SHARED MADNESS

New Shoes!!!!

2008-11-03T20:28:00.000-08:00

These are the latest Shared Madness custom shoes, available on our etsy page www.sharedmadness.esty.com

Our latest shoes are Converse Jack Purcell Dancers. Here is a picture of the pair Champ just designed for me!

shhhhhhh

2008-10-12T13:39:00.001-07:00

www.myspace.com/magickbitches
www.myspace.com/dierockersdie
www.myspace.com/whisperkid

Recent L.A Weekly article about Die Rockers Die:
http://www.laweekly.com/2008-10-02/calendar/dubbing-reality-with-die-rockers-die/

Champ's latest work and Freelance Availability

2008-09-25T22:32:00.000-07:00

Thank you for stopping by Shared Madness. This is a blog intended to share the creative endeavors of both Champ and Rhea. Champ works as a textile designer for Robert Kaufman fabrics and Rhea works for The Urban Craft Center in Santa Monica.
Please explore the many blog posts here because a lot of Champ's most recent artwork is only available to see on this website. Most of it is for sale as a print and some as signed limited edition originals. Champ is available for a variety of custom orders or freelance work. Please email either Champ or Rhea at asharedmadness@gmail.com for any questions or inquiries you have. Here is where we must say that all images are copyrighted by artist. Any use of images of the work must be done so with Champ's permission. One last thing...SHARE YOUR MADNESS!!!!!

Our most popular sold items have been our Custom Converse shoes. From Obama themed shoes to hipsters and even babies, examples of the work can be found on our etsy store: www.sharedmadness.etsy.com Here is one example of our most recent completed order.

Many local bands ask Champ to design flyers, t-shirts, buttons and logos. He's here to help!

Some album covers and flyers:

Examples of available prints (please email to see more, or visit www.sharedmadness.etsy.com)

More artwork:

We have a white canvas sofa from Ikea that is now filled with sweet smelling sharpie drawings. The fabric is almost completely covered! Here is a sample of the madness inside his head that spilled out onto the couch :-)

asharedmadness@gmail.com

NEW FABRIC DESIGNS

2008-09-18T11:11:00.000-07:00

Here's a new fabric that i made at work. Ive been trying to come up with toddler oriented designs but at the same time making it still accessible to other age groups.
I basically used up elements from an older pattern that i made a while ago.

Lady Champ and Lord Rhea

2008-08-22T10:00:00.001-07:00

Created on Photoshop!

Urban Craft Challenge

2008-08-21T14:26:00.000-07:00

The past couple of weeks have presented me with truly a rare opportunity of working at The Urban Craft Center in Santa Monica. http://theucc.blogspot.com/

In preparation for interviewing with them, we were asked to create something we've never done before. I started thinking about an essential skill that I've never learned and sewing immediately came to mind. The only thing I've sewn is a button on pants, and I think it has since fallen off.

My cousin let me use her sewing machine and I decided to first sew a canvas bag. The dimensions were a bit tricky for me, but I eventually created a reversible bag using fabric from Champ's work. The white side of the bag became my blank canvas and I moved onto figuring out how to hand sew. I got a basic sewing book and figured out how to do some stitches and Champ came home with a big bag full of fabric scraps.
Reversed side of bag:

On one side of the bag I used heat 'n bond adhesive to create a collage on one side, printed out some of Champ's artwork onto transfer paper and applied those images to the fabric.

On the other side, I hand sewed all of the cut out pieces. I really love to make collages and found that the thread could be used to draw patterns around the fabric pieces as well. To add some dimension to the image, I stuffed some of the pieces with cotton balls before I sewed them closed. Right now the embroidered piece is safety pinned to the bag so that I can work on it more, but safety pins are the shit cause I'm able to change what is displayed on the front.

I'll post some directions of how I sewed the bag with the sewing machine. It took about 4 hours to do my first one, but considering I've never touched a sewing machine, it wasn't that difficult.

I found out I got the job working there yesterday, along with my friend Ixchel who inspires me to create and write and who has worked with me at the Women's Center at CSUN. She posted her amazing craft on her blog. Ixchel screenprinted wallpaper and gives a step by step how to in her explanation.
http://www.pollydanger.com/blog/2008/08/20/diy-wallpaper/
JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THIS!!!!

Show Flyer

2008-08-13T08:31:00.000-07:00

heres a flyer i did for a show on september. it is also bastidas' record release.

Pilobolus

2008-08-06T22:14:00.000-07:00

This is a dance company that has recently started using shadows as the center of their performance.
I thought I'd share what they have written on their myspace page.
WHAT IS PILOBOLUS?

Pilobolus (crystallinus) is a phototropic zygomycete - a sun-loving fungus that grows in barnyards and pastures. It grows on a stalk as a small bladder, pressurized by cell sap and topped with a tiny black cap filled with spores. When time and Pilobolus are ripe, this entire sporangium is blasted off with incredible force and the little spore bags can shoot over a cow like clowns out of a cannon. It's reported that the acceleration - from 0-45 mph in the first mm of flight - is the second fastest in nature.

Pilobolus, the arts organism, germinated in the fertile soil of a Dartmouth College dance class in 1971. What emerged was a collaborative choreographic process and a unique weight-sharing approach to partnering that gave the young company a non-traditional but powerful new set of skills with which to make dances. The group was immediately acclaimed for its startling mix of humor and invention and Pilobolus soon became a self-sufficient organization, its members choreographing, dancing, managing, and publicizing their own programs.

