LUDACHRISTMAS

No Me-he-co for the holidays this year. I don't like it. Never ever ever plan an art show for right after the holidays, ever. It'll ruin your life. You'll end up postponing Christmas only to find yourself on the matrix with a paper plate full of ambrosia salad and apple cider trolling for youtube videos to create a air castle of a holiday you feel you missed out on. At least there's basketball.

Here's what Christmas looks like...usually.

My Mom's pride and joy.

YEAR-END REVIEW

Finally, an art update. Oh, but I WILL get to baseball later on. :) First things, first. I'll be in two group shows this Saturday, December 15th, up here in the Bay Area.

There's All Star Hustlaz III over at White Walls in San Francisco. Things kick off at 7pm. I've seen variations of their line up but this is the one I pulled off their website.

Rogelio Martinez, Adam 5100, Aj Fosik, Alexis Mackenzie, Amir H. Fallah, Ben Frost, Ben Horton, Ben Woodward, Charming Baker, Dalek, Damon Soule, Diet, Gregory Eucide, Henry Lewis, Katy Horan, Kelsey Brookes, Kill Pixie, Mathew Palladino, Caleb Neelon, Ryan Shaffer, Maxwell Lorence Holyorke, Ronald Kuniawan, Michael Genovese, Mitsy Avila Ovalles and more.

And over at Rowan Morrison in Oakland, the party starts at 5pm. It's a low commission art sale, so I've priced my things (old work) real cheap. There will be libations, snacks and more importantly affordable art from the fine folks listed below.

Truth be told.
I probably won't be at neither one because I'll be painting little tiny oily faces.

And because as Ramo says I'm "the hot stove"...now for some baseball updates. Winter meetings came and went and I'm happy to see the youth movement intact. The Dodgers acquired Andruw Jones who will surely bring some street cred to the LA squad, what with his spiderweb elbow tattoos. He's super duty tough in center, a force at the plate AND he speaks Dutch. I just hope his name doesn't make its way onto the salacious Mitchell report.

Ugh, and as for Mayweather vs Hatton. I'm convinced that as "good" as they say Mayweather is, he's equally a dirty sneaky runner err fighter, mañoso. Hatton was a little too careless, he should have gone to the body like he did against Castillo. :( I I even got in the hooligan mood having just watched "This is England" (great movie by the way). I like the English fans though, they are a loyal bunch. Mexicans would have been booing and chanting "culero" by the end of that one.  Traidores.

BESO! BESO! BESO!

I'll give you five dollars if you get me a pirated copy of this documentary or a torrent file. Thanks.

BOOOO!

Not that I get hella traffic, but my REAL website has been compromised. I guess my web host was hijacked so I just thought I'd explain my url's new interface. It'll hopefully be back up soon. In the meantime you can reach me through here, click the links above to email me or visit my space. Oh and the new "paintings" link (on your left) is still working.

PostData: Para mis amistades & familiares que han intentado entrar a mi pagina, pronto estara disponible.

GAME RECOGNIZE GAME

I'm pretty much famous by now. I was recently blogged about on The Coveted. Homegirl thinks I'm rad, I think she's rad. Jennine is a lady and scholar, check her blog for cute get ups on the daily and all things fashion, art & culture.


Now that baseball is a wrap. Lets be friends. Three hours of my day just opened up. My interest wanes in the postseason. I've made my predictions but there's no real joy in seeing other teams win. Although, I did enjoy the Padres being eliminated and I'm enjoying the Tribe going up 2 games on NY. Good games. But before the seasons end, Ramo and I were watching an A's game (he's an A's fan, I just like tuning in to perve out on Jack Cust, shaaaoooo!) when we started making up new rules we'd like to have implemented for next season. Some of which would have been key in recent decisions.

On the fall equinox one player from each team has to play drunk.

At least one player must dress in Old Tyme style, small brimmed cap,
baggy wool uniform, and either mutton chops or handlebar mustache.

