I Need Help!

So... I've been painting lots... & after you paint a lot, it gets hard trying to figure out clever titles for them... For this one I'm stumped... It's the 5th completed piece in the last few months...

When you look at this piece... Do any titles pop into your mind?.. Usually they come to me pretty easily... But this one is totally stumping me...

Any Ideas?..

Gosh Darn It... It's almost been a year since my last post...

I'm not sure what I have been doing with myself...

I used to enjoy writing, very much... But I've been trying to detach myself from the computer and enjoy life more... But there are days like these... Where work is slow and my mind wanders to what other things I can do with my time...

Write!!!

This is just an intro... To set myself up to writing more and more...

For the most part I was just trying to figure out all these new features that were added... & that took about 20 minutes go figure out... Lmao...

I wanna share a lot of stories... Lots of stories from this past year... With lots of pictures & what nots... Not sure if I should just jist it or write it one at a time... I guess you'll see in the next week what I end up doing...

For now, this is just a hello! I'm not blogger dead... Just taking a year break...

But I'm back baby!!!

AbEx Opening At the AGO!!!

Ty and I like to enjoy galleries and shows throughout the city so we enjoyed a nice afternoon just strolling the gallery... We walked through most of the exhibits... Then we tried to look for some contemporary work and found none... We were then directed to the first floor where we were appalled at the one room given to artists such as Picasso and Kandinsky...

We wished to see more Contemporary pieces...

In April, Groupon had this wicked deal on memberships at the AGO... Obviously it was too good to pass up... A dual membership for only $60...

Free entry, free coat check was good enough... But discounts of classes and items at the gift shop?.. I'm in heaven...

Then the most fabulous news... A MOMA exhibit was coming to Toronto... And not just any exhibit... An Abstract Expressionist exhibit... Pollock's, Rothko's and De Kooning's were heading our way!!!

The AGO is really good and overly thorough when it comes to broadcasting news... Constant emails and phone calls were a bit much but a really good push... Once I received news of the AbEx opening party, I was keen on buying the tickets asap... We got our tickets and we eager awaited the date... Reading the threads on facebook was alarming... 500 Tickets had sold out 2 weeks prior to the event... A second wave of 500 tickets were sold in 5 minutes of their release... We were lucky to get the tickets when we did... Thanks AGO alerts!!!

A week before the show Ty received some dreadful news and was unable to go to the opening with me... Luckily there were many keen friends willing to take his place... I was sitting next to Trisha at work and she agreed to come with me... It was even more exciting to know that she had never gone to the AGO before...

The day of the event was drawing near and the anticipation was killing me... I got dazzled up and met Trisha at the gallery... It was a delight when we received a free drink ticket for a White Cosmo, what was even more delightful was the fact that grapes were used instead of olives... Yummy!!! We spent a little time downstairs in the main concourse... There were dj's blasting the tunes and artsy people all mingling together...

Trisha and I then made our way upstairs... We took pictures with the AbEx sign knowing that cameras would not be allowed inside... I first took a picture of Trisha with flash... That's when a security guard made his way towards us... He stated that we could take pictures but there was to be no flash... I stated that we used flash because we knew we wouldn't be able to take pictures inside... Then he stated some rather disturbing but fabulous news... We could take pictures inside but with no flash!!!

On my 2nd trip I went thoroughly through the exhibit and read through everything... I like to get the whole experience... Once, Ty and I went to Ripley's believe it or not and we asked the employee how long it takes to get through... She said about 30 mins... It took us 2 hours!!! Bahahhaha...



Waiting for Ty to get his coffee (Saturday following the opening party) - His photography handiwork

 So we made our way into the exhibit... Since Ty couldn't be with me I brought Domo, a gray little doo-doo doll that we had gotten each other from a $2 machine on a dim sum trip to chinatown... That was his substitute...