Pilobolus has developed from this ad hoc dance collective into a unique American arts organization with four major branches of activity: Pilobolus Dance Theatre, our 7-person touring company; The Pilobolus Institute, an umbrella for all our educational programming; Pilobolus TOO, our duet company, touring both independently and in coordination with Institute programming; and Pilobolus Creative Services, an administrative structure allowing us to coordinate creative activity with both commercial and artistic organizations outside our own company.

Today Pilobolus is recognized as a major American dance company of international influence. It has not, however, forsaken its original impetus. The company remains a deeply collaborative effort with an executive director, three artistic directors, an artistic associate and seven dancers contributing to one of the most popular and varied repertoires in the field. Its many decades of consistent artistic activity now stand as a testament to the group's remarkable fruitfulness and longevity.

I've visited music and comedy myspace pages but have only recently began to look at dance company pages. You can really share your madness no matter what you do!
It's really amazing! Take a look!

88 Boa Drum

2008-07-22T22:10:00.000-07:00

We got our free tickets last week to the 88 Boa Drum event happening at the tar pits! Huh? The what? Happening at the who?

Last year, The Boredoms (see exhibit A) organized 77 drummers to play beneath the Brooklyn Bridge on 7/7/07 at 7:07 P.M. People pretty much went ape shit for the experience and now the west coast has an opportunity to kick the East Coast's ass with 10 more drummers on 8/8/08 at....well, you can figure it out.

Exhibit A--->

I was about to let you know that you can get your free ticket at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/39212 but apparently they are sold out. Now I look like an asshole, unless, you too knew of the event and got your sweet sweet ticket in time. If not, I have googled for you and found a video of last years 77 Boa Drum experience. I can't find the real badass video that has some documentary included, but perhaps you can find it and send me the link. And by you, I mean YOU.

Drink a cup of tea in the morning

2008-07-16T15:26:00.000-07:00

Every morning for the past few weeks I have been making a cup of tea to start my day. There is something soothing and empowering about this simple ritual, even when I sip

www.craftster.org
With over 140,000 member registered on the site, this online community website is full of useful info and forums and craft challenges with prizes. Its intent is a free sharing website of how people make what they make and do what they do. This months challenge was to create something in homage of your childhood hero (like superman or the cat in the hat!). Check out the submissions, they are pretty amazing!

www.craftypod.com
These girls are based out of SanFran. They have a website and podcast all about making stuff. Not only do they have great crafts, but they take great pictures of their experiences and creations. Tons of links, tons of archives, get lost in it!
my tea beside my window the overlooks the majestic 10 Freeway. Drink a cup of tea before proceeding!

I've been checking out independent crafter websites lately, mostly to be aware of the many communities that support the d.i.y spirit. Champ and I always seek inspiration in order to fuel our creations, we just want the same process to catch on to you. Here are a few that I've been reading lately.

CRAFT SANITY
www.craftsanity.com
Jennifer, the girl who started this blog, also has a podcast of interviews and homemade videos about crafts. She writes about all kinds of creations; quilts, candles, calligraphy, textiles, even this tree skirt. She writes about "Knitted Graffiti" which is something that I wasn't aware of until paying attention. Basically, knitters put their crafts onto trees and telephone poles around cities, with a similar (albeit perhaps less controversial) tag identity as conventional spray paint graffiti. :-)

http://www.theswitchboards.com/
Connective creative women in business. yes please!

Check out more crafty sites and share with us ones that you love:
http://www.getcrafty.com/
http://whipup.net/

Evgeny Kiselev

2008-07-14T12:32:00.001-07:00

Every now and then I find some artist that really gets my attention right away. Mostly , its because their work is just so badass and amazing and somehow it has elements that reminds me of stuff that I do. Anyways, this artist is totally one of those.

Anything Is Possible.

2008-07-14T12:04:00.000-07:00

MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

Here is a really amazing work by Blu from Brazil. Let those jaws drop!

Drawing Is Meditation

2008-07-11T15:22:00.000-07:00

Some people have prayer or meditation, I simply just draw.

Drawing To Live.

2008-07-10T13:15:00.000-07:00

Drawing IS Therapy.

2008-07-09T14:44:00.001-07:00

More Custom Shoes!

2008-07-08T23:31:00.000-07:00

The orders keep coming in and we are always excited when we work on a new pair of shoes for our Etsy store. Watching the process go from blank canvas, to Champ's innovative designs and being able to pop the color onto the black and white images myself is a fun and rewarding process. Here are some pics of our newest shoes that we just sent out to Kentucky!

Making and sharing creations is what makes the world go round. SHARE YOUR MADNESS EVERYONE and let us know what you want to see more of from us!

Drawings From A Dark Corner.

2008-07-08T14:46:00.000-07:00

Drawing The Weekend Away.

2008-07-07T13:20:00.000-07:00

Rhea's Photography

2008-07-06T13:23:00.001-07:00

This Week's Fabric Patterns

2008-07-02T09:06:00.000-07:00

A Custom Order

2008-07-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

This past month we got a request to make a very special custom order for two pairs of shoes. Usually, we sell the shoes we make on sharedmadness.etsy.com with the understanding that Champ will draw whatever he comes up with, but this time we decided to accept a challenge of making Obama '08 shoes.

We aren't actively political, nor are we trying to endorse anyone with the artwork and crafts that we make, however, Champ draws a pretty badass Obama so we went for it! See for yourself :-)

Sometimes having a theme in mind takes away from the spontaneity of what is created in the moment. On the other hand, if you decide you want to take something that is personal and creative and turn it into a marketable product, I am learning that you have to adjust your mindset. The core of your creative intentions can always remain, in fact they must if you are going to truly explore what is possible. This turned out to be a great experience and something we probably wouldn't have come up with on our own without the shared ideas of others.

