Never updates, but I did this time.

I am not lazy. I've been BUSY! My life has been full of craziness and ambitious attempts, and I'm very tired. I went to APE (Alternative Press Expo) 2 weekends ago, attempting to sell some of my prints. I didn't sell much, actually, I sold almost nothing. I sold like 8 prints out of 100 I've printed. When I got home and explained to my boyfriend how much I've sold, I can't help it but started to laugh at my pathetic experience. I've only been to a comic convention once, five years ago at comic con in San Diego. As much I'm a geek and nerd (As a proof, ask me a star trek question and I'll answer you more than you need to know), I just don't feel like I fit in that world of comics and cartoon illustrations. Overall, the experience is awfully discouraging. I was stuck in a building while San Francisco is sunny with wonders and parties and places I want to see. Though I did see people I have only known online. Everyone is polite and friendly, more than their online persona. I don't think I'll do this comic convention type of thing again. It just wasn't worth my time. I might go to check out a convention if I get a free pass, but spending my vacation time in a building not selling your own art... feels... failure. Hahahaha!
And San Francisco is beautiful. I got to stay with my lovely gay couple (how can it not be SF without the gays), they treated me so well to the food and sights. I want to go back! I also jogged the 12m circle trail around the Golden Gate Park. I did get lost at some point, but my iphone saved me. I didn't get to visit the science museum, sad, nor bike across the golden gate bridge, sad, nor get to see the seals. But I did party in this bar and danced until they closed. We also rode a vintage streetcar, quite dangerous, and got to eat fancy dinners every night.
Here are some San Francisco photos.




And here're some photos from my last NYC trip.



And here are some more character drawings I did.






And I think I'm done with these character designs. Moving onto something else more interesting.

Pinarello

Boys and girls. I went missing for a long time. I went on vacation in New York, Boston and Provincetown. I came back all sad and wish I was still on the sandy beach of Cape Cod. Ideally it would've been more delightful if I had brought my new Pinarello bike. Oh my Pinarello... I love my new bike. I did a few rides with it up to Sauvie Island (a huge farmland island north of Portland in the Columbia River), and I found out 40 mile is kind of my limit at bicycling. I'll need some training to do more miles in a day. Maybe it has to do with my marathon training the day before a ride.

Also, I'm coming to APE! Alternative Press Expo, part of the comic con events. It will be held in San Francisco on October 17-18 (Saturday and Sunday). I got a table to share with Lorelay Bove. So if you are coming to the expo, please drop by to say hi, and I might make you a cocktail. But keep that under the security radar.

I think I really slacked off on my after work productivity. My bf has been taking me on bike rides and I just can't resist. I've also been reading a lot. Really bad, I haven't touched the music video for a while and haven't opened my sketchbook for 2 weeks. All in all I finally finished my new painting last night.

I know what you are thinking... the hell is going on here?! I would like to explain it but I rather not. You be the judge. I did get bored of painting mountains. My friend, Erik Fountain, did a drawing inspired from my last painting. I think its fantastic and wanted to share it with the public. I had a great laugh.

enough said!

And here are some photos from my trip.









Some photos are taken by my friend Kim, who drank so many PBRs with me.

Je suis fatigue.

I showed my last painting to few folks around and seems like I got a fairly good response. I'm going to work on more of them, as a series perhaps. Maybe I'll put it in a solo show I might have in September here in Portland. Not 100% sure yet. But meanwhile I did more character sketches and came up three more characters.

The middle guy is inspired by this bicycle clothing brand called Rapha. They are kind of the "high end" wear for cyclists. I think its mostly because their product does look good, not tacky and typical.
The last few weekends I did a lot of field trips. I went camping on the Oregon coast, hike in the Columbia River gorge, and other adventures in Portland.










I also plan to go to Boston and Cape Cod in end of August. I can't wait! Beach, seafood, ... more beach. The best clam chowder I've ever had is in Provincetown. Yes, suck it Seattle.

bears

I almost hugged a bear!!!!

Well, I didn't almost, but I did see a wild bear few feet away. Last month I was up in Jasper and Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. My friends and I were planning to do a backpack camping trip, but it was too cold at night to do tent camping. We ended up staying in a hostel and a forest lodge. I wish I'm still there. Snow didn't completely melt yet, this is late May. There were also a lot of bear and predator warnings, 'cause its spring and they all just woke up from their long winter naps. I had to buy a bear whistle for precaution, and we did encounter a bear but we were in my car. Anyways, here are some photos from the trip. They look so vintage 'cause of my 60s yashica mat LM camera.











With all that hiking and tons of stuff I had to catch up when I got back... I can't help to do paintings and drawings. So I've got tons of artwork to post later in the month. But for now, this is the latest. I've also cleared out my harddrive for more space, so I can work in bigger format without crashing my computer.



and some sketches leading up to the painting



Ever since I got back I have strong urges to go hiking. Thank goodness Portland is close by mountainous terrains. I went to the Columbia River Gorge yesterday and hiked onto top of the Hamilton Mountain to get a glimpse of the gorge. The upcoming July 4th weekend I plan to make a trip up to Mount St. Helens to do the 12mile hike. I really hope I encounter sheep or wild goats. Though... that's how you get ticks. Did I mention I found ticks on my neck during the Banff trip? They looked like ladybugs, not that gross.

MOTHERFUCKERS

I locked my bike outside of my apartment for one evening. I got home around midnight... an old man was there doing something next to my bike. I thought he was pumping his bike... an invisible bike perhaps. I didn't check. I went inside and realized what was going one, ran outside, TOO LATE. The mother fucker has stolen both of my bike wheels. I feel violated. I want to beat the shit out of the guy's gut and wear his sphincter for shoes. Then, I will kick his nuts until they are rotten like dried up cherries. My bike is everything to me. I commute everyday with it. I do my grocery with it. I basically can't live without my bike. I can't believe someone would steal it. And its not even some amazing wheel, but I did just replace the tires few months ago... expensive tires for the winter. MOTHER FUCKER. I can almost feel sympathy for anyone but a bicycle thief... that's like... the ultimate sin in my book. If I ever see that fucker again, I'm going to not only beat him up. I'm going to bike over his fuck'n hands and he will never steal ever again.

This is not my bike. Just an example of the devastation. My bike is actually ten thousand times better than this. And both wheels are stolen. Stolen by a worthless piece of shit.