As the tragedy in Japan slowly unfolded, artists across the world quickly came together and organized art shows and events to raise funds for the earthquake and tsunami relief efforts.  Many of these were organized on the West Coast, and local artists in the San Francisco bay area are mounting a two part exhibition with all proceeds going to Give2Asia: Artists Help Japan.


Rise Japan Vol. 1 took place at Kokoro and Gallery Heist on on April 2.  Most artwork was priced around $100 to make it more affordable and each piece is both shows is a full donation on part of the artist.  My friends Jeremyriad and Sean-Franc are now happy owners of some beautiful original work as a result.  They helped a very worthwhile cause, along with everyone else that night, and contributed to raising an amazing $15,542!


On Thursday, April 7, the second installment opens at Arc Gallery as Rise Japan Vol. 2.  With the larger exhibition space at Arc, this night promises to have an even greater selection of work.  If you are in the area I encourage you to swing by at 7 pm for the opening.


For Vol. 2, I contributed a piece that I hope will sell and add to the growing sum to be donated.  I trust the organizers that donations will be put to good use in the ongoing difficulties that the Japanese people are facing.  Because my work has so long been inspired by Japanese culture, these events have preoccupied my mind for weeks.  Especially the fact that when applying for the JET Program for the 2010 season I was requesting to be in Sendai.

Update: The opening reception was a big success, with artwork practically flying off the walls.  Check out more photos from the opening in the slideshow above or see the whole album here.  More great photos are up in Ben Needham's Facebook album.

This post would have gone out last week, but it just didn't feel right to be putting it out while the tragedy in Japan was unfolding.  Not sure that the time is right even now, but here it is anyway lest it become completely outdated.

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To coincide with GDC this year, Giant Robot S.F. opened it's fourth annual game inspired art show to a huge crowd.  Getting into and through Game Over 4 during the opening reception was not for the faint of heart.  Outside GR-SF the masses blocked entry and passage to the point of having to be broken up by local police.  Inside the small gallery space, the line was at a standstill.  In retrospect, I should have timed how long it took me to get through just for fun.

The video game inspired art spans multiple mediums both traditional and digital, hung salon style with varying degrees of professionalism.  While some pieces were framed and displayed well, others were works on paper simply tacked up on the wall.  Not exactly what one might expect from a show garnering national media attention from the likes of Wired and Game Set Watch.

Logistical issues aside, the quality of artwork in Game Over 4 was a less mixed bag. With a huge roster of artists numbering 54 in total it's essentially impossible that every piece would appeal to every viewer.  Especially when it comes to the subject matter of video games, which in many cases touches on very personal experiences.  Each person who has played games will have those specific titles that are associated with certain fond memories.  The artwork that brings out those feelings and nostalgia will differ for each of us.

Since I can't tell what is going to pluck your nostalgic heart strings, allow me to get personal and look at some of what spoke to me as both a gamer and artist.  Don't forget to check out all the art after the jump.


Cats shooting lazors from their eyes, destroying a Mario Bros. mushroom is a win win situation.  Artist Jeni Yang put a lot of effort into this piece and her other contribution to the show.


Love the isometric take on FFVII by Jesse Fillingham.  The scruffy treatment given to cloud and the giant are a nice touch.  This somehow combines my memories of FFVII with other more old school experiences with isometric strat-RPGs.

Last week the gang and I took a little trip down to Oakland.  In the middle of a questionable neighborhood on Shattuck there lies nonchalantly a wonderland made of cake.  In a corner building artist Scott Hove created Cakeland in the storefront and works out of a studio in the back.


Scott was kind enough to invite a group of us art enthusiasts into his space where we proceeded to ooh and aah over his sugary creations.  Only thing is, none of the cakes are edible!  They are made of synthetic materials that will last practically forever, not unlike the cakes available at Wal-Mart, but Hove's are works of art that have gained no small amount of recognition.


Said pieces were exhibited at La Luz de Jesus gallery in 2010, and written up on BoingBoing as well as in HiFructose Magazine, just to name a few.  I came across some of those photos online last year, though I can't recall where exactly, and was excited to get to see this work in person.  There is a tension between the inviting, sweet and frosted presentation and the canine maws, as embedded in some of the cakes, or other skeletal parts entombed in the installation.  It's a kid of lure-and-trap scenario.