We would be happy to make more Obama inspired shoes if anyone is interested. Visit our etsy store, email us, or leave comments and let us know what you think!

Inspired To Create

2008-07-01T10:56:00.000-07:00

Heres some really cool art and images that got me on my surfing adventures today.

http://www.greggossel.com

www.jonburgerman.com/images/uploads/8bit-Higher-Score.gif

http://magmo.typepad.com/magmo_the_destroyer/

Mister Brainwash Exhibit

2008-06-27T11:34:00.000-07:00

While driving down Sunset blvd. in Hollywood and walking into a warehouse where Mister BrainWash (MBW) held his art exhibit, it becomes clear that this particular type of expression is considered low-brow culture. The Getty didn’t approach MBW to place the graffitied police car inside their museum on top of the hill. The Andy Warhol alterations that hung on the wall, displaying Marilyn Manson’s face with the signature Marilyn Monroe hair and colored portrait certainly can’t take much credit for artistic originality. In fact, most of the pieces on display at the exhibit are framed reproductions of classic artwork with elements of contemporary pop culture painted into them to make them relevant, useful and recognizable for people in the present.

In this picture, originally Claude Monet's "Girl With Umbrella", MBW painted the Teletubbies walking up the hill in the background.

This one, originally Grant Wood's "American Gothic" now shows the man and woman with paint rollers and masks, their barn covered in graffiti behind them.

You are first confronted with a 20 feet tall pyramid pile of books when you walk into the outdoor entrance gates leading to the warehouse. A sign at the top of the pile reads the exhibit’s name “Life Is Beautiful.” There are several ideas at play here. One is that art doesn’t necessarily have to be created from a seemingly original idea. The entire exhibit makes you question “authenticity.” It could definitely be argued that there is no original idea, only people who expose an already existing idea to the public first. I think the moment we stop forcing ourselves to come up with something that we believe has never been done before, the moment we let go of ideas as something created by a single mind, then we can find freedom in artistic expression in a way that MBW has been able to do with what he acknowledges already exists around him.

We had the opportunity to meet the man himself when we first walked in. Champ was putting one of his stickers on the MBW guest book when he heard a voice behind him say “hey, don’t do that. Put the sticker on the police car behind you.” He looked up, and there was Mister BrainWash.

I wouldn’t have recognized who the hell he was, but Champ asked if I wanted to take a picture with him so I pretended of course that I’d recognized him right away. He’s French, in fact most of the little guys running around behind the scenes of the warehouse were moustached men with funny accents. Here are our smiling faces with the artist.

I found the exhibit to be a fun, worthwhile experience. The thought crossed my mind (as it probably has for anyone looking at a piece of art deemed ‘worthy’ to be put up and admired) that anyone could do what MBW has done. In fact, artists like Banksy are currently and have been doing it for years. Someone will undoubtedly take the credit for being ‘the original’ of its kind, but really, that’s not the point. The point is to show people that art is all around you and if you get that feeling in your gut that you could be doing what is being done, you should respond to it by creating as much as you can. Perhaps what you create, whether it be a song or a drawing or a story will be considered a copy of someone else’s idea. Does that mean it is not worth creating? That is up to you to decide.

Perhaps you will make something that you think is crap but everyone else will praise you for making something innovative and groundbreaking, opening doors to adoration, money and fame. Everyone else will tend to follow, even if they don't agree anyways. Kurt Cobain said that he was just trying to write songs that sounded like Pixies songs. Now, he is an icon, a star, hailed by many as a genius. The Pixies will be remembered as a great band, but Kurt Cobain has been given credit for starting something, something he knew had nothing to do with him. Perhaps that is why he chose to step away from this life too soon. Perhaps he is remembered as a hero because he did not live long enough to become something stale, something old.

Ideas are recycled again and again. Taking credit for them is merely a distraction. The world around us is beautiful. Life is beautiful, therefore we must share our experiences and uncover what it is that already exists within us and around us, so that others will be inspired to do the same.

What The Hell Is Psychomagic?

2008-06-27T11:19:00.000-07:00

What is Psychomagic?

Well, the short answer would be that it's a form of psychotherapy invented by Jodorowsky and practiced only by him, his son Cristóbal Axel (who starred as Fénix in Santa Sangre) and his wife Mariana Costa, that combines art, Eastern philosophies (particularly Zen Buddhism), mysticism and modern psychotherapy to heal patients with emotional problems. Louis Mouchet's 1994 documentary La Constellation Jodorowsky contains footage of one of Jodorowsky's weekly Paris workshops in which he treats patients at no charge.

So, is Psychomagic just a rehash of previously existing religions, philosophies and schools of thought? Not at all. To better understand what Psychomagic is, read what Jodorowsky says about it.

What does it take to be a psychomagician? (According to Jodorowsky)

# A true therapist cannot be trained in less than five years and a psychomagician in no less than seven years.
# A psychomagician must first be an actor, artist, poet, writer, painter, mime, musician, etc. He should have mastered all art forms.
# Studied a martial art, Eastern philosophies and shamanism.
# Experimented with hallucinogenic mushrooms and other elements.
# Have an occupation outside of being a therapist to work free of financial pressures.
# Be familiar with tarot, alchemy and cabbala.
# Had contact with a well known healer.
# Been psychoanalyzed, know the history of psychoanalysis and its many theories and know the works of Freud, Jung, Grodeck, Lacan, Erickson, Dolto, etc.

