Mike Ming

120120. Keepin hope and peace alive.

2012-01-20T12:15:00.002-05:00

Brooklyn's Public School 261, came out in seasonably cold, blustery january and held a public peace rally at brookyn's borough hall! Representative Daniel Squadron and Borough president Marty came tovthe rally. They showed up and stated eloquent things like.... '..some peoples of color and some lacking color...' and Mr. Squadron's remanicing of his father, who participated in the monumental washington DC march.

The children spoke out about their hopes and dreams about abundance of medicine for the sick, for the abundance of shelters for the homeless and abundance of food for the hungry. They chanted 'Children are fabulous and we won't be stopped.'
All those in the cold felt a great sense of right in this world full of wrongs.
When did we as adults decide that complication and complicating messes were going to be better bed fellows than simplicity and dreams? Why can't some questions of solving problems become more straight foward and determinedly more simple rather than complicated? Beautiful diversity and perspectives in every human and our humanity is seperated only truly by self serving negativity. The answer to solving our worldly problems are as complicated as it is simple. I think individual responsibility and self perspective is our only solution. From each individual, the questions can be wrestled and answered.
When did puppets become 'leaders'? Why do we follow them? Why can t leaders also listen and follow? Why can't we lead our individual self to greatness not tainted with self loathing and fear, so that we can spread love and joy and share our great energy of warmth with everyone we come in contact with?

Happy Birthday, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr! Happy Birthday to all human revolutionaries, young and old, not yet born and they who lived! Free at last, free at last! We will all be free at last!

120119. Kickin balls.

2012-01-20T01:37:00.002-05:00

http://chinatownsoccerclub.tumblr.com/post/16142409309/defensive-powerhouse-mike-ming-demonstrates-how-to

120119. New Year, New Posting Method..

2012-01-19T20:13:00.001-05:00

New year. A new posting method. More of some new stuff. Thanks for checking it out!

111230. Year End.

2011-12-31T13:22:00.005-05:00

As the Year 2011 comes to a close, New York is witnessing some unusually warm highs and quite a terrific weather of spring like conditions in the morning and looks like cloudy as I write. I just got an email from a good friend , Yuri Shimojo, with a message of hope for 2012. I think what she is saying is so awesome, I wanted to share it with you.

Painting is by master Yuri Shimojo.
"Voices from 2011"

*

Dearest friends and families

As year of 2011 is closing I'd like to express my heartfelt gratitude and love to you

This global upheaval year has brought many of us to face inner revolution
Our mother land guided us one of the big examples too
2011 became the year zero for me as Japanese and as an artist

May all humans can appreciate what we learned from 2011 when we look back year of zero one day

May all humans can live in peaceful coexistence with nature on beautiful earth one day

I painted this piece this year with my prayers
dedicating for children

May all your prayers and dreams you manifested this year will seed, root and bloom
2012

The year of the shift

Warmly open to the beautiful light

Happy New Year !

LOVE

Yuri Shimojo

11-11-08. TED Rochester POP UP SHOP 1975!!

2011-11-08T14:28:00.004-05:00

I was part of a group show in Rochester NY last month to celebrate my friend's art gallery, 1975. It was their 3rd anniversary show and it has been going strong, growing themselves into a bigger show space and also growing their stables of upcoming, outstanding and next generation artists. Rochester is not only the 3rd largest city in New York State, it is also a strange town of some creative peoples all bursting at the edges and exploring all sorts of stuff. It is an important enough city that TED talks decided to host a show in Rochester this week!
As such events go, there is always a carnival feel because how exciting and wonderful sharing new ideas are. The only way to really get that idea impact out is by having parties and events to grow on the main event( ie. miami basel, nyc armory show, greenroom festival japan, sacred craft, etc...)!
1975 hosted a pop up shop and fortunately, my submitted piece was on display!! Thank you so much, 1975 et Erich Lehman!! Thank you Rochester for hosting the event and Thanks for checking out this blog, y'all!!

111025. BPMW PressDay

2011-10-25T21:49:00.007-04:00

BPMW Agency and I created a poster for their Spring/Summer 2012 Press Day Event. There were AWESOME brands there and give aways for the press! 1 of 50 silk screen posters especially for the event! Good eats, good Agency! Thanks!!

Shades of Grey.

Amongst Friends.

Mismo.

Clae.

Undefeated.

Reyn Spooner.

Mark McNerry

Penfield.

Tretorn.

Stussy/ Stussy Deluxe.

Wolverine 1000 Miles/ 1883.

*Not Shown.. Original Penguin. Feit.

111018. Opening Nite.

2011-10-24T09:47:00.006-04:00

A Really Cool Looking Lamp at Nepenthes.

Thursday night was opening night for some galleries in NYC. I attended three of them, Joshua Liner Gallery, Nepenthes Gallery and EV Gallery. It's always nice to check these events out because you never really know who will show up and for me, it s always alot of friends from different professions. It s usually time to catch up on last months happenings and maybe toot my own horn about my own happenings. Whatever. The images are rather spartan and I have to admit, as opening images or even event photos, they are so random that maybe I shouldn t even talk about openings but just say, 'these are images from thursday night.. and I took some snap shots of some friends and art. Enjoy'

The very Stylish , Eri Sorayama.

Hand in hand. Photographer and Stylist. Eri and Yuri Shibuya. EV Gallery.

Getting ready in the back. Nepenthes.

Getting Ready in the Front. Nepenthes. VSOP Show.

The Man at the Nepenthes. Angelo caught surprised by my camera's proximity.

Doing some time at Nepenthes. Kenta. Designer.

Post O'alls' Art Show. Chattin it up at the counter.

Post O'alls and Hells Kitchen Sounds. Very Nice Vibes in Nepenthes.

2011-10-19T12:20:00.001-04:00

going mobile!

111019. Joshua Liner Gallery and Nepenthes

2011-10-19T11:46:00.007-04:00

Thursday is a very busy day in the art world. Well, from what my wife says, thursday is a busy day in any world... the day before friday. The day where we try to nail it all shut before the weekend and the day before the end of the 'work' week. Accordingly, thursday, people seem to let off enough steam so that they can stumble back into friday and finish up the week before taking off to go weekend. So, by this idea, we have three GREAT Distractions to set off your Thursday Steam Out!

Joshua Liner Gallery is presenting two solo shows this thursday.

Chloe Early Invitation.

They are by artists Chloe Early and Ryan McLennan. From what I am gathering from the flyers, it is going to be abstract representational type imagery! Should be an exciting show for the senses!

Ryan McLennan Invitation.

Joshua Liner Gallery is located at 548 west 28th street, Chelsea Manhattan. 3rd Floor. The opening is from 6 - 9. See you there!

and the third distraction, you say....

Nepenthes is presenting: 'My V.S.O.P.' by Takeshi Ohfuchi and Throne of Blood for HKMS

Here is what I got...

'Dear friends,

This Thursday October 20th, we will have an opening reception for our new exhibition My V.S.O.P. by Takeshi Ohfuchi of Post O'alls. Post O'alls will also be featured at our new pop-up shop on the mezzanine.

Nepenthes is also be proud to unveil the next segment of the Hell's Kitchen Music Society - the NYC-based dance music record label, Throne of Blood.

From 7PM to 9PM, we will have refreshments and music (live DJ set by Throne of Blood artist POPULETTE) at our NNY store so please come by, say hello, and enjoy a night with your Nepenthes friends.

We look forward to seeing you then.'

Nepenthes NY is located at 307 west 38th street. Ground Floor. I hope to see you there, as well!

Cheers to Thursdays!!!!

111019. Yuri Shibuya's group art show! THE INFERNO

2011-10-19T11:18:00.006-04:00

On thursday , October 20, 2011, my good friend , Yuri Shibuya is in an art show! Coming from a string of runaway hits in JAPAN, she is bringing her visual aesthetics to NEW YORK CITY!
From what I am gathering of the presenters of the show, it looks to be heavy on the documentary and fly on the wall images as well as up close and in the mix looks! It should be quite an eye opener and a fun one to boot!!
Hamburger Eyes from what I ve seen is pretty RAW and Imaginative! This should be one for the ARTS!
The Opening Reception will be from 7 - 10 at 208 east 7th street, New York, NY... east village! If you have a chance, come by and gape!

11-10-13. Art Benefit for Tibet!!

2011-10-13T09:14:00.006-04:00

Art for Tibet Online Art Auction Open Now
Click here to preview artwork and pre-bid:http://benefitevents.com/auctions/sft2011
Online Auction Closes October 14th at 3pm (EST)

For more information and to view the contributing artist list (in formation):
http://www.artfortibet.com
We hope you can join us for this exhibition and special event. If you are not able to attend to bid on artwork in person, we offer a concierge bidding service for absentee bids. These can be placed through SFT at 212-358-0071 or
benefit@studentsforafreetibet.org until 3pm (EST) the evening of Oct. 14th.

*All proceeds from benefit Students for a Free Tibet, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization working for human rights and freedom in Tibet.

Art for Tibet pays tribute to the cultural renaissance flourishing in Tibet in spite of continued repression of Tibetan artists, poets, writers, musicians and intellectuals. In the spirit of this renaissance, the event explores the intersections between contemporary art, freedom of expression, and the Tibetan freedom movement.

This event is open to the public.

Thank You.

This is my submitted piece. 'Green Tiger' (2010)

11-10-10. a video scaped up from the past!

2011-10-10T17:29:00.004-04:00

This is a quick little video directed by my good friend, Yuri Shibuya. Check it!

I think its from the archival files of 1957.. sometime around the great one, Von Dutch. It was a swinging era! Everything was new! Even the surfboards were getting smaller and I m pretty sure Von Dutch created the first Kustom Surfboards out of fiberglass cos he was doing all that with his cars. Anyways, Enjoy!

Bottom of the Board.

Top of the Board.

110915. NAOMI KAZAMA and FT GREENE's MOEs

2011-09-15T11:15:00.002-04:00

Artist, gallerist, creative being and all around eccentric guy, Naomi Kazama of DYZ-EXP fame and AUTOCIDER is bringing his show to Brooklyn, NY for a weekend event of Live Screenprinting with his gang, STRANGE, jewelry by Maya and some sample sales and what nots. Please come. South Portland and Lafayette. Sat and Sun, September 17 and 18.

11-09-12. Virgin Free Fest and Kiyocera Shuji

2011-09-12T11:47:00.012-04:00

Help Japan and your wardrobe.

Virgin Free Fest was in the woods this year! It was a good ol' festival in nature with ferris wheels, carnival tents and a skatepark! Kiyocera was one of the main sponsors of the event and they pumped it up with innovative sound/sight experience in form of outdoor dance party coupled with high tech camera/sound/sight bending non stoppable party dancing, space aliens dancing...

An alien in a suit!

A tree tall alien!

Twin Dancing GLOB Aliens!

... a solar charging stations with benches and lounge chairs AND shuji on tee shirts by masters/artists;
Mayo Kohama, Eiko Berkowitz, Yoshiko Komatsu, Yuri Shibuya, Asako Miyahira and me, Mike Ming!

Art is an expression and extention of ourselves. Yuri Shibuya and Asako Miyahira extending and expressing.

Japanese culture emphasizes subtlety. Yu-chan and Eiko-chan emphasizing.

Man on phone: ".. YES! SHUUUUJJJJIIIIII by masters!! I m going to get 'GAMMBARREE JAPAN!!! "

It was a non-profit $5 donation for a shirt with Japanese Calligraphy! As expected, this event was a smash! From the time the gate was open until even after the lights went out, there were people trying to scramble for tee shirts. It was a successful all day affair that saw throngs of people wanting to help Japan and get something special written on their tee shirts in return.

The Angels, the crowds and the shuji tent.

Lights out in our tent, party is ON at Kiyocera Sight/Sound Tent!

I would like to thank those who were involved and organizing this event and for allowing me to participate for a wonderful cause.

Kiyocera for making it happen, Virgin Mobile for the event, Mother NYC for production, Mayo Kohama for displaying amazing Shuji Power(!!!), Eiko-chan and Yu-chan for all the help in figuring the characters out and for dealing with all those customers who were 'outside the box' (I overheard more than 1 strange request coming from their direction), Yuri Shibuya and Asako Miyahira for traveling with me and having patience to deal with me, Charles Lahti for calling us out and envisioning this amazing event, Christine from Mother NYC to produce this event and trusting us to do the amazing job we needed to do, Kiyocera Angels for keeping the tent running smooth in the chaos of all those shirts getting written on and drying, all those who donated for an excellent cause and Hurricane Katria to wander away from the proximate seaboard and leaving us the beautiful weather to fill in for her insted!! Thank youses!!