This was also a prime opportunity for LOL placement, and I would like to thank Scott for generously indulging my request to snap some shots for The United States of LOL.  Last but not least, check out this album for some even better photos of the Cakeland expedition.

This would mark my first visit outside the bay since moving here.  Our little excursion took us to Sacramento for a visit to Dragatomi and the Monster Party kaiju show, featuring the work of Mark Nagata, Gatchabert, DLux and LilJapan.


Loved the Dragatomi store.  Not only do they have a great layout and selection, but the proprietors are super nice folks.  If you're ever in Sacramento, this is undoubtedly a mandatory stop.


While everyone at the show was a pleasure to visit with I especially enjoyed chatting with Mark Nagata.  I look forward to revisiting the subject of Japanized youth-culture in America as a result of Japanese media consumption, being something that I may have a slight obsession with.  Mark and Jeremy Dale were even kind enough to indulge my new experimental endeavor.


On the way out we swung by Rick's Dessert Diner and feasted with our eyes on the incredible selection of sugary delights.  In reality I managed to be good and only have half a piece of white chocolate brownie.  It was delicious.  If you have a sweet tooth and find yourself in the California capitol I highly recommend it.

Right before Thanksgiving I sent my newly painted 3 inch Dunny to New York for The Almighty Dunny Show.  Curated by Genuine Artikle and hosted at Halcyon in Dumbo Brooklyn, the exhibition opens on December 11th and features a large roster of some familiar names...

Abe Lincoln Jr, Cope 2, D-LuX, Mishka NYC, Patricio Oliver, Task One dust, Jay222, Nerviswr3k, Nemo, Sneaky Raccoon, Igor Ventura, Leecifer, Tyler Coey, Suckadelic, Damarak the Destroyer, Viseone, Sinned, Droppixel, Osiris Orion, James Fuller, Jon Paul Kaiser, Sergio Mancini, Bryan Collins, Bishop 203, Chelsea Bloxsom, Ahh'd Art, Spanky Stokes, Tenacious Toys, Frank Mysterio, Brian Colins, Rampage Toys, Miss Kika, Nasty Neil, Albert Art, Trevor Zammit, FOOX Okkle, Royce Bannon, Phetus, Mr DEN, ZAM, Ian Ziobrowski, James Yeah?, valleydweller, Uncle, Matt A, Resin, Chris Rabb, Blake West, Christian Cabuay, Chamarro, Squidkidsink, FAS, Taz, Evilos, Tom Freak, Allison Revilla, Paul Duran, Ardabus Rubber, Hellsing Chaos, Jonathanway$hak, Pretty Poopie, Owen Dewitt, Paddy Leung, We Kill You, Adam Lee, Ashley Hay, Aaron Jasinski, Michal Wisniowski, Ego, Valerie G, Moody, SNO, The Chief Rocka, Lana Crooked, Matucha Studio, Danicus Prime, Dave Rapoza, Juan Franco, Jennipho, Adam Miller, Perry J Osman, Taek, Alone One, Troy Stith, The Flighty Ellz, DESN, Mr. Walters, Cozy Robot, Chrisosaur, Nikejerk, and MANY more!

Some of these great artists I have had the pleasure of meeting personally, or at least becoming more familiar with their work through social media.  Names in bold are some of those whose twitter conversations I'm stalking with the occasional participatory remark.


Chances are that my humble contribution will be heavily overshadowed by such a strong group.  Nevertheless, it's a good opportunity to get in another show.  One of only three this year for me given the big East/West Coast switcheroo.

Three months in the bay is a short time, yet it feels like I have been here twice as long at least.  In those three months I have been fortunate enough to experience some really great artwork both in the city and the East Bay. During the first weekend here I got a little glimpse of some great pieces at a gallery in Oakland's river-walk area (pictured above).


A few weeks later, after a fun day with new artist-friends at Alternative Press Expo, we were going trough the Mission admiring all the great street art in those awesome alleyways. Towards the end of our little trek we finally found the Banksy we were looking for!