Psychomagical Advice
A ten step recipe to being happy, by Alejandro Jodorowsky.

1. When in doubt between "doing" and "not doing," choose "doing". If you're wrong at least you'll have the experience.
2. Listen to your intuition more than your reason. Words forge reality but they are not it.
3. Make some childish dream of yours come true. For example, if you wanted to play but were forced to become an adult before your time, save some 500 euros and go play them at a casino until you lose it. If you win, keep playing. If you keep winning, even if it's millions, continue until you lose it all. It's not about winning, but about playing with no end.
4. There is no greater relief than to start becoming what one is. Since childhood, we're coerced into other people's destinies. We are not in this world to pursue the dreams of our parents, but our own. If you're a singer and not an attorney like your father, abandon your law career and record your album.
5. Stop criticizing your body right now. Accept it as it is without concerning yourself with the stares of others. You're not loved because you're beautiful. You're beautiful because you're loved.
6. Once a week, teach others the little or lot that you know. What you give to them, you give to yourself. What you don't give to them, you take away from yourself.
7. Every day, look for a positive story in the newspaper. It's difficult to find one. But, amid all the atrocities, somehow, there always is one. A new species of bird was discovered; comets transport life; a boy who fell from the top of a five story building landed unharmed; the daughter of a president intent on drowning herself was saved by a laborer with whom she fell in love and married; young Chilean poets bombarded the palace of La Moneda where Allende was assassinated with 300,000 poems from a helicopter; etc.
8. If your parents abused you when you were a child, calmly confront them in a neutral place that is not their territory, developing four aspects:
This is what they did to me.
This is what I felt.
This is what, because of that, I now suffer.
And this is the reparation that I ask. Forgiveness without reparation has no use.
9. Even if you have a large family, assign yourself a personal territory where no one may enter without your permission.
10. Stop defining yourself: allow yourself every possibility that could be, and change paths as often as necessary.

# Failing does not exist. With each failure, we change paths. To arrive at what you are, you must go through what you are not. The greatest happiness is to become what you are. In every sickness there is: A prohibition: You are prohibited from being what you are.
# A lack of consciousness: When you don't realize what you are.
# A lack of beauty: When you lose beauty, you become ill.

Colorful Pattern

2008-06-27T08:16:00.001-07:00

Its not as fun as the drawings that I make but right now this is what they pay me to do. I made this a week ago but put it on hold due to other projects. Finally got it done!

Jing Quek

2008-06-26T11:49:00.000-07:00

Great photography by Jing Quek

Work Never Ends.

2008-06-24T13:30:00.000-07:00

Whisper Kid Flyer

2008-06-24T10:53:00.000-07:00

Heres a flyer I made for a June 11 show at Tribal Cafe.

another short story in the making

2008-06-21T02:10:00.001-07:00

Cat Fancy
(part 1)

I remember the first time I ever experienced boredom. It is a frightening feeling to have for the first time because we are born into a world of saturation constantly titillating the senses. There is always something new to experience. An experience capable of shaking the very center of our existence. But with all that surrounds us, we sometimes feel that it is not enough. The senses tire and inspiration turns to a lump of coal awaiting combustion from a source we do not seek. All that is mundane begins to stew around the pit of the intestines in viscous bile until the blood boils. The skin becomes irritated, yet we feel we can not satiate the itch. The itch lies beneath the surface, struggling to puncture its surroundings and find release. Amongst this turbulence, we always manage to find something to sooth this irritation. A spark. Something intriguing to the sleeping senses finds its way to our consciousness and we react. The coal ignites and the fire within once again pushes us to move on, to seek further inspiration and deeper purpose. We feel relief and a renewed sense of strength. We strive to become the warrior as we run from the belly of the beast.

I was ten years old. I am sure that I felt restless with things before, however this was my first realization of what it meant to be bored. I wanted nothing to do with what surrounded me yet I didn’t know what would alleviate the feeling. I was sitting at our kitchen table in the mid-afternoon watching my mom bake cookies. She stood at this sink with her back to me as I stared blankly at multi colored pieces of construction paper. I drifted in and out of listening to my mom tell a story about my grandfather’s missing teeth. Apparently he took his dentures out at a restaurant while he was eating soup and forgot to put them back in. The waitress chased him down Lincoln Boulevard with his mouth in her hands screaming, “Sir! you forgot your teeth!” She shook her head and chuckled. I knew the story was supposed to be funny. I just forgot to pay attention to when I was supposed to laugh.
My mom turned around and gave me a look of disappointment at my lack of a reaction. I smiled and let out a forced giggle of approval and she resumed her mixing. I began to pop the caps off each of my Mr. Sketch markers. I liked to line them up side by side and take turns smelling each one with my eyes closed. Sometimes my friend Alexandra would come over with her own set of markers and we would compete to see who could guess the flavors fastest. I always won. Sometimes I could smell two or three at a time and be able to distinguish them individually. We always ended up with rainbow moustaches and we’d laugh so hard that sometimes tears would stream down my face and blur the colors into a giant fruit bowl around my mouth.

A really simple D.I.Y Project

2008-06-20T18:58:00.000-07:00

When I spot a box on the street labeled 'free', chances are you can spot me pulling over to the side of the road to rummage through someone else's abandoned clutter in hopes of finding a temporary treasure. Often I feel inclined to take something just because it's free, whether it be a book I don't need or a children's toy for a baby I don't have. A few years ago I found a miniature skateboard in one such box. I decided to take it home with me and was determined to turn it into something.