Me with my custom Mayo Kohama shuji shirt!!

110912. QuiksilverPro Vitamin Water Mural

2011-09-12T11:09:00.006-04:00

Vitamin Water Shack in business.

New York City saw its first ever WCT surf contest at Long Beach, New York this month. Prior to the event, there were advertisements popping up as billboards on bus stops, buses and in subway cars. It is not the first surfboarding contest but it IS the first contest of this caliber, the top 32 competitive surfing professionals, battling it out in New York City.

Contest.

Taj Burrows getting in and burnin!

For such an event, my good studio 195 partner, Hugh Gran and I, were asked to paint a mural for Vitamin Water for this special event. The week before the event, hurricane Irene came ashore for a quick visit and her presence made painting a mural outdoor pretty unnegotiable. Thankfully, the great people at Critical Massive, who produced this mural, got us an indoor studio and we proceeded to paint. We worked from a sketch done by Hugh Gran but we took artistic liberties once the paint hit the board.

The Mural before it left for the beach. Apocolyptic Future NYC Wave Riders.

It was quite a fun project to work on and although the Quiksilver event did go down, all the hype of a music festival to murals were all tapered down to a few shacks and a store, it was a great time had by all.

We all like Free Stuff.

110804. Snacky and Mike Ming

2011-08-04T00:41:00.006-04:00

Snacky is an awesome little dig that serves up a nice asian affair tapas on Grand Street in cozy Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York. Its an establishment that has spent over ten years being the hip bar/restaurant before it was hipster-burg.

When the owner, Sandy Pei, decided to renovate the look, she honored me with a call to do up the roll gate box. I thought it would be appropriate to hit it with the red and gold, chinese festivity colors, and keep the look free-stripped and abstract.
It was a beautiful day to paint the outside and a great photographer friend of mine, Yuri Shibuya, came through on her bicycletta and took some flicks before she went off on her next adventure.. oh, the travelling photographer.

Snacky is located 187 Grand Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Yuri Shibuya is located where ever she pleases, camera in tow and ready to
shoot whatever she pleases.
www.yurishibuya.com

110803. Bustin Boards Brooklyn & Mike Ming

2011-08-03T10:28:00.005-04:00

Just got word from Ryan over at Bustin Boards that, Bustin Boards has just re-re-re-released the Bustin Boards and Mike Ming Collaboration ROBOT 36 and 41 Model Graphics!! Run out to the nearest longboard/skate shop or better yet, if you are in New York City, find your way to the Longboard Loft Shop at 143 Allen Street between Rivington and Delancy or the Factory ShOP at 340 Grand between Marcy and Havemeyer street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Longboarding, the sidewalk surfer with more wood like the longboarding cousin of the ocean AND evolving into another animal altogether.. think marathons and hill bombs! WTF?! In 2011, Longboards don't even mean long board. Ahh.. the beautiful manifestations of skateboarding, like all the different species of living organisms and the many man created categories for all the little details that make one different from another. LongBoarding. Bustin Boards. Get into it. Get involved.

110704. Sephora Shoot in willy B

2011-07-04T17:11:00.004-04:00

This is a group shot of an upcoming 3D Sephora Shoot directed by David Ellis. It is an all women artist shoot with the likes of Maya Hayuk, Sasu of Hitotsuki, Yuri Shimojo and several other artist ladies! It was apparently 6 Days of madness and we even managed to squeeze in a few Barnstormers for the first 3D time lapse excercise. It was so cool to have the japanese contingency arrive in New York to make this shoot happen. I was not involved but I was there to support and cheer them on in their endeavours! The stuff that comes off live is going to be absolutely bananas. In2 dimension its sick.. in 3D... BONKERS! A great time by all!!!

On the plane from Japan was also Naomi Kazama who went and did some live screenprinting for his group called Strange! Look for him in a town nearest you!

110704. Popeye Magazine

2011-07-04T16:49:00.006-04:00

I was recently featured in an article about my art show in Popeye Magazine, May Issue. Yes, it is july but oh, what the hey. I want to take the time out to especially thank, Yumiko Sakuma for the brilliant editing job, Akira Yamada for the awesome images and of course, Nepenthes USA for allowing me to display my works in their amazing store, located on 38th street between 8 th and 9 th avenues, closer to the north west corner of 8th avenue. Enjoy.

By the way, Akira Yamada is also an abstract fine arts photographer, and for all those in japan between july 5 - july 16, please check out his show. For all those interested in the works everywhere else.. well you just gonna have to wait for the show to appear in a gallery near you. For more information, please visit ... http://akirayamada.com/2/Artist.asp?ArtistID=26172&Akey=TVKNT9F5

110704: Happy Fourth Of July! NOMA Spring/Summer 2011 collection

2011-07-04T16:08:00.001-04:00

NOMA is a Japanese clothing brand started by Masako and Takuma. It is represented by Nepenthes Japan and is being distributed locally in Japan. For their spring/summer 2011 collection, they featured me(!) as a model. I was surprised but was an honorable flattery. Originally, Masako is a fabric designer and Takuma is a fashion clothing store owner. They both met, fell in love and now, produce a very cool line of clothes that can only be get in Japan. Enjoy.

2011-05-17. Dustin Cohen

2011-05-22T13:38:00.004-04:00

Dustin Cohen is a great photographer who worked with me on the Sunglass Hut/One Sight Project in the winter 2010. He has updated his website to include said project as subject for his wonderful portfolio.

If you have not yet seen any of the 100+ hand painted Ray Ban Wayfarers I did for the project, you can click on the link and see the sampling of some of my most recent bigger project gigs.

www.dustincohen.com

These were shot in the beginning of winter at my studio in beautiful RedHook, Brooklyn. It was a pleasure working with Dustin.

Enjoy the images.

110407. Morning Musko Live in Philly and DC

2011-04-07T07:08:00.003-04:00

J Pop?!
J POP Big Band????

YES!!

If you are in
Philly, Friday APril 8 or
DC, For the Sakura Matusuri on the 9th,
Please come check out , Morning MUSKO!!!!

A Terrific Band with Amazing Talented Musician!

In PHILLY, They will also have a special Roll Up Mural for
the Audience to sign a message for JAPAN!!!

Please, If you are in the Hood! Check it out!!!

20110329. April 2nd BIKE SWAP!!!

2011-03-29T07:00:00.003-04:00

YES! A BIKE SWAP at Brooklyn's PS 261!!!
All DETAILS ON FLYER!!
COME CHECK IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Imagine... Queens' 'Bicycle' Song here.....

and if you want Freddy Mercury to sing it for ya...

BICYCLE SWAP!!!!

ANY WAY YOU CUT IT.. COME TO THE SWAP!!!!

110318. School Fund Raiser

2011-03-18T06:58:00.002-04:00

As you may know, the economy has gone pretty south these days and we, the citizens, are taking responsibility to be accountable for our actions and being. My son attends PS 261, an amazing Public School in Boerum Hill Neighborhood of Brooklyn and currently, they have organized a school fund raiser to raise money for the school as we prepare for a budget cut from Albany and the City. If by chance you happen to be reading this and want to help out, please hit the link below or attend our March 26, wednesday evening fund raiser auction. I ve heard there is even a guitar signed by Keith Richards in the fund raiser among many other artists and musician folks and stores and gyms rallying to get the school budget balanced! The event is taking place at INvisible Dog Gallery on Bergan Street between Court and Smith in Brooklyn. March 26, 2011 Wednesday from 7 - 10 pm. Thank You.

http://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/AuctionHome.action?auctionId=124672249

110316. For Japan

2011-03-16T06:24:00.005-04:00

Please pray with me for Japan.

Please, in your daily thoughts, please share your love with Japan and pray for a swift recovery. Please keep a warm thought and positive feelings for Japan.
Please, let us all help one and another, share love and give the best way that we can. Look deep inside yourselves and feel your love.
The situation is tragic indeed, but thinking about all the negativity will only compound negativity.
The moment to act is now.
The moment to live is now.
The moment is now.
Feel love and give love.
Share in your positive experience and react in your postivity.
Let your light shine and share your love and warmth, to Japan and her citizens, to yourselves and those immediate in your persons and to whom every you might run across, for the world, our world, for Living.
For one and another,
for ourselves.
For the present and the now.

Thank you.

110312.NepenthesShowRouteMap

2011-03-12T23:53:00.005-05:00

Hello!
I wanted to Thank ALL THE GREAT PEOPLE THAT MADE IT TO THE SHOW ON MARCH 3! I M SORRY
THAT THIS BLOG IS SO LATE IN SENDING OUT IN APPRECIATION!!

FOR THOSE THAT DID NOT MAKE THE SHOW, IT WILL BE UP UNTIL APRIL 27 OR THERE ABOUTS!

IF YOU CAN FIND YOURSELF AT 307 WEST 38TH STREET, I HOPE YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO CHECK OUT THE ART AND MERCHANDISE YOU WILL FIND THERE!
ATTACHED IS A MAP OF PAINTINGS BEING EXHIBITED. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR INQUIRIES, PLEASE ASK FRIENDLY STAFF.

FOR COMPLETE PRICE LIST WITH PRICES AND SUCH, PLEASE ASK HELP FROM STAFF OR LOOK FOR IT AT THE FRONT WINDOW DISPLAY AREA. FOR FURTHER INQUIRIES, INCLUDING POSSIBLE PAINTING COMMISSIONS, PERSONAL RESPONSES AND GENERALITIES, PLEASE DIRECT YOUR QUESTIONS TO ME, MIKE MING, DIRECTLY AT THE BOTTOM BELOW OR MY EMAIL.

MIKE@MIKEMING.COM

UNTIL NEXT, AS ALWAYS, THANKS FOR CHECKING!!

110301. Nepenthes and Mike Ming ART SHOW!!!

2011-03-01T19:12:00.003-05:00

Greetings!

Nepenthes and Mike Ming are proud to present , 'All Over the Road',
an art show by Mike Ming.

The show will feature art works from the past few years in multiple mediums and
surfaces showcasing enamels, watercolors, pen and inks, paint markers and photographs
depicting works that were made literally at live painting venues on the road or images
taken while on a road or the metaphoric road as path in the life we live and the vehicles
that get us from one point to another.

The Opening Reception will be from 7 pm to 10 pm at Nepenthes.

Nepenthes is located at 307 west 38th street , close to the corner of 8 ave.

Won t you please join us for this momentus occasion?

There will be THREE Hand Painted Bracelets and Surprise Guest Musicians to Liven up the Event! Come One, COME ALL!!!

Also, a special Big UP TO Ito EN for the TEAS!

Cheers!

110119: Update on the Ray Bans... I ve been sleeping...

2011-01-19T17:31:00.002-05:00

Please,
Check this link!

The Ray Ban Wayfarers are Officially ON LINE!
Only 100 Hand Painted Signed and Numbered Frames!
Individual and Unique.. each and every one of them!

From the numbers, they are going out the door!!

Ray Ban Artist Series Glasses!

Enjoy!!

101228.Behind the Artist // Q&A with Artist Series III Designer Mike Ming

2010-12-29T00:04:00.002-05:00

Behind the Artist // Q&A with Artist Series III Designer Mike Ming

Above is a quick Q&A with Ms. Jinna Boo, Creative Director of Grease and Glamour.
For me, a fun interview about the creations of the glasses. The questions were
straight to the point and fun to answer. Thank you for taking time to pick my
brain, as it were.

Safe to say, the last interview before the end of the year, 2010.
I m sure I ll say some other things next year, until then...EnjoY!

101219. Sunglass Hut x One Sight Foundation x Mike Ming

2010-12-19T21:01:00.006-05:00

The last month was spent hand painting 100 Ray Ban Wayfarers for Sunglass Hut's contribution to One Sight Foundation. It is a cause for helping people in third world nations and for those unfortunates who have no access to eye doctors. The foundation sends Optometry Help to those in need. This year marks a third year artist series project launched by
Chris Mendoza,
www.chrismendoza.net
in 2008. 2009 was followed up by
Maya Hayuk
http://www.mayahayuk.com/
and in 2010, your truly.
Thank you Sunglass Hut for having the vision
to trust my vision.

Dustin Cohen, http://www.dustincohen.com/
first time working together, a very quiet, deliberate photographer. Check out his site!

These are some images for the on line only event that will launch shortly on
www.sunglasshut.com .

