ECCC was great this year. Thanks for all your support.
We had a record turnout for [Redacted] Artists:
Milton Cadogan, Robt McLees, Lorraine McLees, Tom Doyle, Frank Cappezuto, Shi Kai Wang, plus Issac Hannaford came and joined us along with many other [Redacted]. We ended up signing a few [Redacted] books and figures, but our time was mostly spent just selling prints, drawing, or chatting it up with peeps.
Some more pics after the jump.
I spend a lot of time researching. Whether it be looking for reference images for me to base my illustrations off of, or how to make something, it all has to be gathered information. Sometimes I'm lucky enough to have a resourceful colleague giving me sweet droplets of pure concentrated aged wisdom. But most of the time I'm on my own to find things out for myself.
So I've gathered a lot of hopefully useful information and mainly links for all you DIYers out there. Links of services I'd like to use and of services I have used. I'm not being paid to recommend them, I like sharing good finds and hopefully it will save you time.
This is a quick preview of the next three illustrations now available to purchase at Kobo of Seattle.
I'm just going to show these here now, and they will make their way to the catalogue section when they are available to the public online in a couple weeks. Until then please get them at the only place you can at the moment: Kobo.
"En Fu Bar":
Japanese Vending Machine hybrid illustration.
A couple more illustrations after the jump:
This is far from an introduction to the piece, as it was revealed at Enfu's debut art show at Kobo in August of 2008. But this is the first time I've posted pictures on this site. Only 3 of these prints exist.
I decided that hyper limited edition sets like these and my canvas prints I won't sell on my site, but at outlets that carry my work and at conventions (more on this soon).
One set will be going to the 2009 Wing Luke Art Auction.
If you want to buy the last piece please contact Kobo.
Well without further ado, here are the pics:
More pics after the jump.
Today was the grand opening of the Bellevue Blue C Sushi. We were their first customers yay!
They bring the culture of kaiten sushi to Bellevue with a new hip spin. Its right on Bellevue way underneath the skybridge between Bellevue Square and Lincoln Center.
These pieces will soon be available at galleries and from my site, but not yet. To see them in person visit them here.
Right as you get in there is a big mural of one of my newest works. KokeChix Triptych.
As of this minute 3 of my works are up, more to follow. More pictures after the jump.
Buy enfu at these brick and mortar locations:
The maps of which can be found on the 'Enfu Finder' nav bar to your right.
Seattle:
They have all my prints available on display, and they are the only place where you can purchase the Nihontown Canvas Print! I don't offer the canvas print online because its a really big piece (12"x60") and I don't want to deal with shipping, but Kobo will take care of it for you for $60.
Bluebottle is a great gallery with huge range of local artists. Just walking into the store you'll be bombarded with an assortment of goodies.
Wing Luke is located in the heart of the International District in Seattle. They are the only Pan Asian Museum in the United States. Also, they are the only Museum that carries enfu's work. :P Check the gift shop and see the awesome collection of inspiring and empowering art.
Portland:
Compound is located smack dab in the center of Hip in Portland. Walk past the store and if the shoes and designer shirts don't pull you in, the vinyl toys and art pieces will. Check them out and pick up your local enfu there.
Hawaii:
Split Obsession is my Hawaii connection. They will have select Enfu products, for their select collector customers. If you'd like to see more enfu products sold there please let Bruce know. :P
They have two locations, one in Ala Moana Center, and the other in the Koko Marina Center.
Los Angeles:
San Francisco:
New York:
I've heard of this artist before, but I've got to say her stuff rocks. I especially like it when people who 'get it' actually create Japanese inspired art that looks great and contemporary for that matter. From her bio on her site she states that her "close bonds to her mixed Japanese-European heritage" influenced her art style. You can tell too. There are alot of artists out there that create Japanese inspired art that don't get it and you can tell. She gets it, and her designs are top notch. This is an image from her site of a skate deck that is laser engraved! Awesome work, go see her website!