What I enjoyed about the exhibit was how everything was introduced... Abstract Expressionism followed Surrealism (Art of the subconscious thought)... It was really sad to read about the God father of Abstract Expressionism - Arshile Gorky (American, 1904-1948)... His last few years were filled with a lot of pain and suffering... His barn burnt down with many of his paintings, he had surgery to remove throat cancer, he got in a car accident that broke his neck and left his painting hand paralyzed, his wife left him of 7 years and took their children and he inevitably took his life in 1948...

Abstract Expressionism derived from the horrors that were witnessed in the middle of the 20th century - World Wars, Holocaust, The atomic Bomb, Spanish Civil War, The social injustices in the United States... American Artists banded together to create a new form of art to express their feelings/anger/views on what was happening around them... With no formal subject matter, each artist developed their own unique style but still part of the movement...

Trisha really liked this piece by William De Kooning...

William De Kooning (April 24, 1904 – March 19, 1997) met Gorky when he arrived to America and was introduced to his fellow New York peers by Gorky...  His black and white piece still enabled to viewer to create their own forms out of the lines and shapes created by the black and white piece...

His Woman, I, 1950-52 (Not pictured) was a constant struggle... Although he painted mostly abstract pieces he always returned to the figure...

Tree in Naples

Tree in Naples was my favourite De Kooning piece out of the three exhibited... It may be partially due to the fact that I love the colour blue but I really enjoy the emphasis of the strokes of paint...

The next room was a lot larger... It held pieces by Helen Frankenthaler, Clyfford Still and the Photographers of Abstract Expressionism...

First picture featuring Tyler Domo with a Frankenthaler piece...

Frankenthaler diluted her paints and like Pollock worked on the ground...

Domo with Clyford Stills

Reading Still's story made me laugh a little... He was a really hard man to work with and rejected anything that was mainstream... And even though Abstract Expressionism broke away from the traditional subjective works, Stills did not want to be a part of it... He didn't think highly of MOMA and turned reclusive as he spent his remaining years in Maryland away from the commercial art world...

Domo with Aaron Siskind...

Photographs in this period focused on lines, shapes, forms and shadows... Creating new images from existing objects in life, they provided visual stimulation and a different view on how things in the natural world are seen...

The next room housed Lee Kranser (One of my two favourites in the exhibit), Richard Pousette-Dart, Abstract Drawings and Abstract Sculptures...

Lee Krasner

Before this exhibit I didn't know who Lee Krasner was... When I walked into this room I was immediately attracted to the large pink and purple piece... After reading her bio I felt an instant connection to her... I could relate to the kind of person she was... Her partner was Jackson Pollack... She managed his career, promoted his works and helped him artistically... But she also was an artist in her own right... She had 3 pieces in the room... For the piece on the left, Lee applied paints right from the paint tube. Dark background with white circular shapes...  Her largest piece was my favourite one... The movement and colours spoke to me... The third piece she had was painted with very soft filtered colours... Lines straight up and down the piece...

I thought the view of the ceiling and lights was uber interesting...

There were only 2 sculpture pieces in the exhibit... The taller piece reminded me of a terracotta pottery totem pole... The smaller sculpture was made of wood...

There were drawings on the south wall of the room... They were painted on various types of paper and a couple of canvases... 

Drawings and Scuplture

Domo says wassup

The next room housed Joan Mitchell and Franz Kline... Kline had a few pieces in the exhibit, there were also various books on the art period encased in the room...

One thing that really caught my eye was Kline's little autobiography board with a quote stating:

""I PAINT NOT THE THINGS I SEE BUT THE FEELINGS THAT AROUSE IN ME" - FRANZ KLINE..."

I love that idea and it reminds me of a certain someone I know quite well...  
Mr. Tyler Tilley

White Forms

 

White forms was my favourite of the three pieces displayed. Kline's pieces are so crisp, the contrast between the white and black paint really emphasize strength... Which I really like... The pieces remind me of Chinese Calligraphy. Especially this piece....

 

With the Chief...

"The Chief" - is a very interesting piece... The swirly lines create an imaginable image... I asked Trisha what she thought it looked like... We came up with Helicopter and Dog... Just like an Ink blot, the view decides what they see within the piece... I was really interested in capturing both Trisha and Tyler in front of this specific piece...