Enjoy! Thanks for checking back!
The project images were provided by Photographer

The project video was created by Labour NY.
Labour NY, http://www.labour-ny.com/

I ve worked with these guys, Ryan Dunn~DATTA! and Wyeth Hansen, two years ago for another project and I have to say, this shoot was painless and enjoyable. Thank you!

Big UP to Diamond Dave, the sound man(bro, please forgive me) and Matt. Thank you Max at Greencard and Mike Miles for making it all go down smooth, bless!
Great Crew!

101006.Zoel

2010-10-07T06:29:00.005-04:00

Zoel and Me with Board.

Board.

Yesterday, I get a call from a mysterious number. On the other end, a message from an unassuming woman's voice. "Hi, my name is Zoel and I got your number through your friend and neighbor , Camus. I m doing a show about custom art and he told me I should call you. Are you interested? Call me..." something like that. I m .. hmmm.. okay, let me call back and see what is what. I get a message box. I leave a message. ahh.. maybe I m too late. I get a call back in minutes.

Still pinching myself after she left.. got the pictures, tho.
Mugging it up! In the studio.. ' nah look serious ', she says..

To make a long story short, I had a surprise visitor in my studio and an impromtu art session with the beautiful ZOEL! If you don t know Zoel, she is a super hustling argentinian entertainer with music as her expression and media, her vehicle, HOT like the singer but cool and mucho classy. She is a one woman powerhouse of singing, hosting and djing. She has an album, a website, www.zoel.com. She also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show called “What’s up con Zoel” which is produced in the USA and broadcasts live on Urbana 89.5 FM and simultaneously on www.urbana895fm.com.ar every Thursday at 6pm.

Grill Face and Beauty.

AND hosting TV SHOWS!
This Girl is BUSY!

The Hustlin Duo! Makin it happen for latin america et todos world!

Thank you for visiting the studio in Red Hook and taking time out of your very busy schedule to say wassup and Big UP! Thank you Camus for the introductions. Thank you Ken The Flattop, my pinstriping mentor from yokohama!!! Inspired to paint a skate deck like the striping sessions in THE GHETTO, TOKYO!

100913. Streak Across America Live Painting

2010-09-13T21:36:00.009-04:00

Dell introduced a new Dell Phone. It will be 'streaking' across 14 cities to promote this new, incredibly large-esque, light weight, super high tech device. On tour will be Leia, Ben, Nicole and Tae. They are wearing the blue shirts and they will be keeping the public well informed of this fantastic device. The Tour kicked off in New York City, right at Columbus Circle, at the same time as the fashion week! In celebration of their BIG BANG OUT, there were invited live painting and creating artists, Robert Hargreaves, George and Mike Ming. Each artist painted 2 - 3 pieces to express the whole streaking, high tech, creative creations. On hand was also Sean, the camera man, documenting this whole event and filming and shooting. All this AND tweeting!! It s the whole, 'get everyone to notice and check it out and make a buzz thing' happening. Stay tuned to Dell's Streak Across America via Tweet and check out what s all the buzz is about. In the meantime, scroll through and check out the flicks and painted mannequins. Thanks!

Where the event took place!

Sean, The Documentator. Film Maker. Camera Man. Director. The Capturer.

My Friends, Takuma and Masako of NOMA Japan. They were here for the fashion week AND I even modeled some of their clothes for the upcoming catalog. Check it when it comes out.

After the painting and stepping back, people would come up and pose with the mannaquins. I like that. Interacting with art! WHY NOT?

We all need to be aware of our third eye. My dude's just looks mad cartoony.. it s okay, it s art. Future Primitive Societial Peoples from the not so distant future where we are all memebers of the international global tribe all connected by electrons and devices and high powered communicating devices that allows us to share in our experiences wether in physical proximity or in some far off distant locale. That s what I was thinking about.. also that and Emilio Pucci and Wetsuits. That s pretty tech, right?

Leia. She is one of the tech savy personalities you will run into if you go to the streaking. She is also really nice and super cool and down to earth. She knows the phone very well, she will school you, if you are nice.

The mannequin 'art display'.. where the devices are displayed and the mannequins watch to make sure you don t try to run away with the device.

Getting the paint on.

The look from behind.

This is the couple's first stand up, ready for the tour and the world. Go CHECK EM OUT!

Ben muggin it up while Tae was very busy!

A couple that works and plays together! YES!!

My two favorite living people! Robert is a brilliant teacher of theatre and voice!

It didn t occur to me until I m looking at these images again and again, these mannaquins have a Blade Runner/Cobra feel to me! The woman is really pretty so I wanted to paint her elegantly but also wanted to express her sexy womanly-ness out of her plastic ness and the man, well, I wanted him to feel like he could be a warrior hunter-gatherer spirit. It also reminds me of all the tight future tech clothings and wetsuits and comic books and 'primitive' functional art. I think that s what I felt about the whole thing and I hope it translates that somehow.. feels like we can be more in touch and closer to nature. That s my life's goal, to feel and react that nature way. Be like the human animal that I am and tap into that in my expression.

100721 DUNLIN Bags in WILLY B!!

2010-07-21T12:16:00.005-04:00

I modeled for a high end bag store in Williamsburg, Brooklyn called, DUNLIN.
You can check out their website at www.dunlin.us
The beautiful images on the site was shot by Jason Eric Hardwick.
You can check out his site at
www.jasonerichardwick.com
when you get a chance, please check out their line and if you have time,
go check out their store.
263 south 1st street. Brooklyn NY 11211.
718 915 6982

Barnstormers in NYC art SHOW!!!! March 18, 2010

2010-03-18T12:49:00.003-04:00

Barnstormers and extended family of barnstormers is going to have an official art show at joshuaLinerGallery.com from march 18th until april 17, 2010.
There are the japanese Barnstormers flown in from Japan and the Crew Re-Connecting! This show is going to be great!! Please come for the opening or just for a look see!!!

100128 Printing Lessons and Studio Doings

2010-01-28T10:34:00.008-05:00

Studio works and tee shirt pulling. A learning by doing lesson. Printing is not as easy as it looks. Making mistakes by learning sucks, but learn I do. Big Up to Cannonball Press for really making awesome prints look so easy and fun! Please check their site. www.cannonballpress.com Martin Mazzora and Mike Houston.
The pink shirts are soon available as well as more orange and black and greens in various other sizes are being offered. I want to thank my friends who jumped on the opportunity to represent the Year of the Tiger by rocking out in one of my shirts!! (those shirts will be out the door very very shortly!! as they say in Jamaica.. ' soon come ' . BLESS!! AND There are still shirts available for purchase! ) Also!! Thank you to anyone who came out to the opening and to the gallery and purchased shirts!
BUT, now I have a product recall!!!
As I said earlier, some lessons are learned the hard way. The original shirts I pressed were NOT heat treated properly and after one washing, the gold had faded!! I am SO SORRY! I can return you a new shirt that is properly heat treated if you return the first ones! It s very embarrasing. After the washing, it looked like a faded old shirt.. which can be voguish to some but the gold on the new shirt is quite a nice shimmer. You can contact me at mike@mikeming.com and I will make arrangements to exchange!
Here are some flicks of shirts drying in the meanwhile.

Note, If you are a real manly man and/or rocking out in MIAMI, I think you can rock a size small pink shirt. They are hot!

While I really enjoy the screen printing process, I am also currently working on what I like to call the interpretive pinstriping. I really think pinstriping is an incredibly beautiful marriage of form and function. It s power is the simplicity and elegance. Unfortunately, as I have wobbly hands and an unsymetrical sensibility, to create a true pinstriping looks to be a long long way off. But as I am hoping practice makes perfect and that each individual on this earth is put here with certain talents and abilities, I feel it is in my best interest to exploit my potential talents and to take my artistic liberties by yielding the brush and expressing my own lines. Here is a bunch of images on the progress to becoming better on the brush. I hope you enjoy the process.
I have to make a mention that although I really really love alot of pinstriping and I ve been googling and you tubing, the one pinstriper I ve met and who has been a teacher to me and a great friend, Ken the flattop. Please check out Ken The Flattop from Japan at www.kentheflattop.com. He is the most patient and positive person I ve ever met. It incredible how he loves the craft and loves to share the craft. Big BIG UP!!

The white outline is a figure reaching out in perspective. Felt like rock. or nouveau. Both of which I have to imagine influenced me alot. More than most people will ever know.

Detail of Bottom of Door.

100124 After the BIG week-end .. sunday

2010-01-24T23:04:00.004-05:00

Gallery Hanahou. Koko and Marie.

The Images are all aligned through out the gallery in a counter clockwise look-see.

The reception Desk when you first walk in through the door on the right.

From the desk to the left.

To the far left.

Silent Auction at GalleryHanahou.com
Any Question? Any Bidders? for inquiry please go to the website.
36" x 36" canvas. markers and ink.

From the window to the left going back to the door.

Marie with art.

Some More art.

Going out the door. Thank you, please visit the real gallery soon.
'20/10 Vision'
at the Gallery Hanahou
611 broadway suite 730 (north-west corner of houston and broadway)
mon-fri 12-6
until feb 19, 2010

So, this past week was pretty happening. There were benefits all around and an art opening, a super SLAMMING housewarming PARTY event (I missed .. again), a gang of art shows, benefit shows and a history in the making Benefit dance party at SUCRE. In all that, there was also a birthday party (two... one for a really good friend of mine, David Ellis www.freshwatercatfish.org, whose birthday party nine years ago intiated the birth of my son, two dates I can easily remember, two very personal joyous occasions for two very different reasons.), a soccer tournament and another art opening at Invisible DOg, Brooklyn, NY. Of course I m not taking much images these days, not really sure why, probably has to do with the coming to grips of my bad composing and image capturing skills.

The Opening at gallery Hanahou was awesome. I had a great time and it was a great turnout. We did a live painting in the show which we are hoping will get sold in a silent auction whose 100% profits will be going to the haitian relief effort. Many friends old and new turned out and in turn, Those Friends were all friends with some of the gallery goers from different places and situations, it was a very nice meet and re-meet and mingle! The degrees of separations are so marginally thin, it's amazing and humbling to say the least. I mean, can you imagine.. what would be the purpose of hating another because of not really knowing them? eventually in our lives it seems to me, we are all connected to each other some how and wouldn t it be better if the person you met today was not the person you hated yesterday for some reason or another... I guess it s kind of like forgiving or just plain not hating because of stubborn obstructed twisted reasoning of an adamant mind refusing to bend. I know I have those ideas but slowly I am hoping to untangle THAT mess. Maybe not in this life time.

The benefit for Haiti at Sucre in Bed-Stuy/Clinton Hill was apparently OFF THE HOOK!! I mean so much so that if you missed the event ( like I did ) , you and I both missed HISTORY in the making! HISTORY! I kick myself in the ass and I really should not be missing moments like these. But I had family obligations and sometimes, Those SEEDS that are laid in the soil and grown just take more precedence. Thank Yous for all those that showed and supported the event and I hope there will be more and more people united under this flag of a socially united bond of love and expression for, about and being Human.

Big up to all those who are trying to do something about how messed up the world is and Big UP to ALL those who do something about how beautiful the world is and Big UP to all those who recognize how Wonderful this world is And BIG UP to all THOSE who give us the expression and poetics, visual and spiritual to make us all aware about how the world is, at its best, a most beautiful heaven and at its worst , a most terrible hell. There is eternal chaos and the balance of yin and yang but never an unbalanced yin without yang and vice versa.. such a world can never exist unless, dear reader and myself, we refuse to acknowledge both. It s the duality that is in the singular, most perfect circle, one.

100122 Do It Some More!!

2010-01-22T10:15:00.003-05:00

A quick Reminder!! January 23, 2010!! A Benefit!! Please come if you can make it!!!
The Email says... ' It's a dance party!!!' Shake yo ass for the GOOD of Humankind!

100121 Tee Shirts for Sale $20!! Year of the Tiger!!

2010-01-21T12:12:00.003-05:00

100121 Serious Shows

2010-01-21T09:56:00.005-05:00

So I got two shows in my email the other days and I think they are very serious. One is a benefit for the damaged Haiti. Artists getting together to help out peoples in need and in a bad situation. Give what you can, it would be a good thing.

And the other... serious. Miami Peoples. Check it out. Free Cafe Con Leche, 1-2 am. I m almost gonna take some credit for this show cause I ve been to miami three times in my life. Come Check it.

Quoted from my email.

"QUE BOLA ACERE!!!

Ever think to yourself, "where my MIami peeps at?" Ever get the craving for some good old cafe con leche, croquetas, and Havana club rum?

