at least 10 hours of painting and drawing a week for school for over 3 months (the most stressful time I have ever known) that, really, art wasn’t my thing.
Now, however, it has come back to me. I AM AN ARTIST. And thankfully, it did so with a vengeance. I remember what it’s like to want to draw forever; to desire drawing everything that was, is, and can ever be. I say, let us pick up our pens and pencils, let us gather our drawing pads and head out into the world, ready to describe our environment in lines and curves and subtleties, let our deepest thoughts and feelings lie in the charcoal-shaded shadow of a nostril or in the inked leafiness of a tree.

adventure yoga

2011-08-14T11:57:00.000-07:00

half moon pose. (him)

dancer pose. (me)

warrior II. (him)

warrior III. (him)

tree pose. (me)

My husband and I went to a viewpoint park in West Seattle a few days ago and did some yoga and I decided it would be quite lovely to make yoga-art. So, here it is.

one night to be confused

2011-08-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

this is a drawing I did using utrecht designmarkers and bristol paper (strathmore, of course.) I have never used markers much, excepting crayola markers when I was little and even then I did not use them often. Anyways, I am rather pleased with how it turned out. The size is about 5 x 12. It was inspired by a song called "Heartbeats" by the Knife.

Husband by the sea

2011-08-10T22:35:00.000-07:00

Just started and finished today! I like it a lot.

colouring book

2011-07-24T10:43:00.000-07:00

a copy of "in bed" by Toulouse-Lautrec.

self-portrait

my husband and I

hello again.

I hope you like these images; they are from a colouring book I have been working on for my husband. I hope to be done by Christmas. I wanted to give the book to him last Christmas, but I simply did not have enough time.

"I will show you fear in a handful of dust"

2011-05-11T08:57:00.001-07:00

This is a painting I just completed for my husband, of his cousin, who the world lost on March 5th, 2011.

I thought that the title should allude to something poetical and T.S Eliot's wasteland, part of part I, is uncannily fitting:

I. The Burial of the Dead
April is the cruelest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
Winter kept us warm, covering
Earth in forgetful snow, feeding
A little life with dried tubers.
Summer surprised us, coming over the Starnbergersee
With a shower of rain; we stopped in the colonnade,
And went on in sunlight, into the Hofgarten,
And drank coffee, and talked for an hour.
Bin gar keine Russin, stamm' aus Litauen, echt deutsch.
And when we were children, staying at the arch-duke's,
My cousin's, he took me out on a sled,
And I was frightened. He said, Marie,
Marie, hold on tight. And down we went.
In the mountains, there you feel free.
I read, much of the night, and go south in the winter.
What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow
Out of this stony rubbish?Son of man,
You cannot say, or guess, for you know only
A heap of broken images, where the sun beats,
And the dead tree gives no shelter, the cricket no relief,
And the dry stone no sound of water. Only
There is shadow under this red rock,
(Come in under the shadow of this red rock),
And I will show you something different from either
Your shadow at morning striding behind you
Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you;
I will show you fear in a handful of dust.

möbius scarf?

2010-12-16T10:53:00.000-08:00

Nah, it's really just a plain circle.
Though, I do plan to make a lot more and I do suppose some could be möbius-like.
I will make a custom one for anybody who wants one. Otherwise, look for 3-4 on Ety next fall.
It is really warm and I really like the simplicity of it.
note: the photograph of just the scarf IS in colour! The scarf itself is a muted taupey-grey colour.

I'll be home for Christmas

2010-12-14T18:29:00.000-08:00

christmas lights

2010-12-06T15:20:00.001-08:00

It's A Wonderful Life

2010-11-29T16:02:00.000-08:00

we're getting our little Christmas tree today

2010-11-27T08:49:00.000-08:00

christmas tree

2010-11-26T16:17:00.000-08:00

We're going to get our christmas tree tomorrow!

husband that is:

2010-11-25T10:53:00.000-08:00

My husband and I, before he was my husband, took this set of photographs one year ago, and we thought we would take a few more this year to see what we could come up with and see how we're changed.

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T05:04:00.000-08:00

no more

2010-11-24T08:58:00.000-08:00

this is a collage I did yesterday. I am actually rather pleased with how it turned out.

glitter paintings

2010-11-23T17:20:00.000-08:00

my husband bought me about 20 little containers of glitter and so we made these.
the first is a close up looking sideways at it so you can see all the glitter.
then, his is an ocean sunset and mine is the last one, a mountain landscape.

Rudolph!