I love to make collages. Cutting out interesting pictures in magazines and books is a relaxing activity and discovering how the found images can come together and make something new is rewarding. I decided to decoupage (glue pictures onto another surface using a special glue called Mod Podge) these little skateboards and give them to friends as gifts. A few months ago, I found a magazine lying around called Stop Smiling (a great magazine for writers and people who like to read). This particular issue was largely dedicated to the O.G Gonzo himself, Hunter S. Thompson. I cut out some pictures and words of him and searched through other magazines and found elements that came together as a common theme and new creation.

How to make this really simple craft:

1) Get a small skateboard at a toy store, or anywhere that sells kids stuff.
Price - 5.99 (This is just an example of a brand that makes them)

2) Get a bottle of Mod Podge at any crafty store (There is both Matte and Glossy kinds. Sometimes I just buy the glossy kind and do a coating over the top to make the pictures look shiny, but sometimes that just looks cheesy)
Cost - about $5 a bottle

3) Cut out pictures form magazines or books. Pictures form postcards tend to be too thick to stick to the skateboard material.

4) Fit pieces together and arrange a collage on the skateboard. It's not a completely flat surface, so don't get frustrated if some of the skateboard shows through.

5) Use a sponge brush and apply a thin layer of Mod Podge to the back of each image as you glue them onto the skateboard. You might want to arrange your collage on a flat surface off to the side to remember which images still need to be glued on.

6) Delight in the fact that you made something pretty easy and badass looking! Share Your Madness with someone or keep the skateboards you make for your greedy little self. However, if you place it in a free box outside your house, don't be surprised if I snatch it up and post it on our blog.

Here's my Hunter S. Thompson skateboard fit for a gnome.

short story in the making

2008-06-20T18:43:00.000-07:00

Taco Sauce and Semen
(part 1)

Everytime Duncan walks on the street, he keeps his head down and his hands in his pockets. He hasn't owned a watch or a clock in over two years. Duncan's roommate, Rusty, gets up for work at the same time as he needs to be awake, so each morning, Rusty turns on the shower at 7:00 A.M and bangs loudly on the bathroom wall, adjacent to Duncan's head. Rusty doesn't mind the routine. Duncan is a reliable person, he just rejects technology and because of this, feels isolated from the rest of the world. A watch may be considered a basic necessity, but Duncan always says that he "doesn't want to be a slave to the forces that drive the hands in circles."
Luckily, at the senior home Duncan works at as a caretaker, no one seems to be bothered by his inability to track the hours, minutes, even days. Duncan has his most fulfilling discussions and close friendships with the patients, especially Harry. Harry lectures the young caregivers about the state of culture and the world in a way that challenges Duncan's cynical ideals. Their conversations mostly begin when Duncan looks smugly at Harry and tries to make an assertion based on whichever latest philosophy book he was reading at the moment. Yesterday, as The Price is Right began its opening credits Duncan made a comment about television being the "epic novel of our time." Duncan speaks of decline while Harry speaks of hope with a gentle guidance that "all things are as they should be."

WORK

2008-06-20T11:59:00.000-07:00

Today I made this fabric design at work. Hopefully, they will pick it one up for an upcoming line.

BASTIDAS!

2008-06-19T10:05:00.000-07:00

I'm currently working on album art for the band, BASTIDAS. I tried to make something that visually represented their sound.

Messing Around With Photoshop Is Easy

2008-06-18T12:23:00.000-07:00

I just started to rediscover how fun it is to manipulate and create images using photoshop. I took a short introductory class a few years ago, and like most things you learn and don't practice, many of the skills I once knew now leave me scratching my head. However, it is really simple to explore and teach yourself as you go along, with the satisfaction of quick results. Anything that you experiment with can turn into a creation, whether it me unintentional or mathematically calculated. Champ makes some pretty amazing fliers for bands using photoshop and he has mostly learned from teaching himself. It might seem frustrating at first, especially if you think you could do a lot more if you knew quick keys to hit for certain effects to save time, but sometimes the gratification of discovering something on your own is greater than having a million tricks under your belt because you know the shortcuts. The first image is a flier Champ made using photoshop. The second is my first experiments entitled "Midday and the world might be melting" and "Do you see me like I see you?"Get a bootleg version (I mean, pay for the program!) and see what you come up with, and share your creations with us!

Don't Let Them Get To You But Get To Them Instead.

2008-06-18T10:43:00.000-07:00

Having to balance doing something for a commercial purpose and something more expressive like the drawings I do has always been a juggle. But it is a juggle that I am willing to undertake at this point in my life. For the most part, I don't mind zoning out for hours and hours in drawing. Most of the time , a lot of what i draw might appear unplanned, or not meditated at all but i guess that is part of the appeal that i like about it. It is like exercise to uncover my mental ability to conjure certain forms, images and visual patterns so that i can just go through them whenever i need to.

Doing the commercial work that I do designing fabrics for the textile industry gives me a different drive. Its the kind that makes me want to get things done in a matter of time. It is more labored and always springs from more conceptualized ideas based on different aesthetics. I am not bitching about what I do -I am merely recognizing that the balance. I never intended to work in a 9-5 kind of existence but for now, having this job is a good way for me to practice creative discipline.

Here is also something that I finished doing working on today. I'm glad that they just let me go crazy on this one.

Some Inspiration To Create.

