Yesterday, I went to see a performance art piece by the Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu class and Dance Company at the Palace of Fine Arts (my friend Kailani was one of the 260 dancers). They combine traditional polynesian/Hawaiian dance with comtemporary themes, music, and costume. It was quite a visual and audible experience.

Check out their webpage:
http://www.naleihulu.org/index.htm

I finished it!

Here's the finished painting! It's actually 94% finished there's some things I might change about the color. I think I'll be doing one more of these portraits and then collect objects to assemble into a surface to paint on. I was thinking of going to yard sales and seeing if there's any furniture worth reusing. It would be awesome if I found a blackboard :) I'm not sure when I'll be done with this series but it will take quite sometime. If you were wondering, the bigger paintings will have more narrative than these portraits.

Hello Fellow Tamales

Hello,

I'm Elizabeth (or Liz) Zunino and I just join Hot Tamales U Can't Afford. For those of you who don't know me, I've been a long time resident of the East Bay and I'm currently a Traditional Arts major in my final year at CSUEB. I work with both oil paints and ink, though right now I'm working on a series of oil paintings of Koi. In my work, I focus on organic patterns, texture, vibrant coloration, and the fluidity of water and identity. The oil paintings on the far left and center are the first koi paintings in my series based on drawings I did a number of years ago. You may or may not be able to tell in the images, but I added texture (a mixture of Liquin, Stand Oil, oil paint, and talcum powder) to the scales to make the fish emerge from the surface.

The last work isn't a painting but a textile/needlepoint fish pond I've been designing for the past three months. Needlepoint is a combination of counted cross stitch and embroidery and I've been practicing needlepoint techniques for about ten years (since my grandma taught me when I was 12). The image (far right) features nine sheets of 10''x 12'' plastic canvases, the skeleton holding the yarn and stitches in place. It's still a working progress and will eventually be composed of 25 sheets (54''x 60''). I'm hoping to complete this project in time for my senior show.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy! :)

~Liz Zunino~

elizabeth.zunino@yahoo.com

Salazar Update!

Here's a little montage of the pictures I've been taking of the latest painting I'm working on. There's actually more on it now but I'll post it when it's done. I'm not sure what I'll do for the next painting but I'm thinking of using more materials to have these characters in a different light. I think I might go back to the abstract drawings for now because I miss them and I think they miss me. They are like plants you forget to water then they get mad at you.

I also did this sketch of Courtney Love in my break from working at Togonon Gallery. I'm an intern there. I love Courtney I tried to emphasize the plastic surgery and complex personality this woman has.

Leslie Becerra Telling Those M***f***rs Off!

It is clear that tamales are innately hot with creative intent. However, when they get released in the real world tension usually arises. In the pic above we see Leslie Becerra telling one of the bikers off at the Dirty Bird Lounge in Hayward. The reception which occurred at the same time of the incident was a success and lots of booze and pool play ensued.

Ok let me be a little more real with you all :D This experience was actually good. The work was hanging and I know it was the Verses series but it was fun to see them all together again on the wall.

In a way I felt like I was having a flashback and I was 21 again. It's so different now that I'm 23 (Most people are thinking "no it's not, it's only been 2 years" but it feels different explanation follows...) When I create art a lot more background comes into a brushstroke I choose to use or imagery I choose to use. It can be the same look but it means something more complex now. I also catch myself repeating parts of systems I often see in my work and it's not that I ran out of ideas but putting it in different contexts creates different content.

I'm probably not making much sense for most people so to sum it up I'm just going to say that having this show has opened my eyes on how far down the road I am now and how much further I can walk knowing that I've been walking in the right direction.

has anyone felt anything like this? please share in the comment section I'd love to hear and discuss :)

Hidden Art in my Closet

Earlier this week, I had to show pictures of some of my artwork that I have done in the past and I thought that I would share some of those photos with you. It was kind of interesting because I forgot about some of these pieces and I think they show a little of my versatility. These are all things I did a long time ago, so the quality may not necessarily be great, but I think they represent where I have come from as an artist as well as some of my interests and my personality.

I created this chair in 2003. The wings are made from plexiglass, and they can move side-to-side. The stinger was created from a broom stick. This is actually the chair that I use when I’m working and doing art in my studio.

Bumble Bee Chair

Front.

Back.

With a model to emphasize the stinger.

With the exception of the Bumble Bee Chair, all of my other pieces have been and continue to be archived in my closet. Sometimes you have to show the old stuff so people can see where you come from and how you’ve developed.

If you would like to see more pictures of some of my other old pieces, check out my blog: http://www.leslieannart.blogspot.com/.

Update: I’ll post pictures of my current pieces very soon. I’m still working on making objects for one of my paintings and it’s taking me a long time. The process is long, but I hope it will all work out.

Happy viewing,

Leslie Ann

leslieannart.blogspot.com

New Show!