The Yankees and Red Sox have to secede from the American League and
start a new league where they only play each other.

If a team scores 10 runs in any one inning they win the game.

If the pitcher hits the batter with the ball, the batter is allowed to throw the ball at the pitcher butts up style, but not in the head unless he was hit in the head.

On a full count, when the catcher throws the ball back to the
pitcher, if the pitcher misses the ball, then the batter is issued a
walk.

If the runner on first is chunky town and has taken no lead, the
pitcher is not allowed to pick off the base runner.

On a pick off play if its the second attempt at a pick off on the same runner in the inning, and the runner is called safe, the pitcher then has to throw underhand to the batter each time it happens.

If the batter has two strikes, he can only foul off three more foul balls or else he is out.

You are automatically out if on your first at bat your helmet is
covered with pine tar so much so that you cannot make out the logo.

Outfielders are allowed to switch positions during any inning.

All bases will have light up sensors so when the runner touches the base, it lights up.

Infielders gloves must have charcoal tips in case of discrepancies on
tag out plays.

If the coach is a former player, he must wear his old uniform.

Players are allowed to wear no more than 2 nylon titanium coated performance enhancing accessories (necklaces)

If your bat breaks more than once during a game you are not allowed anymore at bats.

There are no base line rules from third to home, you do the math.

If the player is small, he is allowed to juice only enough to be as big as the other players.

Each team is allowed to argue up to three calls each game. The call will be decided by pares o nones.

If the bat boy or girl misses a grounder in foul territory, he/ she must do 40 push ups or take a lap.

Every player is required to take a language for two years. Encouraged languages are Spanish, Japanese, or pig Latin.

The catcher can call for an intentional walk, and the batter can take first base. The pitcher does not have to throw four balls.

If the pitcher age exceeds 42, his first born son is allowed to bat for him (applicable only in the AL)

The team's closer must be brought out by piggyback. Piggyback duty will be designated to the pitcher exiting the game or the blown save leader.

What do you think? Sure some make the game even longer, but it'd be entertaining. Besides some of the rules cut down on time. While we're on the topic of baseball, and since you won't be hearing a gripe about baseball from me for at least 5 months. Maybe less if you count spring training, trades, pitchers and catchers, or winter league. Did you all hear about the fate of Barry Lamar's record breaking* homerun ball? I guess the asterisk branded ball of twine will be heading to Cooperstown, the public has spoken. :) Mark Ecko bought the ball at auction and conducted an online poll to decide it's destiny. The results are below...launching it to outerspace was my second choice. There's another site set up to decide the fortune of Bond's record TYING juiced ball at EndTheDebate.com...that one asks "save it or smash it" Guess what decision is in the lead?




AND THEN...



My little nephew Marco just turned three, here are some party pics. Poor guy, he burned his nose lashes blowing out the candles.

HOLLYWOOD

Pray that my paintings arrive on time and safely for this art show. DHL, no me falles. Thanks to David for the invitation to participate. I'll finally be showing in Los Angeles and alongside some rad artists. Check out how fun this night sounds, and if you're in the area you should probably go, you can pretend you're me.

If you're unfamiliar with Girl in a coma, here's my favorite video of theirs.

The show/nights theme is Mexican rock of the 60's, I decided to paint the enigmatic, talented and always hilarious Johnny Laboriel sanz sus Rebeldes del Rock. He first won me over when he played Cirilo's dad on the novela "Carrusel," but prior to that he was a rock legend.

I also did a portrait of Alberto Vazquez, my mom's teen idol crush of all time! She would always say she'd leave my father for him and still swoons at the sight of him eventhough he's all old and haggard. "Pero es que esta tan guapo todavia" she tells me. I'm in her good graces forever, she made me promise not to sell it. I'd like to see her precious son Junior paint her something. :)

He was pretty hot, look...

