297. little wonders

by Yoskay Yamamoto, Japanese artist based in California.

by 有空5mins, Taiwanese artist I found while I was traveling around Taipei.

by Ros Lee, aka Polkaros. Singaporean artist based in Tokyo.

by Kumakichi, based in Tokyo, an artist I found while wandering around Kichijoji one afternoon.

Lately, I have been looking more into sculpture and minimal looking work. I love drawing and painting details but every once in a while it's nice to just create something different. I have been wanting to keep my hands moving since my school semester started. 

I came across a quote on Instagram one fine afternoon and it really hit me. 

The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. 

- source unknown

294. painted plant pots, singapore

So, I am back in Singapore for only a week and will be leaving already in two days. I can't wait to be back in Tokyo, in my own apartment again. Even though I still don't really like being back here, I was lucky enough to be back in time for a couple of things I actually like.

On Saturday, I went to Polkaros's potted plants' workshop. I started following her on Instagram recently, her products are really cute and similar to a lot of artists I already like. Also, I love going to workshops because it helps me "open up" my mind to trying new things.

The workshop was a small class of 6, and they instructed us on how to design our pots. The ceramic pots are from Japan. I talked to the artist quite a bit because she lived in Tokyo for a couple of years so there were a lot of things in common. Her assistant for that day was really nice too and it turns out we had some mutual friends.

The workshop lasted for 3 hours and even though it looks easy to do or paint, it wasn't as easy as I thought. First of all, I'm not the type of artist who can just make something or come up with an idea instantly, so I had some problems at the beginning. I tried to relax and the idea just came naturally. While the others mostly just copied the artists' other designs, I decided to paint what I like with still leaving some obvious inspiration from her work.

There's also a Japanese fair going on at Isetan until 5th May, so she has a pop-up store there as well. I bought a small vegan leather pouch!

her work.

mine.

She taught us how to pot a plant as well, something I have not done before. It was fun mixing the soil and removing dirt from the succulent. Actually more fun than painting for me, haha. I picked succulents because mine got blown away by the strong wind in Japan recently. This kind of makes up for it. We also got to make a little small clay figurine to decorate our pot. 

My design even though you can't see it from this angle, has raindrops at the back of it's  head. In the end, the artist made a star for me because I REALLY FAIL at making or even drawing stars. Since I was a kid, my stars always turn out weird looking and lob-sided. I knew it was going to happen already so I just asked her to make it for me, haha.

I had a lot of fun at this workshop. I still hope to attend more workshops like this. It really refreshes my mind and lets me re-think of my approach to painting.

There was also a Kami Fuusen (paper ballons) workshop happening the next day but I wasn't really interested in that one. But these ones are cute! I like her color palettes and how peaceful you feel when you look at her work. Also, the geometrical shapes in her work adds a charm to them. 

Her website : polkaros.com

Instagram :  @polkaros

I like the current style of some of my latest work, so I think I will stick to that. When I arrive back in Tokyo, I'll only have 3 days to myself before classes start. So, hopefully, I'll use that time to catch up on some painting. Also, since I have stocked up on  my paintbrushes from here, I will feel more comfortable. (Yes, Japan doesn't sell this particular brand of paintbrushes I use. I always like to complicate my life =__=)

268. needle and thread

Lately, I have been noticing an increase of hand embroidery artists. I've been enjoying what these artists can illustrate with just a needle and thread, these are my favorite artists :

I stumbled upon Irem Yazici on instagram and instantly fell in love with her quirky pieces. She not only makes artwork but also does wearable hand embroidered art. Rings, coin purses, collars and brooches are just a few things she makes. 

Photos from her instagram @baobaphandmade or you can buy some of her little creations at baobaphandmade.etsy.com. 

I've been following Adipocere for months now, also an instant love at first sight when I saw his work. He's most known for sewing onto his skin. I wasn't that surprised when I found out that he's from Melbourne. I mean, Melbourne is actually kind of gloomy and that's why I love it.

His work is a total opposite of the first artist I mentioned in this post, his work is much darker and to me, it seems like he works around more occult imagery. I really enjoyed reading this interview. 