2010-11-23T11:30:00.000-08:00

another photo-weave

2010-11-22T10:18:00.000-08:00

I hope to make some more of these weaves because it is interesting and because I do not think this one is very successful. At least not nearly as successful as my very first photo-weave that can be seen here.

dove

2010-11-22T10:13:00.000-08:00

abstraction

2010-11-21T12:36:00.000-08:00

This is way, way different than pretty much anything I have ever done.
My husband said I should try doing some abstract stuff like this one (I think I am calling it "zilch") and so far it is rather difficult but I am still going to keep at it.
I hope to have some experimental drawings up soon as well.

and, PLEASE, let me know what you think!!

morning: one deer

2010-11-21T10:57:00.000-08:00

licks snow from the other's
coat.

gone for christmas

2010-11-20T09:34:00.000-08:00

this is still part of that old book I made of christmas drawings two years ago.
I hope you have enjoyed the ones I have posted thus far.
a painting, several collages and some of my colouring book work to come soon.

likewise in your eyes

2010-11-19T18:55:00.000-08:00

And when the cold wind's blowing
Snow drifts through the pine trees
In houses lights are glowing
Likewise in your eyes that find me here

snowball fight!

2010-11-19T07:44:00.000-08:00

I could use a good snowball fight about now.

cold and sunny

2010-11-18T16:01:00.000-08:00

polar bears in the snow:

2010-11-17T11:29:00.000-08:00

The drawings I will be posting over the next month are mostly from this book of christmas/winter drawings I made for a friend about 2 years ago. It is funny to see how I have improved as an artist since that time; a lot of these I would have done differently had I set out to make this book now. Still, I hope you like them. I will try to post more wintry ones so as to avoid getting too wrapped up in the Christmas mind-set so early in the season.

Christmas is coming!

2010-11-16T12:13:00.000-08:00

Our cat Milly is already excited for Christmas! (and don't worry: no villagers were harmed in the making of this photograph!)
These are of the lady and the tramp, a random octopus and of Milly when she was a kitten. Anyways, I hope you like the abundance of ink drawing on here as of late. I have about 130 to go!

Christmas photograph!

2010-11-14T14:07:00.000-08:00

I made the little elf hats and the santa hats and I added bows to the antlers!
it was quite difficult to get them all in together; especially the dark cat in the photograph named Scoochy.

Christmas Kitties

2010-11-06T13:36:00.000-07:00

these are some little elf hats I just made for the kitties. I cannot wait for Christmas.

jack rabbit

2010-10-28T08:52:00.001-07:00

lion

2010-10-26T09:25:00.001-07:00

if there were no colours....

2010-10-25T19:05:00.000-07:00

I am making a colouring book for my husband for christmas (nearly 200 single pages of drawing plus, on the backsides, activites and interesting papers and perhaps some collages) so hence my starting even before Halloween. so from now until Christmas basically, it's all ink! the title of the colouring book is s'il n'y avait pas de couleurs.... meaning: if there were no colours.... I hope you like the drawings to follow. I'll post one a day probably. I am hoping to do some other things as well but we'll see. also, all drawings from the colouring book are 8.5 x 11 in size.

part of my second assignment

2010-10-11T18:12:00.000-07:00

FIXED: first assignment for figure drawing

2010-10-07T10:45:00.001-07:00

I redid this drawing because he changed the date of the assignment.
being that he seems rather strict, I didn't want to turn it in as it was and wanted it to be the very best I could within the alloted time.

"something existential"

2010-09-24T12:31:00.000-07:00

Milly helps Chris and I do absolutely everything. here, however, she wasn't exactly helping. I think she just wanted to sit on my lap.
- - - -
I truly love drawing people; it is so interesting how a nose can be just a dash that is hinted at along with a little funny comma shape and then a mouth can be nothing but a simple line.
yet no two faces are alike.

the drawing above is a digital hybrid, like I did with your name sounds like mine.

also, if you notice, I have imported my old blog posts becuase I am no longer embarassed by most of the work that was on there and I would like to have all my works accessible in one place.

Carson McCullers

2010-09-23T23:54:00.000-07:00

she died of alcoholism
wrapped in a blanket
on a deck chair
on an ocean
steamer.

all her books of
terrified loneliness

all her books about
the cruelty
of loveless love

were all that was left
of her

as the strolling vacationer
discovered her body

notified the captain

and she was quickly dispatched
to somewhere else
on the ship

as everything
continued just
as
she had written it

(by bukowski.)
- - - -
it's late now that I've finished this; with my husband and kitten asleep next to me on the couch and my cat on a nearby chair. though I am fairly content, and certainly not alone, I still have a feeling of loneliness. Carson McCullers gives you a very odd feeling, whether you are looking at a photograph of her or reading one of her works. it is not one I think could be put into words. thus, a drawing.

at any rate, I hope all is going well.
I have been trying a lot of new things over the summer but I know in my heart I need to draw more; that drawing is what best fulfills my desires and hopes and is the thing most worthy of my time.
with school starting on wednesday, I hope I can create whenever I so choose.
I am taking introduction to figure drawing this quarter and am anxious to see how that goes (you have to memorize how to draw body parts!) and hope I can do well and be challenged.