I ended up working on canvas, which I normally don't enjoy but I get to work in some embroidery. I don't know any fancy stitches but it's fun. Ballons, balloons. I also did a little lamb.

ALL SHALL PASS

My accomplice Ricardo aka "Ramo" of $NAKE EYE$ interned with Jeremy Fish this summer and helped out & drew up "walk cycles" (I don't know? some animation term) for Aesop Rock's new video "None Shall Pass" off his new album by the same name. CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO CHECK IT OUT. If you're not all super fan and have difficulty making your way through the labyrinth, hit me up and I'll supply the answer key. They're pretty simple questions, and for each one you answer correctly there's a mp3 or lyrics file you can DL. Check it.

*EDIT: I guess some people had difficulty breaching the site's def con 1 defense. So here, cheat off my paper. ANSWERS: Password (NSP), First door (c. Jeremy Fish), Second door (b. Music for Earthworms), Third door (c. Fast Cars), Last Door (blockhead). (Or check the video below)

How awesome is it that a team from Chicali (Seguro Social de Mexicali) is playing at Williamsport in the Little League World Series? They play tomorrow against the Latin American representatives & Taipei. I grew up in and around little league, so it's just fun to watch...fun to watch kids CRY. Scratch that last part, but it does happen.

See...see... I've always bleed blue. Before Vlad there was Pedro Guerrero. :)

SLUMPIN'

Uggghhh, the Dodgers stink. They're slumpin' hard and no amount of prayer, ritual, superstition or Randy Newman is helping. (*note the bobbleheads on my bathroom altar) So I thought I'd put it out into the world wide interweb and hope for some intervention. It wasn't but two and a half weeks ago that LA was on top. What happened? Even Nomar has had it, he was ejected last night, the first time in his 1,300 game career. And now he's on the DL with a sprained calf. Alright, alright I know this isn't a MLBblog, so I'll quit now.

I really came on here to announce that I've put up some new image galleries. You'll be able to see more recent work along with some older stuff not found on my terribly outdated website. By the way, I have no way of updating my site so if you know flash, hit me up. I haven't finished all the updates but check out what I do have up and bookmark it for later later. Click the mock up for the link.

PostScript: The gallery theft coupled with the trolley Dodgers lack of offense drove me to retail therapy. Here are some more junk finds from TJROSSDISCOUNTS.

IDENTITY THEFT

I've been burglarized!!!! People are such dicks. I'll keep it short because I really am beside myself, and collecting all this forensic material is making it worse. Monday, I went up to the citay to de install my part in the Pistolitas show. Aside from everything being tampered with or out of place (which I expected) I noticed that some thieving snake in the grass had boosted some of my shit! First, noticed my monchichi had been seized. Aren't they readily available now, didn't they reissue them recently? Why would someone want my dirty ol' monchichi with nearly a quarter century of babas y todo. Look how Digger, Grimace and E.T were carelessly tossed aside during the pilferage. Why such senseless crimes?!?!? WHY!

By far the worst was that they lifted my old boombox. You got to be shitting me. Some nerve. How does someone walk out with that? Did they prop it up on their shoulder ? Did they look inconspicuous because they had a piece of cardboard under their other arm and donned an adidas track suit? I don't get it. Ughhhh. That was my studio radio too on which I listened to 92.3 La Preciosa and the Juice soundtrack while I would paint. Boooo!

I guess some tunes were needed too. Three or four of my cassette tapes were taken. Among the classics missing were the Fat Boys "Crushin'" and LL Cool J's "Bad". These were bootlegs mind you! They were pirated copies that my brother and I would save up all our pesos/domingos for and buy en los puestos during summer/xmas trips to Mexicali. I could see these being coveted if they were perhaps the real thing, but nooooo, the cover was color copied and it didn't have the pull out, it was just white on the inside. So whoever stole them lacks a discerning eye. Hopefully, the cassettes were mixed up and they really made off with a Cover Girls or Exposé tape.

