The Buddhist Church of Santa Barbara invited me and my art to contribute to this year's OBON festival, honoring our ancestors in a day of dance, drumming, and more! My booth was inside the temple right next to the bonsai exhibit, so cool! I sold paintings, drawings, t-shirts, woodburnings, ceramics, and more, raising $290 in total to give as a donation to BCSB. 

I was nominated and then selected to be the juror and curator for an abstract art show at The Voice Gallery in Santa Barbara, CA. There were more than 100 entries and I had to choose 59 to hang in the gallery. After that I had to figure out where and how to hang them in the gallery, while also selecting the a winner for "Most Creative", "Honorable Mention", and "Best in Show". At the opening reception approximately 50 people came to see the work and hear me present the winners and give a brief talk about abstract art. The energy was overall very positive and enthusiastic and it was an honor for me to get to celebrate local artists and help make this show happen.

On a recent trip back to my alma mater (Washington State University) I dropped off some copies of my book "The Art of Life" at their library and art museum. They were happy to receive a publication from an alumni and told me they would display it on their shelves and online in the "Cougar Bookcase". It's a very proud moment for me because the idea of the book was first conceived during my time at WSU. It was there that I first realized myself as an artist. Also, a lot of the art in the book was made while I was attending WSU. Not only that, the book is dedicated to a fellow coug who was my roommate junior year (RIP David Piatt!). Go Cougs! Link to cougar bookcase: ​https://alumni.wsu.edu/s/1613/18/interior.aspx?sid=1613&gid=2&pgid=11164

Just finished this 3x2' acrylic painting based on my tattoo. At 18 years old, I got my first tattoo- a tiger on my left arm. Then at age 20 I got a yin-yang on the other shoulder to balance it out. Still, it always felt incomplete. So many years later I started sketching ideas for a dragon to wrap around the yin-yang.... A tattoo artist helped with some finishing touches before inking me up, and now I love all of my tattoos! So much so that I wanted to paint the ones on my right arm and bring them to life in full color. What will the next evolution be? 🤔

Still in Santa Barbara, but moved to a bigger, nicer, and more private studio which comfortably fits 6 students and 6 large desks :) Some classes I've taught at the studio thus far include: comic book making, graffiti, optical illusions, mazes, colors, and tie-dye! 

It started about 6 months ago as just a lofty dream... Maybe someday I'll have my own art center where I teach my own style of art (which is no style) and I'll call it Free Spirit... Then, a friend recommended that instead of buying/renting out a large center space, why don't I try renting out a smaller studio space and teach small group/private lessons from there. Well... I took that idea and ran with it! Now, I officially have a business license and my own art studio space to create art and teach lessons from. A dream come true! I painted the walls in light/bright primary colors so that I could blend all those influences in my mind while I work :) 

What a journey! More than 3 years ago I decided I wanted to pursue Art Education. Since then, I've been rejected from schools, and even worse I've been told I didn't have what it takes as an artist or an educator. I have had teachers and mentors in my program threaten and doubt me. Not sure why there were so many haters, but I really had to push through.... Add that to all the schoolwork involved with a master's degree and I had quite a challenge, but I graduated with a 4.0! I've never had a 4.0 in my whole academic career, but I was so determined to continue my path in Art/Education that I was motivated to do my best no matter what others said/did. I'm proud of myself and excited for what the future has in store for me next.

January 19, 2023 - GZA, founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan was performing in Ventura, CA. Before the show, he accepted 7 challengers to speed chess! He beat 5 of the first 6 challengers with ease. I was up last. It was a close game but GZA ran outta time and I won! But it was so close I asked if he wanted to play it through and he agreed, so we continued and then I decisively won after getting a pawn across and a second queen.  It was so fun hanging with him as he rapped and joked with everyone there. Afterward he played a dope show with great energy on the stage and from the crowd. Wu-Tang forever! 

While on vacation in the northwest I decided to stop and have lunch with my old boss, Pastor Stoot. He was the first one who ever gave me a chance to teach in the classroom, he always believed in me as much as he did the kids. While I was there, he got a call asking if someone could do an inspirational art project with the kids for a promotional fundraiser! This cosmic coincidence that I happened to be there at that moment was declared a "Jesus moment" by Pastor Stoot as he immediately asked me if I'd be willing to guest teach. I quickly agreed and for the next two days I spent about 6 hours working with Kindergarten and 1st-5th grade students to make an individual/collaborative art project that would promote good in the world while also promoting the school. The school, "Rise Up Academy" has a mascot of eagles so each piece of art was turned into a feather. Students cut their own feathers and glued and wrote everything themselves. I just sparked their ideas and gave the eagle framework for them to rise up through! It was an honor for me to teach here after 12 years since I first taught here. The kids were great too :) On my final day there, another cosmic coincidence happened when a rare bald eagle landed right outside the school as I entered! *magical* This mural should be going on display somewhere big, stay tuned!

Looking through some old photo albums I realized that my mom had saved my first ever fingerpaintings (I was 2 years old!) and coloring sheet. So cool to see them. I wonder what I was thinking at that time? Probably I was just feeling more than anything. Either way, this is some of the most original, untrained, and freely created art I'll probably ever make :)