More Earthquakes in Los Angeles July 7th

Just a few minutes ago was a pretty big, scary Earthquake in LA. Apparently it was a 5.9.
This was a pretty long one. I got up and ran outside. There was no damage where I am , but it felt like it was big enough to cause some problems. I hope nobody got hurt.

It was followed by several aftershocks...at least seven so far. Oh no, I think there is another one right now...

Please stop shaking, Mr. Earth.

Stinky Tofu and me


Stinky Tofu is a Chinese delicacy popular in Taiwan, HOng Kong and parts of Mainland China. I did some research online and found that the stinky tofu atAy Chung Flour Rice Noodle is supposed to be the stinkiest and most authentic in Los Angeles' San Gabriel Valley.

Ay Chung is a Taiwanese restaurant which serves street style food and home made noodles that are highly yummy. The stinky tofu is served in little fried cubes and you would never know how severely stinky it is just by looking at it. When I first sniffed it I really did gag. It smells like it came from the insides of a farm animal and then sat in the hot sun for many hours.

I only ate 2 bites and then I got the rest to go. I had to wrap it in 3 plastic bags to hide the scent. I gave it to a Chinese friend and she got very excited when she saw it. She ate every, rotten little piece. It is hard to believe that Natto and STinky Tofu are made from the same friendly little bean.

Street Bird Art- Lost and Found



I saw this poster hanging all over a small neighborhood in Los Angeles. Many people think of street art as graffiti or silk screened posters stuck onto buildings and telephone posts, but this is my favorite kind of street art.
It's a very handsome drawing of a birdy. It made me sad to know that this birdy was lost, but happy that he was found and also that he inspired someone to draw this handsome portrait.

I would like to see a museum exhibit of Lost and Found animal drawings. Will some museum person please let me curate this show.
I think that Lost and Found is a nice theme in general. Are you a little lost bird waiting to be found?

100 artists see satan final piece -God Backwards



The 100 artists see satan charity show is being held at Cal STate University of Fullerton Grand Central Art Center starting this Saturday June, 26th. I blogged a bit about it before and showed some of the sketches I did for the show.

The above image is the final framed version of my piece "God Backwards". The image below is a scan of just the image without matte and frame.





The image below is a sketch and color test I did to prepare for the final piece.




HEre is the info on the show.

Exhibition: 100 Artists See Satan: The Fundraiser
June 26 – August 15, 2010
Reception: Fundraiser Event Preview June 26, 2010 7-10pm
Opening Reception July 3, 2010, 7-10pm. Admission is free.
Lectures & Events: *Free docent group tours of the exhibition and building 11-4pm every day (Closed Monday) Call 714.567.7233 to schedule.

Grand Central Arts Forum, the support group for Grand Central Art Center (GCAC) is revitalizing the hit exhibition, 100 Artists See Satan, a survey of contemporary artists and their interpretation of the supreme demon. Unlike the original exhibition, this iteration of the collection will be presented as a fundraiser, with works available for sale to the public. All proceeds will benefit future GCAC programs and exhibitions. An exclusive preview will be held Saturday, June 26 from 6-7pm with the public reception scheduled from 7-10pm. On July 3 from 7-10pm GCAC will host another reception to coincide with Downtown Santa Ana’s First Saturday Arts Walk. The exhibition will remain on display through August 15, 2010.

100 Artists See Satan was originally organized by GCAC in response to another exhibition, 100 Artists See God, curated by John Baldessari and Meg Cranston for Independent Curators Inc. New York. The two shows exhibited simultaneously in 2004, Satan at GCAC and God at Laguna Art Museum, and gained notable attention from the public and media.

This second installation of the exhibit will offer the public a chance to purchase works from acclaimed artists. To further raise funds, Grammy Award winning graphic and packaging designer, Hugh Brown has been commissioned to design Satan’s credit card, limited edition of 666. This collector’s item is available only at the GCAC bookstore for $50. Cardholder’s benefits include a discount on select merchandise in the GCAC Sales Gallery as well as the opportunity to win an artwork from the exhibition.

Artists: Kim Abeles, Rev. Ethan Acres, Robby Adams, Peter Adamyan, Shag aka Josh Agle, Kii Arens, Julie B., Ana Bagayan, Gary Baseman, Becca, Bigfoot, Chris Bradley aka SMASH, Scott G. Brooks, Mike Brown, Hugh Brown, Liz Carroll, Amy Caterina, Luke Chueh, COOP, Albert Cuellar, Bryan Cunningham, Dalek, Kelly Hutchison aka Dark Vomit, Bob Dob, Diana Donaldson, Richard Edson, Ron English, Korin Faught, Eric Finzi, Alan Forbes, Paul Frank, Camille Rose Garcia, Gregg Gibbs, Jeff Gillette, Mat Gleason, Alex Grey, Des Grisham, Don Ed Hardy, Alexander Harris, Andrea Harris, Dana Harvey, Laurie Hassold, Mercedes Heinwein, Tim Hendricks, F. Scott Hess, James Hill, Jason Houchen, Jim Jenkins, Michael Knowlton,Will Koffman, Charlie Krafft, Dennis Larkins, David Michael Lee, Joshua Levine, Bad Otis Link, Laurie Lipton, Tiffany Liu, James F. Lorigan, Danni Shinya Luo, Jason Maloney, Chris Mars, Sally Mars, Elizabeth McGrath with Brian Poor, Jeff McMillian, Tara McPherson, Matthew William Miller, Miso, David Molesky, Gary Musgrave, Scott Musgrove, Jessica O’Dowd, Skot Olson, Joe Ongie, Naida Osline, Nathan Ota, Sonya Palencia, Manuel Pardo, Joshua Petker, Gail Potocki, Matthew J. Price,Victoria Reynolds, Drew Roulette, Beau Roulette, Mark Ryden, Leigh Salgado, Krystopher Sapp, Kathy Staico Schorr, Todd Schorr, James P. Scott, Mike Shine, Skinner, Morgan Slade, Nathan Spoor, Tyler Stallings, CR Stecyk III, Cole Sternberg, Mike Stilkey, Eric Stoner, Ken Tanaka, Paul Torres, Christopher Ulrich, Jeffrey Vallance, NicolaVerlato, Marnie Weber, CW West, Mark Whelan (Kill Pixie), Eric White, Edward Walton Wilcox, Robert Williams, Witnes AWR, Christine Wu and others.

