Hi Julian (Schnabel),

When are you going to become my real mentor instead of my fictional mentor, I’m tired of monologuing! Anyways, I did have a great opening in general, but I also feel the pressure from the really good show in the main gallery space, and myself.

First of all, I was wondering what I should wear. This is not my first opening but I’m still puzzled over this issue every time. I could go very business and formal, or I could do what you do, in pajamas! In the end, I remember what you said about your pajamas, you wear them because you feel very comfortable in them. Therefore I chose something that I felt very comfortable with, the sweat shirt I bought from Taiwan that I wear all the time, and the red plaid scarf that I wear so much it might as well be grown on my neck. I sure did feel comfortable for a while until I saw the owners and other artists in the show beautifully dressed like they were going to some evening gala. I suddenly felt like I was disrespecting my own show, but then about 10 minutes later I was busy meeting friends and going around I forgot my outfit completely because I was quite comfortable in them!

My space turned out to be nice, thanks to all the people who help walls, paint, light, frames and presentation tips. However, it is not in the main gallery, it is in the “project space,” therefore most people pass through and come back into the main room.

Looking at the works on the wall, I realized how much further I can go, and how much improvement I need, it feels great and a bit depressing at the same time.

I’m so tired I’ll upload more info and pictures tomorrow…zzzzzz.

Hello Julian (Schnabel),

Oh I’m so sorry that I forgot to bring camera to the studio today and document my preparation for the show opening tomorrow. Since you probably have a crew of people helping you do shows, you prehaps have forgotten how it is like to install your own show, or perhaps it is such exciting and wonderful experience that you’d never forget?

Today I framed around 60 pieces in clip frames, hung them, adjusted them, and painted more walls. Artsit Gabriel Serpa helped me a lot with tips on hanging and feedback on the presentation. This guy gives me constructive criticism on my work and we talk about all things art in the studio, it’s awesome! (I happen to love the word ‘awesome’ although I know you don’t)

Yes I will definitely document everything tomorrow night at the opening, stay tuned!

Hello dear Julian (Schnabel),

Oh my, I’ve definitely earned my right to a good night of sleep today after working 3 hours catching up on exhibition/business stuff and 7 hours of painting walls in the studio preparing for the show “Help Me Remember How Beautiful the World Is.” I’m beat, tomorrow gotta figure out how to get frames from “the Swedish store” to the studio and frame 60+ pieces of art works! OMG…(zzzzzzzzz)

It was pretty cool that Lena told me that there was a new Art In a Box subscriber who pointed out clearly that they wanted my art works, like, they circled my name. It is a very strange feeling that I might have fans out there somewhere in the world/neighborhood. Indeed, fans, Julian, just like I’m a fan of yours!

Hello Julian(Schnabel),

My friend Gabriel showed me a coverage of you and the Palazzo Chupi in Vanity Faire, such a big house! Have you ever felt so lonely in the Palazzo? My bedroom is only 10′ x 10′, but when I’m home alone, it feels like a huge creepy palace. I love small, cozy rooms where there’s no place for monsters!

Anyhow, due to the success of the previous drawing on board, I did a bigger board drawing today, collage content to follow later. Just drawing with bright colors all day is very very enjoyable!

By the way, I’m going to be out of town for about a week, so, just a heads up boss!

drawing on board 16" x 16"

Hello Julian(Schnabel),

I kept wondering, what if you’re a real jerk in real life, like a lot of people say you are? What if all your videos that I’ve seen online actually don’t quite show your real personality? I doubt that, you seem pretty comfortable just being who you are. I think you are just who you are all the time, and for the people who think people should behave in a particular way, that is a scary thing, therefore they put on a smear campaign against you. I’d say, I leave all the judgement oppotunities for myself after you and I have a proper encounter, then I’ll decide wether I should write my blog post to you or Cindy Sherman, or someone else.

Anyways, I made sculpture today in the studio. I’m not very interested in sculpture actually, and I failed my 3d class in college because I did some kind of a relief that the prof thought was more 2d than 3d. But whatever, I felt like making something 3d and I made a Windex bottle and three little figurines from baked sculpy clay. Nothing worth documented here, I just had a good time, and I threw out the three little figurines because, oh, they weren’t any good!

Hello Julian (Schnabel),

Would you say painting is dead? No, I suppose not. I love working on paper, but somehow I must admit that when put side by side to a painting, works on paper just seem light. I mean, sometimes light is a very good thing, but sometimes it could seem trivial. I love the lightness and texture of the paper, but I also love the air of importance of a painting, so I glued a piece of paper onto a thick cradled board, drew on it and see what happens.

The drawing’s all the same, but with the extra wood and depth at the bottom, it suddenly looks important! What’s more this piece does not need framing anymore!

Drawing on paper stuck on painting panel

painting panel detail

Hello Julian(Schnabel),

Okay this is actually me on Wednesday of next week already retro-adding the post for today, but this would look better on the calendar ;p! Don’t worry Julian, everyday I make sure I earn a good sleep from all the hard work, either mentally or physically, or both.

This morning though it was pretty chilled, Walt and I went to get sushi for lunch after dropping off some more postcards on College AVE. Then dragging my sleepy and flu-entangled self I went to Oakland art murmur district to drop off more postcards. It was nice to see friends at RPS and see some art that I missed all these months not going to the First Friday art murmur. Also, it was very exciting to talk about a show in a particular gallery, but I’d save the announcement for this later!

Hey Julian(Schnabel),

It’d be cool if I can have a postcard of one of your shows or drawings. But oh, do you even need to use them as a marketing tool? I never know if postcards work, but it seems like what everyone does for all kinds of events. It is definitely something you just need to do when you have a serious art show that you want people to come see.

Well I too printed my postcards, mailed 100 to different galleries, arts organizations and newspapers, and dropped off about 250 at different cafes and stores in downtown Berkeley today. Tomorrow I’ll hit the Oakland art area and drop the rest of the 200 at various places. I could’ve used some flyering service but alas I missed the deadline, plus I don’t have the budget. Biking under the sun and getting in and out of shops was really tiring, and plus what I really wanted to do was to go to the studio. But as they say, it ain’t marketing before it leaves the building. Go fly far and wide my postcard children and bring someone back to the show with you!

Hello Julian(Schnabel),

Remember that week that I was madly submitting my material to different calls for entries and juried exhibitions? I’m fortunate enough to have the responsibility now to respond and prepare for some acceptance into the shows. In general, it was a hard realization, but better sooner than later, that I’m not going to make any money off of these entries. In fact, it costs quite a bit of money and time to prepare for each show from applying, framing, packing, shipping there to shipping back. I think at this stage, it is all a part of the work, the labor of love, shall we say.

I’m grateful though because with each show I add one more line to my resume which builds credibility. Let’s look at it this way, I am a start up. You see, a lot of start ups don’t start making money until a couple of years later, that’s why they need VCs and angels. In this case, I am my own angel.

So that’s what I did today, packing and shipping stuff to Attleboro MA. It is so cool to think that my pieces are traveling to somewhere I’ve never been!

Hello my dear Julian (Schnabel),

After a whole week in karate boot camp, I finally came back to real life, with some energy left, to deal with things. First of all I can’t believe that I got accepted into another three juried exhibitions, this is insane! So now there’s a ton of logistics to take care of and of course more money to spend on framing and shipping there and shipping back. I’m super excited though!

I also got written up by a newspaper! Click here or read from the image! Yay yay yay! First time ever someone other than myself write about me!

Art In A Box Press