M-M-M-Magic!!!

Just got back from my first Magic trade show in Las Vegas. It was a good show but different from the past trade shows that I've attended. The fashion industry show are much more subdued then the others. I saw a lot of bedazzled tight fitted tees, Ed Hardy and what ever else that were obnoxiously goddy. It's definitely a different industry. Made new friends and artist that were the coolest people.

Taylor Reeve and I were out there again with Skullcandy to do some live paintings. I think we both made good contacts at the show that we will for sure follow up on. Took a lot of photos, met famous people. All in a days work hahaha. On to the next.

Jay-Z my Jigga

Just got these two paintings of Jay-Z done this morning, it took me 7 hours to do. I thought I'd get back into doing what I love again and that is to do portraits and more importantly portraits of hip-hop artists. I started out doing these way back in 1998 when I was working at Tower Records where I was surrounded by music and cd covers. I studied, practiced ad experimented a lot on illustrating and painting faces. So here I am again doing something that I'm a 100% comfortable with. They'll be more of these to come. Also I'll be going to the Magic trade show in Vegas and will bring a print of these a long just in case I meet the big man himself, wish me luck.

New Dentist painting

Here is a new dentist painting I just did for the Seattle Study Club. Love the way this turned out. I've always painted the portraits on illustration board but this time I thought I'd try it on wood. I want to change it up and do something different this time and experiment a little. I'll probably do more from now on.

SIA 2010 Denver bound

Well it was a great show, in a new location. Skullcandy called me up a week after my group show with Scion. I was so excited to hear from them again. Had to make sure that it was for sure this time around.

Anyway this time it was in Denver, a new location for the show after a long long time in Vegas. Everyone was great, a lot of new faces at Skullcandy this time around and some old friends. Mike Robles (DJ Mike Bless) was my roomie for this trip and we had a good time catching up. The show was good but this time I'm not stressed about getting all the brochure being that I don't have to bring it home to a work environment anymore.

This time Skullcandy brought a few artist in to help with the show. It was me Taylor Reeve, Brandon Christensen and Tim Odland. We all had to paint on canvases so it could be given away to Skullcandy's top vendors that sell a lot of products. We spent over a thousand bucks buying art supplies to prepare for the show. It was good to have different styles at work there at the booth. After 3 days I think I was ready to head home. Thanks Skullcandy, hope to work with you again and maybe see Denver again next year.

The Collection Art Show brought to you by Scion

Well it was a fun two days in Portland. Even though it rained like crazy we all had fun being a part of it. Made new friends at the show, fellow artist Norman Roque, Chad Swanson and Mike Ennen. It was a lot of work but was worth wild to be a part of something that is special especially because it's art related. Met some Scion workers and old high school friends that were really fun to hang with . Great having my two cousins Al'n and Hien Duong there, they are my new creative crew. Lets hope we all get to do it again.

Paint Paint Paint !

Well I'm finally done painting for a group show that I will be in. The show is called "The Collection Art Show", Mike Ennen was nice enough to ask me to be a part of it. Met him at the last show in December at EVO here in Seattle with a good friend Joey Meddock. The show is sponsored by Scion and will be in Portland January 15th and 16th. My name is not on the poster because it was done before I was included but still good to be a part of it.

I've been procrastinating for the longest time because of the whole holiday season and all. With the kids being home for Christmas break I can't concentrate on doing art. So I waited and have been staying up till the wee hours to get it done. I got 7 pieces done all of them acrylic on wood. The theme I'm going with are women, tattoo, skulls, and samurai. These are the things that I've enjoyed doing and have been sketching for awhile since June. I really like how the tattoo girls turned out, will want to do more of the same eventually. Now I have to get everything together to head down there by myself, it will be a long drive. Do what cha gotta do.

Skullcandy/AT&T Event

Well yesterday was a fun event to be in. Skullcandy had called me up about a month ago and said that they were going to be up here in the northwest (Redmond, Washington) to do an event with AT&T and wanted to know if I could be a part of it. I was happy to be a part of the festivities, it was 42 degrees and in November and outdoors, yes I was freezing. Had two hours to knock out this painting that luckily I had sketched out beforehand. The acrylic paint wouldn't dry quick enough in this cold climate, something that I didn't take into consideration. But everything turned out great, the Skullcandy folks were really nice and made me and everyone feel welcome. Would love to do it again but maybe in warmer temperatures.

