FAIL

I haven't posted in a really long time.

I have no new art to speak of. I have planned several pieces, including a 4-part piece to send to a buyer in NYC but there is really no deadline on it, so I've just been procrastinating.

The pointillism has been taking a major back seat to going to the gym and doing other things. Though, I can't really justify not working on it, it's just when I spend so many days in a row on something pretty soon it begins to feel like work and then all the feeling is lost. I am just going to accept the time off. But I need to get back on it soon because I have until the end of summer.

I haven't posted because I feel ashamed at my lack of productivity and I really would like to keep this journal (for the most part) centered on my creative endeavors and not random (albeit relevant) political and social rants that none of your really care about anyways.

This is just an apology blog. I'll post stuff soon. soon soon. I promise.

Book Worm

It seems like I have been reading a ton of books lately, and this may in fact be true. I do work in a library after all...

But no really, the reason I've been reading so much lately is because of people (namely Sam and Tia) suggesting/letting me borrow books to read. It's also summer and I have time to spare for this sort of thing. But even with that in mind, the only things that seem to consistently occupy my time are work (at/for the library), the gym(which I usually bring something to read to for post-workout sauna), and doing art. That's really one activity that captures my full attention. Otherwise, I read during breakfast, after the gym, sometimes during work, and before bed. Though this lifestyle began somewhat earlier.

Here's the back story, junior year I just about stopped buying textbooks altogether. Except for the ones that seemed interesting to me and that I would like to keep on my book shelf indefinitely. Otherwise, if I felt as though a reading was important, I would just go to the library. I had the rare opportunity to experience libraries from the perspective of a student/patron as well as an employee. I was familiar both with where the books come from, and also where they go and what happens to them. I learned what each number on that little sticker meant, where it came from, and where to find it. I also became aware of the sheer amount of manpower it takes to keep something like a university library in working order. Not only that, but hundreds, maybe even thousands of books have passed through my hands.

The library. Interesting place. Each library on campus has a very distinct personality. Powell (uncommonly and otherwise known as "the college library") is very large and regal with high ceilings, chandeliers, and enormous glass windows, big leather chairs and reading lamps shaded with green glass. It's all so....collegiate and intellectual. It gives off the aroma of antiquity, spacious and cold. Dark and mysterious, like the kind of library that characters in books have adventures in.

But then of course, not all can be like that, the Arts library for example is pure chaos. There are five floors, accessible via clunky elevator, or if you must, a narrow metal staircase much like one you would find on board a submarine. I've spent a lot of time here, especially in the nearly secret reading room on the fifth floor as well as searching for books to do research. It's arranged in much of the same way you might imagine an old scholar's personal library to be arranged: no discernible order whatsoever. But it's an arts library, what do you expect?

YRL is something a little different. It is the most like a public library only if that public library were trapped in a 1960's-1970's time warp. Everything is seemingly outdated and dreadfully cluttered. The walls near the elevators are brick for heaven's sake. Who uses brick? characterized by hidden bathrooms, narrow hallways, it's not the most user-friendly place ever. It's almost like being inside a museum exhibit, except that museum exhibit is really annoying. Though in its defense it is air-conditioned.

Personality aside, in these libraries one can find just about anything. Even if that "anything" is a secluded, spot to be alone, a couch or chair to nap on, or perhaps just a computer to check your e-mail or facebook. These libraries have it all. Even if you want to find a dictionary of archaic and provincial words and phrases from the fourteenth century, or maybe an encyclopedia of plants used by man...trust me, it's there.

I guess there was really no point to that other than to show some library love. Plus it's been on my mind a lot since I spend roughly 30 hours a week there processing books. Not to mention the growing stack of books on my desk waiting to be read. But I think that's a good thing

Heading North for the Summer

I went up to the bay area this past weekend to visit Sam. The last time I went up there I only stayed for 2 nights and it just was not long enough. This trip turned into a mini vacation of sorts, that actually did me a lot of good.

I arrived early Friday afternoon after braving the scorching central California landscape on the 5 in Maggie's Prius. But thanks to Maggie's mom, we had plenty of zucchini bread to sustain us. It was very hot most of the time.

I feel like the trip started out with us running stadiums at Sam's old high school (Menlo-Atherton High School). That was followed by a trip to the street fair.
Sam and I went to the Connoisseur's Marketplace which is a pretty standard community street fair, but we got to see a lot of good (and terrible) art and observe the strange fashion sense that exist in that type of setting. Walking around was fun and I got free granola samples which I have been having for breakfast for the past 2 days.

Back at home we started a puzzle (got pretty far, it's hard because literally all of the pieces are blue), watched a ton of movies including Clueless, 7 Years in Tibet, Point Break, and Dead Again.

We also saw Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. I liked the movie in and of itself, but considering it was almost 3 hours, it left out a LOT of plot. It reminded me that I need to read the last two books again because I was utterly lost in some parts. The rest of that outing included Chipotle and a trip to Connoisseur's Coffee where I was reminded that I cannot speak Spanish. But I did manage to come away with a pound of really dark roast Yemen Sannai and a drip set up.

