Bday Goals and Wants...

Hi-dee-hoo!!!

Yay Yay Yay!!! It's almost my birthday!!!

I usually set this up during the new year... I just didn't want to do one this year... But it's good to have something written down when you want to look back to see if you've accomplished your goals or gotten something you really really wanted...




Wants...

1. Full house season 8... Seriously, I've wanted this for like 3 years now... Even hinted at my secret Santas... Then I finally bought it for myself... & I think I either lost it at work or it's lost in the labyrinth that is my room...

2. Buffy Season 8 Comic Book Series...

3. Send donations/sponsorships for my upcoming cn tower climb for wwf!!! I need to meet my goal!!! WWF Cn tower climb 2011 - My Personal Page

4. New motorcycle... With my own artwork on it... White bike with blue ribbons flying from the front...

5. Cute White Motorcycle Helmet...


Goals...

1. Wear every single Dress/Fancy top I have this summer... Some dresses have never seen the light of day!!!

2. Learn to properly volley a volleyball... Not just on the beach, but indoors too... Curse my little fingers!!!

3. Finish my website, facebook artist page (it's hilarious that i liked myself... tyler next and now glenda has found me!!!) and mastering the art of tweeting - everything working towards branding my art...

4. Tread Water...

5. Do the splits...

6. Focus more on my personal art work...

7. Learn French... (I have an online course that I bought... Just have to apply myself...)

8. Don't be so proud... It's ok to be embarrassed... It's the path to learning...

9. Paint on a canvas larger than 24x36 inches...



Wow!!! It's almost April!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...Nga

Artist Project... Art Gallery... & The Old UncleGrampy Show...

Hey Gang...

Hope everyone is doing well this Mid March... Can you believe it's Spring!!! More sunshine and more showers means May flowers...


Artist Project

I've been out and about as usually... I went to the Artist Project with my girlfriend Fiona... She took some pictures but I can't steal them from her facebook page right now... lol...

We saw many amazing artists in the show and some random people whom I have no idea how they even got there... But props to them for working their mojo on the acceptance committee...

I really liked Alison Hodson - Mixed media Artist ... I had a little talk with her about her art and female artists in general... She was very down to earth...

There was also an emerging artist section to the show... I'm hoping that once I finish a few more commissions that I will be able to start on my personal projects and hopefully apply next year...




Art Gallery of Ontario

I had passes from Groupon for a day at the gallery so Tyler and I spent an afternoon with the arts... The 2nd floor dedication was all for the group on 7 and other Canadian and landscape artists... The contemporary selection was very disappointing... The current showcased artists did not catch our attention nor interest... But I love the new layout and sites that used wood... Especially the staircase... Would be a wicked slide... Lol...

Tyler took this wicked shot... Which I have to admit... Is pretty damn amazing... Altho we got told all day... "no pictures, wrong elevator, don't touch..." I guess that didn't stop him...

Old UncleGrampy


Last Friday March 11th, Sleeping Giant Gallery had a voting show in place... 13 artists exhibited pieces and visitors were asked to vote for their top 2...

I wanted to paint my Ong Ngoai (Grampa on my mother's side)... He had this pimping hats that he always wore and I wanted to incorporate black and white against colours... But my family is very superstitious and painting someone deceased is a big No-No... I don't personally don't have any overly friendly feelings towards any of my uncles... So I obviously chose my Ong Noi (Grampa on my father's side)... I love him... He's in his 80's and still rides around the village on his bike... He loves my grams (whom I supposedly take after), who is crazy independent... He has such a big heart and is so loving... I adore him... I've been lucky enough to posses the opportunity to see him in Vietnam...

My Unexpected Visitors...

Nick's friend, Nick & John...

Rebecca & Sara...

Terry...

#12...

Thanks to all my friends who came by and voted... You guys are hilarious... & was it just a coincidence that my piece was above Tyler's table?.. Snacks are always good... The black and white from both the table and the piece compliment eachother... I'll post a better picture once I get the piece back from the gallery...

That's all for now... I'm busy finishing up some overdue commissions... I've got some wicked commission compositions that I can't wait to finish... 

Til then... Cheers everyone!!!

...Nga

1st portrait contest... & UPCOMING ART SHOW - FRIDAY MARCH 11TH!!!

Waddup peeps...

So I had this contest open for a month and it was a really good opportunity for those whom always wanted a portrait done by moi...

The winners are: Anthony Kim and Victoria Nguyen...

Thanks guys for keeping up with my artwork... It means a lot...


Legit answers below...