Well wait no more....We the people of the dirty dirty south got your back. For some time now, we've been contemplating a "Miami invades NYC Party". Its become more and more clear that this shit needs to happen "pero like right now bro!"

Come one, come all. Come be a part of the first and ONLY Bootybass, Dirty South Hiphop, Freestyle, Salsa, and free Cafe Con Leche NYC has ever seen!!! (Told ya, we had you covered ;) But most importantly, come SHAKE WHAT YOUR MAMA GAVE YA!!!!!

REMEMBER !!!!
This is YOUR party. Yes, this means u can lie to all your friends and take full credit for this genius idea. its all love cuz we family yo!"

Word.

100120. Group Art Show

2010-01-20T09:36:00.003-05:00

Hello, Hello!

There is some news I want to share!

I am part of a group art show happening on thursday , january 21, 2010 until friday, feburary 19, 2010, at the gallery Hanahou, on 611 broadway (corner of houston) suite 730 in Manhattan, NYC.

The opening reception is from 7 pm until 9 pm on thursday, January 21, 2010.

We are having a collaborative live painting during this time by the artists for a silent auction that will run until the end of the show for 100% donation to Haiti's relief efforts.

The art show is comprised of art works that are all within 15 inch square and the theme of the show is 20/10 vision. Please join us for either/and the reception and to view the gallery during regular gallery hours.

The show titled '20/10 vision' is a show about looking foward to a new decade and a new year! We all know 20/20 vision is good, but to really be able to look far and out, 20/10 is great!

The artists involved in the show are in alphabetical order...

aaron Meshon
Alice Stevenson
Alison C Nguyen
APAK
Ben Chiapek
Chris Mendoza
Dean Landry
Enily Eibel
Eeline Tarunadjaja
Fanny Bostrom
Henrietta Harris
Illan Kohn
JK5
Jun Marie
Karen Ingram
Kenji Hirata
Kirsten Ulve
Lena Corwin
Marc Johns
Marcus Oakley
Michael C Hsing
Mike Houston
Mike Ming
Mike Perry
Misery
Naomi Kazama
Olimpia Zagnoli
Oliver Jeffers
Ryan Berkley
Samantha Hahn
Sara Antoinette Martin
Sara Singh
Shane Jessup
Shen Plum
SuperDeux
Team Macho
Tina Berning
Uninhabitable Mansions
Vivienne Strauss
We-Are-Familia
Yoh Nagao
Yunmee Kyong
Yuri Shimojo

More information for the gallery is found at .. www.galleryhanahou.com
During the show, 20% of all proceeds will go to help the people of Haiti.

Here are two pieces I am displaying for the show.
Also, there will be tee shirts and merchandise to be had!

A young tiger, getting ready for the 2010. Patience and Dedication are needed to catch the prey!

Dancing cheek to cheek. Intimacy, Trust, Tender Touch, Communication, Smooth Glide, Good Posture, Body Language, Pleasure, a sense of Adventure and being in the MOMENT. Just somethings we can look foward to for 2010 and beyond!! Whatever chaos and madness happening all around, just know that the moment of the dance is in the moment, in the now, and at that time, nothing else matters.

100108. Some Tigers for the New Year.

2010-01-09T00:00:00.004-05:00

The green tiger. For me, it s a young tiger, learning to be patient and waiting , getting ready to pounce on the new year. The Year has just begun, so I m hoping it s gonna be as good as I say it is.
This particular piece is one of two paintings I am exhibiting for an upcoming group show. All the participants have nothing but hope for the year, because 2009 was a let down for some and 2010 is a space odd-ity for others! A new decade seems to bring everyones hopes up! The last new decade was 2000 and 1990 and 1980. I don't think I honestly gave a crap and this one.. well, stakes is higher than all those other decades for me, so I guess I should. Besides, living is quite fun, high or low. What a disaster or what a success. It all feels like living in a balance is more and more important and needing less and less to keep my interest up.

This just some more stuff I am getting into. you gotta look tight for the tiger and there are other things floating around. Depending on your screen you gotta squint or step back. The red makes it feel extra hot for me and the sumi-esque quality , well, that s the stuff I really really like. Ink lines and brush work. Nice and dirty, in a clean and unreadable way.

This is just 2010 coming to get at ya!
are you the big pussy or the prey?
Where will you fit in this image?
reflective of your state or a by stander checking it out too close?
or maybe none of those and it will not be anything or.
art is good like that. you either like or don't like.
simple.

I think I was doing a conversation. Big Tiger telling a little tiger.
or just sketching out some lines and two figures appeared on my paper.
Either or , depending on my answer at the moment.

2010. The Year Of the Tiger. RESPECT!

100108. A Dream

2010-01-08T23:09:00.003-05:00

I dreamt that I was in an apartment that looks over to manhattan and I m in brooklyn. The sky gets real dark and it looks like a typhoon is building up on manhattan. It gets windy and windier and it becomes really really dark! All of a sudden,

it feels like the windows are being pushed by alot of wind and the city looks like it s starting to rip apart! there is sudden fires and chunks of buildings are starting to break and shoot out from the tornado/whirlwind! during this time, I m trying to get my camera to shoot photos of it but it s not focusing fast enough and it won t take the photo. Then shit really starts going nuts because now the building pieces are flying towards us and it s starting to hit the building and the fire gets big and it looks like the middle of down town is collapsing on itself! ALL OF A SUdden, a GIANT figure starts to come out from the middle of the city where the buildings are all falling on top of each other and fires and buildings blowing up and this thing , looks like a giant robot emerges! And I m actually thinking.. oh shit.. we are fucked! this is the end. and the robot monster is destroying the city and I can see he got flames shooting out of his mouth or eye rays or some sci fi stuff. Then the thing starts walking across the river and in no time, it s like right outside our window. I m switching the camera to video and I m not really scared, but I feel like I can t possibly run and the destruction to the city is something like a nuclear holocost. I mean, Im trying to film this monster and at the same time, I know what is coming up next. it shoots a fire flame right outside the window and I m sure the building is going to explode and I am gonna die... but I m not scared. Asako is in the house and we are both kinda confused as to what is really happening. For some reason I look over on a table or something and I see a Dracula book or video or dvd. some reason the dream switches and although I m still thinking we are gonna die and since we are gonna die, I think we should make love one last time. I was more stressed about trying to fuck than dying. Asako is suddenly having a mustache and she is proud to tell me that she is a dracula and will soon be a man. Her arms are getting longer and her mustache is really thin and sporty. Can you imagine a girl looking like a guy? .. kind of like that. But, the change takes time and she still has a cunt and not a dick. Of course, we are still in the apocalyptic course so I m somehow asking her for a fuck one last time and to kill me. I ask that when she kills me, can she not make it so painful. In my head, I m envisioning her killing me and I am actually thinking of many different ways she can do it. On top of that, the monster is raveging brooklyn and I m trying to get one last fuck before death and I m completely distracted by too many things that I really not getting the sex. This is probably the one thing that has me stressed more than Asako becoming a vampire man and a robot monster apocalypse.

In the stages of dreams, I m suddenly outside and it s winter and the wind is whipping up again. this time, I feel like I am on the earlier part of the situation. I m thinking that the weather is turning bad and that I should head home or something like that. I am in a part of some city that reminds me of stuyvesant town without the boarders and a mix of other projects and gates.. white painted gates that are kind of not ornamental but like a gate for a door or something. There are people around me and on top of hills, because there are small hills and it s not quite new york like. maybe some suburb like new york? does that make sense? it s a dream. there are huge 12 story snow drifts and as I am making my way home, someone starts screaming and there is rumbling and I look up to see an avalanche! I look to my left and it is a big hill I can t possibly run up fast enough and to my right is fence about two stories high and in front is the snow drift avalanche and behind is a couple who I think turned and ran! I thought I could not out run an avalanche so I climb up the fence. The avalanche and the people and hill are all back to normal as quickly as it started and looks like the avalanche ran out of steam not too far from me... I get down and I start walking very fast towards home before another avalanche. As I turn the corner, there is no snow and although it is windy, I make the assumption that all the snow must of drifted to the one corner of the building because of the wind storm. I think right after that I m back to my apartment and then I wake up.

100101.Happy NEW YEAR 2010

2010-01-01T00:26:00.004-05:00

Hello Hello!! Another year has gone by and a NEW YEAR races to us, yes, the year we make contact.. as I have been told. So, I thought I would make a jump on the year by posting some new flicks. Flicks of the fireworks that happened over prospect park as seen from my roof top. The year has made a rather quiet turn around the corner, as it is chilly rains and foggy lights. Looks like a good way to start a new year. Why NOt? We had a white christmas.. now we have proper december january weather. Lets Start A new! I got a new year's resolution. Keep up with this blog. I mean, really.. who reads this stuff? I m just gonna do it for my own personal excercise or sumpin. :) hey, gotta start somewhere yea? Maybe one day , I envision for this blog to have more content as far as words and meanings go, as communication is the reason to do this at all, hopefully I ll be human enough and selfless enough to share my ideas.. or something like ideas. If you , dear reader, have been reading this blog at all, as there is three followers to date, I thank you for your interest. Heck, I ll try! I know you are all pretty creative bunch! This is not a creative blog and sure is a bit direction less. That s a challenge, yea? maybe it s gonna evolve. it will. Like I says befores.. a photo, an image.. can say alot more than I can. even if the image is blurry and out of focus and looks non sensical... engaging the artist within! the story teller inside and make your own! YEA!!! 2010 and beyond!

091224.Christmas Eve

2009-12-24T08:35:00.009-05:00

Chris Mendoza. Holiday CHEERS!!! A Painting Snowman!!

Holiday Cheers!! I wanted to share some of my christmas greetings I got from some friends of mine. Some of this is unauthorized so that will explain the blurs and the uncredited images. But that s not important... It s the sharing, right? Okay! so on with the images!!

OH!! First, Before the images of christmas, I have to make a plug for my friend, Charlie Samuels, http://www.charliesamuels.com, who, an amazing photographer, is planning a documentary film release about skateboarding. Check the blur and check the flick. I even recognize the far left skater with the eye of the tiger!.. Bodega Skateboards' very own, Joe Humeres. This is gonna be a fun one!

VIRGIN BLACKTOP
Life, death and brotherhood on a suburban New York skateboard team. (an action sports feature documentary)

This film tells the stories of nine racially and economically diverse kids who formed their own competitive skateboard team in the suburbs of New York City in the late 1970's. Now in their forties, the Wizards stay in touch and most still skate. One of them went on to become the best amateur 'freestylist' in the world. One died tragically at a very young age. Another a yacht builder and captain, another struggles to make a living teaching young kids to skateboard. The director of the film, who also was a Wizard, is an action-sports photographer.

YEA! okay, Next!

This one, I can credit! Kads Miida. Japanese Painter. www.kads.net.
Easier for you to check than me write.

ahh.. nice coffee shop shot. Feels like Holidays, yea? Thanks!!

I m thinking tropical. and electric. COOL, Holiday cheers from far away!!

Just a mental photo. Looks too crazy... more like christmas nightmare.

The Last For THE Place... New York City's Iconic Restaurant all lit up pretty for the winter holidays. A glowing beacon of holiday cheers!

Yoshiaki Takao can create magic on the streets, makes me feel like I m staring at art on the outside, like a docodemo door in new york.. maybe a docodemo window or better yet, a docodaro mado! Ultra YABAI! You Understand?
http://www.yoshiakitakao.com/

Feel the radiating warmth! Draws children, parents and adults to feel the gentle heat toward it to warm one through the cold! The painting is done by one, Sasu.
http://www.hitotzuki.com/

Not one to say too much, this brings us to the conclussion of our blog program. Short and sweet so you can either mull over the images again and again or run out and get that last minute procrastination on!! Bless!!

091216FlicksFromPhone

2009-12-16T23:42:00.009-05:00

before the paint goes on.

sunset on the manhattan bridge.
image by Tenzin.