look for more to come.

sketchbooking again,

2010-08-26T13:41:00.000-07:00

I just finished this ink drawing of my darling cat, scoochy.
I have been terribly drained, sick and uninspired lately.
hence the lack of posts.
however, I was looking through a book by r. crumb called the sweeter side of r. crumb (though I love the unsweet side, too) today and it has inspired me to create again-and to start keeping a daily sketchbook; something I never have been able to keep up.
I hope you like the sketches to come and are enjoying these fleeting summer days.

the cranes pt. II

2010-08-24T08:41:00.000-07:00

here is the second part of my crane drawing.

old one

2010-08-13T12:44:00.001-07:00

it's boring....

2010-08-06T09:35:00.000-07:00

this is something I started well over a year ago (possibly two now?) but I just finished it last night and still, even after all this time has passed, I don't know how I feel about it.
what do you think?

also, amongst other things, I am planning another coloured pencil study where I just shade lightly and don't use the colourless blender pencil that I can hardly live without.

the cranes part I

2010-07-29T18:28:00.000-07:00

this is a drawing done at the request of my husband and I intend on making another half of the panorama tonight and tomorrow.
but for now, here is this one.
it is an unusual size for me- 5.5 inches X 12 inches.
(I usually use 5.5 inches X 7.5 inches)
so, the finished works combined will make a piece that is 5.5 X 24.

we are planning on making a frame for it together since it is unlikely that any pre-existing frame is that size.
besides, it will be a fun project.

it is spring

2010-05-09T19:41:00.000-07:00

well, it is spring and things are lovely.
however, I am feeling a little down about my blog.
it seems not very many people visit regularly anymore and the connections I have made through my blog are fading.
I would like to hear any suggestions on how to make my blog more readable, interesting, etc.
I know you should put what you want out there, and I do and will still continue to do so; I just want to hear from more people about art, life, reading, creating, and the things I make and don't know what needs to change here in order to make that possible.

one thing I was considering doing was reviewing more books and also, being that I have been cooking a great deal, I wanted to put vegan recipes up.

I would love to hear your thoughts.

pictured above are my husband and our kitten, Milly.

with question marks in my eyes

2010-05-08T07:24:00.001-07:00

of montreal is a very, very odd band.
I did some drawings a long time ago that I recently posted that were well received so I decided to make some new ones.
here is one, there may be more in a few days.
back to the band, though: their album hissing fauna, are you the destroyer? practically transports one to a strange land of feeling.
it's like it makes your eyes roll back in your head and allows you to see your synapses in action; your body creates and provides its own visualizer in response to what it is hearing.
go listen, and just see if I'm wrong.

#1: Abbott's Duiker

2010-05-07T19:04:00.000-07:00

A duiker is a small type of antelope.
The Abbott's Duiker is found only in a few small areas in Tanzinia.
It is only about 2 feet tall and weighs around 120 pounds.
Nomenclatural information:
Name: Cephalophus spadix
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Subfamily: Cephalophinae
Genus: Cephalophus
Species: C. spadix

It is on the endangered species list because of hunting and loss of habitat.
There are approximately 1,500 remaining.

where should she be?

2010-04-29T14:07:00.000-07:00

it's been years since I worked on this.
what should I do?!

some older drawings

2010-04-22T09:06:00.001-07:00

I did these while listening to a band called of montreal many years ago.

the knot is tied

2010-04-19T16:05:00.001-07:00

I am a married woman.
so, here is a little paint work I did one or two years ago.
and a poem I adore by e.e. cummings:

this little bride & groom are
standing)in a kind
of crown he dressed
in black candy she

veiled with candy white
carrying a bouquet of
pretend flowers this
candy crown with this candy

little bride & little
groom in it kind of stands on
a thin ring which stands on a much
less thin very much more

big & kinder of ring & which
kinder of stands on a
much more than very much
biggest & thickest & kindest

of ring & all one two three rings
are cake & everything is protected by
cellophane against anything(because
nothing really exists

allo printemps!

2010-04-02T13:58:00.000-07:00

well here is a just finished microsoft paint work,
another spring related post,
and little photograph i found a while ago i thought i would share since it is less than a month now until i get married!!!

kitten hat

2010-03-30T21:22:00.000-07:00

this is milly and she is modeling a new hat available for purchase on esty!
i will do custom ones if you wish to order any for your little darling(s)-dog and/or cat!

etsy!