By the time November rolled in, its first weekend brought with it a fantastic exhibition at Gallery 1988 in San Francisco. Featuring the works of Jeremiah Ketner, Yosuke Ueno, and Ewelina Ferruso, the opening brought a lot of us out to admire the paintings and mingle with SmallandRound.


Concurrent exhibits of collaborative work between Glen E. Friedman and Shepard Fairey as Fuck You All, as well as one called Bad Dads: A Tribute To The Films Of Wes Andersen, made for an interesting detour in a two-or-so block radius.


After the show the lot of us shuffled on over to Tommy's Joint and then topped it all off with late night donuts! Yeah, us old folks party hard. Which is also why we've been dubbed Toy Pimps by toy-maven Jeremyriad.

One of the most exciting local art shows in some time is opening at the end of the week. Toying with Art: Toys Designed by Artists is an exhibition at the Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, North Caroline that will start off with its opening reception on Thursday, November 12, at 6:00 pm for members and 7:00 pm for the public. The exhibition features a multitude of primarily contemporary art toys from across the nation and abroad.

Somehow I got to doing a whole bunch of art shows this fall.  We will be kicking things off this Friday, September 25, with two openings for group shows I am participating in, one at Bottega and another at Parallelogram.

The "Relevance" exhibition at Bottega will feature popular culture in art with a selection of pop art and related pieces from artists Mark Atkins, Terry Diamond, Steven Gibbs, Everett Freyberg, Scott James, Christopher Muniec, Teo Ninkovic, Candy Pegram, Kit Thomas, and Addie Wuensch.  Opening reception starts at 7 pm at Bottega Art Bar & Gallery in downtown Wilmington (map).

Meanwhile, another opening will be getting on its way, also starting at 7 pm, a little further out at Parallelogram for the exhibition "Body Parts."  After visiting Bottega first I will then be joining this event at Castle & 3rd (map).  The show includes work from artists Sullivan Dunn, Tien Chang, Jan Allen, Erika Moya, Scott Melville Gray, and Katie Seiz.

On top of these shows, I will be sending a few pieces to a group show in Syracuse, NY.  November will be even busier, with both Nikki and I participating in the new toy exhibition at the Cameron Art Musuem.  Then, shortly after the toy exhibit, I will be taking [peripheral/interface] to Roanoke, VA for display at the Carless Brit Museum.

Finally, holiday group shows are on the horizon for December as well.  One will take place at Parallelogram, while the other I am still waiting for confirmation on.  How did things get so crazy busy all of a sudden?  I have no idea, but I think it's a good sign.  Hopefully with all these shows this will also mean that there will be sales.  Something which is a rarity for me in Wilmington.

For the month of July, downtown mainstay and popular hangout for many local artists, the Caffe Phoenix, is exhibiting the work of two women that I in particular am rather fond of. That should come as no surprise, given that I am married to one of them.

Nikki Wisniowski is showing a collection of brand new art. It consists primarily of collage work and mixed media pieces. I have to say that I think she's doing some fantastic things these days, but then I am a little biased. So instead I present you with Nikki's own words regarding her current efforts:

My work is subconsciously nostalgic of the place where I was born, which is very different from where I am now. I grew up in eastern Montana, which has a different aesthetic than any other place I've been. Mostly what is there is a rolling sea of grass, speckled with green juniper and the occasional tree. I think that the wide open spaces in my art reflect my love of Big Sky country, and how much I miss that strange place.

Wendy Kowalski has been a friend of mine for much of the time we have spent in Wilmington. She is a painter that I have had the pleasure to work with on the Coloring Stories for Conscious Stories project. Kowalski, a single mother and artist, is extremely prolific. Her work depicts figures that are often airborne and in motion.

Born in Connecticut and a former desert dweller, Kowalski is now painting a series of large scale mixed-media paintings entitled Nebulon. Her current studio is by the sea in North Carolina. In art she explores the transcendence to the spontaneous, fluid, orbiting, often magical, and spiritual free-flight of the mind and body. She's inspired by nature, music, her two year old son Blaze, and this magical waking circus life which is full of love and blessings. Her brush is piloted by caffeine, trance music, and insomnia.