I recently got a new phone. It supposed to shoot high quality or high memory images.. looks like a camera. These are a month's worth of flicks, edited of course. Feels random, a bit unfocused.. it is, after all, a phone. Maybe the subject matter is what is the matter. Not thinking too much, just shooting away. The memories are more interesting than the flicks but the flicks, well, you can see what I might be seeing, more than a thousand words per shot. Enjoy.

work. work. work.

spider man window cleaning service.

uss new york. made from twin tower remains.
a ghost ship on the river. war won't bring back the dead.

my friend , Eli, exclaims.. 'look at that! solar flares!'...
sounds good to me. looks crazier than it sounded. perfect circle. 90degree points.

fun at work. a snowman getting crushed.

david ellis' 're collection' art show
musical guest, prefuse 73. @ la poisson rouge. nyc.

same show, same sound sculpturer, prefuse 73.

barry franklin art show's music provider, petey weedy.
@ wesc store. nyc.

holiday cheers. too many cheers.

nutmeggers fc. fall 2009.
after bowing out at the semi finals.
urban soccer league. chinatown pitch.

jfk aeroport sign on the crosswalk.

moonlight. lamplight.

jun marie, in the sunset.

jun marie in the sunrise at jfk.

jonny santos. dj. piano player. mc. party hustler. faux mex.
@ellas.
wednesday nights are PUMPING!

great skater. great horn player. great photographer.
jon carter.

party at santos for dj nori,
legendary house dj of party premier tokyo night club, gold.

a halloween party.
a rasta charlie chaplin. a fortune teller. a point dexter.

double lou. shut halloween party.
www.skateboardingschool.com

more holiday vibes.
too much holiday vibes.

cruise ship on the hudson. late night evening views.

christmas at the metro tech center.
brooklyn.

old brooklyn. 62nd precinct.
don't ask, won't tell.

busted up car on metropolitan.
dangerous willy b.

fun at work.
what can you see from here?

what's wrong with the picture?
a little image touch up.

a jfk sunrise.

091207... and we are back...

2009-12-08T02:18:00.017-05:00

MidTown Upside down.

Vacant Gallery. Two ART Hooligans.

Sunset on the Hudson... a herd of Industrial Giraffes.

Shingo Wakagi and Mister Tycoon Graphics, Mr. Miyashi @ Rich Magazine Party.

HAAHA... so this one is gonna be a recap of the past month or so's images and events. Really, not too much has happened. There was a group show in Peekskill NY called 'MegaDECKS'. Thank you Geoff Feder, Tim Boo and of course, Peter HYUHN of UXA. It was Peter's suggestion that got me in the show. Then there is of course the show in harajuku, Tokyo at Vacant Gallery for Shingo Wakagi and I's Lets Go For a Drive 13 th anniversary show and Talk. While in japan, there were other various events, like.. Ken the FLATTOP and THE GHETTO in shin OKUBO , ToKYo, REpresenting TOKYO PIN HEADS TRIBE!!! An Outdoor talk event in EBISU garden during a very windy day! There was the flight back and playing host and tourist for a couple weeks as we had great japanese artist, Jun Marie to care for.. An amazing music event by
Pathfire in LES, NYC and Masa, a new york ex-pat visiting home town again. There was the Macy's Herald Square Window Display opening AND the SAKS Fifth Avenue Window Display Opening, courtesy of Spaeth Designs. I also went dancing and working and eating and working and just been really busy.. well, busy enough to avoid writing a blog that gets no attention. Sorry, folks. Please don t hold your breaths for these.. for sure, you will be gasping something horrible. Enjoy the flicks, thanks for checking back.

Bird.

Peekskill Art Show, 'Mega Decks' at the Paramount Theatre.
Peter UXA Hyuhn, Geoff Feder and Tim Boo.

My Mentor and DYZ-EXP Provoker (originally GAS GALLERY in NakaMeguro, the first!)
Naomi Kazama.

Miss LeBaron.

Jun Marie... St. Patricks.

Jazz Band in Daikanyama, Tokyo.

View from the other side.

Fashionista!

Shota.

A 'look-out-for-yo-stuff' sign.

Vacant Gallery.. Check it out! Harajuku, Tokyo.

photo by Jun Marie. A Sun sets in Brooklyn.

Shingo and Mike talking about 'Lets Go For a Drive' Film @ Vacant Gallery.

Peekskill's Paramount Theatre.

Pathfire!! Sean Titone.

photo by Jun Marie. Mike on Bike.

Lady Liberty. Dame au Liberte.

Night Rider! Thanksgiving Night.

Jarel is a shark. He says he doesn t play. Do not be fooled.

Believe it or not, This is a cover of GummiBears Song. Yes, the TV show tune.
Got the whole crowd singing... I didn t know the lyrics.

An airport exhibit in Hawaii.
A defused bomb, up close.

Morimoto.

Another 'watch-yo-back' sign.

Shingo Talking some more.. very windy.

ahh.. lovely airplane view.

Shingo, the yan~keee. You got? ..Zakeru na!

Peekskill Clock!

Nathan Collins of Pathfire! Singing out him soul!
Pathfire can be found on my space.

Another shark.. Masa. Don t bet money on your games with him.

Ken The Flattop hosting at THE GHETTO! Tokyo Pinheads Gathering!!

Jun Marie on the beach.

Jacques Torres. Chocolatier. Wicked Hot Chocolate!
DUMBO Brooklyn.

Full Moon in Peekskill.

An August MV. Parked in front of hair salon.

Hand Pulled '13th Anniversary Shirt'.
Thank you, Mikey of Studio Dedication at Ivory, Kamakura!!
For all special custom screened tee shirts.

091002.TravelTime. Kauai. Aprilla.

2009-10-05T18:42:00.008-04:00

'stop/action' aprilla motorcycle show.

One angle of the exhibition.

Friday, October 02 was my flight from NYC to Lihue, HI via Phoenix AZ. A very Early morning flight, overnight procrastination packing session and an art show in williamsburg later, I was on a plane, in and out of sleep because of our bumpy sky ride. 12 hours later, I stumble out in too much clothes in a tropical paradise. The first thing that hits me is the country. It is very country.

Kauai. From the plane.

The island entourage greetings.

There are wild chicken everywhere and it's a jungle. Life is good here. There are 55 miles of highway and any construction on the road makes a 2 minute drive a 10 minute affair. I arrived here for a two day stint because my childhood friend was getting married. These are more the random shots not neccessarily based on the wedding but just my personal gape-er shots. Enjoy.

poipu sunset.

surfers at poipu. Front of Beach House Restaurant.
Between these guys, the waves and the wedding vows.. not to mention the scenery, the weather and the location... a very memorable wedding.

The Kauaiian Highway Scenery.

Kalapaki Beach.

Warm waters, funny lighter recycled Bic surfboard and , believe it or not, a few really nice size waves later, the tension is melt.

A surfer on the eastern side.

late late night beach session.
grooms men.

kapaa, east facing blown out waves. The following day.

Smith Family Luau. Opening the IMU.

Smith Family Luau's well maintained land.

ALOHA

090807 OsGemeos

2009-08-05T23:32:00.003-04:00

Was on Houston and Bowery the other day. Heard news about OsGemeos in town. Two Gemini Brazilian Muralist/Grafitti Artists. What I saw... They always are amazing. Beautiful Story telling. Not sure what the story is but I can guess it involves the ocean and thier adventures/adventure of where they come from and its a journey that is still traveled. Very Beautiful. A very rough translation of thier beautiful world. Dedicated to Dash Snow aka Sace. RIP.

090806 Helmets

2009-08-05T23:27:00.004-04:00

Helmet front.

Helmet Side.

Helmet Other Side.

Helmet Back.

Helmet with the other Helmet.

090805BrooklynBoulders

2009-08-05T22:13:00.008-04:00

Steve giving an interview to Channel 7.

Brooklyn Boulders has officially opened. Although still its soft opening, it was quite a stir. As there were several First Ascent available dates preceding the opening, today marks the first official day for business! The GRAND OPENING will be on September 9, 2009! These are a few of the pics from the opening day and the days before. In the time BEFORE the opening, they were visited by several tv news media and a number of press media. I m not sure how many but can tell you, there was Channel 1, Channel 12 and Channel 7. I don t have cable or access to regular tv so check your local broadcasting or hey, go on line. Congratulations to Brooklyn Boulders!! The Grand Opening Day is gonna be OUTRAGEOUS!!!!

PE and EWOK flanking the bouldering room.

CYCLE throw up. Above the soon-to-be movie spot.

EWOK. Close Up.

EWOK. Newer, Stronger, Better. Dope as always.

DIVA. Background is ... You can smell the trees and grass! Serene and Calm. Beautiful.

CLARK. I m Ready!!

Channel 1. Climbing the Icon, Brooklyn Bridge.
Bought it all, No Expense too Big. The Vision is GRAND!!

Bouldering Room. Padded. Ready. Talking V-0s to V-Alots.

BKB. Opening.

Getting Ready.

Professional Climber. Yes, the tiny one. Ashima-chan. Amazing.

Discussing the fine points of bouldering. Girl QUEEN!!

090724 Students for a free Tibet Benefit

2009-07-26T09:57:00.004-04:00

I got involved and rolled up my sleeves for a cause.
Students for a free Tibet.

Silent Auction. August 1, 2009. Saturday.
79 Walker Street. New York, NY 10013

50+ artists to honor 50 years of nonviolent Resistance!

5 pm-10 pm.

Featuring DJs and Live Painting Collaboration.
Art For Tibet. 50x50.
www.studentsforafreetibet.org/artfortibet

Art Piece for Tibet Benefit. Up for silent auction until 8/1/09.

Art Piece for Tibet Benefit. Up for silent auction until 8/1/09.

Art Pieces for Tibet Benefit. Up for silent auction until 8/1/09.

090723 some ink stuff

2009-07-24T20:53:00.002-04:00

Helmet.

Aside from the wall painting mural, I ve recently gotten my hand.. er.. my brush into a can of one shot and got busy trying to make beautiful lines. I see a very long long road before the lives get straight, but hey, they are organic and I personally like the rough style, but I can t say that it is proper. anyway, I m not hung up on it and am super psyched on it... check it out and keep an eye out for more as the road to progression looks like bumpy and frustrating, it s still as fun as can be!

practice glass

Helmet MC. Back side View.

Helmet MC. another side view.

Tenzin's Bike.

Tenzin's Bike.

Tenzin's Bike.

Tenzin's Helmet. Wise. Owl.

Black Helmet Front.

Black helmet side.

Black Helmet back.

090722 Brooklyn Boulders

2009-07-24T07:11:00.006-04:00

Brooklyn Boulders.

It s been a minute since I ve dropped out of communications and now I m here to report on a project I ve been working on the past couple weeks. I ve been at 3rd avenue and Degraw at the old brooklyn Daily News Building that is now being transformed into the biggest, greatest, bad-est, funkiest, artiest... (add your own adjective with -est) and you get the idea that this one is gonna CRUSH any climbing gym as one ill activity theme park. Check out the flicks of the painted walls gracing the gym so far.. much much more to come.

PEEK. SONIC. PGism ( RIP )

EWOK.

PART. Mike Ming ( unfinished, Day Two ).

KA.

K STAR. DIVA.

EROTICA 67.

VIC.

EWOK.

Mike Ming.

All Artists | Upper Playground News

2009-06-12T09:23:00.001-04:00

All Artists | Upper Playground News

Shared via AddThis

090504. Costa Rica, Parting Shots

2009-05-07T11:40:00.005-04:00

SHUT!

Drinking Fried Chicken.

Fried Chicken. Competition. There is even another chicken spot across the street.

Cloudy skies on our last day. CR letting us go easy.

Trevor, Erich and Josh.

El Gato.

Jimmy and Matt W.

Finned on the last session. A small price for a week of surf.

Night Shot from the varanda.

Backyard Hut.

Erich, Josh and Damian.

Last sunrise in San Jose.

San Jose Airport.

090504 Costa Rica part 3, Travel Back

2009-05-07T09:30:00.008-04:00

The final sunset of the journey, 37,000 feet above the earth. En route LGA.

The last installment of the Costa Rica Journey is the final days of the gang all departing separate ways on different flights and even different days. These are images from Playa Hermosa to San Jose to Miami to LGA. Traveling is always good for the soul. It always seem to make me go inside myself as much as expand outside myself. It is the unknowing and the break from the routine that makes the experience seem so vivid. In everyday home, it seems like the routine can put me in a rut. One thing though, when I look out just a little bit, even the routine is always changing. In travels or at home, nothing is really for certain so I guess we just all try to roll through and see what is next, but for sure, enjoy the present tense. Because really, that is all that is really happening.

Black bean soup and maduras. Miami.

La Carretta. I love latin food in Miami.

Sea creature sculpture.

The last hurrah!
Damian, Matt W., Trevor, Jimmy, Erich and Mike.

night lights in LGA.

The beginning of the end. A full circle. PURA VIDA!

The last serenade from CR.

Rough Town. No Pass.

Urban Development.

A door in San Jose.