All images from adipocere.com.au and give him a follow @adipocere on instagram if you're into darker things like me.

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I've been trying to get into my drawing mood because I really want to make some things and really, really start taking myself and my art more seriously. I also want to start making my own merchandise so I've been drawing up some simple designs, but it's been tough. I'm really not good at drawing simple things since I'm so used to detailed and intricate. 

I've really missed staying up till the sun rises and waking up when it's already dark outside. Watching films and finding inspiration through the night, pushing myself to do something different each time. Life right now is really quiet and peaceful and I'm enjoying it a lot.

The only person I've hung out with over the past week is H and I'm happy. I can't wait for 2016 to arrive.

260. comatose

My long weekend was really good, there was so much going on during the weekend that I'm still tired today. On Friday, I decided to skip class because it was just an excursion to Ikebukuro. I stayed home and painted something up for Palm and was really happy with the result. Rock-o-Rama was on Friday but I decided not to go because the lineup didn't impress me enough.

On Saturday I made my way down to Nakano Broadway again because there was an artist meet-up and also because I wanted to see James Jean's exhibition again before it was over. I'm glad I went to view his work again because I could slowly look at some details I have missed out last time. I bought his book, Pareidolia, at the gallery. I'm more than happy with this book, I think it's worth every penny. The packaging is really beautiful and it comes attached with a two-side poster of Adrift and Pagoda. The book also included a lot of my favourite work by him and his sketchbook drawings. Best purchase I have made in a while.

I missed out these two pieces the last time I went. My new favourite now is actually Kali ( the one on the right). After the exhibition, I was able to find my tumblr-art store again. It's just next to the gallery and spent quite some time there. There was some new stuff and a small exhibition going on also, so I took my time to browse through some stuff. I really love Nakano Broadway so much, anytime I can get lost in all the art makes me a very happy person. I found some rare Aquinox Uno and Junji Ito badges and bought them. 

I went to the artist meet-up after that, and walked around and played some gachapon since there was Ranma 1/2 again. I was really lucky this time, I got Shampoo and P-chan with just two turns! Yay! After everything, I went to Bar Zingaro for coffee and to look at my book. It was kind of crowded since it was a Saturday. I didn't stay for too long and made my way to Kichijoji to meet Kenta.

I met up with Kenta outside Club Seata since he was still watching some bands at the Obscene Extreme music festival. Caught up for a little bit, actually kind of long... we just stood infront of the venue for close to 45 minutes. I didn't even notice the time. I gave him the art I made for Palm and chicken rice cookies I promised to get him the last time I was in Osaka. It was nice seeing him again, wish I could have seen Toshi and Akira but didn't want to bother them since they were watching bands. Also, finally got Palm's Honorable Death shirt that I wanted since they posted it online.

I was really happy with the feedback I got from my art on Saturday. It reminded me of why I love to do art so much. I haven't felt that way about my art in a long time. I guess I always give myself excuses to not do it but now I make more time because art is my number one priority in life. I need to do something about it.

Went home not long after saying bye to Kenta and slept early since the next day was lynch.'s tour final. (See next post)

Now with the help of friends, I feel like I am going in the right direction of my art. I just need to spend even more time drawing because I want to make some merchandise. I have changed my sleeping habits into waking up earlier and sleeping earlier so I have more time to do more things and revise my Japanese. Actually, I have been more productive this way.

December looks like it's going to be a very very busy month for me. My mom is coming to visit on the 1st for a week. She bought her airplane ticket on impulse, she must really miss me. H is back in my life, so I have to make time to meet him. Again, he took me by surprise in so many ways. I'm slowly starting to believe he might be the one. 

Once my mom leaves, I have a couple of shows to go to. Right off the bat, I have MUCC x lynch. , and after that it's all In Hearts Wake x Crystal Lake shows. I'm excited for all the upcoming shows. Also excited about the future now.