2010-03-28T13:17:00.000-07:00

hello!
i now have my etsy shop up and running and you can now purchase my painting entitled "there is something."
and visit my shop!
more stuff to come in the next few days.
i plan on making some more kitty/doggie hats and selling those and perhaps other crocheted items.
anyways, hope all is well!

a passage on india

2010-03-18T14:03:00.000-07:00

here is a just-finished drawing.
more of india can be seen in the following posts on my old blog:
this
this
this
and
these.

did you know that chess and the concept of zero was invented in india?
that india hasn't invaded any country in the last 10,000 years?
and that its national animal is a tiger?

and, just because, here is a little folk tale from india including a tiger:
once upon a time, there lived two friends in the shade of a rock. it would sound strange, but one of them was a lion and the other was a tiger. they were friends since their childhood. they knew each other from the time, when they were too small to understand the difference between the lions and the tigers. thus, their friendship was not at all strange to them.

moreover, the part of the mountain under which they lived was peaceful; it could be due to the presence of a monk who lived under the same rock. he was a hermit, one who lives far away from worldly affairs. one day, the two friends got into a stupid argument for some unknown reason. the tiger said, "everyone knows that cold comes when the moon decreases from full to new”. the lion said, “you are a stupid fellow. from where did you hear such nonsense? everyone knows that cold comes when the moon increases from new to full”.

the argument between them became stronger and stronger. both of them were firm at their own opinion. they could not arrive at any conclusion to resolve the growing disagreement. they even started calling ill names to each other. suddenly, they thought that like this they would lose their friendship. at last, they decided to go and ask the learned monk, who would definitely know about the actual answer.

both of them went together to the peaceful monk and bowed respectfully before him. the hermit asked them the reason for their sudden arrival. they put their question to him and said, “sir, only you can answer to this problematic question”. the hermit thought for a while and said, “it can be cold in any phase of the moon, from new to full and back to new again. it is the wind that brings the cold, whether from west or north or east. therefore, both of you are right and neither of you is defeated by the other.”

the hermit also said, “both of you share healthy friendship since your childhood. it is not good to get into arguments and think about separation. the most important thing is to live without conflict, to remain united. unity is best by all means”. the lion and the tiger understood the message of the wise monk. they thanked him for the kind suggestion given by him. both of them lived happily thereafter as good friends.
- - - -
THE QUARTER IS OVER!!!!
i can now draw again!!!!
i am taking all art classes for spring and every quarter thereafter and you cannot know the excitement and relief i feel.
so, so many more drawings to come.

thank you for looking at my blog and hopefully you can tell me your thoughts in a comment; how your day is going, what you have done, what you would like to do, anything at all.
i hope the day has been grand for you.

things called words.

2010-03-13T19:22:00.000-08:00

here is an essay i did for my art history class if anybody cares to read.
i got a 3.9 on it-the only reason i was given for not receiving a 4.0 was that i used too many em-dashes. clearly-the reason was well-grounded.

i took the class because i needed a non-western art history credit so, rather than take african art, i decided to do japanese art.

the works the essay discusses are shown above.
the first is the red-eyed tribe (it's extremely long and there are only details available online so i apologize for the crudely made collage) and the bottom is the rites chapter from the tale of genji handscroll.

HERE IS THE ESSAY:
note: this is NOT how i look at art; i wrote this in the manner i did solely because i knew it was what the professor (and pretty much all art historians) was looking for.