The pairing of these two artists seems obvious. They are different but complimentary. While Wendy's paintings are of a more lofty disposition, Nikki's collages tend to be more grounded. As such, the exhibition explores the opposites of earth and sky while paying attention to how people fit in between the two.

An opening reception for the Earth Below Us show will be held on Wednesday, July 15, at 7:00 pm. Come join us and meet these two wonderful ladies and their artwork!

On Friday, May 29, I opened my new exhibition called [peripheral/interface]. As previously posted, the show consists of five new paintings combined with found object 3D elements. For a better idea of what that means, just watch the video above. Images of the work are also available on my website.



The week of the opening I was very fortunate to receive some really good press for the exhibition. Local author Joel Finsel wrote the article for the StarNews which came out on Thursday, May 28. You can read it either by clicking the image of the article or on the StarNewsOnline website here. The article goes into detail with descriptions of the pieces in the show and provides some commentary of the messages within these works. Overall, Finsel did an excellent job in providing a sense of what these works are about with clear accounts of their appearance and insightful interpretations.



Another article to have come out on Wednesday of that week was printed in Wilmington's favorite indie rag Encore. Lauren Hodges writes Encore's art section each week with enthusiasm for the local art scene and this time was no exception. I am very grateful for Hodge's effort to stir up some excitement for my new work with comments like "provocative and moving." You can read the Encore article by clicking the image above or on their website here.

The exhibition is located at The Artbox gallery on the second floor of The Soapbox (map). It will be on display until June 21. I will keep the space open on Fridays and Saturdays until that date from 7 - 10 pm. Come see me so I don't get too lonely!

My next step will be to try and generate some more interest for this body of work in other cities. I will be sending materials out to a few galleries here and there. If you know of anyone who might be interested in exhibiting this show outside of Wilmington, please let me know. I think it has the potential to get much more exposure if I can get it into a more metropolitan area.

In less than two weeks I will be opening my new exhibition to the public. A collection of brand new work, this show is made up of several months worth of consistent effort.

The title [peripheral/interface] is a two-fold description of what will be on display. Quite literally, I am using video game and electronic peripherals which are connected directly to my paintings as an "interface." More figuratively, it is also a reference to something which exists on the periphery of perception, and something else which interfaces directly. In essence, I am hoping to bring some ideas which have remained outside of common awareness into focus.

I admit that the new pieces are a bit of a departure from my previous focus on anime style pop art. While I enjoyed doing the somewhat abstracted and stylized anime paintings, I had begun feeling restricted by doing only that type of work. I decided it was time to let the other influences in my life make their presence known, and these are the fruits of those labors. My artist statement has been updated to reflect this new shift...

My fascination of documenting and exploring anime and manga visuals continues to lead me in a direction which reveals its place in our culture. This visual vocabulary, once confined by national and geographic boundaries, now permeates our Western societies. It has become part of the sub-cultural fabric of our world and continues to assert its permanence.

The wave of media that has ushered in a new Japanization of the West still serves as the foundation for my work, but now I must let in all the other elements attached to this phenomenon that have long tried to break through. The cultural trends of consumerism as well as national and international politics do not exist without effect on the media which fuels my endeavors.

While my interests are varied and many, they are now becoming one with the art I create. This is the time when I must gather video games, anime, technology, consumerism, philosophy, religion, multiculturalism, and politics together. It may be too much, but my generation lives in a world where all these exert their influence. Sometimes it really is too much.

The new exhibition will open on Friday, May 29. The opening reception will take place from 7:00 to 10:00 pm, at The Artbox in downtown Wilmington (255 North Front St - map). Live chiptune and electronica music will be performed by Subterrene during the reception! Admission is free to the public, and everyone is invited. Hope to see you there, and please bring your friends. You can also help me spread the word about the show by reposting this, or promoting the Facebook event.

Friday night, February 27, marked the opening of a new group exhibition within the black walls of the Artbox in Wilmington. The group show, which featured yours truly as well as several other great local artists, got some great press in the Encore, which I previously posted about [link].

