breakeven

Break Even


Break Even
Acrylic on wood

A privately commisioned gift for a very talented friend of mine. Hands in my artwork tend to symbolize creativity and taking matters into your own hands. In this case, my friend took a heart-breaking situation and literally used her creative talents to turn things around and empower herself. The fist is clenched as a demonstration of strength.

I’m falling to pieces
Cos when a heart breaks no it don’t break even

bakunawa

Mooneater (Bakunawa)

My piece for the ‘Tabi Tabi Po’ Show currently showing at the 1AM Gallery in San Francisco until December 13th.

Mooneater (Bakunawa)
11.5″x36″
Acrylic on wood

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The Bakunawa is a sea serpent from Filipino Folklore. Below is the text from a children’s book:

The Dragon and the Seven Moons

Long ago, there were seven moons
that waxed and waned together.
The people treasured them as jewels in the sky
from the supreme god, Bathala.
Down in the sea,
lived an enormous dragon called Bakunawa,
the god of darkness and despair.
One night, while looking at the moons,
he thought, “The moons are so cool and smooth.
Their brightness could light the bottom of the sea.
I wonder if they are as delicious as they look?”
Bakunawa decided he had to have a moon.
“There are so many moons
no one should notice one missing,” he thought.
With a mighty leap he flew from the sea
and swallowed one of the moons.
Bakunawa proudly swam
with a glowing moon in his stomach.
As he swam, the moon moved in his body
tickling him and making him smile.
But soon, he noticed
that the moon was melting away like candy.
lethargic

Lethargic


4″x6″
Acrylic, ink, colored pencil

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Dictionary.com says:

1. the quality or state of being drowsy and dull, listless and unenergetic, or lazy; apathetic or sluggish inactivity.

She hangs around the branches like a sloth: slow-moving, heavy, and indifferent. She is too tired to work her way up the tree, and doesn’t care much about the world that lies below her. Don’t ask how she got onto the branch.

Four different people sent this word in: Fei, Neil, Mykola, Tom. Thanks!

kinesthetic

Kinesthetic


4″x6″
Acrylic and ink on paper

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Kinesthesia is the sense or sensation of movement, body position, or the movement of muscles, tendons and joints. Coming across this word immediately trigged a vivid memory from when I was nine years old: half bored and half curious, I wondered what it would feel like to feel nothing at all. I laid out flat on the carpet, and slightly lifted my arms and legs from the ground. Gravity never seemed heavier. I felt my muscles begin to tense up as my legs and arms started to lower to the floor. The feeling of weightlessness was combatted by my sense’s ability to feel.

Thanks to Crystal for the word.

jtaime

Je t’aime


4″x6″
Acrylic and graphite on paper

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J t’aime = “I love you” in French. Thanks for the word, Santi. I decided to go with muter tones this time around– I was getting a little sick from all the superbright rainbow colors and explosions (kind of like the bad feeling you get when you’ve eaten too much sugar) and wanted to express something more raw and organic.

ingenue

Ingenue


4″x6″
Acrylic, ink, colored pencil

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Ingenue. The beautiful, naive, leading lady–a character that is often repeated in films, theatre, and literature. Wikipedia describes her as gentle, sweet, virginal, and often challenged by another female character–the femme fatale.

This is the fastest illustration I’ve completed by far. 30 minutes. I wish all of them were so easy.

I didn’t get this word from anyone, but rather it was inspired by ‘Ingenuity’, given to me by my buddy Chris. Thanks. :)

gsketch

Glutton


Graphite on Paper

I decided to place a wolf’s head on the body because ‘glutton’ can also mean ‘wolverine’, named after the Gulo Gulo of Europe.

Thanks so much to Steph for the word as well as the research behind it.

frottage_sm

Frottage (Female Flesh)


Digital Illustration

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Frottage:

1.a technique in the visual arts of obtaining textural effects or images by rubbing lead, chalk, charcoal, etc., over paper laid on a granular or relieflike surface.

2.the practice of getting sexual stimulation and satisfaction by rubbing against something, esp. another person

Thanks for the word Segel!

epileptic

Epileptic


Digital illustration

Thank you to Nikki for the word.. I drew up an epileptic girl, her body overcome by seizures caused by her brain. She clenches her little fists in frustration as explosions go off in her head. I wanted the background to be representational of neuron forms..

desert_9

Deserted

A woman rolled out of bed and landed in the desert. The air was hot and dry, and her throat stung with dehydration. The fiery sand stabbed at her like needles beneath her feet. Tiny grains weasled their way into her mouth, burning cavities in the enamel. Her head pulsated with the symptoms of a hangover and the pounding electrobeats of the night before. With only half a bottle of water in her satchel, she began her way down the desert path. She could have retraced the steps back to her mattress, but she was too far along down the dune now to remember that she had one. Two hours passed, and like a robust angel, a portly man driving an ATV crossed the horizon to holler at her. She looked at him without a word. “You are nowhere near where you need to be!” he yelled, and sped off, laughing maniacally. She tried to curse back, but the sand had filled her lungs and began overflowing out her mouth. With heavy disappointment, she stopped in her tracks. Everything had been in vain. She began to dig a ditch in the ground with her now empty water bottle. She laid in the ditch, and fell into a deep sleep, patiently waiting for the next scene to arrive.