Joan Mitchell - Lady bug

When I first looked at Joan Mitchell's - Lady bug, I thought... What is this?.. But reading through her small bio was very interesting... She was still working in abstract but she wanted to bring back/incorporate nature into her pieces... She was painting from what she knew... She named all her pieces in a naturalistic way, hence the title Lady bug... At first glance you just notice a whole bunch of lines... Mitchell is playing with colour, adding and subtracting... She creates more negative space as she goes over already painted areas with white... She also paints standing... As you can see the paint at the very top aren't very solid and precise, she was reaching...

The next room was the first focusing on one of the infamous men of the Abstract period: Jackson Pollock. Pollock died tragically in a drunk driving accident... Throughout the exhibit there are videos of Pollock showcasing his dripping technique that he's famous for... 

The room moved in a chronological order... These smaller pieces were from his early period... as they progressively become larger as his career flourishes... They contain chairs for viewers the ability to fully delve into the piece for further visual appreciation and connection...

 

The larger pieces throughout the room were very intimidating... Just the scale of them just created an awe... I took a few pictures with people in them to show scale...

Tyler couldn't make it to the opening so Domo took his place...

My 2nd trip with Tyler in the same right hand corner...

I really enjoy the dark silhouettes that are created by the lights in galleries, therefore you see them a few times throughout this entry...

There were some really interesting use of paints and colours... One of the pieces remind me of Tyler's floor in his studio space... It was thick piece and contained nails, screws, cigarette butts and even a key...

The next room contained my favourite of all the AbEx visionaries... Mark Rothko... I have been enraptured with his ideas since learning about him in high school... The use of colour to convey emotion... Just that very idea... Breathtaking...

Again, the room started out in chronological order... It showcased 2 large pieces of his early works... That contained thinned out figurative pieces... It then moves to the right... I adore his brighter pieces... They feel alive and gave me a boost in spirits and mood...

He then moves into darker pieces... He has learned overtime the emotions that certain colours possess... He also used colours to play off one another... Using specific colours that appear to bleed into one another... Even the colour on the background appears to be darker in the outer corners, even tho it isn't...

I love those comfy chairs... The pieces are enormous

No.10

With my favourite Rothko piece... I am currently waiting for the call that my reserved small board of the same piece has arrived to the gallery gift shop... I love how the yellow and blue play off one another...

The next room held possibly the most perplexing piece in the entire show... Especially to the average viewer... I.E. my girlfriend Trisha... The black canvas makes you utter the words "I could paint that"... But the interesting aspect of this piece is the idea that the painter is inviting the viewer to stare at the piece... When you stare at it long enough you start to see dots in your eyes... The piece plays with visual illusion...

This skinny canvas is neat-O!

The room displayed pieces by Barnett Newman... An array of different canvases, sizes, colours... Newman himself was a narcissist and promoted his artwork and himself with the highest regards in the art world... Most people couldn't stand to be around the man...

His pieces consist mainly of two colours... The background colour, then a coloured stripe coming down right through the middle... This would make him infamous which he boasted to his not so eager listeners... His pieces were often brightly coloured with a contrasting colour as the stripe...

The room also contained one of Robert Motherwell's pieces fro his "Elegy to the Spanish Republic series" inspired by the 1930s Spanish Civil War and a small drawing from the same series... He dedicated 140 pieces to this specific series... He always portrayed the same motif... Two large balls with a rectangular figure in between... This referred to the barbaric ritual in bull fighting in which before the bull is killed, it's balls are cut off...

The last room enclosed the works of Philip Guston... Born in Canada, of course... He brings figurative back into abstract...

Zone, 1953-54

What I like about the zone is the facts about the piece... Guston worked right up against the piece... He didn't step back to see how it looked... He painted and once he was done, he was done... Wicked...

Other abstract pieces with slight figurative appear, mostly grays and pink hues...

Then this...

Edge of Town

So the background behind this piece is this... Guston had a fascination with evil... These are KKK members just taking a ride in their jalopy... They look quite happy... And that's the idea that Guston wanted to portray... What it would be like to be under the cotton mask... To be... Pure Evil...