2008-06-17T15:19:00.000-07:00

Here are some really cool graphics that I stumbled upon at FFFOUND while i was surfing the web today. Really cool images and colors that just go "pop! " Ya know? My kinda thing. Don't hesitate to post comments here, people or simply just say hi or suggest a cool link -if ever you are out there. Also, we are gonna start shooting our first weekly v-log tonight over wine. Come one, Come all. Come multiple times.

New bunch of ciah-ciahs on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

RINZEN . In the Milky Night Carepack

Preframed ideas all mixed up on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Mural w. Erik Tangerud (250cm x 180cm) Acrylic on wall. on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

An Old One For The New Folks.

2008-06-17T09:07:00.000-07:00

This is from a children's book idea that I aborted because I believe the story wasn't effective enough as a children's book. Rhea and I are hoping to do one in the near future. Either that or a children's show for kids who hate those really sterile children shows. Mmmmmmm...

One Of Those Things Again.

2008-06-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

Whatever The Ink Unfolds.

2008-06-17T08:43:00.000-07:00

Blogs are for pussies, its time to Vlog!

2008-06-17T00:18:00.000-07:00

Champ and I are releasing the first episode of our Vlog.
Not now, not tomorrow or wednesday, but soon.
We will be giving spiritual guidance for people beyond help.
People just like you!

This vlog was inspired by a trip to Borders in which Champ and I love to frequent for the latest musical releases. We were searching for the band No Age when the cashier, a zit faced delight named Hambone pointed us to the New Age section of CDs by mistake. After politely pointing out the error of his ways, we all had a bubbly laugh together and realized that we needed to make a serious life change. We bought 6 Enya cds, some Yanni, Kate Bush and completed our collection of Creed. We went home, made incense from the insides of our bagless vacuum, braided our pubic hair, put on matching polyester unitards, drank five Red Bulls and began the transformative quest....once ours...soon to be your own.

After eight days without sleep and only the juice of a single can of tuna to keep us alive, we looked at each other and remembered there was still one small thing left to do. We released Hambone from a padlocked, handmade, organic copper wire cage
(available on our etsy site) and within a few hours made him promise not to go to the police.
We knew we'd finally found the heavenly divine light.

We're here to help.
It is the secret that the secret doesn't want you to know about.
.......keep watching out for our Vlog.......

GOOD TAG, BAD TAG.

2008-06-15T21:18:00.000-07:00

You have to agree that this is a great job. I saw this at Santa Monica, it definitely caught my attention.

SMILE HARD

2008-06-15T19:52:00.000-07:00

This one of the shirt designs that we are doing. We will soon have them available in Etsy.

Why I feel like an asshole getting my ears pierced at the mall

2008-06-13T12:15:00.000-07:00

"He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl." -Exodus
Body piercing is historically recognized as a rite of passage, a sign of societal status, a testament to the pain one can endure in devotion to a God. In Egypt, certain body piercings were restricted to royalty. Romans pierced themselves to show valor and strength. Julius Caesar had his nipples pierced. Many gladiators had a genital piercing through the head of their penis to easily tie the organ to the testicles for more protection in battle. The Aztecs and Mayans pierced their tongues to show devotion to the Gods and had numerous body piercings to frighten and intimidate other tribes. I remember being around 6 years old and going with my mom to get my ears pierced. I kicked and screamed so much that the woman in charge of the slight procedure kindly asked us to leave. Later on I decided that my ears were big and stuck out so I wouldn't need to worry about a few seconds of discomfort. Granted I did pierce my own nose when I was 12, I'm going to be dramatic and say that the pain I was feeling inside my little awkward preteen body was more than the sting of a small sewing needle in my face. The infection that came later (who knew the needle was supposed to be "clean"??) gave me a brief battle wound story to tell kids at school. The hole closed up after a couple of weeks and I didn't really earn anything by putting myself through the pain. My rebellion backfired as well since my parents thought I'd gotten my first zit and lied about it in embarrassment.

Sailors brought body piercings to Western culture, both as a response to religious superstition and curiosity to the art form. The majority of the last hundred years, however, has shown resistance to body piercings. Men did not want to appear feminine and women did not pierce much besides the occasional ear lobe. Piercing became a form of rebellion in the 1960s and since then a resurgence of experimentation and expression can be seen as piercings become popular once again. To me, piercing was a logical form of teenage rebellion.

Sailor Sid was a popular piercing obsessed guy known mostly in the 1970s. The first picture here is quite tame...he has a giant piercing in his nose. He looks like a friendly guys. The second picture shows a million piercings in his penis. You don't have to scroll down. But you will. And you will probably say "oh shit" "what the fuck" or simply "ouch".

This is not the kind of piercing I am looking to get now. I just want two little holes on my earlobes so I can wear earrings. I decided that the cheapest answer is going to the mall. This is a terrible decision for many reasons;
1) The mall is a breeding ground for anxiety and confusion
2) When consciously handing a stranger money to put holes in your body, choosing a place in the center of hell is poor form
3) Within the center of hell are a several locations to get your ear's pierced.
a. a jewelery station in the center of the mall. people will walk by and stare at you. they might even take pictures. you will smell Cinnabon, dirty diapers, burning hair and cheap perfume as you take deep inhalations to prepare for the puncture.
b. Claire's is a place where one can find knock offs of tribal jewelery next to a Hannah Montana garter belt. Radio Disney pumps out of the walls and ceiling. Teenage girls with the first sign of breasts stand next to their eccentric gay male friend. He is wrapping himself in a red synthetic feather boa, sucking on a lollipop and trying on Jackie-O sunglasses in a mirror. He is dancing to the music while parents turn around from the register..."kids today" the mom says to the cashier. The scene stealer is able to distract his female friends for a brief moment from the horrors of attempting to find themselves in a stripper's paradise. Ear piercing is done in the front of the store...with a tiny plastic gun...by a girl reading the manual as you sign your waiver.