New DCS painting

Just finished a painting for the guys at DCS Die Cut Stickers.com. I promised them this painting over the summer and now I'm finally done with it. This has a little influence from Sylvia an artist I greatly admired. This is a 36 by 48 inches on wood, my favorite surface to paint on. I've been wanting to do something like this for awhile mixing femininity into something that is gruesome. I love the influence of Mexican Day of the Dead art for years and been doing it since my days working with Scott Byerly. Well I hope the guys like it and hang it up at their shop soon, and yes this is an ORIGINAL!

Turning the big 4-0

Wow, what can I say it's official I'm 40. I feel the same as when I was 39, but I guess the pain and aches will creep in later. Well some would say that this is a great accomplishment but for me I'm starting to feel a little older. In my 30's I could remember thinking ahhhh it's just a number but then you start to feel the aches and stress of everyday living. Having kids would make you feel even older but who has time to think about it at that moment. 40 makes you think of a lot of stuff, like how's everything going so far? Is everything ok or will it be ok? It's like the state of the union address but in this case it's your life and your family. So I guess we will have to just sit back and see. I'm just so lucky to have a great family with 2 beautiful healthy kids and a lovely wife. Thanks to them and here is to another 40 years....cheers!

2009 Surf Expo

Well I'm back home from the 2009 Surf Expo convention in Orlando Florida. It has been a long week, saw old friends in the industry where I use to work. The show was smaller then the past, this is due to the struggling economy. I saw all the board graphics that I did for Byerly and Hyperlite. It's so weird this time around not going there with my former employer, going solo, just me myself and I. Met a lot of new friends and people who were so helpful to put me in contacts with people the industry. Had a lot of good responses such as Reef and a hand full of wakeboard companies. I want to thank Buck Ashcraft, Brian Genuser, BT, Rodrigo, Brian Grubb, Scott Byerly, Jeremy Nelson and Rich Silva for all their help in many ways. Also thanks to O'neill for getting me a badge to go to the show. Now all I have to do is wait for the emails and phone calls to come it. Ladeedaaa.....

My new promo card

I'm so happy with how these cards came out, just got it today. These are from Uprinting ,uprinting.com and their price are very affordable. I got 1000 made 9X6 with full color on both sides for 163.00 dollars with tax. They have specials sometimes and you can save even more.

I made these for my trade show trip coming up on the 19th of August. I will be passing these out at the show to try to get some potential freelance jobs. Also these will be good to give out to friends and clients when I'm out and about. I think 1000 will last me for a long while and won't be picky who to give it out to.

Full Day

Had a full day today, first went to have breakfast with my friend Scott Byerly www.byerlyboards.com near the Sea-Tac airport before he took off to Ohio to continue his Byerly bus tour of the east coast. We caught up on what he's been up to since I'm not working for a wakeboarding company anymore. Heard a lot of stories had a few laughs, it was really good to see him today. It's been awhile sinc we really sat down and talked.

Afterward went to hang with my buddies at DCS (diecutstickers.com) to see what they are up to. It's good to see that they are busy because that means they are having a good day.

Then around 5:30 went to see one of my favorite teacher, Sigrid Cannon from the Art Institute of Seattle as a speaker in one of her class. It was really good to see her again, it's been a good 8 months since I've talked at one of her class. I've been doing this for about 4 years now. It's really fun talking and in a way teaching the students what it's like out there in the real world. Many questions were asked and I would try my best to answer them the best way I can. They were a good bunch this time with real good questions. I had a great time, thanks Sigrid.

New Dentist Portrait

Just painted this last Wednesday for a client I work for called The Seattle Study Club. Great people to work for, I've been doing dentist portraits for their journal covers since 1998. Love doing portraits, if I can get a gig doing this all I would be content. Thanks SSC.

Agenda/US Open

Went to the Agenda Trade show in July with two great friends from DCS (Die Cut Stickers.com) Ejay and Daniel. They were there trying to drum up business and I was there trying to get some freelance work. The show was really small, not the caliber that was at the normal trade shows. No big booths no huge displays but just 8X8 stalls. I passed out 20 packets and the DCS guys got really great response to their sticker biz. I'm happy for them because this was their first time venturing out to shows to get work and they did an awesome job.

We also got a chance to see the US Open of Surf because they were both held in Huntington Beach. It was beautiful down there both the beaches and the people. Everyone looks so tan and healthy compare to how we look up here in the northwest. I feel bad for not sharing this with the family. All in all it was a fun short trip.

Starting over

Starting over again. It's a metaphore for a lot of things lately. Lets see I got laid off 2 months ago, looking for work again, and finding myself in a position that I was in 9 years ago. But now it's different, how different you might ask? Well 2 kids and a wife different, yes and more responsibilities now. Oh well, you do what you have to do and that means pounding the pavement again and try not to be picky. More to come....