Have a fantastic X-mas and New Year!

Season's Greetings

Finally back in LA. Spent Thanksgiving in Little Rock with my sister. I finally had a real Thanksgiving dinner (well Lunch if I should be technical about it since Mary, my sis speech professor, decided to have it for lunch instead of dinner). She cooked the most delicious and juicy turkey ever!!!!! It was sooo good I never like turkey breast alone but this was different. She told us she got it fresh from a farm! See what we are missing here in Cali? Fresh food even though California grows a lot of vegetables and fruits and what-not most of the food we eat are not fresh, well in my family anyway. Anyhoo, fresh organic fruits, vegies, and chickens/turkey are the best, everyone knows that but not everyone can get it :). But enough about food here's a card I made at the hotel I stayed in Arkansas to thank Mary for the lovely lunch. I didn't get to paint it until I got back here but it will be mailed out and make it for the next big holiday!

Nov 4th

Big sis and younger brother trying to write (mainly circles and scrawls, but it's cute). Of course older brother is always watching TV, in this drawing he was watching The Tale of Despereaux. I think his favorite movie right now is Kung Fu Panda because it's been playing almost everyday nonstop.

Interview with Mat Gleason of Coagula

Over this week I had an opportunity to interview Mat Gleason, publisher/creator/editor of Coagula, artist, gallery owner and a bunch of other things(the man wears many hats), on art in general around LA via email. I didn't know what to expect, but I was guessing he would say things for what it is not some bullshit or scared of stepping on someone else toes. It was as I expected. I can see why he created a magazine such as Coagula. See for yourself reading will do you some good my friends :D

MC: Hi Mat.

MG: HI MIMI

MC: I would refer to myself as a creative person, what about you? Since you are doing a lot of things beside being an artist?

MG: EVERYONE is creative but most people get lazy along the way.

MC: As a creative person do you feel you have a significant purpose in life?

MG: There is a lot of unnecessary ego in the creative fields, and yet we all need a sense of purpose. The phrase I heard was from Gandhi: "What you do will not be important but it is important that you do it."

MC: I asked this because I believe art is extremely important in our world but some people don’t seem to think so and some of these people don’t believe being an artist is an actual career.

MG: There has always been that battle going on, if it stopped, art would be like plumbing and maybe even more boring than plumbing. I like that art has to battle people who want a boring, safe world.

MC: And when you meet these people do you try to educate them about different art careers or do you just walk away?

MG: I'm not a missionary for art, but I have noticed a few people seeing what I do, and having done it this long and being known for it, I think it inspires people to take a chance, so leading by example is my motto. I believe the impulse to educate and the impulse to brainwash come from the same part of the brain, the opposite side of the "inspire them lobe" of the brain.

MC: What is your definition of good art?

MG: When something goes beyond entertaining me and makes me see the world differently or feel differently or expands my consciousness somehow. The problem with being in the art world is like after you have seen a thousand movies, you have seen that movie before, you have seen a painting like that before, but there are still great moments.

MC: Do you feel there is a difference between being a fine artist and illustrator?

MG: An Illustrator can paint a character in a costume, but without the costume you don't know who the character is. An artist can paint a face and not need to add a costume for you to know who has been painted.

MC: People most likely asked you this before, but what make you decide to start an art magazine?

MG: I realized there were ten thousand artists in town and only four magazine publishers in town.

MC: What are some of the proudest moments you feel since the start of Coagula?

MG: I have an ongoing sense of pride in publishing regularly and I have to thank my advertising salesman, Michael Salerno, for reminding me of the deadlines, but together we have kept it going and consistency in the art world is almost as powerful as being a wealthy collector.

MC: Besides ads, how do you keep your magazine free for so long?

MG: I looked into selling copies on news stands years ago and there was too much paperwork involved, so my laziness actually helped make it a bigger success. Now with the internet, information is free basically anyway.

MC: Which art magazines/journals/annuals do you read beside your own?

MG: I read everything and look at everything associated with art, especially contemporary art, I go to libraries still, I go to newsstands and I surf the internet for hours almost every day, but I have passions outside of art that balance my diving into art, so I follow those just as passionately, because people can get lost in a sort of "art-land" fantasy and that is how artwork of no consequence and no intensity and no passion can thrive... when art is disconnected from life and people in the art world are sealed off from the real world.

MC: Which would you recommend?

MG: The Wall Street Journal will give you the mindset of the people who are running the art world.

MC: I’ve heard a lot of “in this economy” stuff on the news, with some of my friends, the market etc...What is your take on this?

MG: The economy is a good excuse for when bad artists cannot get shows or sell art. But it has affected some good galleries and cost art world people lots of money, so the activity at the levels where money ends up financing the work of many artists... it has been cramped, but it is not gone. And you don't need big bucks to make great art in the short-term.

MC: I know it does affect how many pieces get sold in galleries now, however, do you think it has more positive effects than most people think? Like the quality of artwork being produced etc.?

MG: A lot of fake artists leave so the quality probably does go up!

MC: We all been to plenty of galleries what’s your view on the ones that charge a fee to get in when it’s not even for charity? Do you even go there?

MG: I only pay for parking and for museums. If the art is for sale it is a store - does Target charge a cover? Nope.

MC: Do you have several favorites you frequent?

MG: My favorite Gallery in L.A. right now is Kristi Engle. She showed an artist who made the art for 1970s pinball machines and then had shows with very edgy artists. Her gallery is in Eagle Rock. I like galleries where every artist is different - when a gallery shows the same kind of art after a while it is pretty boring.