I decided to go to Claire's. WHY? I have no idea. I used to shoplift from Claire's when I was a teenager and later blamed Karma for the fact that any jewelery I got from the store fell apart within two weeks. Champ and I stood and watched a guy get big shiny studs in his ears. He was a foreigner, that was his excuse for choosing Claire's. Then a girl about 16 went to get second holes in her ears. They were crooked, thats for sure. But her excuse was that she was her youth, she probably hasn't heard of sweatshops and she had her mommy's hand to hold. I sat in the chair, chose my slave-made studs and found a Mary Kate and Ashley backpack to focus on when the deed was being done. At the final step, I was suddenly rejected from being pierced at this circus shithole. I had left my ID at home. I guess the white plastic spring-loaded toy is serious business.

There may have appeared to be nothing culturally significant reflected in this tiny experience. Actually, going to Claire's to get my ear's pierced reflects a lot about our society's disconnection to pain, ceremony and culture. Choosing the mall instead of an actual body modification place is avoidance of the experience. Regardless of where you are, the discomfort of creating the hole will remain. The mall supplies an overabundance of saturation distraction, that people most often shop at the mall to remove themselves from real life experience.

Even though I don't go to the mall more than once a year, i subconsciously felt comfort. Advertisements strategically placed throughout the mall and in each store are done so that the shopper will process information without really being aware of the control the images and ads have on our minds. It functions like an anesthetic, covering up the problem for a moment without healing the underlying fear or issue. Perhaps going to a legitimate shop is more nerve wracking, but the deep breathing and personal mind control is closer to the admirable ancient practices than letting relying on corporate marketing strategies to make you think you are a stronger person.

I feel like an asshole getting my ears pierced at the mall. I might go back to Claire's with my ID and do it tonight.

Seattle In Pictures

2008-06-11T09:05:00.000-07:00

Rhea and I came back from Seattle on Monday and its good to be back in L.A. Somehow, it feels weird to know what Seattle is like and still wanting to live here. And yes, unlike some people I don't mind the weather....

Another Day In The Life.

2008-06-10T14:09:00.000-07:00

As I Say Goodnight and Await a Beautiful Morning

2008-06-07T03:13:00.001-07:00

Faces Everywhere.

2008-06-06T14:38:00.000-07:00

I have this drawing that I did on the board by my desk at our workplace. I like to keep it there because it helps me a lot in snapping out from the momentary zoning out that I find myself in. I drew this when I was still new in the job. I just did it because I was bored during break and I always get lots of extra paper from the prints that we do all day long. I didn't really think much of it but somehow, everyone at work dug it. I colored it with the Prismacolor markers that we use at work but had to tweak the colors in Photoshop when I scanned it. Anyways, i also have a a slightly bigger printout of this at home by the kitchen. We might make copies for the Etsy store or let us know if you are interested for prints.

I'm planning to retire early tonight. My flight is really early tomorrow morning. 6:30 AM to be exact which means i have to be there at 5AM. I'm not a big fan of waking up early on the weekends but this one I have to do. Ryan, our roommate will take me to the LAX and Rhea will meet me at the airport in Seattle. I'm so excited to see her because I've been missing her crazy ass for a week! It will be a great weekend!

I Really Like This Image.

2008-06-06T13:26:00.000-07:00

I don't mean to be such a perv but somehow this image strikes me so much I wanna do a little homage to it. Mmmmmm....we'll see...

Rhea's First Time

2008-06-06T07:06:00.000-07:00

Obama for your feet?!

2008-06-06T01:37:00.000-07:00

We just got asked to make 2 pairs of custom converse with an
Obama '08 theme!
It is exciting to have another customer on etsy...I wonder if it is Barak himself, since I'm sure he has some extra free time after the relief of becoming the democratic candidate yesterday.

The shoes should be pretty awesome looking...if anyone is interested in getting a similar pair there could be a whole Obama series of shoes.

Regardless of the impact this next presidential election will have, it seems that electing Obama as a candidate is a symbol of hope for people in this country who have felt powerless, upset, and silenced. It's stirring up and awakening something in our consciousness. I'm still learning about his policies and plans, but I am grateful that both Obama and Hilary's presence as potential leaders is getting people in our country to talk about things like sexism, racism and the unbalanced power struggles we experience everyday.

Shared Madness...politics for your feet! :-)
(champ is coming to seattle tomorrow! hip hip whoray!)

Bite My Face

2008-06-05T15:49:00.001-07:00

Something Old As A New Post.

2008-06-05T15:03:00.000-07:00

Gnome De Guerre

2008-06-05T14:59:00.000-07:00

Rhea loves gnomes. This is from a stencil that I made on our walls.

Shoe Fo' Sho

2008-06-05T14:42:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of the shoes that I made for our first customer. Rhea did the colors and we sent her extra fabric pens so she can add more colors if she wants. The picture is not so good since it was still taken with our video camera which was really sucky.

From The Drawing Book.

2008-06-05T13:01:00.001-07:00

I have been working on a sign for Don's Records in Eagle Rock. It's a 4" by 6" foot and back to back sign and it was really fun doing it because it is my first attempt to make something of that size using spray paint.