Today I finally watched A Clockwork Orange, and it fucked with my mind so much. It's one of those movies that makes you question a lot of things. It's not generally my style of film since it's a dystopian crime film but I did really enjoy it. No one told me that the main character, Alex, made famous of his trademark outfit (all white outfit with a bow hat and long eye-lashes on just one eye), was so short-lived. His outfit I mean. It has a lot of great artwork and cinematography in it too. As always, I'm always finding new films to make me feel something.

I hope I don't tire myself out too much. I still have exams to study for in the midst of everything. Life has took another turn and I really hope as long as I work hard, I can get to where I want in life. 頑張ります。

259. the five hundred

The weekend was so relaxing, I intended to go to a flea market in Chofu but my friend had to cancel in the end. I figured, well, I should just chill at home then, besides, it was raining really heavily on Saturday. I spent the weekend painting and just resting. I've been busy lately and it felt nice to be at home for two whole days.

After class on Monday, Jaz and I made our way to Roppongi because we both wanted to check out Takashi Murakami's The 500 Arhats exhibition at Mori Art Museum. We grabbed a quick bite at Tokyo Midtown and there was the same illumination at the back of it again, the same as last year's.

After that we made our way to Roppongi Hills and went to Mori Art Museum. We spent quite a while at the exhibition actually. There were 4 three meter-high, 100 meter-long- paintings of the arhats of Buddha, some large sculptural pieces  and abstract paintings as well. Other than the long cultural paintings, there were also paintings of his characters. I can't remember all their names but I enjoyed his exhibition, there were some hits and misses for me. Jaz wasn't as impressed because she prefers his old style. 

*This is going to be a photo heavy post. I was surprised we were allowed to take photos of the art this time because all the times I have been to Mori Art Museum or actually most museums and exhibitions in Japan, we're not allowed to take photos so I'm glad we were allowed.

256. parallels

Yesterday I met up with Jaz at Nakano because we both wanted to go to James Jean's Zugzwang exhibition curated by Takashi Murakami. There was actually a book signing at 4pm but we were both busy so we went for the opening reception instead. I've never been to an opening reception so it was a good experience.

So, we made our way to Nakano Broadway, and there was a crowd outside Hidari Zingaro as we went in. It was really crowded and there were cameras around. The exhibition was really amazing, I have been a big fan of James Jean's work for years so I was really happy to see his work for the first time in person. Jaz said she has seen his work several times since she went to the same art university as him. It was funny because she was telling me how everyone in her school wanted to be like him (I mean, actually I would too. The guy is mad talented.) and used the pens he used. She told me that the quality of the tools he uses are really A* or maybe even S for Super.

Listening to her talking about the art in the U.S. makes me feel as if there are so much more opportunities there, it was nice to know though because I know no one in the art scene there.

This piece is actually painted on 12 copper panels and is the biggest piece at the show. The first piece on the right is actually Yayoi Kusama inspired, because there's dots and the furry things she makes all the time. Actually I didn't notice it, Jaz pointed it out and the piece was even named after her, "Yayu". I love the attention to details in James Jean's pieces and I especially love the lines in them, I really wish I can draw like that. 

Since it was so crowded at the gallery, I couldn't get photos of all his work. I would probably go back and look at his work another time before it ends so I can absorb everything and get inspiration from there. 

After the exhibition, Jaz and I decided to go around Nakano Broadway because she hasn't been there before. I'm starting to fall in love with Nakano Broadway honestly. I love how there are so many interesting shops, and it's not only because of the design of them but also the things they sell. All the obscure art that I really love and reblog on tumblr are mostly sold there and I can even find old merchandise from Ghibli and a lot of 80's anime which I really love. 

I really love the 80's to early 90's Japanese anime and art, there's a certain feel to it that I can't seem to get enough of. We went around all stories of the building and it was fun because I got to discover new shops.

if you zoom in on the UFO catchers, it's actually NSFW toys and figurines.

All the Mandarake shops are nicely themed and the design and decor, just love. I especially love this one :

The lighting in this shop is really good for photographs and selfies, perhaps? I love how the entrance looks like Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto. They even sell old signs, like Osaka's famous Gilico man from the 80's (I think, could be older) is going for 60,000 yen. I don't know why, but whenever I get to see vintage toys I immediately feel happy. 

