I have been incredibly busy with school, working on a portfolio that is beginning to have a coherent theme. Catching up with the other collections during Paris men's fashion week isn't helping either. Ever since my senior year in high school, there is a school in Belgium that would be an breakthrough opportunity for me to study painting and sculpting, maybe even creative/free writing, but it all varies on my art studies.

Coffee, morning news, class, errands, etc. Booooooom gave me a look at a very interesting, yet clever installation by David Herbert, revealing to be a sculpture of a VHS from foam and plexiglass, standing 2x4x8 ft.

PJ Harvey's England

Polly Jean Harvey is back for a forthcoming album 'Let England Shake.' I can't decide about this one, but judging from her new single 'The Words That Maketh Murder,' it's enticing my ears and I cannot resist her beautiful voice, along with the auto-harp accompanying with John Parrish backup vocals. I read a comment not too long ago and from what it says, PJ Harvey seems to be 'stuck' in her White Chalk phase. Frankly, I wasn't a big fan of that one, but I'll decide when her album drops February 14th.

Anti-Modernism

Little less than a week ago that men's Automne/Hiver 2011-12 fashion week opened in Paris, have I found myself rallying around for Junya Watanabe's ready-to-wear line for Automne/Hiver 2011-12. I could be contradicting myself as a fashion enthusiast, especially for Japanese, avant-garde artists, since I haven't seen the remainder of other designers that have not yet debuted. I'm incredibly overwhelmed at how much creativity will seep into a debut collection I'm drafting (we'll get to that part in another post) and adding some 'somber' pieces to my wardrobe.

It is very easy to sum up the theme of the collection in accurate words: college freshman in modern-day England; at least how I imagine them in my head. Varying different textures and pale grays, sephia and amber come together in a collision that paves a way for Mr. Watanabe. "No meaning," is what he describe this collection. His version makes up with Fair Isle hoodie, a parka in a khaki tone. The only colors that is really seen here is running in the printed snowflake sweaters on blazers, the most intriguing of the collection. Argyle is very subtle in the socks and visible shirts under the leather bloussons. Patchwork blazers worked well with the crisp pale cerulean button ups. Even the idea of the collection being androgynous gets me going. You can sense that Watanabe always works with experimenting with art, but that works as wearable. However, this season, he made slight, yet obvious change in street wear credentials, a folksy, coming-of-age young men.

9" x 12", (untitled collage), acrylic, found imagery, India ink.

I am allowing myself to express the flow of my creativity. A new semester is now in session and now I'm questioning if this non-stop creative cycle will halt to a standstill while the heap amounts of money that I spent for this semester; chances I won't have energy to attend the lectures.

For this collage, I used the ad of David Yurman with Kate Moss. As the other collage, I wanted to achieve a varying abstract look, to ascribe multiple textures and mediums.

Robert Montgomery: GHOST IN THE MACHINE

Exclusion

Untitled collage, mixed media collage, gouache, India ink. 9" x 12". 2011

Sitting on a wooden chair, outside in the midst of the mid-morning sun hanging above me, pondering and letting the cigarette pour out of my lips like a chimeney. Eyes drawn shut, thoughts of less important subjects cloud my mind. My hands begin to move on their own, foreign from the rest of my body. It is only that I begin to etch the unfamiliar faces that surround me. As a take a sip from my coffee, it drips onto the paper, running with the India ink. To say this was done unintentionally would be an exaggeration itself.

IBM

(Untitled collage), 11'' x 15'', acrylic, India ink, found imagery.

Minds Over Realism

'More geometric shapes and lines, less curves' is a thought how I should approach charcoal figure studies more. This is a start. This drawing was to exemplify a more raw state, with sharp lines jutting out. Normally, I tend to make shading more realistic and smooth; however, I'm trying to work a different aesthetic. Realism was the last thing I wanted to approach. These studies were drawn over Christmas break.

Once, Twice.

The idea of using found imagery and recreating a new landscape, a departure from my use of charcoal, graphite and ink sounds more appealing. I need to expand my horizon. I'm working on several pieces inspired by John Stezaker, using black-and-white modern photography, working in contrasting colors of acrylics and India ink.


Maybe evolve with more 3D dimension installation style, using Marlo Pascual aesthetic could put a foundation in my new work. More updates soon.

Thought and Process.

The first post of the new year, and it begins with the livelihood writing. I am writing. I am. Free, short simplistic. I decided that for my New Year's resolutions is that I don't have any. To better put it: life is unpredictable and there is no telling which plan will ensue. Looking back on 2010, it was fortunate enough for me to endure the highs and lows, joy and subdued moods.

But to achieve my creativity level, several moleskin books will keep my stabilized in my creativity process. 'Thought and Process' is one of the book to help understand my thoughts and ideas as I work through new art. The other books are more tailored for sketching and drawing. As I approach 2011 with ease, James Jean quickly became a prominent inspiration for my sketchbooks and journals.