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.

CHEAP GIFTS

It's Monalisa Peaches 23rd birthday today
and all she asked me for was this crumby drawing. Boooo.

Little Mona once ran away "with the angels," by ran away I mean went as far as underneath the back seat of the Garcia party/church van parked in her drive way- for like, 3 hours. What would prompt this you ask? Well, if I remember correctly (which I make it a point to, precisely for cheap shots like this) she wanted a #2 with orange drink from McDonalds and no one would comply. That is my favorite Mona anecdote and I'll be sure to toast to it on her wedding day. If you know the dame, holler at her with some celebratory well wishes. Sorry for making your dirty pillows look so huge Mona.

Speaking of McDonalds... what's with Ben Seaver's cameo in their recent commercial? Is it referencing Vh1's Best Week Ever, Fabulous life of or whatever? I don't get it. Can someone please write in with a long winded and obtuse explanation? Thanks.

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP DANCE

Dear internet,
c/o myspace
I wish I knew how to quit you.
♥
Mitsy

AD-VERSE-MENT

     Here is something I sketched up for my homegirls line of earrings, LOBE RIDERS.  
Pick some up.   

RISA EN VACACIONES 2

     Here are pictures from my recent hiatus spent making my way from San Jose to Mexicali to Tucson to Magdalena de Kino, back to Tucson to Hermosillo to Guaymas to San Carlos and circle back. My first night in Mexicali was spent at the "Fiestas del Sol" where el mismisimo Ramon Ayala, el rey del acordeon y sus bravos del norte were on hand for the cessation of the festival. We got no where near the stage but still swayed with the tempo and downbeat of the norteno polka. The next day I found out that Mexican league baseball is where the party's REALLY at. Winter ball coalesces everything I love in life. The typical rally song arena anthems of "Who let the dogs out" & "We Will Rock You" (or just about anything found on a NOW that's what I call music 23) are substituted with cumbias sabrosonas and the Juan Gabriel songbook. They have midget bat boys, fried ox tails are the new hot dog and a descendant of baseball royalty, Fernando Valenzuela junior plays first base. I was also surprised to learn that the single thing I find most amusing in the world are effeminate simian mascots that wear thongs on their head and simulate sexy time with batters on the opposing team. Normally, the Mexicali aguilas mascot is a man's man Eagle named Lucho, but the game we went to was a double header, so we got the b team, meaning "EL MONKEY" (aka the antithesis of Lucho) was the fill in. Imagine the announcer calling out "Que estas haciendo Mon-key? El mon-key quieres bailar?" it was awesome.

Not to brag or anything but I'm a Godmother now, to the asian looking twins pictured, my nephews, Alex & Alexis. Soooo now that I've made the earnest commitment (attended two pre-baptism classes) I plan to fully take advantage of my certification. The paperwork is only good for two years so if you want me to baptize your babies get your requests in now. I'm your man. :) I have other stories, like how after two hours trying to traverse into the US and A, the immigration officer asked what happened to my hair... and an exhaust fume dizzied half asleep me, replied with "You mean why is it the color of cotton candy?" Or how I paid a dollar to see some rank ill smelling animals with 5 legs and other deformities along with the headliners the optical illusion "Angelluz," the smoke and mirrors Siamese twins. Boooo! I'm pretty sure they're violating child labor laws and mistreating animals but what do I know. Or how stars in the middle of the desert look crazy. Or my culinary research of how quesadillas begot sinchronizadas, sinchronizadas begot caramelos, caramelos begot lorenas. But i'll bore you with those later.

My camera's battery latch broke somewhere between Nogales and Sonoyita, so after a while the riggin wasn't getting it done and I gave up taking pictures. Here's what i did shoot.

Pictured above are the remains of the Italian missionary and explorer Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, they're displayed in this crypt where they were found in 1966.

        You're supposed to lift the bigger than life Saint Francisco Javier, if he proves too heavy it means you're of little faith and/or have the chamuco in ya.

Also, billboards in northern Mexico are my favorite. They reuse panels from different signs to build them, down below is the result.

It's rough in the streets, even Spongebob gets crossed out.