While I didn't have any sales that night, nor did I expect to given the nature of the market right now, it was great to show my work in a new venue and to a new audience. We had an excellent turnout, especially for such a new venture, so I think the press and word of mouth did a great job of advertising the event. I've also posted some photos in a Facebook album [link] from the opening.

As far as I'm concerned, the Artbox is probably the best alternative exhibition space in town at this point. After the closing of Three Hounds Gallery in December, there isn't even a for-profit gallery space that is as large or versatile as the Artbox. It's presence in Wilmington is a boon to the local art community, especially during these troubled times. Even if most of us still can't sell work around here, at least there is now a good way to show it.

This Friday, February 27, I am pleased to announce a new group exhibition in Wilmington in which I will be participating. Other artists participating in this show will include "Ryan Bates, Holly Nettles (...), Andrew Etheridge’s mixed-media, Clay Misenheiner’s self-portraits, Dixon Stetler’s woven baskets, Jennifer McGroarty’s jewelry and Andrew Jones’ recycled materials," writes Lauren Hodges in her timely Encore article for the show [Read the full article...]. You can also view the article by clicking the image above.

For more information about the exhibition, you can also go to the Facebook event page for it linked here. Feel free to RSVP, and invite all your friends! The opening reception will be taking place at The Soapbox Laundro-Lounge [map], from 7:00 - 10:00 pm. Hope to see you there!

I must admit that overall, 2008 was a good year for me. Art-wise, it also brought several anime culture related art exhibitions which are worth mentioning. Most notably of all these was the Takashi Murakami retrospective which opened earlier in the year at MoCA in Los Angeles, then traveled to the Brooklyn Museum for the summer.

My hope was to see this exhibition in person during our trip to New York, but by the time I got there it had already left. Alas, I will have to look for another opportunity to see Murakami's work in person. Until then, I will have to content myself with my humble collection of the Superflat Museum figurines.



Incidentally, those have been on display at the Cameron Art Museum here in Wilmington since the fall, in the Toy Crazy exhibition. While it may not be exactly all art vinyl, which is what interests me more, Toy Crazy does have variety going for it. The majority of the toys on display are vintage, with a small part comprising more contemporary fare.

Another big exhibition took place in Vancouver, under the name Krazy! The Delirious World of Anime + Comics + Video Games + Art. I managed to pick up the accompanying book at the Whitney, which allowed me to get a better sense of the art included. The scope of the exhibition was truly great, encompassing various comics, animation, video games, and so on from all over the world. This was not simply a Japan-centric show, as one might expect, but included contributions from multiple countries.



What was perhaps a bit of a surprise to me was the inclusion of highly commercial projects in the "Computer and Video Games" section, such as Super Mario World, Zelda, GTA, The Sims, and Quake to name a few. No one can deny the iconic nature of the jolly plumber or the little boy in his green hat and tunic, but I'm not sure about its place in this exhibition in light of the thousands of other possible choices. Perhaps I'm too much of a stickler about the indie scene, but still. It makes me think of an analogous attendance of an art-film festival and being shown Harry Potter.

The good news is that there is plenty of work in Krazy! to redeem its commercial tangent in electronic gaming, such as the fantastic Satoshi Kon film Paprika. That film does embody the indie spirit as far as I'm concerned. Other notable artists included were Makoto Shinkai, Junko Mizuno, Art Spiegelman, Roy Lichtenstein, and KaiKai Kiki artists Chiho Aoshima and Mr.



Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic ocean, at the Deutsches Filmmuseum, 2008 saw another exhibition focusing exclusively on anime. Anime! High Art - Pop Culture showcased some of the most important Japanese animation to ever be created. Separated into genres of Kodomo, Shojo, Ecchi, and Shonen to name a few, the exhibition showcased numerous important titles. Akira, Mononoke Hime, and other works by Hayao Miyazaki, Osamu Tezuka, and Yoshitaka Amano get my vote. While it's apparently necessary to have exclamation marks in the titles of anime related exhibitions, I'm still unclear on whether the museum was showing the actual films or single cells from the films in question (based on this collection of photos).



