Cow Parade in Taipei!!!

My favorite Cow Parade is coming to Taipei. No excuse to not go home now:)

Event organizers did an interesting twist different than past Cow Parades in other countries.

They invited students to design some cows and the finished cows will be displayed along with professional artists' cows.

Oh, do I envy these kids! Painting a cow for Cow Parade is my dream. Someday when they come to LA crushing our silly Angels, I shall get my own cow.

The creativity in the students' cows are amazing! Though professional artists have a subtler presentation on concepts, I find students' cows connect to people on a more intimate level. Of course, the talents represent Taiwan's culture make this Cow Parade stands out and man are they all Original! Did I say, Original? What is the cool if we are painting Picasso or McDonald's? Although painting our legendary or fable characters may make foreigners scratch their heads, but I say worth the cause, this is how cultures communicate with each other! Check it out, this is my favorite cow, from a student; I not only like the idea, but also his professionalism. The cow is titled: The Monkey King. (or Sun Wukong if you want to say it the way Chinese say it)

Quote of the week

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."
Thomas Jefferson 1802

sounds familiar?
It's the American spirit.
You can not trade US dollar for gold, but you can trade your smaller US dollar for a even smaller US dollar. To know more, watch clips from Zeitgeist.

can life be simple?

Choices, choices and a 2-mile-long list of decisions to make.

Thought art making is simple, drawing what you like, follow the line, add some color, build up the mass, and seal it with pretty glitter.

But art career swirls like a water hole, then art business throws some rocks in, do you want to break the swirls and let it flow, or jump in to catch the rocks?

Fortunately for the human race, I'm not a congresswoman who has to be responsible for people's life and death. Probably at that point, one simply ignores the responsibility anyway.

Nor am I the CEO who's responsible for a 3-million dollar deal every hour on the clock.

But I do, too, have to calculate my cost and value. What's the price, whom to bargain with, how to ship it, how much insurance to buy, call the dealer, call the museum to release works, sign cold-hearted papers, swipe credit cards... and ah, deposit checks.

This year I have a goal to treat my business as a real business. Considering if I'd run a restaurant for the past 6 years, I'd close my door long time ago. Art is unique, but has to deserves something better than a draining pipe. It is time to slowly moving out of the haunted house of funneling saving account to art supplies. So bronze price has risen sky high, I will just forget about it. Sometimes one has to compromise a bit, especially for a perfectionist like me. I always have the instinct to pick the most expensive dress in the whole store, therefore always want to most high end for my work... well, it should feel better to earn the best than spending the best.

So many decisions to make that one can never tell for sure if it is a correct choice. I can simply do my best with my little soft brain and go with the learning curve. Life strikes the bell that rings. I shall ring and ring and ring, and someday say, I can now ring on my own now, no more lessons needed. Leave me alone so I can devote my best life to everything art.

sculptor's mess

Studio is piled up with unfinished projects. Like an irresponsible lover, I have abandoned projects waiting in line to hate me.

Working on the mangrove tree for weeks now, results still don't meet with desires. Wanted to cast it in bronze-too expensive-maybe aluminum will be cheaper-naively thinking, sand casting is even better-can i save up the mold cost-still too expensive. Settling for less can have surprising outcome. New idea shined in last night. I'll make you electronic, that way I have a reason to not cast you.

Used to think that I'm lame to always have to struggle with new techniques. Never can come up with a concept which I know how to make it already. It seems to be a common phenomenon now that artists are constantly in need of learning new skills, especially sculptors. And the new technique can grow on you, make you addictive. Even when the project comes to a halt, I physically want to sit on the floor and continue building. It is addictive arting. Perhaps this one I will not abandon.

Leo babies

Today is a special day. My best girl friend's water broke. According to text message from the other friend, she's in the hospital now.
This Leo girl was past due for 4 days, I was as anxious as her mom was.
In these past 9 months, our spirit have flown high as 3 out of we 4 are going thru pregnancy. Me being the last remain free and watch their lives change. Inside me there's tremendous joy caught from them, heck, I even eat as much as they do:) Another Leo boy will arrive in the next week or two. Both grandmas are ready, standing by to start the transitional Chinese 1-month postpartum care procedure.
My blessings go to my friends who is and will go thru labor this month. Because of them, my views of life has expanded to a new horizon.
Welcome, Leo babies!