The Tale of the Red-Eyed Tribe

In Chiho Aoshima’s work, The Red-Eyed Tribe—a modern digital print that has strong anime and manga influences—and in a scene from the Rites chapter that is part of The Tale of Genji handscroll—a handscroll that dates from the early 12th century illustrating Lady Murasaki’s epic tale in the onna-e or “female” style—various techniques are employed to make the observer feel as though they are intruding into the private lives of the characters depicted. One is permitted to enter each work and witness the events that are taking place, but in a clandestine manner—like that of a fly on the wall. The wording of the titles even implies cult-like, ceremonial behavior with the use of the words “tribe” and “rites.” The fukinuki yatai or “blown-off roof” technique, the arrangement of architectural and landscape elements, the use of space, the handscroll format of The Rites and the handscroll-like design of The Red-Eyed Tribe, and the abbreviation of facial features all contribute to this secretive feeling.
In The Rites, this sense of being a fly on the wall or, to be precise, on the ceiling, is especially strong because of the fukinuki yatai or “blown-off roof.” This is a compositional technique that allows the observer to look down into a building as if there was no roof at all. This is extremely useful in the onna-e style because emotional tension in a scene is created using architectural features rather than facial expressions and the blown off roof allows these architectural features to be seen. Also, were there a roof incorporated into the scene, our position in it would have to be brought indoors, thus making it feel much more inviting and it would be difficult to escape eye contact from the three figures; whereas, without the roof, we see Genji, Lady Murasaki and the Akashi princess, sitting entirely oblivious to any outside presence. In The Red-Eyed Tribe, though the figures are not all oblivious to the viewer’s presence and the blown off roof technique is not applied to this image, the viewer still feels as though they are intruding and not entirely welcome. One way in which this is achieved is by the vast expanse of space—there are no walls, no curtains, and no doors for the figures to hide behind in the image. The figures and their activities are in plain sight of the viewer which generates a feeling of exposure, perhaps even more so than is present in The Rites.
The exposure of the figures is emphasized by the use of landscape and the lack of architectural -features in The Red-Eyed Tribe. In the image, the unyielding, inverted mountains and strange prism-like objects suggest vulnerability because they seem to be coming down upon the minute, defenseless girls. The girls have only a few relatively small trees and bushes to seek shelter under. One figure that is seated in front of a bush toward the bottom right side of the image looks particularly frightened and disturbed. Some, however, are nonchalantly going about their business like the two girls holding hands toward the left-side of the image and one figure sleeping beneath a tree, unaware of the observer and of possible danger. The amorphous terrain and the contradictory presentation of land and water also create tension and disorientation for the viewer because they combine the real and the unreal. We are not even able to discern if this image is on land or underwater—we are shown clouds, trees, and a tide coming in, yet, we are also shown in the same image, fish swimming, seaweed, and a crab crawling. This disorientation causes the viewer to ask, “Where am I? Do I belong here?”—adding to the sense of intrusion. A similar experience occurs in The Rites because of the presentation of architectural elements. The strong, asymmetrical diagonals of the curtains and walls in the scene do not allow the eye to focus safely in any one place inside. These lines cause the eye to say, “Where should I look? Should I be looking at all?”—clearly bringing into question whether one has a right to be looking upon the gathering. Instead of welcoming the viewer inside, they lead outside to the somber autumn landscape—removing the viewer from the scene.
Another technique used in both works to remove the observer from the scenes is the manipulation of space. In The Rites, the desolate landscape outside the main area of interest is almost equal to the area of interest—the room of Lady Muraski. This forces the viewer to acknowledge space other than that containing the subjects of interest. Another form of manipulation in The Rites is the three-quarter view plane which provides the viewer with a distorted perspective of the scene. It is not looking directly down on the scene but one is not looking toward the horizon—the three-quarter view lies somewhere in between. This perspective further adds to the sense of isolation and disorientation because the viewer does not know where they stand in the picture or in relation to reality. In Aoshima’s image, space is also manipulated in several ways. The most apparent way is by the convergence of several figures to the center of the image—with one figure directly in the center confronting the onlooker with red-eyes that convey a sense of animosity and hostility, which cause the outsider to feel pushed out of the image. Another is the seemingly infinite way in which the land and unadulterated horizon are shown. In several places, the horizon line seems to blend into the blue ether-like sky, or water; we, as the viewer, do not know which.
The manipulation of space, where “boring,” uneventful elements are added between eventful ones to force the viewer to slow down, is prevalent in the handscroll format because there is often a tendency on the viewer’s part to hurry up and see what happens. The Red-Eyed Tribe is presented much like a handscroll would be—it is much longer than it is wide and there are several elements that lead the eye further on while mixing in seemingly placid elements to slow the viewer down. The Red-Eyed Tribe, too, seems to present us with a story as a continuous picture handscroll would do. The story of the day in the tribe’s life, perhaps. What we first encounter, moving right to left, is a young, brightly dressed girl looking out at the ocean tide, with her back turned toward the rest of the scene to follow. The strong diagonal of the tide leads us farther into the image and we are then met by two girls merrily gathering fruit from a tree and another that is peacefully sleeping beneath a tree in the distance. The main focus is given in the middle of the work, where the group of women, all young with one exception, stare hypnotically at the observer. There is a pause in the narrative before we see two girls holding hands and looking over their shoulders towards the scene to come, leading us onward. What follows are several girls hard at work doing various tasks such as gathering and preparing food, left uncoloured, and a single tree in the background, suggesting that the scene is tapering off and the story coming to an end. The Tale of Genji Handscroll, from which the Rites come, is an alternating text and picture type of handscroll which, as a result, is less fluid and more structured than a continuous picture narrative. Due to this, however, it presents a more cohesive story. The Rites is a scene in a much larger work, but the viewer is still able to see handscroll elements in the single scene itself. For example, it is longer than it is wide, it leads our eye from right to left by way of architectural elements, it leaves an empty gap between Lady Murasaki and Genji that also leads our eye, and it ends with a seemingly insignificant look at the garden—giving us pause to absorb what has occurred and to speculate what will come next.
Another element found frequently in handscrolls is the hikime kagibana or “line for the eyes, hook for the nose;” a name that is intended to suggest the abbreviation of facial features. This is seen mostly clearly in The Rites, where there are essentially no facial features included except for the lined-eyes and hooked-noses. This brevity reinforces the idea that figures depicted do not actually exist in the real-world; that they are merely characters in the story. In The Red-Eyed Tribe, all of the girl figures have hooked-noses and mouths depicted in a very simple, truncated form. Even their very striking red-eyes are not done in a truly realistic manner—indeed, they are simplified a little, but not to the extent that they are in The Rites—to mere lines—which adds to the merging of the real and unreal. This means we do not get comforted by the reinforcement that these are merely characters in a story as we do in The Rites. Are the figures intended to be merely figments of a wild imagination or does this red-eyed tribe depict a new, strange form of human that really exists?
In both The Rites from The Tale of Genji Handscroll and in The Red-Eyed Tribe by Chiho Aoshima, the viewer is invited to witness a rare glimpse into the private lives of the figures while simultaneously being pushed out of and removed from the scene. This contradictory state is achieved through the use of various techniques that either draw the viewer into the image, distract them from the main focus of the image, or both. One can see the importance of this contradiction in art from the many questions stimulated by these two works. Such questions that arise concern the reality of the images presented to us, how composition affects and conveys emotion, how body language is perceived and interpreted, and how landscape and background participate in the scene. With such a diverse range of questions stemming from them, it can clearly be seen that The Rites and The Red-Eyed Tribe undoubtedly have much to offer, even if they do not embrace us wholeheartedly.