Lastly, the folks at MCAD kicked off another SGMS, or Schoolgirls and Mobilesuits: Culture and Creation in Manga and Anime. This sounds like a fascinating event to attend, with the major guest speaker in 2008 being Yoshitoshi Abe. It's hard for me not to be envious of hearing him speak, as he has served as such a major inspiration to me. Yet that is one more opportunity I have missed and will have to look for again.

The three day event bears some resemblance to a con, yet with the focus shifting more towards an intelligent look at otaku culture in the West it reaches a maturity that cons probably never will. Among the scheduled programs at SGMS are fashion shows, lectures, academic paper presentations, and your more traditional segments like screenings and panels.

The success of SGMS has also given rise to the publication with a similar focus. Mechademia is an annual journal of writings on this very subject which I'm going to have to try and get my hands on. Maybe it's time to put my degrees and experience to some better use and get on board with them.

So there you have it. Three major otaku culture exhibitions around the world, though there's probably more that I didn't come across. Add to that the SGMS event, and my fledgling Aniwave, and I think this anime thing is going up to another level in the cultural strata. A pretty good year for anime culture, even if the anime industry wasn't doing so hot.

I am happy to announce that I will be participating in an art exhibition in September. It's a group show, and will take place at the Wilmington Art & Event Gallery, in downtown Wilmington. The show will be up from September 4 to November 28. That's a nice three month run, so it should be good.

You can join us for an opening reception there on Thursday, September 4, from 6 - 9 pm. The gallery is located at 18 South Front St. #4, in downtown Wilmington. Just in case, here's a map link. A possible closing reception may be scheduled as well. I'll post that information if and when it becomes available.

As of this time, I don't know what other artists will be participating in the show, but I think it's going to be a good mix. A couple other artists from the area that I know may be a part of this, but since that information hasn't been confirmed I can't really mention any names yet.

The opening reception for my art show at the Caffé Phoenix went very well last night. I was very happy to see so many people attend that I actually know. I was also happy to see a number of people come that I did not know, as well as a few pleasantly surprising pop-ins from folks I had not seen in a while.



The above photos are a couple of quick snapshots of the new work. I'll be taking better photos of the new paintings soon and posting them for you to enjoy (presumably). Until then you'll have to go down to the Phoenix to seem them!

And now for the candid shots of unsuspecting patrons from the reception. Photos are courtesy of the lovely Nikki, and probably the reason why I seem to be in so many of them. Sorry about that.



Shawn, Gwenyfar, and Austin being very supportive and probably rather tired at this point. I know I was.



James, my mother Eva, and some four-eyed nerd. No idea where he came from.



The lovely Wendy, wearing a very awesome top, and that guy again. Why does he keep monopolizing the camera shots?



Hiroshi-san, Georgia, that weirdo, and Tenney. It's always nice to have the support of your colleagues, eh? And that's all folks. There were a couple other shots that didn't turn out, so that's the most of it. I'm just happy Nikki took the liberty of operating the camera, since I was too busy yackin away.

A huge thank you to everyone who came out to support us. Your presence means a great deal to me, and I very much appreciate it!

Update: Just discovered the little write up in Currents. I would like to thank Isabel Heblich for putting that together. You can view it online here.

An exhibition of my new work will be on display at Caffé Phoenix, beginning February 17 and running until the end of March. The Caffé Phoenix is located downtown Wilmington, on Front Street. Here is a google map.

The opening reception will take place on Thursday, February 21, at 7 pm. Snacks will be available, and the restaurant itself will be open for business. So come join us for some new artwork, and grab a snack, dinner, or a drink at Wilmington's most pleasant bar from Joel Finsel.

The good folks at Focus on the Coast magazine have published a wonderful article on the Coloring Stories for Conscious Children project. Written by Joel William Fernando, the article outlines the process behind making this book along with its challenges and small triumphs.



Complementing this nice piece of journalism are Fernando's photos which he took the night of the opening. The photographs are viewable on the In Focus website, or in a picasa album here. If you look hard, you might even find me in one or two of them.

Update: Looks like I got the jump on Focus on the Coast with this post. But now they put the article on their site as well. So you can either read it here, or head on over the online version of their article!

Update: Apparently the link is no longer valid. I tried to search for the article on their site, but it doesn't seem to be up anymore.