Though the sign has been already done for weeks, I still have the sign at my pad since Don doesn't have his car anymore. Hopefully, he can get it soon and put it outside the store. Don's Records is really cool record store who carry all kinds of cool LP's and even some rare and collectible albums by some obscure artists. Originally from Brooklyn, Don is a "hometown hero" kind of character. The last of the old school Mom and Pop record stores who stays alive despite of the digital download age that we live in. He runs the store himself with his ever loyal cat, Thirteen.

So, if you are into collecting vinyl or if you are just a good ol' music enthusiast like myself then check his place out coz it is one hell of a trip. Anyways, heres a draft/drawing that i found in my drawing book and thought I'd share it with you. I never really used it for anything but what the heck! One more day til the Seattle trip and I'm excited!

Good On Paper Tour Flyer

2008-06-04T15:44:00.000-07:00

Just finished a flyer for Good On Paper who are doing a West Coast tour beginning the end of this week. Rhea and I might go see them when they play at Le Voyeur in Olympia since I'm gonna be there on the weekend. Its an hour plus drive from Seattle but I know it will be fun.

Inspiration From Across The Globe

2008-06-03T14:45:00.000-07:00

galerie heliumboy artspace is a really bad-ass art space in Hamburg. I just happened to stumble upon their page and the artists that are part of their community in my adventures to look for inspiration in the web today. They have really cool art that is in the line of what we are trying to do. Its good to see other people apply similar ideas halfway across the globe. Here are some samples from the artists they have featured in their space.

(all pictures taken from website)

Our New Digital Camera.

2008-06-03T13:13:00.000-07:00

If you didn't notice how sucky the pictures we have here. then good for you. But if you did notice its poor quality, the reason is because we have been using a video camera to take those images. We have been constantly holding back in trying to acquire a good camera for the past few months However, last night i was finally able to go into Frys Electronics and get a good one.

After doing some research online about point and shoot cameras, we finally decided to get the Olympus Stylus 830 Black. We dig it because the LCD screen is bright and large. It also has lots of features and options and the battery lasts a long time. This camera is also splash proof and it works in all kinds of weather which is perfect especially with the unpredictability of the weather nowadays.

I gonna be going to Seattle over this weekend to see Rhea and we'll be taking fun pictures with this new baby. I'm also hoping to get done with the Northridge Review cover that I am working on before i leave. Rhea and I will be coming back to LA together and get this madness going.

Mad Birds in Echo Park

2008-06-02T17:02:00.000-07:00

We went for a walk around Echo Park the other day and found inspiration and freedom of expression where we least expected it. Living downtown, most of the wildlife we see are cockroaches and pigeons, and while those can be adorable at times it is nice to see a bird or a plant that you need a guide book to identify every once in a while.

This little guy is a duck, but he's punk rock at heart. Either somebody got close enough to him with a pair of scissors, or the hipsters in Silverlake are giving him tips.

I don't know what this bird is, but it's pretty cool looking. He was sitting by the paddle boats.Oh, and he only has one leg!

ATTN: CONTEST!

2008-06-02T16:19:00.000-07:00

What is the best slogan for the protest gnome's sign?

FABRIC DESIGN No. 1

2008-05-30T15:08:00.000-07:00

Here is a checkered design that reflects the times we live in.

D.I.Y. Production

2008-05-29T15:36:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from when we were making the limited 100 copies of DiE ROCKERS DiE's triple album entitled "Powered By People". This is a band that Champ is in. We basically stenciled all the disc art and utilized these DVD boxes that we found in the trash. Talk about being resourceful. You can also see our roommate, Ryan with a blow dryer trying to dry the paint from the stencil board which was already dripping with spray paint.

Rhea felt a little bit dizzy breathing in all of the fumes, so we got masks to wear...just in time.

Making a stencil is pretty simple. We used an exacto knife to cut the image into cardboard and spray painted the hands on each disc.

Go Ryan Go!

As you can see, discs one two and three have a coordinated number of hands so you know which album you are listening to.
This goes to show that if you keep an eye out on your local dumpster bins, you can do anything!

Our First Customer!

2008-05-28T15:08:00.000-07:00

I'm sure each of us can turn to a moment when we remember being blown away by the far away places people are able to communicate thanks to email myspace and other websites. Most of us have watched the internet grow as we've grown and become a large part of our lives.

When we set up our etsy store last December, we were just excited to put it together and go to a website that had the things we were starting to make. A few hours later, we made our first sale! Lizzie, from the East Coast bought our first pair of Shared Madness kicks.

She was cool enough to send us a picture after she got them in the mail. She decided to color in more of the design with fabric markers, and it looks awesome!

T-SHIRT DESIGN no. 1

2008-05-28T13:22:00.000-07:00

Publish Post

THE FIRST ONE.

2008-05-28T09:41:00.000-07:00

Hello! Welcome to our bloggy, this is our first post!

Here are pictures of the shoes that we have been making. We are currently selling 'em at Etsy. Feel free to browse at all the other items we have available. And yes! If you dig it please don't hesitate to order.

We can certainly use the dough to make more creative things.

Champ draws all of the designs by hand on every single shoe with fabric markers and Sharpies...
...sometimes I do the coloring. The cool thing is that if you buy a pair, you can get $2 fabric markers from pretty much anywhere and add as much color to the shoes as you want. We want to be able to share the creating experience, it's what brought us together to make things. Sharing and creating is what keeps us going through the day!
When we're done with the drawings, we spray the shoes with a finishing spray that doesn't make the shoe stiff, just protects the pictures from the rain, dirt and the occasional spilled beer.