Who knows what else was stolen. I didn't take inventory. To be fair someone did leave behind a rotting orange and grape stem, so all is not lost. Well if you spot any of these things tip me off, there's nothing wrong with snitching . :) The radio has a hologram snake sticker on it, if that helps. I profiled the crook and came up with this composite sketch. Alright I didn't draw it, I found it on the interweb, but it might be accurate. Mucho ojo, eh.

At least I have this to lift my spirits. :) This cracks me up.

edit* This video has since been deleted due to copyright infringement. Boooo. Now you'll never see the "flaxseed oil" enduced outburst from Barry Lamar Bonds that included this statement - "It's an embarrassment for me to be wearing this (expletive deleted) uniform 'cause of the way I'm playing. There, that's it. Now go away,"-along with a laundry-cart toss after a HITLESS ( I'm talking 0 for 12- hitting in to multiple double plays, popping up and striking out ) weekend against the LA Dodgers. He just better get on another cycle, people are waiting on him and the ESPN interuptions to watch him bat LIVE only to come up with a big goose egg however hilarious, it's getting old. Good news, I found another video, wait for the 1:15 mark.

NOVEDADES

Good news! The Pistolitas de Azúcar show has been extended for two more weeks! You have up until July 14th to check it out. You can hear more about the show as well as an interview with The Date Farmers and the awesome curator Raquel de Anda on this archived radio spot, here's the link...(((RADIO 2050))). And next month, I will be participating in Outer Edge Studio's "The favorites show," click the flyer for more info or visit their website. Tons of fun artists, everything is priced at $600 or less. Who really needs a reason to go to Monterey anyway, it's so nice out there.



So what obnoxious Dodger hat do you think I should invest in? You're right the C-note one would have been "hella tight" had it been done in gold foil. Boooo. Help me. :)

MISSION STATEMENT

Because some (most) of my work can be alienating. Because even my childhood best friend walked away from the last show with questions. Because someone googled "Mitsy Ávila Ovalles" + "explanations of paintings" haha....here is my revised artist statement. I hope it provides some answers.

SOME DEVELOPMENTS

Here's a nod in the SF WEEKLY about the show I'm currently in.  And in case you're wondering what the deuce I keep going on and on about, check the show line up and details at the end of this post.

Click on this screen cap to view some images from the show's reception.  There's a ton of stuff not pictured so make it out to the show if you can.  Alright that's it for todays ego boost. (:

PISTOLITAS DE AZÚCAR:
CULTURA, POP AND WHIMSY








Monica Canilao
The Date Farmers
Amanda Lopez
Juan Luna-Avin
Angelica Muro
Mitsy Ávila Ovalles
Txutxo Perez
Michele Muennig and Juan Carlos Quintana

May 11- June 30

Galería de la Raza
2857 24th St.
San Francisco, CA


As was seen in San Francisco Bay Guardian's
"What to do this week" for Friday May 11th

"Pistolitas de Azúcar: Cultura, Pop, and Whimsy"
Both the lineup of artists and the small gathering of pieces I've seen from "Pistolitas de Azúcar" suggest this might be one of this year's best gallery shows. The Date Farmers' art is as biting as it is humorous and handsome, and Mitsy Ávila Ovalles's work makes very contemporary use of color. The dynamic between the brigade of new creators and established talents such as Juan Carlos Quintana adds depth and breadth to a concept — drawing from fotonovelas, poster art, lowrider culture, and even wood carving — that has great potential. (Huston)

DRESS FOR LESS STRESS

Going to Ross/TJ Maxx (not so much Marshalls) is the new paxil. My stress management (pre-art show, mid playoffs -on the ice SJ Sharks and the skating on thin ice LA Lakers) consists of purchasing junk I'll never wear or see ever again. Damn you 20-60% below regular store prices... always initiating staring contests and double daring me. Well played, off-price retailers, well played. Annddd why were such department stores the topic of my text messaging ALL day?!?! (did you know they have a DD's Discounts in San Jose now? Cause I didn't. Thanks Belén.)
Here's some of the booty I've plundered.