It's a figure was right smack in the middle of the piece... An out roar in the abstract community was sounded but it was too late... It was the beginning of the next art movement...

We took a little stroll into the Gift shop that was strategically placed at the end of the exhibit... The nostalgia still in our blood... Trisha bought a card holder... On my 2nd visit... Put a Rothko board on hold, since it was sold out an all...

We headed back downstairs...

A wicked shot I took from the 2nd floor staircase...

So Trisha and I went back downstairs to enjoy some more alcoholic beverages, the modern musicians with their modern instruments and mingled with the crowd...

There were lots of types of people there... A good mix of young, old, art lovers, newbies... What I loved the most was that... There weren't any kids... LMAO...

Our picture is on the the Notable website!!!

Make sure to make your way to the Art Gallery of Ontario to check out this exhibit... We have not had an exhibit of this magnitude of this size in Toronto for a long time... The exhibit is open all summer... Come during the week day, less kids... lol...

The pieces themselves are amazing in person... It's so exciting!!! The majority of pieces are so large they wouldn't fit in a normal person's house... It's the sheer size of the pieces that also give the pieces such power...

Entrance is ticketed to ensure that the space isn't bombarded with people... It gives the viewer a better quality of noise and space to really enjoy the pieces... You can buy tickets online but I always love buying them in person and if you are a member, you can go whenever you want... Booyah!!!

Abstract Expressionist Exhibit at the AGO

Which piece is your favourite?

***This journal was started 2 months ago... I am actually quite sorry I delayed to finish because a lot of the information I gathered and the ideas I formed while actually at the show... I also took another trip to the exhibit as part of my current Advanced Painting course at the AGO...**

...Nga

August!!!

It's been wayyyy too long without an update and I'm sorry...

Updates will be up shortly...

I've been in a bit of an artistic slump... Damn the creative mind and our craziness...

Blurg!!!

*Nga

Painting Trails, Upcoming shows & Travel...

Commissioned wedding gift, 2011

This is my first completed painting in 2011... I currently have 12 in the works but I go through these periods of artistic inability and can't seem to get any painting done...

It's so difficult to feel so artistically stifled... I have these periods every year... They usually last a few months at a time... Luckily I'm still able to start pieces and begin the under surface of them...

It's also difficult when I'm working on a piece and I just get stumped... It doesn't look right, or isn't working the right way... I'm also pretty hard on myself... But after that point when I keep going it always turns out great...

I have an upcoming show - Oh Canada @ Dat Salon (442 Dufferin Street Unit E) in Toronto on Friday July 1st - 8pm... I currently have 3 pieces in the works that I'm very excited about & hope to god I finish before my trips... I'm hoping that Ontario Place has fireworks on Canada day so we could all walk down to Lakeshore after the show... That would be nice...

The O'born Gallery in Toronto is having a wicked submission show at the moment... The theme is Apocalypse... Due Date is July 30th @ 6pm

http://www.oborncontemporary.com/exhibitions/2012_First_Annual_Emergent_Exhibition.html

I am out & about... I'm leaving for Boston next weekend for a wedding and then to NYC for a few days after that to support my girlfriend's aesthetician career...

Hope everyone's been doing well...

Cheers to the upcoming summer!!!

...Nga

Sheltered...

I'm gonna share an intimate part of me with you...

I was at work last week and a memory just popped into my head...

A few years ago I volunteered at a women's shelter... The first job I went for as just food preparation but during the orientation meeting I noticed that they were looking for someone to run the Arts and Crafts program... I got the job... But the one memory that was in my head was one day we were just randomly creating art... I had a few ladies with me... One was a native woman... She looked battered and bruised... But still in good spirits... We found some beats and she tried to show me how to create flowers out of beads to create necklaces and bracelets... I was horrible at it... I knew I needed more time but I didn't have it as the session was ending...

The idea that people in all different walks of life can inherit such great talents intrigues me...

So where did this all begin...

