ART SHOW

Hey everyone, so I teamed up with the ever-charming Grant Gilliland to do a split show! And it's coming up over at Big Umbrella Studios on Friday, March 4th!  We hope to see you there!

Gads, there are going to be so many monsters I might explode.  Hells yes.

"Bestiarum vocabulum: The Book of the Beasts"
Join us for the "Bestiarum vocabulum" Art Opening featuring the work of painters/illustrators Grant Gilliland and Rick Kitagawa.

From the elusive cyclops to the dangerous succubus, from trolls to water spirits, we often think of mythological beasts as simply mythological. Grant Gilliland and Rick Kitagawa beg to differ. Let this pair of monster hunters bring these creatures to life in a series of all new paintings featuring a stable of unearthly beasts and "mythological" creatures from around the world that are just waiting to follow you home.

"Bestiarum vocabulum"
featuring Grant Gilliland and Rick Kitagawa
w/works by the Big Umbrella Studio collective

Friday, March 4, 2011
7-11pm

*Collaborative Grant n' Rick t-shirt design printed live*
*food carts*

Last-Minute Handmade Love

BTW, you should come check this shizz out.

Looking for that last-minute Valentine's day gift for your sweetie?  Look no further than Big Umbrella Studios' trunk show "Last-Minute Handmade Love."  Featuring some of the most awesome handmade artisans from around the Bay, don't miss your chance to find the perfect gift that you've been holding out for at this two-day show. 

Saturday, browse the magical wares of Nerd Jerk, Heathered, Compass Rose Design, and Etta+Billie.
On Sunday, find joy in the majesty of Twinkie Chan, Mangosteen, Crooked Sister, and Monkey + Seal.

Saturday, Feb. 12 & Sunday Feb. 13, from 12-5pm
Big Umbrella Studios, 906 1/2 Divisadero St., SF 94115


Nerd Jerk: http://www.etsy.com/shop/NerdJerk
Heathered: http://heathered.weebly.com/
Compass Rose Design: http://www.compassrosedesignjewelry.com/
Etta + Billie: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ettaandbillie
Twinkie Chan: http://www.twinkiechan.com/
Mangosteen: http://www.mangosteenoakland.com/
Crooked Sister: http://www.etsy.com/shop/crookedsister
Monkey + Seal: http://www.monkeyandseal.com

See you there!

Art stuff, gallery ownership, monsters, etc.

 So here's the awning for the gallery space that I now co-own.  Yay!  You can find out more info at www.bigumbrellastudios.com.

Our last show "A House of Cards" had these four paintings of mine up, all monsters inspired by the four suits of a deck of cards.

 Clubs

 Hearts

 Diamonds

 Spades

Sorry for the crappy quality, took 'em with my phone right before the opening.

Many apologies for completely falling off the blogging bandwagon.  Between getting this gallery up and running, trying to get our workshop program off and running, work (at PS and printing shirts), and just trying to paint, I've been crazy swamped.  Also, my dad ended up getting some of his kidney removed due to kidney cancer, so I spent a few days visiting him in the hospital.  Fortunately, the hospital was 6 blocks away from our apt., so the walk there was quick and painless.

Now I'm taking City College classes to help defer my huge mountain of private loans.  The classes are way more chill than any I've ever taken at Academy.  Much less emphasis on classical realism, and so far no homework.  I ended up joining in during the third week of class and pretty much caught up completely in one day.  Nice.

It's really a cool environment for experimentation and just trying out new stuff.  I must admit, I'm already loving it (just not loving getting up early, but whatevs).

Anyway, happy 2011 and hopefully I'll be able to post here weekly or so.  As always, you can keep up more frequently MWF (or thereabouts) at the Monkey + Seal blog.