Today's find....Gold nike cortez.

A few weeks back...

Horrible, I know.

Not only am I stressed come show time but I also now live in filth...it's getting progressively worse. And although I finally bought an easel, apparently I don't use it. I know the photo is blurry, I can't be revealing secrets on here all the time. Ya'll don't make yourselves known, there's no telling who's lurking on the interweb.

Last but not least, here's a picture of the BLACK squirrel that has been living in my backyard for years now. It runs up and down that fence all day long while I paint. I'll try to get a better picture of him.

PRIVY

Booooo! Since I last blogged, the Lakers have gone on another miserable losing streak. No wonder Kobe unleashes his frustration through elbows to the face and jugular.

To take my mind away from all that, I thought I'd post some pictures of the work I sent down to Riverside for the "Fully Blown" show at Division 9 gallery. (See the previous post for details and links)

It's all super small work, two 4"x 5" pieces (the ones you see to your right and the one on your upper left) and two 5"x 7" (the ones you see below.) They're on canvas covered with fabric. I don't even like canvas, but I figure you can't beat its shipping prices. These are fun time acrylic and ink joints, then varnished - that explains the glare. I tried some embroidery on these, I'm not sure how much of that can be seen in these images. I couldn't do much of it because the wood frame was in the way but I think I want to do some of this on a bigger scale. Click on em to get a closer look.



As an added bonus, I thought I'd let you in on some of the crappy stuff I blow my sign twirling money on. Yes, that is a shark and a gorilla.

FULLY BLOWN

                     I like to warm up by drawing hands "stacking" or "tirando barrio."

    Myself and a fun bunch of artists, among them the Tank's own Sam Rodriguez are set to contribute in this show come Thursday down in Riverside. Thanks to Rusty Jordan for the invite and big ups to the internet for making it happen.

                   Check the full line up and details by clicking on the flyer...

    UPS tracking numbers are the best and the worst thing to happen to me ever. Maybe they're just not intended for neurotic types like myself, that end up tracking at all hours until the status is bumped to delivered. I'll post some pictures of the paintings I sent later, even though I think I didn't get a single decent shot. Speaking of shows...if you catch my name on the newest galleryad flyer, please know I won't REALLY be showing there this friday. Long story.

    It might come as a shock to all of you, but I don't even paint anymore. I just play Ms.Pac Man all day. I have a new high score!! I'm not sure if it's any good, probably not but I won't dare look it up on wikipedia right now and check my ego. My play impresses my mom and that is good enough for me.

    In other news, the Lakers have finally been able to string some wins together after a rough 6 losses in a row. So my mood has shifted. I'm probably not screening anymore.

                                            This picture is funny, not gay at all. :)

CELEBRITY NEWS

My new thing (distraction) is interviewing my friends in a lame effort to pry into their private lives, learn their fatal flaws and hopefully circulate some rumors about them on the Internet. Just doing my part in bulking up their Google results. So to kick start this public service check out my rap session with rad painter/draftsman Ricardo Rodriguez.

CLICK THE IMAGE

KEEP SHINING

It's Dilla month, so celebrate him everyday all day. I didn't get this out in time for his birthday (my hand started cramping) but the 1 year anniversary of his death is just days away so here's a little tribute. Inspired by the Thank you Jay Dee podcast and his life's work.

♥,
MiTSY

PostScript: I think I grind my teeth when I draw.  That can't be good.  Ughhhh and Mexico's loss to the Yanks yesterday, devastating. I hate it.

ME-HEE-CO

Dear friends, acquaintances and acquaintances twice removed,

             Here's the latest batch from my jaunt to Mexicali.
December through January looked something like this.
 Click on the image for the full effect.
Cheers.