Growing up I didn't have much... Like most immigrant families we worked from the ground up... My parents always put us children first... Fed us, clothed us, bathed us... For a time we didn't have a place to live... I lived at a shelter with my mother and two younger sisters... They were too young to remember and we were only there for a few months... But I remember...

Before this we had lived on the 2nd floor of a house near Ossington and Dupont... I became close to my neighbours and they had given me a colouring book and pencils as a going away present... In the shelter we also had a room on the 2nd floor... We always had different roommates... One of the kids that stayed in the room with us at a time took my book and I found it under her bed... During this time I never cherished anything, I knew that it wouldn't be in my life forever...

I remember watching E.T., playing in the playground, horrible baths, oatmeal with brown sugar and walking to school... I also remember Arts and Crafts... It was an important time for me... Most of the kids just played with other things... There were many supplies available to us kids...



So now it's 20 years later... I still remember my experience at the shelter... Once the opportunity to volunteer at one arose I knew it was important for me to give back what I could... The shelter I lived in is now gone, it got demolished and now built over... The women's shelter was only one street west of where I laid my little head years before... I believe the shelters were connected as well... A group of them, all for different purposes... But all to help those who needed it most...

I began volunteering at the shelter and was there from May - November of 2009, before a trip to Vietnam with the family... I believe arts is a big part of what every human being needs... Our eyes are exposed to all forms of art on a regular basis and the very foundation of creating it helps release a selfless creative energy in us... Some days there were only a few participants, others a whole room... The supplies that were available were very limited and often I would bring in my own supplies to share... Each of these women had something special... There were 3 that stood out for me...

One woman was older and often spoke to herself... But she was so educated, she often spoke of the strangest things but then would turn full circle and speak of articulate things... Another woman was deaf, miming became an important skill... I would very much like to learn sign language... It may be a random skill to possess but it would be quite useful as well... The woman that sparked this whole entry was only with me one day, for only a few hours... She was native and had many scars on her wrists... We were having a random art day with the materials we had... She asked for some beads... She started making a beaded bracelet of flowers...

It's so strange to think of the idea that everyone possesses a talent... We may turn our heads to their circumstances but giving them the space to create, to open up to others is very special... She started one and then tried to teach me... I failed... She then left and I tried to finish hers, I failed... I was pretty embarrassed about it... She actually returned and I had to tell her that I lost her bracelet she had started... Luckily it wasn't too far in... Still, it's an embarrassing memory of mine...



I went on a family vacation soon after that and the woman that had hired me got fired... I didn't return to the shelter as it became privatized and did not have the daily drop-in program anymore... That made me angry... It's important for these women to have a place to come in from the dangers of the world... The activities and food available are necessary for the survival of spirit...


I know that I would not be where I am today without the help of the government and the shelter that provided me with a home for the months that I was there... It's important to know that these facilities are available to those in need... They always need supplies and donations... They are always looking for selfless volunteers to help them with daily tasks...

It was important to give back to something that was so helpful for me and my family... It's also great to help to learn more about the people in the city... To open up and learn more about the ordinary people that cross our path everyday... Life is vast, full of pain, misery but also great happiness and hope... You can't be ashamed of where you come from and you can't shelter yourself from what the world has to offer...

Tips on how to save $...

Everyone wants to save $... With Gas prices going up and the HST ripping our butts what's a good consumer to do...

There are easy things that don't take much time that can help... And every little bit does help...

Some of these I've taken from advice columns... I read them regularly as I love saving $... Some are through my own personal experiences... Some that I should consider doing more often... I'm a spoiler... I love spoiling people on their birthdays and being generous... When people are good to you, you always wanna be good back... And it's a continuous circle...

Anyways... Here are some tips...


1. Opens an advantage savings account or a tax-free savings account... Many banks offer these types of accounts to their customers at no cost... If you are working on a consistent basis, you can also transfer money from your chequing or savings account at a specific time each month... These types of accounts offer higher interest rates than regular savings accounts... Call your bank and see what they can offer you...