After we were done exploring Nakano Broadway, we went to get sushi at O1O1 nearby, we didn't do anything much but just sit and talk till it was about 11pm. It was nice talking to someone about art again since none of my friends here are into it. Liking it and actually doing art are two completely different things. A mind of an artist works very differently, I don't know how to explain it. I have never felt lonely in Tokyo but I am very lonely when it comes to art if I make sense? 

I don't have anyone to talk to about it or even understand the terms of it. So, I'm really glad to have Jaz around. She said she feels the same too and she hasn't been doing anything art-related till yesterday. Talking to her makes me miss my college days to some extent, it was so easy to explain to her what our projects or critiques were like. It was also nice to hear stories from her college days. We're also planning to go to Takashi Murakami's exhibition at Mori Art Museum because she really likes his work. I look forward to that.

It was a nice break from music also, I always want to talk about the bands I listen to or just going to shows in general. You can never have too much of a good thing. Especially for me, if I have too much of it, I'll grow to hate it.

Another thing I am happy about is that Nakano is less than an hour away from my apartment and it's on my way home from class everyday so I can drop by anytime if I feel like I just want to roam around. I'm starting to really explore more of this side Tokyo and I can't wait till my sister comes in February so I can show her all the little gems I have found. 

235. children of the universe

I've been wanting to go to Studio Chizu's exhibition for quite a while now since I see the posters in Shibuya Hikarie everyday on the way to class. Since the exhibition is going to be over next week, on Thursday, I finally stopped pushing on "next time".

Studio Chizu is owned by animation director Mamoru Hosoda, his works include The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (時をかける少女), Summer Wars(サマーワーズ), Wolf Children (おおかみこどもの雨と雪) and just released last month, The Boy and the Beast (バケモノの子). I've watched The Girl Who Leapt Through Time a couple of years ago and it didn't really grabbed me but I really liked Wolf Children because the animation was really well done and it was a sad story, both at the beginning and the end.

I have yet to watch The Boy and the Beast but after going to the exhibition, I really want to see it now. It's very "other worldly" and really reminded me of Spirited Away, though I can tell the story is completely different.

I made my way up to the 9th floor of Hikarie and these pillars greeted me as I purchased my ticket to the exhibition. To be honest, the ticket price was kind of steep (1700Y) but it was worth it.

The first thing that you will see once you enter the exhibition hall is a huge poster of The Boy and The Beast, some write-ups from the director himself, both in English and Japanese, followed by storyboards, paintings and drawings of the films. The "making of"s, as most people would call it. There were human-sized drawings and also, they put up drawings on the wall. I admit, I was biased because I only took photos of Wolf Children and (kinda) ignored the rest. 

The background paintings were really impressive. I'm always in awe with background paintings because it IS difficult to paint. You have to have a lot of patience (which I don't, backgrounds are the thing that fucks up my entire painting most of the time). After the drawing section, there were some sculptures. The key below is from Summer Wars. The really cute white thing in the second picture (which I'm too lazy to check the name of) is from the latest film.

The sculptures were even more impressive than the drawings. I was surprised they even had the gate from Bakemono no Ko in the last room. It's the size of an actual regular sized shrine gate.

Despite not watching the latest film, I enjoyed the exhibits for it the most. The imagery looks like something out of a dream I would definitely love to have. If I could dream of those landscapes, I would be very happy. I can't wait till I get the chance to watch it.

The final room of the exhibition made me really regret and bummed out that I was alone. There were a ton of interactive photo taking booths, something I have not seen in Japan yet. I wish there was someone with me so I could camwhore. I really wanted to take a photo with Ame and Yuki! Their booth was the cutest. How cute can this get? 

Of course, before leaving the exhibition there will always be a merchandise store to rob me. I ended up buying a couple of things, only from Wolf Children and a postcard from Bakemono no Ko. Overall I was really happy with this exhibition and it helped me get out of my  "I want to watch a nice animated film but I have no idea what to watch because I have watched everything else 98374756248 times." So, I would probably watch Studio Chizu's films for the next week. 

Feed me inspiration please.