in love

2010-02-12T17:00:00.000-08:00

the paradox occurs that two beings become one yet remain two.

subtle charm

2009-12-13T21:01:00.000-08:00

this is for my future mother and father in law for christmas.
i hope they will appreciate it.

note: the past few posts, i have not been able to use photoshop to sharpen the photographs or to adjust contrast or anything so they don't look as good as in real life.

andromeda,

2009-12-12T15:52:00.000-08:00

just finished this.
though painting is always a frustrating process, i had a lovely time painting with my dearest fiancé.
it was the first time i had every painted or drawn with somebody else painting or drawing as well.
he suggested i paint a galaxy on the ceiling of our bedroom but i am still a bit intimidated by the idea.
we'll see.
i hope all is well and i hope the holidays aren't too stressful on everybody.
'tis the season to be jolly and all.

some christmas-esque stuff to come.

BY THE WAY:: THE PAINTING IS FOR SALE IF YOU CARE TO MAKE AN OFFER.

merry christmas

2009-12-10T09:17:00.000-08:00

i haven't had time for anything lately.
that should change as soon as i am moved in on the first of the year.
however, i start school a few days after that so i don't know how much time i will really have.
regardless, i need to make a few drawings as gifts, which i will post.
so there should be a few more drawings on here before 2010.

husband to be

2009-12-03T21:00:00.000-08:00

sorry for not posting in so so long.
i will be quitting work saturday and after that there will be more art.
until then, there are these photographs to look at.

I apologize

2009-11-19T11:26:00.001-08:00

about the delay.
I got accepted into school (to the university of washington!), got a job, fell madly in love and haven't quite had time to draw.
I will post something soon, however.
a series of holiday drawings is in the works.

I wish you all the best.

excessive charm

2009-11-01T19:47:00.000-08:00

i love my prismacolour pencils so so much.
i do not know what i would do without them.
i use them everyday.
being so familiar with them, i am trying now to take them to the very limits of what is possible.
this is a test of light and shadow and colour.

he saw an aquarium.

2009-11-01T15:56:00.000-08:00

susan has posted yet another challenge!
how exciting.
go see what you can come up with!

dawn of the dead

2009-10-31T13:20:00.000-07:00

though by no means my favourite holiday,
i wish a happy halloween to one and all.

another shirt,

2009-10-28T18:44:00.001-07:00

order here!!!! if you wish.
comments would be much appreciated.

first tee shirt!!!!

2009-10-27T17:16:00.000-07:00

my design is a digitalization of an older drawing i did of Nietzsche which i uploaded to redbubble and turned into a tee shirt!!!!
i plan on doing a lot more stuff with these seeing how it is quite exciting.

fashion 101: "my outfit is smarter than your honour student."

