Pakupaku in Portland, OR

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In Portland only 2 days so far and I've already fallen in love with this city. A lot of reasons not just about the friendly people, delicious food, and nice weather. I think the uplifting vibe and the nature really make this city so lovely. The temperature started getting pretty cold the next day I arrived in Stumptown. I feel that I just jumped from the summer straight to the winter. (LA's winter is about like this)

My inspiration of "Pakupaku" came from one of my childhood toys - The fishing game. Pakupaku means "the moving mouth". I was pretty excited to find one while I was browsing at a local supermarket years ago and I knew I had to make an interesting painting about it. So here I made the "mac & cheese girl" involve in the game. (I have a series of work about this girl who is always in her mac & cheese fantasy world)





19"x15" Framed, custom built shadow box

This piece will be on display for this show:

3 Pins On a Map II : Featuring artists from 3 different locations around the world
Krista Huot - Canada | Kana Ohtsuki - Japan | Jeni Yang - U.S.A.
Oct. 1st - Nov. 1st 2009 | Reception: October 1st @ 7:00pm

Compound Gallery
107 NW 5th Avenue
Portland, OR 97209

Please contact Matt: matt@compoundgallery.com If you are interested.

More gallery view and detail pictures:





Some work-in-progress snaps:

Woke Up In The Wrong Place

I'm having a 3-person show coming up in October. I've been pretty busy making the new body of paintings. I even built all the frames from the raw wood. There's a lot of work to make this show happen. I am going to update more finished and in-progress images in the next couple posts.

Here is a new painting I created inspired by a dream in a dream, I didn't have exactly the same image in the dream. It was something similar that had two different elements, which were conflicted with each other. I think it would be interesting if I put the snack/candy kid characters in the world of where the paper characters live.


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16"x12" Acrylic on custom cut birch plywood
19"x15" Framed, custom built shadow box

This piece will be on display for this show:

3 Pins On a Map II : Featuring artists from 3 different locations around the world
Krista Huot - Canada | Kana Ohtsuki - Japan | Jeni Yang - U.S.A.
Oct. 1st - Nov. 1st 2009 | Reception: October 1st @ 7:00pm

Compound Gallery
107 NW 5th Avenue
Portland, OR 97209

Please contact Matt: matt@compoundgallery.com If you are interested.

More gallery view and detail pictures:








A little work-in-progress snap:

Feast / 饗

Feast / 饗
12"x12"
Cel-Vinyl Acrylic on Wood
2009
Available*

This original piece will be exhibiting at this Event: Planet Illogica Extravaganza and Art Exhibition - A "SuperHero" group show, fiine art, live music presented by Planet Illogica. This is one of the events planned during Comic-Con in San Diego, curated by Mark Murphy.

Time: Friday : JULY 24, 6:30PM – 12:30 AM

Location: Wonderhaus : 1441 L Street San Diego CA 92101 (A few blocks away from San Diego Comic-Con convention hall)

For more information, a facebook invitation with details here.


The ironic "SuperHero" I created was inspired by an asian folk figure - Maneki Neko, which is wildly known as "The Fortune Cat".

Feast (detail)

Finally! My Kokeshi in the VIEW

If you haven't seen this...


View it LARGE

MiNT, Custom art kokeshi by Jeni Yang, US
Polymer Clay, Cel-vinyl Acrylic, 8"H
2009
Sold*

My custom Kokeshi for this exhibition - Kokeshi: From Folk Art to Art Toy open now through October at the Japanese American National Museum in Downtown L.A. A collaboration with the Los Angeles Toy, Doll and Amusements Museum (LATDA). Please come check out the beautiful Kokeshi installation and support the museums and Art!

Close-up detail:






I didn't get to take many pictures at the preview night, but here are some: Kokeshi Preview Opening.

A photo set of making this Kokeshi Sculpture HERE.

Kokeshi Invite:

Harmony (Pango & Pomkuri)

Another new illustration I worked on in June, that is displayed with Nelumbo at a lovely gallery in Venice.


Framed:

Harmony {Pango & Pomkuri}
14"x11" Cel-Vinyl Acrylic on Wood
20"x16.5" Framed
Available*


Nelumbo
11"x14" Cel-Vinyl Acrylic on Wood
15.5"x18" Framed
Sold*

For purchasing the artwork above, please contact:
C.A.V.E. GALLERY (Center for Audio & Visual Expression)
address: 507 Rose Avenue, Venice CA 90291
phone: (310) 428 6387
email: cavegallery@gmail.com

Detail (click for the large view):

In Progress Snaps:

Nelumbo

One of 2 illustration paintings worked in May/June for a gallery exhibition this month. Took me enough time of daydreaming and patience on the details (as always). I also have found my favorite music of the year.


Nelumbo
11"x14" Cel-Vinyl Acrylic on Wood
15.5"x18" Framed
$550

Contact:
C.A.V.E. GALLERY (Center for Audio & Visual Expression)
address: 507 Rose Avenue, Venice CA 90291
phone: (310) 428 6387
email: cavegallery@gmail.com


Nelumbo in gold pigments (detail)

Publishing News

My work will be published in a book compilation called "The Ark Project - An illustrated animal bible by artists from all over the world" Created by DGPH and published by IDN. I got the press kit from DGPH recently with some preview images and information, this book is being printed right now and will be released in September this year (August in Argentina) Format 17x21cm, hardcover, 240 illustrated pages.



In this project, each artist is asked to pick and illustrate an animal from the country or homeland they representing. I am proud to contribute a piece based on a lovely mammal from Taiwan - Formosan Pangolin.

I am told to hold onto posting the images of my artwork for this book until the book is released in summer, please wait until to see when this animal bible comes out!

More information: THE ARK PROJECT

If you are in contact with magazines, writers or any other news and bloggers, you can feel free to request the press kit with more information and images about this book from DGPH.

Another little good news: My work "Monkey and Cats (2008)"

won a Merit award for 3x3 Contemporary Illustration Proshow Annual No.6. This book will be out later this year available on newsstands in the US, Canada, the UK and Europe. Please grab a copy and support the contemporary illustration community.

BONUS:
W.I.P snaps with a new painting that will be exhibited at C.A.V.E. Gallery in Venice this July. More info soon!







EXTRA BONUS:
A snap of a project I am still working on, all built 100% handmade

According to my facebook:
"Another unfinished painting and sculpture project sneak peak. (100% handmade from scratch)

Designed, woodwork, painted and fabrics sewed by me, with help from welding friend Courtney Hutton who constructed the stool base."

"My concept about this stool is made for pets. It's small and will fit cat's size pets. I hope it will make them hungry too. Attract them and make them want to sit there for a photo shoot (evil)"