2. Unplug when not in use... Everything that's plugged in is costing you money... The best thing to do, especially when you live on your own is to unplug everything and only plug in when you need a specific appliance... Obviously you won't be unplugging your fridge... But if you keep close watch of your electricity use, you will notice it going down... & if you do this for a year, it is estimated that you can save $300 in electricity bills alone...

3. Leaky faucets... Even if you have faucets that leak a little drop once in awhile, that is costing you unnecessary hydro expenses... Get a handyman to come fix all leaks and you will find that your hydro bill will go down as well...

4. Craigslist... There are always listing for free items... Chairs, Computers, T.V.s... Most people are too lazy to bring them to the landfill and most of the time these items are in good enough condition that the owners can't bare to just throw them out... Give it a gander and see what kind of treasures you'll find...

5. Bulk... Buy in bulk on necessary items you use on a daily basis... Places like Costco are ideal for people with larger families... Always buy things that won't go to waste too soon if you live on your own...

6. Only buy things when you need them... I am a sucker for this one... You see something on sale and you just have to have it... You don't need it at the moment but you think to yourself... I'll need it... Eventually... STOP!!! For women this may be one of the top reasons why you're wasting money... If you don't necessarily fit into that dress, don't buy it... At the cost of clothing it's essential that you wait and buy something that fits like a glove... You will wear it more often and it be a lost item hanging in your closet...

7. Learn where the deals are... a) Sites like Groupon, Teamsave and Dealfind are amazing when it comes to discounts on events and daily chores... If you have an account with Dealfind you can post the daily discount onto your facebook page or twitter... You don't have to buy the discount and you get paid when someone buys through your link... You receive cheques in the mail!!! I received one for $32... I don't even know who bought through my links but thank you Dealfind!!! b) Walmart is as huge as it is for a reason... There are lots of wicked deals there... Especially on make-up... Compared to Shopper's Drug Mart, you can save easily $2+ on everyday items... Just make sure you need them... c) Know where the cheap gas stations are... In Toronto, the Esso's on the Queensway, 1 at Islington and the one close to Park Lawn are always 2+ cents cheaper than the current gas prices... If you are spending $40 on gas, you are getting a savings of 80cents... Doesn't seem like a lot, but gas is only going to go up this summer...

8. Coupons!!! I haven't seen it yet, but there's a new show on TLC - Extreme Coupon Challenge or something like that... Coupons are everywhere... In newspapers, online... Saving a few dollars here and there doesn't seem like a lot... But it does add up...

9. Make connections... People always have something to offer... As do you... People are willing to give a little to get a little... If someone has discounts to hats and you have discounts on shoes, the ideal relationship can be formed... It's about getting what you need and expanding your network...

10. Recycle... You see those little grannies who turn into vultures on garbage day?.. They know the secret... For all you booze hounds out there... To save your bottles and cans can be a chore... But saving them and bringing them in can bring in some extra cash... Electronics that you throw out may be broken, but parts can be sold individually for cash as well...

11. Garage sale... Either have one or go to some... Great way to get new items at a negociatable price... It's also a great way to clean out your closest and house of unused items for a some extra cash... Almost all happen on Saturday mornings... Early mornings are when the bargin hunters come out... Ideal time frame to hold one is 8am-2pm... Ideal time to go to one is 8am - first pick, 1:30pm - people getting desperate and will sell items for almost nothing or better yet... Throw away all items that weren't sold...

12. Clothing Swap party... This has a great social aspect... Gather your girls that are the same size and have a little clothing swap... Pick pieces that you haven't worn in awhile or have grown out of style from... I've always wanted to have one of these parties... Who's in?!!

You may not become a millionaire with these tips, or you've heard them before... But have you put them into use?.. Every little bit counts in this economy... You just have to be keen on where to find deals and ways that work for you...



Hope these were helpful... Wishing everyone a fabulous May...

Cheers!!!

...Nga

Hectic Hectic April...

It's been a month since my last update...

It was my birthday mid April so there were a lot of celebrations which accounted for no updates, no work, nothing too mind consuming... Just a simple update... My brain isn't working at this hour... I had a lot of fun and shared an amazing birthday with lots of people...