MC: There's a lot of these "lofts" springing up around town, what do you think of it? Another trend?

MG: The problem is that lofts were originally great for artists to make noise in and use chemicals in that you cannot be mixing for paint at midnight on Wednesdays... but now it is all "loft style" living, people pretending to be artists. You are right to call it a trend.

MC: What's is the best thing about the Brewery and living there? There are mix opinions about this place like any other places. Some say it's overrated other say it's a great community to live in.

MG: The best thing about the Brewery was the diverse community. I finally moved out but have many friends there. There are not many places in California that you can call a community, especially one for artists. But it can be overrated if you move there thinking it will help you be an art star - making great art in a boring neighborhood will help make you an art star.

MC: What’s your opinion on networking on places such as Facebook, Myspace, Twitter etc...?

MG: These are excellent because they are free. If you use them properly you can reach people more efficiently than with methods that cost money - a lot of money sometimes.

MC: And your view on the young generation of emerging artists? Any advice you can throw out for the young ones?

MG: Be first or second, biggest or best. Please try to blow my mind without sinking to a shocking stunt or just ordinary vandalism. I would LOVE to discover the next great young artist, but everyone who claims to be that is drawing the same stupid Cartoon hip-hop anime Britney characters or reciting art school big words they don't understand to justify boring nothing art. So I smirk when I hear the words " you are not gonna believe this" because you are not gonna believe how easy it would be to wipe that smirk off my face and how nobody ever does it because they want to make the same thing someone else did. As far as advice, Make art every day, find your voice, refine it with style. If you can't find a gallery, start your own and if you imitate your heroes you are the audience but if your art moves beyond what you heroes did you are your hero's peer.

MC: Thank you Mat.

MG: Thanks MIMI

ISSUE #100 of Coagula is available for download on coagula.net on November 10, so check it out!

1 sheep 2 sheep 3 sheep

I found another shade of gray since the last time I drew horses. I didn't know they have sheep in Cal Poly Pomona...next time I'll see what else I can find.

11_03

Grab the first thing I could find to get this drawing done. A regular yellow and pink eraser HB pencil was on the couch so a pencil sketch. Hmmmm still need to work on the age thing, she looks a bit older.

Oct 29th

Another day at Cal Poly Pomona. It was nice and sunny, perfect day to be out and about drawing beautiful horses. I totally forgot to go visit the cows and other livestocks.

Oct 26th

Oct 24th

Oct 21st

her favorite spot in front of the TV. She's serious about this place her brother could not bully her out of this spot. It was funny watching him trying to convinced her to move :D

20th

18th

16th

Oct 15th

Cows at Cal Poly Pomona

I took several days off for a wedding and a few other things. I always wanted to go draw animals but it's rather depressing at the Zoo. My friend goes to Cal Poly Pomona and he told me they have farm animals there and horses too. So off I went to Cal Poly yesterday. Too bad it was sprinkling most of the time so I didn't really get much done.

Oct13th

This one is done after trying hard to get rid of the three kids from hovering over my sketch book so I can draw them. I didn't get a chance to draw them after anyway because they wanted me to read to them. I think it's cute so...here it is.

Oct 8th

This little one is really shy, she still won't play with most of her peers. She the same with me sometimes.

Oct 7th

Oct 5th

So on Sunday I took my car to change the oil, changed the air filter, rotated my tires...all the fun stuff. I even washed my car and waxed it too :D...my arms still hurt. So you might have guess no baby drawings on Sunday. But on Monday there's this one.

Oct 3rd

I don't understand why kids like playing with stinky shoes, but they do. Well my nephew, Nick, does. I caught him on camera wearing my heels one time while pushing his walker (the thing you have to help toddler learn to walk) and it's hilarious.

Oct 2nd

So this little one came in the morning and made a ruckus refusing to eat breakfast, wanting to go to pre-school with his older brother and sister, and decided to make the door his station for quite a while. In this picture he's looking at my neighbor, John, loading things into his car. Kids, they appreciate every little thing. That's the beauty of it :D

Oct 1st

So no kids around the house...what to do? Decided to just make some quick sketch of babies out of my head before heading to bed...so this is what I have for October 1st.

Sep 30th

29th

I only did one on this day. The other twos were not around when I came home. On the 28th none of the kids were around the house by the time I came back from the Hollywood Bowl= no drawings.

Sep 27th

27th was not a good day. Didn't get much down. I think they all had too much sugar and did not sit still.

Sep 26th

For the 26th I only had an hour with my youngest nephew so I only did one sketch. The perfect time to draw babies is when they are a bit grumpy and trying to stare you down.

Sep 25th 2

Sep 25th

What do you do when you have babies around most of the time? I decided to draw my niece and nephews whenever I see them. I started on the 25th of September.

I made this sketch book several days ago. Decided to take it with me to the Hollywood Bowl and test it out. I forgot how to properly sew a book together but it still looks pretty good. The hotpress watercolor paper was a pain...the next one i'm making will be better :)

my cupcakes

a little fun sketch

An illustration from a book I am working on right now.

Lombard St

PostCard I made for my friends of Lombard St.

Zoom Zoom

No No No

Sandcastle

A little something I started. I need to get these out of my head!

close up shot. The other two paintings are done. I will find a better camera or scanner before I upload them on to this blog. Next few paintings will be posted slowly.

3rd painting I'm working on. A bit stuck :) need to see what I am going to do with it next.