A sculpture in one of many many squares.

San Jose Downtown.

A mural at a circular drive.

On the way to San Jose, a small town on the side of a road.

A tourist trap. The crocodile river with no crocodiles and lots of grazing cows.

Green Transportation.

Mountains in the mist.

A multi billion colones beach hut.

Cows.

'...pssst....mammi, need a ride?....'

090502 Meanwhile, Back in NYC

2009-05-06T12:35:00.008-04:00

Before the whole Costa Rica trip, there were some events that happened most recently. I had an art show at Bob Bar in beautiful L.E.S. NYC. The opening event was a torrential rain storm and I apologize for the weather. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who attended, I especially would like to thank Malik of BobBar for the use of the wall space and location, Fernando Ruiz Lorenzo for the curation, DJ SMOKE for the beautiful 4:20 inspired music ( the opening WAS on April, 20, 2009 ) and to my friends from far and wide who came to support me for the event. The travelers had come from as far as Italy, Boston and Albany! Thank You!
There will be a closing reception on May 11, 2009, monday. 7-11. On the decks will be Faux Mex to create that nice closing party atmosphere. I did not have any opportunities to take any party images but these are the art works on display. Thank you and I hope to see you! Peace, Mike

The Entrance.

The view from the bar.

'untitled. scream.'(2008) acrylic, watercolor and ink. 16.75 x 20.75 x 1.5

'untitled. orange.' (2009) acrylic, watercolor and ink. 11 x 14.25 x 1.25

'untitled. in tube.' (2009) acrylic, watercolor and ink. 10.875 x 14.25 x 1.5

'untitled. wet flower.' (2009) acrylic, watercolor and ink. 28.25 x 36.75 x 1.5

'untitled. medusa.' (2009) acrylic, watercolor and ink. 10.25 x 13.25 x 1.5

'untitled. myth snake.' (2009) acrylic, watercolor and ink. 18.75 x 24.75 x 2.25

'untitled. wet place.' (2009) acrylic, watercolor and ink. 36.25 x 35.25 x 2

'untitled. distracted.' (2009) acrylic, watercolor and ink. 30.75 x 61 x 2

'untitled. sun.' (2009) acrylic, watercolor and ink. 36.25 x 42.25 x 1.5

The view of the other wall.

090501 Costa Rica part 2, Middle of the trip

2009-05-05T18:27:00.002-04:00

This is part 2 of the trip. The waves were not getting old, but we were checking out other spots, like a boat harbor, where ALL the locals were staring at us because we drove in with a van topped with 7 boards on the roof. The guys in the bar were very helpful, yelling out suggestions to go Jaco, instead. The people in the water was staring at us... we are silly gringos.

Our local beach is actually part of a national turtle sanctuary beach called, playa hermosa. A few kilometers down from our house complex was The Turtle conservatory. One of the days, while we were waiting for the tide to change, we drove to the conservatory to check the beach for yertle turtle. Unfortunately, he was not to be found and I m quite sure we were in the wrong season for turtles on the beach. What we did see was miles and miles of driftwood, nature's own driftwood gallery! As far as the eye could see, it was all washed up wood. That was really cool.

I left a piece in the gallery.

Art work for climbing.

Looking down from the top.

Dr Jones?

I think this is where the scientists hide out when the turtles show up.

My man keeping all the crows out of here. What crows? Exactly.

Bike with Machete. Where does this bike go?

We surfed some more and hang out at the beach. Our priority on this trip was to spend as much time in the water as possible. Even at night we ended up hanging out at the beach or pool. There were bats in the evenings and birds in the day.

Believe it or not. A lightning brightening up the night sky. Long exposure.

A half moon brightening the sea and making beautiful reflection.

'are you guys in some band?' We got that sometime.

working on the band shot.

I saw crabs, iguanas, frogs, geckos, cows, burros, horses, rays, pelicans, macaws and other assorted animals and birds I have no name for.

Crab in the sand.

Bull holding the ground, ain't gonna let some silly person take Him Spot.

A beautiful bird.

Our neighbor, Killer.

Our loiter dog.

Every morning, these guys were out patrolling the waves, riding better than any of us with a board...

The biggest downside of this trip was the crackheads and car thieves. Yes, we did get our car broken into and we lost about 4 cameras and a few backpacks. Fortunately, we did not lose any passports. We had one day where we went to the police and spent two hours filling a report on the thievery.

Policia Tourista. Taking notes.

The following day, we went to boca baranca. I didn t take any flicks, cause I am an idiot, but the sign did claim it to be the world's longest left. From what we got, it was a long left and that day, I spent the time on the spot riding a 9'5" long board! I learned to paddle on my knees! I've always wanted to learn to do that AND I stood on the thing in between lulls just standing up right!! Long Boards can be fun as heck! YEAH! No flicks of this tho'... Oh well.

Morning ritual.

A chinese board unable to withstand the heat of the tropics. The foam collapsed on itself. Surfer, be aware!

Oeste Beach.. er.. Playa Oeste.

Not really nothing to do with Playa Hermosa but really, MR T!! A TEAM!! here in san jose, seems he is the idol of mechanics!

On the drive to and from san jose to jaco or anywhere else it would seem is switch backs and mountain ranges. ahh.. the tropics and mountains. Can it be more intense?
Still, these roads are all very civil. Can you imagine if it was all dirt roads?
What the heck can you do when it rained too much? I m thinking mud slides and long plummets to the death. Makes me really appreciate nature and her Good Temper.

We had a power outing, twice. The second time, it lasted a couple hours?.. but, we knew about that and honestly, it was as if it was raining or something comparable to flowers blooming in the spring, business as usual. or not business.

Juan Jose. Hopefully the next Costa Rican PRO Surfer! I hope so, he was very cool and helpful about surfing the spot, Playa Hermosa!

Josh contemplating and soaking it all in.

Cars? Who needs cars when your vehicle is as green as it gets. So green, it is actually part of the natural cycle in life. Beautiful.

Yup, another one.

The ultimate SUV.

Hermosa. Always breaking. Always.

Close up View.

My high tide sessions. Like Autumn with warm bath water waves! Can it get better than that? Thank YOU, Mammi!!!

090430. Costa Rica

2009-05-01T22:24:00.010-04:00

Morning Sunrise at JFK, NYC.

Howdy , howdy. as I sit and feels like I am bobbing up and down the ocean, I want to send my greetings and some badly taken images of my first half of the costa rica trip with myself and seven of my good gringo homies! It has been very hard to take photos because this has been a surf vacations and I find myself gaping at the intensity of nature. A tropical location with warm bath water ocean and autumn power waves! I hope the images will speak for itself or you make your way down this way to this part of the world!

The sunrise from the airport. Another angle.

The view from on my miami flight to san jose, CR.

One of many tropical song birds found in Costa Rica. This one in a tree at La Rivera.

First there was seven. Group shot at the hotel.
Jimmy, Damian, Erich, Matt, Mike, Trevor and Matt W.

When I took this shot from the airplane shortly after landing in San Jose, I thought it was very nice welcome. Little did I know that it was an aeroport museum and restaurant. It was to be my first meal of San Jose. Nice.

Eating at the museum. Erich and Damian.

Matt W., Jimmy and Trevor. Matt was in the back behind Jimmy.

A car on the road.

Our BLK13 Surf Mobile! 7 surfboards strapped to the top.

The first look of our local break, Playa Hermosa. Mid Tide.

In the casa with all modern amenities.
Trevor, Jimmy, Erich and Matt W.

Damian and Josh. Heavy Lounging.

Ahhh.. beautiful localism.
Our neighborhood loiter Dog. She slept on our porch all day, every day.

A unique quiver of boards at our house or strapped up on top.

The house we pass every time we leave the compound. Contemplating Squatting.
I mean, with a tree for a roof! Right in front of beach! Looks like a dream..

A really big Bodega. Not the same bodega in new york.. this one sold car parts.

Insta-crowd. Just add water.

Playa Oeste. Matt, Damian and Erich.

Matt and Matt W. in oeste.

Playa Oeste Estrillo. Nice mermaid looking fondly out to sea as she summons mushy waves for us to play in.

Boat on the side of the road in front of the beach. Feels tropical to me.

Another afternoon session. Jaco.

Jaco Beach.

Erich. Tour Manager. Only when things went wrong.
Tired from a day of surfing. Every day of surfing.

Sunset at Jaco, down the road from Carton's Shop.

Local Surf Shop at Jaco. Carton Boards.

Your local, friendly, neighborhood shaper, Carton.

This was the morning view. Everyday sunrise from our crows nest that was our lookout point. Right above the sleeping quarters.

090411 BiWeekly Part Four

2009-04-13T08:29:00.004-04:00

Art Show at APW.

A good friend of mine, Jeff White, a master illustrator ( creativeshake.com/jeffwhite ) was in town for a day to do a group art show at APW. With over 100 plus entries of drawing ( mostly ) and smaller works, his work shined like a diamond in the sun. It was a minute, a long minute, since meeting up with Jeff and it was a good time to re-connect. Please check out the website, as his line work is awesome!

Good Friends and Family!

Three trouble makers.

The Gallery.

090410 BiWeekly Part Four

2009-04-11T11:00:00.005-04:00

Journal Gallery had an amazing show, one which at the time you, dear readers read this, the present will now be the past and the beautiful show will no longer be but a memory making travel arrangements to another part of the world, for another space sharing. Mark Borthwick had an art show in Williamsburg's Journal Gallery this past march to april. It was in synch to an art book signing, musical events organizing and space installation. The ever energy giving bright light that is Mark presented New York with his creation and love. Included in this installation are scatterings of color saturated dream like polaroids and prints. His is the gift of visual and dare I say, spiritual healing. My words can not even do justice to the vibe created from Mark. It was a blessing to be a witness to this beautiful moment. On the line up for this event was also another band, Bow Ribbons and Thurston Moore and Micro Bassist Experimental Sound Scape. It was a night of super sonic sensual revelations. Thank you Journal gallery for bringing us this beautiful show. Art is healing and revealing.

090410 Biweekly Part Three April 2, 2009

2009-04-11T09:59:00.009-04:00

Danny Fuller Art Opening Benefit in Chelea, New York City.
Benefit for Saving Oceans. 'Lost World' Murphy and Dine Gallery.
Curated by Tripoli Patterson.

Danny Fuller had an art event april 2, 2009. It was in New York's now gallery row, Chelsea. There were c-prints on hand for the artist's landscape imagery created in
what looks like a really long exposure. There are images of beaches from around the world, mostly in hawaii. My particular favorite piece is 'Shark Cove'. I remember looking at this break in 2004 eating outside at the shark shack(?) in oahu and thinking, wow, this wave breaks right in front of a plate of jagged mess. I imagined it would be a very dangerous situation for any surfer. To see Danny's image of Shark Cove when it is low tide and long exposed in the late late late night, I feel like he captured the landscape from Da Vinci's Mona Lisa. The place already looks crazy,
with it low tide and exposed, one can easily mistaken it for some aerial waterfall shots. The rest of the show was also very beautiful. Unusual colors and even some really unusual locations. Tel Aviv! with a poised, unmoving sea creature in the foreground, what looks to me like a crab. If you , dear reader, have an opportunity to check out his work, I recommend it. Its large format and gripping scenery will have you smelling the salt and feeling the air. Now, I gotta make my chips, so I can have one of the 11 that was issued for this event. The curator was Tripoli Patterson from Bridgehampton, Long Island. Also there were RVCA sponsors and I apologize as this is not a journalistic excellence blog, my information is somewhat limited. It might have been joggled away by the great music and dancing that accompanied this event. All the grooves to keep the attendance dancing. I found out about this event on Surfline Public Local Posting. I did not meet Danny Fuller. Bummer.

YEah! DJ, play that dancing music! Pharcyde, De La Soul, Samba and Pop?

Dancing.

April 2, 2009 was also the day I was supposed to bring my 'clear title motorcycle' I bought used from Massachusettes to New York Salvage Yards to have her inspected for stolen parts and safety check. This is a bike I bought in november used with a general feeling that it needed some work. It is kind of my policy to buy used so that I can get around and learn to fix the vehicle, at least take some care of it and not feel bad about messing it up.. well, not too bad, like if it was new. To make a long story short, I took her apart for basic basic maintenance and discovered some minor problems that needs addressing. When you buy used bike, take someone who knows bikes with you. This will save you many many hours of labour and parts purchased that might have been avoided if you pick another bike that costs a tad bit more and is in a better shape. I should have known that. Anyways, after some cleaning that I can do with my limited knowledge and some direction from Tom at Motorcycle Works, Ltd in Brooklyn, I was able to ride to the inspection and ride back, passed! Thank you very much Tom!!! so, here is a plug.. Motorcycle Works, LTD. 316 Carroll Street. Brooklyn, NY. 718 802-1705. APPOINTMENTS ONLY on weekdays. Open on Saturdays publicly. But, you should call. Great mechanic. Very Knowledgeable.