I celebrated from Thursday April 14th - Sunday April 24th... Included several events... Fundraising for WWF, Gallery walk, Toronto Art Expo, Clubbing at Live nightclub, Potluck party @ my house, Fundraising Volleyball Tournament in Oshawa and a duel Bday getaway to Niagara falls...

I climbed the CN tower for the WWF...

I posted a link for people to join my team and got an overwhelming response... Last year I only had a team of 4, this year I got a full team of 7 with a few last minute people I couldn't add onto my team due to a cap that I didn't know about...

This is my 6th time climbing and my time was 21:36... I think?.. Something close to that... My fastest was in the 20's... So a minute off...

I was dying!!! By floor 72 my legs were spent... I promised myself that I wouldn't stop climbing... I think I took 1 break... Just to catch my breath... It's never good to stop because you lose your pace and it takes longer to finish...

The boys had already jetted up, well, besides ly who couldn't climb due to improper shoes... I was the first girl and ran out to the viewing deck... When the cold air hit me, I knew It was over and I needed a beer... Badly...

The girls came up together... For their first time in about 40 minutes... All 3 are never climbing again... lol...

Friday I celebrated @ Live nightclub... Being a part of the Hookmeup.to family, it's the thing to do... Popping bottles, lots of hugs... I ended up falling asleep after some ramblings... Thanks to Danielle and Christina for taking care of me and Aaron for carrying me and giving me piggy back rides... lol...

 Pictures at the club were taken by Kevin Chung - He takes the most amazing pictures... Msg him for any upcoming bookings...

with Mr.Chung himself... A little smile coming through...

My work loves...

My Bros in the house...

<3's

Each year I have a potluck at my house... Close friends, games, lots of food, lots of laughs... This year wasn't different...Cori and my Princess came early both at different times and helped me wrap spring rolls... 2 munchkins came early and helped as well... None of which have ever wrapped spring rolls before... Let alone home made spring rolls...

Super fun!!! Lots of people came by and we played Hungy hungry hippos, Roulette shots, Trouble, Sequence, Beer Pong and Caps... Lots of yummy food too... Not a lot of drinking due to the mess before... But also the tournament in Oshawa was the next morning...

When you have bdays close together you don't wanna hafta make time when you don't have it... A weekend getaway was very much needed... Niagara Falls!!! It's nice to turn off your phone and completely disappear... Altho our inn was a bit scary, it did the job... But the shower was really nice... Bright red... 

Even tho Maid of the Mist and Marine Land weren't open, I had opposition to this so it's lucky for him it was closed, We still had some fun walking around on the sunny Saturday... Ihop, Ripley's believe it or not - the most memorable of it was the cannibal tools from the Pacific Islands!!!, Dragonfly, "Splashes" from the falls...

After Dragonfly... Never went clubbing with just another person before...

The "American" Falls...

The sun came out so we could walk around all day...

This was the most memorable and best birthday I've ever had... I was able to spend it with many of the most important people in my life and was blessed to have been given such thoughtful presents...

A gorgeous bouquet of flowers and Flu the rabbit, A shitload of Cds, Casablanca and An affair to Remember, Sephora gift card - mirror - mouse ring holder, Deserres gift cards - make up brushes - make up - spiritual polar bear adoption, web domain, A custom t-shirt - Sexy Beast Jose Bautista, Digital Art, An abstract piece by Next-Level-Art...

"Lil Dinnie"

Because the ones that know... Know exactly who & why he's a "SEXY BEAST!!!"

Absolutely Beautiful and thoughtful...

A collab effort from all my friends... I absolutely love it!!!



April Came and went.... It always flies by when you're having such a fabulous time... But it's time to get back to work and get back to the hustle... I have a few art updates to come & a few more rants... Hopefully in the next few days or so... 

My next group show is in July 1st @ Sleeping Giant Gallery...

My website should be up and running soon enough...

I have about 12 pieces in the works which include commissions, gifts and pieces for art shows...

Til then... Cheers!!!