We paid a visit to her dad's place and he gave me a bunch of books he was about to recycle. Though this destroyed my goal to return to LA with LESS stuff than when I came up. In fact I probably doubled what I had to begin with. Oh well, I got a lot of great books out of it. I think there was also a trip to Red Mango and Kepler's and last but not least, delicious peach sangria.

Monday, the final day of my excursion, we headed up to the city with Sam's mom and stepdad and younger brother. The first stop The California Academy of Sciences. Best. Place. Ever. We went to the Planetarium, which I had never been to before (apparently I didn't have a childhood). They also have this rainforest exhibit where you enter this dome and it's full of rainforest birds and fish and butterflies, along with plants and animals on display. I saw a lot of cool geckos and a spider that I'm probably going to do an art piece about.

We also went to the aquarium, saw penguins, an albino alligator and lots of hippie environmental propaganda. It was great. I think this place has been recently re-done so it's got a lot of new cool things going on.

We had lunch at this vegetarian restaurant in China town. It was really really good. As a non-vegetarian, I was thoroughly impressed. After that, Sam's mom dropped us off and we headed over to Derek's apartment to visit my cousin Josh. We went to whole foods where we contemplated buying an ostrich egg and spent 100 dollars, well, Josh did.

Back at his apartment we just hung out while Josh cooked. There is a kitty there named Monster that provided us with much entertainment.




We went on the roof to grill. Unfortunately, Derek and Josh are looking for a new place to live so they will no longer have such a spectacular view.









Overall it was a great trip, very relaxing but also exciting. I will definitely miss this part. Hopefully their new place has a comparable view, though I highly doubt it.
Usually I don't end up doing as much "stuff" when I go up to visit because I never really stay that long. I guess the lesson learned here is that I need to spend more time in the bay area. I'm sure a lot of you will agree with that.

apARTment

My roommate has been turning our apartment into an art gallery. Not that I'm complaining. It's actually kind of nice to have a place to display the new pieces I have. This also means you are welcome to come by and check them out. Our door is usually always (literally) open.


But with this new increase in volume, comes the problem of space when it comes time to move out of here. Hopefully I can get rid of some pieces, sell them preferably, but the only people who ever see any of my work are my friends and they have no money whatsoever to purchase art. That's okay though.


I've been thinking a lot lately (and by lately I mean over the past day and a half) about my future in art. My plan was to head off to a masters program for fine art somewhere in either the bay area or NYC or DC. But what I'm considering now is making a commitment to move up to nor cal and attend a community college taking only art classes for a year and then applying to a masters program.

That way I'll take more time to augment my portfolio and give myself a chance to change my mind about where I might like to go after that.


The other looming issue is paying off my student loans. As a parting gift, UCLA is leaving me with roughly 25,000 dollars worth of debt after I graduate. I'll have a 6 month grace period to find a job and decide where I would like to go, and as long as I remain a full-time student my loan payments will continue to be deferred. With that in consideration, it seems worth it to take the time off before graduate school.

Otherwise I feel too rushed. I already have so many things I need to concentrate on during my last year at UCLA, this new plan really seems to lessen the amount of stress I'll be under this fall.

STAMP

I found this ancient box of library stamps from like the 70's and I made this. I think my boss wanted to throw them out because we don't use any of them, but since I like to dabble in found object art I decided to take them.That's what I love about working in the library. So many things are old and unused but no one bothers to throw them away. It's perfect for scavenger artist like myself. I essentially have unlimited access to office supplies (like rubber bands for teddy bear sculptures) and old books that they're going to recycle.What would really be cool, is if I could somehow do a stamp piece on one of the walls in my apartment. I'm not going to, only because I wish to have my security deposit returned to me. I think it would look pretty awesome. What I could do, is get a white sheet and tape or staple it to the wall and just paint on that. This was just on some 8x11 acid free envelopes but I could presumably do something on any surface (except my walls) since stamp ink sticks to anything. fabric, canvas, paper, cardboard, wood, metal...

Prime

I was in Claremont this weekend visiting Maggie. Her dad gave me some canvas and I painted this. It's supposed to be boats.

I think.

I didn't really care if they were or not, I liked the shapes. This is my latest finished piece. I started another one last night but I won't have that done for another couple days probably, it's more like my style. This one is really different. It's so rare that I finish something in only a day. I hardly ever have the energy to followthrogh with something quickly.

Which is probably why that pointilism piece has almost taken me 2 years and it's still not done. If I worked on it diligently, I could have it done in a month I'm sure. But alas, I don't possess the patience these days.

I felt lame for using primary colors then it was pointed out to me that Mondrian also painted with primary colors. The difference is I actually like my painting...and he's famous and I'm not.

Should this be in included in the grad school application portfolio?

that is the question.

What I've Learned

I'm trying this out for the first time since the blog re-vamp. Apparently if I don't think my blog looks completely awesome, I will neglect it.

Thanks to Sam, my blog no longer has sloppier architecture than a Tijuana ant hill.

Now I feel like I can join the ranks of my friends like Dizzy and Nikki and Olivia who have awesometastic blogs.

Blogs need to be pretty otherwise no one will read them. And they need to be updated often otherwise people at work will have nothing to do when they're bored. So, I'm going to make an effort to post something every day.

I have a feeling this blog will turn into a strange and awkward rugby-art hybrid.