Cleaning the carbs.

Taking her out.

090409 Afternoon and Morning Later

2009-04-11T09:44:00.007-04:00

Good fun mushy waves in beautiful New York City. One lucky winner gets the prize.
Submissions are always accepted and the chance of winning depends on the number of contestants.

Milking it.

On the road. The journey is the whole adventure.
Anticipation or not. Morning Look-See

Beautiful Morning with Side blown winds. Lovely Sun Rise, out to greet the sun.
Well worth the trip. Even if it means spending time on the boardwalk, because
I gotta get to work 20 minutes from this.
In summer, a quick dip.
In winter, long time getting in and out of suit.

A close up of one of the lovelies.

090409. Biweekly part One. Mother Couch Jam

2009-04-09T01:00:00.007-04:00

The Couch Party @ Mother NYC. March 25, 2009. Wednesday. PM.

Where does all the days go and why does it go so fast? Time seems to travel faster and everyday the moments are all stolen away while I watch the grass grow. Well, it s done and here I am updating my blog again.. another two three weeks fly by and I recap some places I ve seen and some stuff I ve done. It was a very transitional few weeks as I find myself trying to turn a new leaf of personal responsibility. Sounds great. Always does. Doesn t really have much to do about much so let s just jump in and see what we gots... and what we have here is Mother NYC Couch Sessions! It was an evening of music, art creating and dancing mayhem! There was Consequence of Tribe called Quest out introducing his new album, about to drop. He was a new man of great skills as he also matured and progressed, always keeping the people on their toes. This was one of the events where I found myself more surprised at who ended up showing up. Crazy. He was billed but I don't even remember seeing his name on the mailer I got. Go figure. I don t pay much attention. For me, I was interested in one,
Tristan Eaton who was also billed to live Painting. I take interest in this genre because I always wonder what other artists do when they 'live paint'. That 'live' for me is always interchanging with live and live. Silly thing to think about.

Live Painting. Tristan Eaton. ThunderDog.

Of course on hand was the awesome group that is , Mother NYC. It was an awesome time and the music was super fine. I miss Moms sometimes... One of my most memorable highlights for me was to see mini Milo getting down. When I say get down, I mean, GET DOWN! He was probably having THE most fun. He had moments of great physical body convulsion expressions and the New York Break Attitude, it was phenomenal. Of course, you had to be there to witness the pure un-adult-rated body rockin, but Consequence had to GET DOWN with Mile, it was THAT pure and THAT TRUE! BLESS!! BIG UP, MILO!!!!!! note. Milo is four.

Mother NYC. Pierce. Part time Mother. Full TIME BICYCLIST(!!!)

Mother NYC. Proud Pappi.. er.. Mother NYC.. I mean Tom, double glasses. Heather, always with the smiles.. and .. sorry, I forgot your name... FUN PARTY!!

Jonny Santos and Kate of Mother NYC.

Head Moms with Jonny Santos. The hand coming out the chest.. looks painful.

Consequence!

Consequence!

Consequence!

Couch. Any Reason for a Party. A Couch? HELLS YEA!!!!

Consequence!! Did I mention, His album is about to drop!!

Andrew. Super Underground Yellow Head MC!

Training Facility 090311

2009-03-13T07:56:00.005-04:00

Brooklyn Bridge.

Last weekend was a visit across the river to Pier 40. This is just one of many soccer training facilities in new york city, let alone, America. Soccer is big, Very Big. This one felt like the Island of Han.. secret training headquarters for SOCCER! One of many different activities to be involved in on this little island whose name was New Amsterdam. Pier 40 is on West End and Houston. Enjoy.

generator?

Westside, Manhattan.

Field of Balls. and fences to keep them in.

Training Grounds. One.

Grey Skies. Just like in England, no?

Training Field. Two.

Training Field. Three.

Many a balls have been tossed over the wall by a too powerful shot.

Post Envisioning Diaspora 090306

2009-03-06T11:32:00.004-05:00

Ken Chu and Alexandra Chang.

Last night was the book launch of Envisioning Diasporia at A/P/A NYU. These are some of the images from the show. It was an interesting evening full of optimism and hope. There were three artist collectives represented, Godzilla, Godzookie and Barnstormers. The mind set of each group and the way each group formed and how they are motivated by collaborations was some of the topics being discussed for the event. Most of the book deals with asian-american artists and asian american collaborations. It talks about the emerging asian in new york city from the 1980s. It is a historical book of explaining asian americans and asian artists in america. Particularly the question of identity. Check it out! It is being sold at finer bookstores.

The artist, CheJen.

The author , Alexandra Chang.

Godzilla, Godzookie, Barnstormers, Basement Workshop and A/P/A Represent. 03/2009 NYC

Chris Mendoza and Gion. Discussing the fine points of arting.

envisioning diaspora 090304

2009-03-04T13:45:00.006-05:00

BOOK TALK AND CONVERSATION WITH AUTHOR ALEXANDRA CHANG

THURSDAY
MARCH 5, 2009
6:00-8:00 PM
A/P/A Insitute
41-51 East 11th Street
7th Floor Gallery
FREE to the public.
RSVP by March 4, Wednesday
to apa.rsvp@nyu.edu
or 212-992-9653.
For more info or to
RSVP online, visit www.apa.nyu.edu.

The talk will be followed by a conversation with Alexandra Chang

and artists featured in the book:
ON megumi Akiyoshi • Tomie Arai • Bing Lee • Ken Chu • Che Jen
Skowmon Hastanan • Arlan Huang • Chris Mendoza
Mike Ming • Athena Robles

Author of the new book Envisioning Diaspora: Asian American Visual Arts Collectives
(Timezone 8 Limited and project partner A/P/A Institute at NYU) and A/P/A Institute Director
of Public Programs and Research Manager, Alexandra Chang investigates “Asian American
Art through the formation, membership and artwork of three important post-’90s Asian
American artist collectives: Godzilla: Asian American Art Network, Godzookie and the
Barnstormers.

Winter AGAIN?! 090303

2009-03-03T21:28:00.004-05:00

Winter Bike Project. Get the bike on the road.

After last year's Broadway Bomb in october, I thought I can ride this thing into first place next year... Eye of the Tiger!!

Statue of Liberty doesn t really look out the bay, she looks at Red Hook. The apple of her eye. Ahh.. I love her so... all green and tall.

This was the full moon in feburary, taken from a cell phone. That bright blob was the moon!! can you believe it?! I mean, the photo is really sucks, sorry.

haha.. it is still march. I don t know why people get shock.
After all, this is New York City. It s not like Rochester, NY.
It snowed one day in May! All my rochester, lake erie people, do you remember that?

The snow covered vehicle, a winter wonderland. I really do enjoy these days. It is amazing. It is too bad, it melts in two days and it looks like nasty when its going away.

Better than war! FUTBOL, FOOTBALL, SOCCER. Indoors in the winter!!

Did you know there is an old armory in Teaneck NJ,
an indoor soccer facility? I didn t. But, here it is. GO GJOA!!

090209Tuesday. LastWeek

2009-02-10T23:37:00.004-05:00

This is an image of the Statue of Liberty from Red Hook. Brooklyn.

Winter Surfer and trusty Sea Gull.

Winter Wonderland.

Neighborhood Snow.

Sunset. Red Hook.

Pablo Powers. He is having an amazing Photo show at Focus Studios. 499 11 ave. Manhattan. corner of 46th street. 'strange attractor'. Its about Reno, NV. Check It Out!

My friend, Koji. Surfing will change the world.

Pucker Up, BABY!! 080131

2009-01-31T23:41:00.004-05:00

Hello everyone!

After a holiday hiatus, 1975 is back with the first of many shows for 2009. I hope you can join us for the opening reception of PUCKER on February 6, 2009 from 7-9pm.

Rock on!

Erich.

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PUCKER
Musings on falling in and out of love

February 6 – February 27, 2009

Opening reception:
Friday February 6, 2009
7-9pm

1975 gallery at Surface Salon
658 South Avenue
Rochester, NY 14620

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In honor of that most devisive of holidays, come join a group of artists as they muse on falling in and out of love. PUCKER is a group show featuring the works of Ryan Bubnis, Aaron Burto, Angela Burto, Vivianna Calabria, Ryan Clifford, Daniel Dienelt, Garrick Dorsett, Adam Francey, Emily Hossfeld, Sarah Johnson, Nicole Killian, Erich Lehman, Lars Moon-Mertens, Mike Ming, Don Pendleton, Alan Presutti, Lea Rizzo, Sarah Rutherford, Beth Sumner, Corey Vance, Josh Wright, and others. Surface Salon is located at 658 South Avenue between Lux and Thread in Rochester's South Wedge neighborhood. The show runs February 6, 2009 through February 27, 2009.
The salon is open Monday through Friday 11am - 7pm. Visit www.1975ish.com for more information.

art by Erich 'handy' Lehman

Labour NY Bustin OUT! 090124

2009-01-24T22:33:00.003-05:00

Some of you in web land maybe got a chance to see me in a very short dell-cumentory during the summer, 2008. That short piece was done by none other than great new upcoming film makers , Wyeth Hanson and Ryan Dunn of Labour NY. They have just been showcased in their own bio-mentary released for viewing plesure on zoom-in.com. There is even an ADC art directors club logo up on that viewer! These boys are working hard and I am quite honored to have met them. Big up on ya! was hoping to peep them for a second at the Scion 10 video premier this past thursday, but I am imagining they were all velvet ropes and caviar!! Good on ya, mate! Peace.

if you want to read about it... follow this link....
http://www.zoom-in.com/design/designing-minds/designing-minds-adc-young-guns-labour

Congratulations GUYS!

081209 San Francisco

2008-12-09T20:01:00.008-05:00

The Three Artists in San Francisco. Tristan Eaton of Thunder DOG, Mike Ming and Guillaume Wolf.

Rachna Bhasin from Dell.

Not in San Francisco, but what I saw on the way out to the airport on monday.
Old School Cop Cars, when police officers were Flatfoots and Crew cuts was the
hair du jour.

Naked Women body Skull Face Street Art.

Crowd Participation, Posca Markers, a five foot square canvas and a little booze.
Looks like a beautiful car wreck. I enjoyed doodling on it thoroughly.

Some more Street Art. Some more women. Always a good subject for art.

Dell Executive Arts and Commerce. Ed and Alex.

King Ikso and Mike!! looks like seattle again!

Last Nights events was a blast!! Not only was Tom Webster there, so was Tristan Eaton, Guillaume Wolf, Ed Boyd and DELL Team, my good friend , KING IKSO showed up! HECK YEAH!! Here are some images from my time in SF and now, I await to leave... It was a quick and warm trip. Big UP to Mosser Hotel! This hotel was quirky and was very cool!
Peace.

Dell Media Event. 081208. Monday Dec 08, 2008

2008-12-08T04:16:00.005-05:00

Greetings Folks and Fine People of San Francisco!
There will be a Dell Sponsored Event for Media and
the General PC loving Public in Downtown San Francisco
around Union Square. The event will be from 6pm until 9pm!
I ve heard there will be refreshments and a few artists!
Mike Ming, yours truly, Tristan Eaton and Guillaum Wolf!
Come meet the artists and
soak up the atmosphere and check out the new.
Participate on a free for all 5' x 5' canvas complete
with markers! Peace!

081125 Reflections

2008-11-26T11:53:00.018-05:00

The day before Thanksgiving Day, 2008, I begin the tedious task of updating my blogspot, once again. In keeping with the season of the time, I am quite thankful for the life I am given. This is a broad spectrum of images from the past couple months. Reflections, if you will, of some of my random moments. Thanks.

080926-28 Austin City Limits, Texas

2008-10-23T23:00:00.012-04:00

The Steps! They won a Battle of the Bands at Antones.

MI AmIGOS!! Rolling to work. Rolling to play. Rolling to drink. Rolling everywhere!

Jonny catches Petra smiling with her hand in the chip bag.

Dustin working really hard. I think he has XXX ray vision.

Crowded in the Dome, again. Free is good.

This is the STEPS doing their thing in the battle arena.