2009-10-26T16:35:00.001-07:00

i don't really think you should take any of these too seriously.
i just wanted to spend some time drawing without getting picky or upset-i just wanted to have fun.
the 1900’s were all about corsets, corsets, corsets.
vogue had only been up and running for a few years.
and the only real fashion shows were what fashionable women were wearing to the races.
1910 was quite a decade for fashion, too.
women stopped wearing huge hair pieces, chopped their hair into short bobs, lost the corsets and lost a lot of weight, too.
curves were out.
everybody was happy in the 1920’s and fashions reflected this with many sequins and gems and jewels.
curves were still out.
after having gained their rights in the 20’s, women spent most of the following decade looking wistfully into compacts and powdering their noses.
not really, of course.
since women were so empowered and respected themselves, however, curves were finally in.
but fashion was difficult because of the war.
pretty much all fashions came from germany—from jewish designers.
so, when the jewish designers were no longer allowed to do their work, fashion died a bit.
but, because europe was a mess, the spotlight for fashion was pointed toward america for the first time, rather than paris or germany or italy.
and our lovely america has been in the spotlight ever since.
1940 was the decade of the suit and women were looking good for when their brave men returned from overseas.
the 1950’s were voluminous for the most part,
but some fashions were still influenced by all those tight fitting numbers from the 40’s.
the 1960’s.
well, there was chanel’s suit.
that was big.
and there was yves saint laurent’s mondrian mini dress.
plus the androgynous lesley hornby (twiggy) whose deer-in-the-headlights look meant mascara, eyeliner, oh and more mascara.
but when mary quant invented the mini skirt the world changed forever, basically.
the 1970’s gave birth to punk.
the first punk store where it all began was vivienne westwood’s sex boutique in london.
eventually, things became more flowy and the world forgot the mini and punk for a while.
i wish i could skip the 80’s entirely but in hopes of preventing a revival, i must show something from it and ask, “what were you guys thinking?”
i think a big part of what made the 1980’s what they were (besides MTV) was super shopping malls.
there had been things like it from the 50’s onward but they weren’t as super or as cool.
the mall was the place to hang out. like, totally.
diverse fashions were readily available to purchase.
so, you could pile them all on at the same time and add a pony tail on the side.
it’s as simple as that, really.
the 1990’s were pretty bad looking as well….but that is okay because young designers reigned and people (‘people’ meaning not just young hoodlums) were coming to accept punk and grunge and all of that nirvana business. nothing’s bad that originates in seattle, right? : D
there was also the “classic american style” of calvin klein and ralph lauren in the 90's.
which influenced the clean and streamlined look of the new millennium.
and now, in 2009, well, all i know is “indie” fashion.
you know: skinny jeans, a little pair of flats that don’t match with anything else you are wearing, ironic tee shirt under a thrift store cardigan that’s actually made to look like it’s from a thrift store but it really cost you $50, plus the most unique and environmentally conscious piece of jewelry you can find and probably a knitted cap to top it all off.
not that that’s entirely a bad thing….
i do believe there are many people nowadays who are truly wearing what they want, how they want it and not following any trends whatsoever and looking magnificent while doing so.
that is what fashion is all about.
not about spending big money or name brands.
it's not even necessarily about shocking anybody.
it may sound lame to say, but fashion is something much more personal and spiritual than what’s in the malls or magazines or on the runways.

winter wooskie

2009-10-23T14:35:00.000-07:00

well I just made this for my darling and she is not too happy with how it turned out.
for some other cosy knits for pets, check out the always lovely and always clever grrl+dog.
more crochet work to come very soon!

2009-10-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

note: my face in the drawing looks funny because it was funny when the original photograph was taken. i was trying to smile but wanted to cry and my eyes were sad and my mouth was in a half smile/smirk. and i did all i could to make it look alright but in the end i left it because that's how i feel now-like crying and smiling at the same time.

i (don't) need you.

2009-10-08T15:11:00.000-07:00

just did this really quick.
i have spent the day trying to work on doing drawings without looking at photographs.
let me just say, it's tough.

speaking of art, i have a question for any artist reading this.
what kind(s) of art do you make and why do you make it?
for me, personally, i can’t not make art.
drawing, writing, photographing, sewing—it doesn’t matter what kind.
i wake up and start experience things and feel such a need to share that.
and really, i experience things even when i’m sleeping.
we all do.
and it seems so silly to experience everything in the world (and especially the things we experience that are not in the world) and not want to bring attention to any of it—not to something beautiful or tragic or funny.
i mean, sharing is the only thing that makes sense to me.
to say, ‘i have felt this. i hope you feel it to.’

at the aquarium

2009-10-08T11:18:00.000-07:00

beneath the music from a farther room.