One thing for sure, Japan is shrinking. With only 1.34 kids per family, thats not enough to sustain itself.
Half Japanese and half Italian American, Angela Aki (Kiyomi Aki) is another prominent mixed race celeb in Japan.
Every year in Japan they have the Kouhaku Utagassen (Red White Song Battle). Its a show that to most Japanese signifies the end of the year, and it reviews all the top songs and oldies, and most of the nation is watching. This past year I listened to Angela Aki's new song : Letter To Your 15 Year Old Self
The lyrics are particularly meaningful as she sings about a letter she is writing to her 15 year old self, encouraging her past self to stay positive.
Translation after the jump:
NHK aired a program promoting this art show and I happened to be watching so I made it a point to make it to this art show.
I'm no smoker, so I see no appeal in carrying a Marlboro brand of matchsticks, but as a person who appreciates great packaging design I truly appreciate this item.
Akihabara to me has a special place in my heart. Every trip I make to Japan since a teenager I make a point of coming here to pick up the latest and greatest. Its since become one center for the otaku subculture.
more Akiba Lomos after the jump.
I love Japanese Variety shows. The whole entertainment structure differs from the US in that they have "Talento", a self identified group of entertainers. Since they are essentially entertainers they entertain us in all things...TV, radio, movies, dramas, commercials, talk shows, game shows, documentaries, ...everything. There is no equivalent here in the US. The advantage this holds for these Talento is that the average viewer begins to recognize and become fans and follow their entertainment from channel to channel, show to show, decade to decade. This broad range these entertainers carry in my opinion the success of many shows that just don't work in countries without this structure. More on that in a different post.
I remember taking woodblock printing as part of art class in school in Japan. I know there is a lot of toil that goes into carving alone. I've always known of lino cuts from reading about it in this book
After attending an Rei Morimura's print demonstration at Azuma Gallery and having hands on experience with printing from his lino cuts, I thought it was finally time for me to take the plunge. I hear some artists call their prints woodblocks when they are technically lino cuts. More on this later.
Each screenprint series I do I make sure I try to encorporate a new technique so at least I can learn something from it. One thing that screenprinting offers artists is a nice set of hard restrictions to work with. First of all you are restricted by the costs of printing per color. The below picture are the blended colors for the second pull. More pictures after the jump.
This is Enfu's first print and what kicked started Enfu for me. I'd never done a screenprint on paper before so it was a learn as you go type experience.
I spent a lot of time researching Taco trucks & Ramen stands by taking photos. Then I came up with many sketches on how to make an interesting combination of both.
After coming up with iconic visuals of both these stands that I was happy with I then would digitally clean up and do color separations for the piece.
After adding crop and registration marks on all the negatives I had it printed on special paper. More photos of my process after the jump.
Well I'll be honest I'm no die hard baseball fan or season ticket holder. But every Japanese had pride in the Mariners since at one point (2002-2003) they had at once 3 Japanese players on the roster. Ichiro Suzuki, Kazuhiro Sasaki, and Shigetoshi Hasegawa. And the Mariners had Mac Suzuki, Masao Kida, and currently have Kenji Johjima.
I may be lacking research, but my quick tally puts the Mariners on top at having the most Japanese players in their franchise at 6 players, (3 at one time) with the Boston Red Sox at 5 players.
http://www.japaneseballplayers.com/en/
Would it be a coincidence then that the Mariners get Wakamatsu as a manager? I think its almost warranted...finally.
I'll try anything once.
Well once if its within reason.
So when the opportunity presented itself for me to try this fruit that even the person offering it to me acknowledged no one really eats these anymore, I stepped up to the plate.
My parents in laws have a huge yard in rural Japan, in which a size-able garden complete with a huge variety of trees, shrubs, and their fruits flourish. It just happened to be my lucky day and the Akebi fruit announced that it was ready for the plucking by naturally popping its outer shell. Freshly picked off of the tree it was presented to me on a nice wooden plate.