KING IKSO.

ahh, an intimate moment with Mike and Jonny. Looks like I got my hand around his arm. But I don't. It just looks like that.

Dustin pushing after a hard day's work. I bet you didn't know that he RIPS!! So does Pete.

Big John moving big things. Making the Dome Happen from the ground UP!

Ahh, Dedicated Manu Chaoists!! From San Francisco to Austin.
Jonny, Sara, Stephen and Mike.

Paul, contemplating the TUBE!!

Jonny Santos Live at the Antones, Battle of the Band!!

Dustin BIG UP!!

Big John has Big Boots and Big HAT!

Oldest Bakery in Texas! Tube Town!

John Ellis, a fabulous Saxophonist and Traveling Musician.
Brother of a fabulous Artist, creator, David 'SKW' Ellis.

Draught House. Fine Beers.

Antones. Legendary Live House Place.

A friend I made on the road. ZacK Bruce. Saved me from hunger and boredom in chicago and austin. A friend indeed.

The boards.

Traffic in Newark.

Graffiti Beef.

Romy and Lauren. We all got kicked out the bar together. Romy has a wicked sense of humor. Too much women for weak little macho bartenders. They are so hot!!

Getting the dome made, piece by piece.

Martin going for a dip in the Springs.

Looks like metal giraffe.

Dell Dome in the field next to the Dell Stage.

Austin City Limits. Live Painting number 6.

A Lone Tree in the Lone Star's National Park field of musical dreams.

Petra at the Barton Springs.

June and Paul. We riding to go Tube-ing, Texas National Past time.

Flamingo Cantina. 6th Street. Party Street. Every night. Every night.

Dell Dome Lovelies.

Skateboard for Dean.

Austin City Limits was the last of six tour locations for the Dell Summer Rocks Tour and the Terror Dell DOME! It was the one location that really felt like SUMMER after San Francisco and it was also in Dell Computer Headquarters Town. The Festival took place in Zilker National Park right next to Lady Bird Lake. If you have never been to Austin, Texas, you can't really experience the Un-Texas Texas claim you hear from all those Austin Texanites. What I really think about austin is that it is pretty texas and it is also a hugh college city. The temperature at the end of september was a cool 80 plus degrees and the nights were a chilly upper 70 degrees. I really loved the temperature! Also, where the festival site was, it was really dusty. That really sucked. Everyday, my throat felt like I ve been smoking with or like the marlboro man. The best thing about Austin was the food! I really love Tex-Mex and I m sad to say, there is no tex-mex in new york. New York can not claim to make a good tex mex. Sorry. One thing that really sucks about texas is their drinking bar policy. I grew up watching all that bar fight cowboy shit and was surprised to find that the bartender actually stops people from drinking. I mean, people that don t look drunk. Even keeps people with a PASSPORT from drinking?! Claiming that it was not a valid identification. Really?! Anyways, all that aside, Texas is very beautiful and I was shown a very good time. One very important thing I learned about Austin and even about life... Craigslist. We were about two miles from the festival site and traffic was really bad. I had my skateboard that three of us shared but it was through Craigslist we acquired two bikes. Not fancy bikes , mind you. But two bikes to get around town. This was a GOD send. Also, I was blessed with meeting and re-meeting good people who I missed or had not seen in a long time. These special little perks and meeting new friends, this is worth what ever I ve done with this traveling thing. Of course, I got a little bit worn out from my six stop tour, I can only imagine the fortitude of traveling musicians. Honestly, those people are super people and I have a whole new level of respect for the traveler workers. What a great time I had and I hope I ve learned enough to not forgetting to smell those flowers. Thank you! The natural spring at Barton Springs and the super dope Diving Board! Fish and crayfish living in the spring! TUBING!! Burgers! TEX MEX! LONE STAR! Austin was quite the memory! Never mind that I almost did not make it to Texas because my car service guy got side swiped by some drunk guy on new jersey free way. Crazy. Life sure does move pretty fast and makes lots of different turns. Yikes.

0913-1408 Monolith, Denver

2008-10-22T15:42:00.014-04:00

Mike Painting.

The Bus on the road.

I worked here 1993! Silverthorne, Colorado.

A giant Blue Bear in downtown Denver.

The Bus.

Performance by Heiroglyphics Crew.

Del, A-Plus, Mike, Jonny, Mister Hendrix and Beaucoup. At the dome.

Jonny and Mike. The two man gang.

If you ever wondered how mike can paint the top of the painting...
the secret to getting the paint up top, a ladder.

Swept away.

At Vinny's Studio.

Dinosaur Stomp Modern Dance.

In MOMA to get inspired pre Denver.

King IKSO!! FTL

Here's Jonny!!

Loveland, Colorado. The Continental Divide. And it snowed!

Colorado Natural Museum, wolves.

A view from 30,000 feet up.

My good friend and his lovely lady, Vin and Freida!

I used to work there flipping burgers and making large sized burritos! Big UP my Kiwis, Mexicans and Ski BUMS!

Colorado all wrapped up.

FREE Ice Cream, YEAH.

Asako swept away.

A really cool dome loitering boy.

Denver's Monolith Festival held in world premier man made rock Amphitheater was a visually stunning mile high experience. The bands, the music, the venue, the altitude, the wind and the below summer temperatures were all variably heightened by the fact that even though the attendance was only a mere 9,000 visitors per day, it was one intense festival to be involved in. There were 5 stages, a gang of bands and two days to paint. For me, this was one of the more fun spots. Here in colorado, I realized that all the locations we toured to all summer, it was all like choosing a backdrop to a video game. Each scenery being a completely different feel and energy. This trip was especially memorable to me because I was able to travel with my wife, Asako. In many ways, I was more ready to paint and more focused and truly more relaxed. Thank you, Mi Asakita!

080830-0901 Bumbershoot, Seattle, WA

2008-09-24T18:44:00.011-04:00

Tina of High Fashion Studios.
Do your hair? Seattle says,'HELLS YEAH!!'

Super!Alright! on stand-by!

Mike and Josh Langlais. Custom Furniture Designer/Carpenter.
Discussing Costa Rica and Portland Waves.

Pacifica. Great Band, Great Smiles.

One of my life influences, ROB Undril.

A Seattle Bus Sign Notice.

Thugs in the dome. Dustin and Jonny.

Steve Whitacomb, Dave Mazak, Sean Quinn.

Jonny and Skateboard.

A rebel painter girl, Kumiko.

Late Night San Francisco's High Fashion Crew!!

Squint your eyes, it's LEE Scratch Perry!!

Big UP, Theme Magazine! They are in American Photographer!!!!

GOURMET SEATTLE. Two of the Finest.

Famous Ivar's Employee of the Month!

JJ!

Jonny and Valley, the band. Preparing for interview.

Jonny kills it in Ping Pong. Jonny also sharks in pool. Watch OUT!

Fantagraphic, SUN!!

Big Fountain people run through.

Good Bye, Summer.

Dell dome at night.

Black Eyes and Neckties. The Band.

Me and my friends. Nice and Beer Blurry.

Welcome to the Bus. Don't we make you want to come inside?

Carny Heroes! Hopeless in Seattle.

The Beautiful Chris Pfeiffel.

The Living Room of the 9 Pound Hammer.

My Home away from Home. The 9 Pound Hammer in Georgetown.

A beacon in the thick of despair.

The light in the dark, for the Morning after. All City Coffee.

One Hundred Feet. Don't miss it. Anthony.

Seattle was space needles. Seattle was fish markets and rivers and EXP and Jimi Hendrix spirit and hills and REI and friends who were once east coasters like me and Seattle was flannel and the last port city before alaska and the spirit of miners and rough around the edges and Georgetown and Pioneers and 9 Pound Hammer, my one and only favorite free pool bar. Seattle was hope and possibilities and explorers and potential and new friends and lots of men and not enough women. Seattle from what I saw was like that. Bumbershoot was the oldest music festival I have ever witnessed. It was also Ichiro Pride, a humble great baseballer from the far east, my neck of the islands! Seattle was all the grunge I ever listened to and it was the toughest girls with mouths that backed up with fists and attitudes and it was cold. It was the end of summer. It was the beginning of week long coughing fits. It was all it was hoped to be and all that it wasn't. I loved it. I hated it. I admired it. I wanted to run away from it. It was tough. It was soft. I really loved my 9 pound hammer and I really missed my friends, ALL CITY COFFEE. It was a good place to be at the time, because slowly, the tour is coming to end and although I worry about what I ll do next, I ve got hope! Hope, like Seattle, is a high quality potential survivor port town in the northwest.

080828 Portland Oregon

2008-09-16T15:53:00.007-04:00

Hippo Hardware. Unique.

Jose. Super! Alright!

Made In Oregon. Pride.
Burnside Bridge.

A Weather. At Open Bar.

Getting Down to Business. Jonny Santos. Charles Lahti. DJ Joee Irwin. ED the Man.

Jonny Ping Ponging.

Public Radio. Community Radio. Community FIRST. Portland. Oregon.

When a Polar Bear Attacks, them hide their noses.

DJ JOEE IRWIN. Holding it Down in Portland, Oregon.

Mike Ming. Brena. Jonny Santos. She is a killer!

DJ JOEE IRWIN at work. Bringing the BMP from Far Away Places.

The Lovely June. Super!Alright!

Metal Martin. Puddin' Mike. Super!Alright!

A Weather. Sound Checking.

In Portland, Oregon, there were several events Jonny and I were invited to, courtesy of DJ Joee Irwin. I can't remember all the cool places we ended up getting into but I do remember a few details. One detail was a killer Ping Pong Player, Brena. She had surgery and a messed up knee but she was obviously owning the local ping pong table. I mean, so much so, all the guys who came through and played were getting their nuts cut off and left shriveled up. Maybe the lack of alcohol and her pretty but univiting competitiveness was an advantage but definitely her lack of side to side movement was her biggest disadvantage (which I believe no one really used to their advantage.. are the men more gentlemen in portland?). She even managed to take out a serious Jonny Santos, twice. We found out later that she was a woman's soccer player and had injuried her knee on the pitch. She is a monster on the table and I bet she is a monster in the game. Brena, keep ruling! There was a live band, a weather, and there was the biggest line for some free mixed drink courtesy of Open Bar. I mean, it looked like no one had change and booze was the objective. That's fine. They definitely needed more bartenders to supply the alcohol. Me and Jonny was drinking Tecate. After the Bar with the house sized backyard, we went to our friend, DJ Joee Irwin's Party on the other side of the river. Portland is a town with many bars. There is also a chinatown, but with no chinese! Alot of heroin addicts, tho. Damn. It s a really hard town. You know, though, when shit is down, the creativity gets up. It is a hardcore town. There are people on bicycles everywhere, there are cruisers and hard wheel skaters everywhere and all the stores are hugh and the land seems plentiful. I have a bunch of graduated friends who call Portland home and they are breathing life and sharing life with a town in between Seattle and San Francisco. This is a city with hugh potential to blow up big like Gus Van Sant. I hope so, cause it is a pretty ass city with crazy roots! My biggest complaint about touring, is the lack of connections I have to really see a city for what it is. Oregon has always been a bit of a mystery and actually many many years ago, I ve thought about attending art school there. Many many years later, I ve still got crazy question marks about this town. I ve nothing but gaping awe for this city. People are straight foward and they do not mess around. Respect.

080828 Burnside Portland, Oregon

2008-09-16T15:39:00.006-04:00

Portland, Oregon was a stop in between San Francisco, California's Outsidelands and Seattle, Washington's Bumbershoot. There was no specific event that Jonny and I were involved in, rather, this was the stop for Super!Alright! crew to get some on-the-road band stops and filming. I had been in Portland about two times before, all very very long times ago and each time, it was for a minute. This time, it looked like we were there for ten minutes. My only priority in Portland, Oregon was actually visiting one of the skateboarding's mecca of the world, BURNSIDE! The two time I had been in Oregon, I did not have my skateboard. This time, I had my board. And, I was up very early to beat the rush, wanting to ride the sacred location by myself. When I showed up, I was surprised to find two guys in sleeping bags in the middle of the park. Skaters here in this part of the world is crazy hardcore. So hardcore, I didn't want to wake them up. I returned a couple hours later and it was a glide. I don't think I ever appreciated skateboarding as much as skating burnside. Burnside was built by hand, sweat and blood. This is a living park. As a living park, the organic lines available here are all very much different feet to feet. All the trannies have their contours and honestly, I don't think a day is even enough to really appreciate the park. Big UP to the creators and skaters and locals and pilgrims. I am thoroughly humbled.