2009-10-05T16:27:00.000-07:00

(found this last night; it's the first drawing i ever made. i was two years old.)

so the show the other night was amazing.
jeffrey lewis really loved the colouring book and made me a quick drawing in return (of ROM colouring!!) and the atmosphere of the whole place was just really cozy and grand.
i always find meeting/seeing/talking to artists really interesting.
plus, it's really nice to talk with somebody whose work you so admire and get the feeling they like what you create, too.
jeffrey said he had trouble drawing people and that i should tell him the secret some time.
that was great to hear.
but i think making music would be the most rewarding kind of art.
i mean, every time i have seen any musician play, without fail, while playing they get this great look like life and everything itself is just rushing through them.
so i am continuing to learn guitar.
it's not working out too well but we'll see.
lately, i’ve also found that i no longer loath the generation i was born into.
i used to spend my days wishing i could have been a flower child from the 60’s—that that was were i really belonged or something.
or any time except this one.
but i’ve realized that the 90’s was a terrific time to grow up in.
and, being a young adult now, is even better.
sure, the government and the economy and all these days leaves a lot to be desired.
but people are more aware of the environment and what life really means than ever before.
i would like to believe my generation has had a lot to do with that.
i just had this overwhelming feeling since the show the other night that younger people are truly living and being honest and doing their best not to hurt anything.
i felt connected to the culture around me for the first time in my life.
like we are really accomplishing something.
like, as long as there is honest music playing, candles burning and people laughing in houses across the nation, everything will be okay.

i could go for a guy like jeffrey lewis.

2009-10-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

i would like listening to him talk about his songs and i could offer him suggestions if he wanted or just tell him his ideas were really great.
we could even read ROM comic books late at night together.
or walk around the local mall and i could laugh when he wanted to start re-inacting that one scene from dawn of the dead.
we could even get nachos and watch a cheap b-movie at the cinemax in town.
we wouldn't need much of anything.
just a little place that's not quite falling apart.
and we could fill it with a puppy maybe or some concert posters and some rare collector items.
- - - -
i'm going to a show of his later tonight-7pm.
i made him a colouring book and i hope it will be well received.
at any rate, the show should be fun.

also note: i think my zombie-drawing skills have dramatically improved.

update:

2009-09-30T16:40:00.000-07:00

zack propsed some changes for the second collaboration piece and i just wanted to show everybody the final, finished work.
so, here it is.
we also thought it best to crop the other one a bit at the bottom.
but i don't think a photograph is necessary.
just scroll down to the post what we're made of and use your imagination.
anyways, i hope all is going well for you.
and if anybody would like to collaborate, please let me know!!
leave a comment or email me at comicbookhero@comcast.net

love is strange

2009-09-29T09:07:00.000-07:00

so, i have been promising this for my grandma since july and finally got to finishing it.
it is from the movie dirty dancing.
the news of patrick swayze's recent passing is unfortunate.
my grandma thought he was basically the cutest thing ever in this movie.
i hope she likes it.

please

2009-09-25T20:21:00.000-07:00

update anything and check out and comment my new blog:

http://awaitingroomaquarium.blogspot.com

what we're made of:

2009-09-25T16:59:00.000-07:00

so the talented mister zachary and i finally got to collaborate!
(go here to see a drawing i made for him.)
and these are the results.
for starters, he did emulsion transfers of a seascape-ish place and then added photocopies of anatomical drawings and collaged them, along with a topographical and celestial map for the second one.
i then, for the first one, drew the woman's bones in ink and covered it with cream-coloured vellum (i know it's not vegan, but i had it lying around and needed it..), drew the heart, added the ink/watercolour rays of sun and the skeletal bird.
for the second, i inked the woman's hair and bird, drew/inked/coloured the starfish and collaged the clouds.

before sunrise:

2009-09-22T15:29:00.000-07:00

when i give a drawing or set of drawings away i pretty much don't post it-lest i cheapen the gift.
but i am no longer concerned about what the person i made this for thinks.
so, here it is.
and, in case you were wondering when it was made, i finished it on the fourth of july of this year.

she may be sassy,

2009-09-18T09:11:00.000-07:00

but she loves me.
i assure you.

i just posted this because she makes me smile constantly and i hoped the photograph above would at least brighten your day a tiny bit.
her name is scoochy by the way.

between the knotches in your spine

2009-09-15T16:59:00.000-07:00

this is inspired by two neutral milk hotel songs: communist daughter and two headed boy.

"your name sounds like mine."

2009-09-12T23:31:00.000-07:00

if you are familiar with me or my old blog, you would know this is a rare thing for me.
it is a digitially manipulated image using photoshop.
i drew the woman today using coloured pencil and pencil and then i described it to my dear friend and asked him what he thought the background should be and he requested i send a photograph of the drawing as it was-no background-so that he could determine what would suit it best.
well, i got to thinking that, since i had the plain old picture, i might as well try out different things on the computer before i commited on paper and i really liked this so i decided to post it like it was-a digital/hand-drawn hybrid.
i plan on adding the design to the original drawing and i will post when i have done so.

have a goodnight everybody.

orangutans

2009-09-05T23:36:00.000-07:00

collaboration:

2009-09-05T16:48:00.000-07:00

the lovely miss susan at artspark theatre sent me half of this drawing-just the woman holding a string and i decided to add a spotted elephant to the other end.
i'm sending it back her way so perhaps i will have an update to the final drawing if she decides to add more or send it along to another artist.