1. What is my full name - Nguyet Nga Dinh - I have two first names... (hint: this is a trick question)

2. What is my online Nickname? Redmouse15 - Mighty mouse was taken, so I chose my fav colour at the time... (bonus point: why is this my nickname)

3. Which Artist has influenced my work? Marc Franz... (hint: since highschool)

4. What 3 things are my greatest fears? Dead things, the Dark, Clusters... (point for each)

5. Name 5 things that I collect. Stickets, Coins, Boxes, Shot glasses and Carebears... (points for each)

6.  How many tattoos do I have? 10, 1 is a cover up... (trick question: in total)

7. What are my 2 favourite colours? Purple and White... (technically a shade...)

8. I've almost died twice, how? Choking on a strawberry... Drowning at a local pool, Christina Louie saved me... (bonus point: who saved me the first time)

9. Would I rather be a vampire or a werewolf? I'd be both for different reason... I'd be a badass vampire warrior like Kate Beckinsale in Underworld... I'd want to be a werewolf because I don't want to live forever... In Twilight, they arise through anger and are always warm... Which I can relate to and like... (bonus point: why)

10. What nickname have I given my wifey's son Dominic? Watermelon...




Now you all know a little more about me...


I have an upcoming art show Next Friday @ THE SLEEPING GIANT GALLERY... 789 Dundas Street West... Show opens at 8pm...

It is a one night only show... It is a portrait challenge... An uncle or a grandfather... Everyone votes for 2 artists... You cannot vote twice for the same artist... More info following the link below...

  Facebook Event

Hope you guys can make it out & support... It'll be good to see everyone...

Hope life is treating you all amazingly...

Cheers!..

...Nga

Februaryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!

Holy Cannoli!!

It's almost the end of February!!! I've been in and out of the country for a little while... Vegas & Boston were an absolute blast!!! Lots of stories and lots of memories...

Now it's time to get back into the art grind and start working on my art again...



A couple of notes...

1. My Juried art show is coming to an end... I will be volunteering 2morrow morning putting down the show..

If you've missed my little interview that was posted on the website you can check it out here...

My Juried show Q & A...


2. My payments for my braces are almost done!!! Just a couple more months and I can say that I've reached my goal in regards to my Paintings for Braces campaign on Facebook... I've practically paid for them through all the pieces that i've done this past year... Whoooooooooooo!!!


3. I have a portrait show coming up, Friday March 9th... I have decided to paint my Grandfather, on my mother's side... Ong Ngoai whom I lost some years ago... He was always pimps out with a hat.. So excited with the piece...




A couple of weeks ago VAM had their annual Valentine's Day show... I went to volunteer on the Wednesday since I was not able to be at the actual show due to my Trip to Vegas...

I had planned specifically the idea that I wanted to work on in January... But since I was working on a commission and took some time off to relax I wasn't able to complete the idea... Even so, I like the semi-finished piece... As the one thing that I love with my entire life... I decided to focus on him... My Fatty Bad Boy...


Heart's Content, February 9th, 2011...

I just want to fix his eyes... they are too close together at the moment... And just colour in the roses in my hair... That'll come when I have some time... As I'm constantly working on commissions...


Things have been great and super busy... Missing the days I used to sleep all day... Lol... But looking forward to some days off so I can paint all day...

Got some wicked ideas in the works for some upcoming shows... Hope to see more familiar faces come out and support... Especially now since ya'll know how many cute girls are at these gallery shows... lol...

Cheers!

... *N

My First Ever Juried show @ the Art Gallery of Mississauga

... It started on the 9th of January... It was the day of the submissions and I had woken up far too early... All submissions were due at noon & I thought I had enough time... By 11am I could not find my hanging wire... I went into complete panic and ransacked my looking for it; it looked like a tornado hit... I raced to the mall which is luckily across from the AGM and got some gardening wire from dollarama... Put it together & Voila... Ready to go...

... Standing in line was torturous as I was the youngest one there... It was like my VAM class all over again... How could my pieces compete with landscapes, abstracts and flowers?.. Luckily I had flowers in my piece... I had knots in my stomach from all the anxiety... I saw a cute guy sitting on the bench waiting for another person submitting pieces... that made me more nervous cuz i was in my comfortable clothes which include my big puffy jacket and rad-ass construction boots i've had since i was 13years old... yes, my feet are still the same size...

The show opened on Thursday January 13th, 2011 and I was super nervous... It was local show and not downtown so I knew there would be no familiar faces for me to meet and greet... The show itself was only 2 hours long... Luckily my younger sister got off work early and came with me... It was really cool... There were lots of people, the artwork on the walls, the labels, the free wine..

Looking at the walls at the other pieces made me really discouraged... My artwork has always been different from the pieces I see at museums and galleries... It discourages me alot... My art seems like a misfit... Even how it was hung... I let too much wire loose and it's hanging a bit off the wall... O.M.G!!! Another lesson learned... They announced awards, had sponsors on site... It was pretty fabulous... Here are some shots I took... I'm hoping to get a new fancy smacny camera, once my last few months of payments are completed for my braces... =)

Event Flyer

Accompanied by my supportive sister

I really was enjoying this piece with my wine but this specific picture was staged, lol

Flower wall

High Ceilings

Watercolour piece that we loved! The frame matched perfectly

Pieces in the larger room

One of the few abstract pieces

Another corner

We loved this piece!!! It's absolutely breathtaking, but did not win any awards

Another Corner, love the landscape piece on the left

Pretty colours

Another Corner

The whole experience as a whole has been quite fulfilling... One of my life goals was to have my own solo exhibit... I'm still working to get there... Being an artist has many ups and downs... You always worry, "is my art good enough? does it say something new? different? Is anyone going to like it?".. It's often self sabotaging and self inflicting... Yet we continue to create... This has given me a big confidence boost; although even if I wasn't selected, I was going to come back next year with a more solid piece...

The show will be up until Feb 25th... If you are in the area, please come in, check it out & vote for me! for the People's Choice Award... that would be wicked...

Upcoming Contest

Hey Gang,

So in a few days I will be posting a series of 10 questions...

There will be bonus points for the explanation of a couple of the questions... To eliminate the possibility of ties... In the case of a tie, I will have some additional questions...

The contest is a bit biased... as questions will be about me... So... the more you know me or think that you do... The better your chances of winning...





The prize??? A 14x18inch single portrait of the winner's choice...

I just thought it would be something fun to kick off my new blog & the new year...

Good Luck!

... *N

Last few commissions & art shows of 2010...

I've been working like a mad woman... with little sleep & with little eats for the entire month of December...

I was able to finish 3 commissions the last week of dec... & now it's finally time to still paint but with a little relaxation, lots of sleep and lots of food...

Here are some highlights of the past few months...

I participated in my first Toronto group show @ Sleeping Giant Gallery on November 26, 2010... It was called by the pound & all the artwork was sold by the pound... duh... Of course being me; I did not follow the rules of course... like always... I did not paint my pieces on a larger width canvas therefore my pieces were hung on the misfit wall.. =T hahaha...

Eden - 14 x 18inches...

Crash - 14 x 18inches... Sold...

Extacy Flight - 14 x 18inches...

I had lots of visitors and supporters... It was amazing to see how many people were there... Even my sisters came and left because Nina was so claustrophobic... I'll add some pictures of people at another time... I think the most positive event that occurred at the opening was that someone other than my own group of supports was interested in buying my "Crash" piece... They spoke to Josh & then Josh pointed to me... It was hard to haggle since the show itself was based on a specific idea & like I already mentioned... I did not follow the rules... I am a misfit... I didn't sell my piece at the show... But my godbrother saw my piece and wanted to add it to his collection...

* * * * * * * * * * * *

A few weeks later the gallery had another show. "Continue? Y/N on December 17, 2010... The theme was based on the countless hours that Josh spends playing video games in the gallery... Artists were to submit a max of 2 pieces in relation to video games or characters from Nintendo or Super Nintendo consoles...

 I submitted 2 pieces for this show... I began thinking of games I wanted to focus on... At first I wanted to do a couple of pieces from Mario Kart... But then I remembered one of my favs... I used to play this at my gf's house when I was in elementary school... I went online to find references for the outfits and face details... I mostly found very provocative and obscene images... I wanted to portray my characters in a classy way... So I integrated some 1940's pin-up poses... I liked the outcome... Altho in my state of utter exhaustion I forgot something on Cammy's piece... I wonder if you can figure out what that is... 

Chun-Li - Fireball - 22x28 inches...

Cammy White - Union Jack...

Lots to write and lots to say... But at the moment my head is in so many places I'm trying just to focus on one thing at a time... I currently have 3 commissions in the works; ongoing pieces from last year... I am working on creating a website for my art... Creating some pieces for upcoming shows in February & March... super excited to see how they're going to turn out... Stay tuned...

... *N

Hello 2011

It's a new year... the idea of a fresh start...

I've dealt with a lot in the past few months... i don't feel like it makes me stronger.. but i am smarter... & that's what counts...

Much love...

...*N