Tony Hayward is deeply sorry





I have been watching youtube a lot this week, and Tony Hayward's BP apology video is all over. It is advertised on almost every youtube page I look at. He really wants me to know that he is sorry.

People were upset with Mr. Hayward this past weekend because he took his boat to a yacht race and gave the impression that he is resting and relaxing.
He has a 52 foot yacht named Bob. I guess it's a pretty good name for a yacht.

I'm making a video that talks a little bit about it. It's uploading now...but won't be ready to view for another hour or so. I will post it when it's ready.

My stinky lunch. How to make Kimchi and Natto spaghetti




Today, I made the world's second stinkiest lunch. In the above video I show you how to make the famous Natto Kimchi spaghetti, a dish which combines one of the most stinky Japanese foods with one of the most stinky Korean foods to create a stink-tastic delicacy. In the real world Korea and Japan don't always get along, but in my skillet they do.

Natto and Kimchi are a famous complimentary combination. You can also make delicious fried rice with Natto, Kimchi and rice.

Natto kimchi fried rice..

Heat sesame oil in skillet (or butter)

add some onions, and /or green onions and cook for 1 minute.

add kimchi and natto and stir for one minute.

turn on very high heat and add cooked rice....

cook till rice gets a little dry.... and is coated in kimchi spice.

crack egg and mix in with the rice...

eat it up yum.

Improvised songs with Polo

I met my friend Polo surfing in Los Angeles. He is a guitarist from the band Nirf. Last week, we went surfing early in the morning. Afterwards we jammed for a few hours with his guitar and my harmonica, and vocals.




We had so much fun making these improvised songs. I think we made 6 or of them, some in Japanese and some in English and some mixed. I will be posting more of them over the next few days.

Atomic Atom episode 2-




Episode 1 if you haven't seen it.




Atomic Atom is a real live super hero with special powers like high speed slow motion running, and the Atomic Pour. If you are in trouble, Atomic Atom will do whatever it takes to help you...but he is allergic to cats, so it can't involve a cat...also, he is afraid of most kinds of insect.

100 artists see satan sketches...



I was invited to contribute a piece to the art show called "100 artists see satan", featuring work by Mark Ryden, Gary Baseman, Todd Schorr, Gary Musgrave and many other artists.

The show starts June 26th at California State University at Fullerton and benefits their art department. You can read about it here. and I will post more about it soon.

This is a series of sketches and images I made while trying to decide what to put in the show. I'll post the final image later.

The top image is a watercolor of heartbroken satan.




This is Nicholas Spider Monkey who I wrote about in an earlier post.






This is great Mazinga....I also made a Raidein. I couldn't quite get this image to work the way I wanted it to. I tried to have them both together with these words in between, but it just didn't work. But I have another idea for a Raidein and Mazinga portrait.




This is a mixed media of oil pastel and acrylic.



Another version in acrylic ink



.
A sketch of Satan and best friend Popo.




This demon is watching television. They only have reality TV in hell

My trip to the Great White North.





I visited Northern CAalifornia's Pacifica beach for memorial day and surfed with great white sharks....or at least near them. My dream is to someday surf on one's back, but not all dreams come true.


I also went to PT. Reyes National park and met a very handsome deer, and coyote. There are even more sharks there. Apparently sharks go there to have babies, I guess they have good schools there. It's a nice place for a shark to raise a family.

Ken Tanaka and Takeo Live



Last Saturday, Po-Lo from the band Nirf, invited TAkeo and me to perform our "No Job" song at 2nd st. Jazz in Los Angeles.
Here is a video of it.
The video also shows Shoko Watanabe singing a handsome version of the SAints go Marching in.


I also posted another video of Po-Lo and I doing a harmonica/guitar blues jam after the show.





We are all having lots of fun making songs. Takeo-Kun and I have 2 or 3 more we are working on and hopefully we will make videos of them soon.

Ken Tanaka and Takeo perform "No job" song tonight in Los Angeles

Monday, May 24th 2010 Takeo and I (Yamato Natadekoko) will perform our song from youtube at 2nd Street Jazz in Los Angeles.
We go on at 10pm with our friends, Japanese grunge band Nirf. There are two other bands too. Tickets are $10....PLease Tell them you are there to see Ken Tanaka and Takeo.
This is the song



2nd street Jazz is located in LIttle Tokyo.
www.2ndstjazz.com
366 E 2nd St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 680-0047

Charity Art Auction with James Jean, Clayton Brothers, Remi February and me



May 10-May 15th Royal T Art Cafe in Los Angeles will have a Earthquake charity art auction featuring art by The Clayton Brothers, Ken Tanaka's friend and neighbor James Jean, the very handsome Remi February, Mari Araki, Friedia Niimura, Edwin Ushiro and many others.

This is a benefit for Build Change, which builds EArthquake proof housing in developing countries.
Bidding starts on May 10th and ends with a party on May 15th.


I will have two pieces in the show. If you are interested in bidding, it may be possible to make satellite bids. Please contact info@cafemode.com for more information.




Jacob the Polar Bear is Acrylic Ink on Rives BFK print paper and is about 21x28.5 Read more about it here.



Hesitant Descender is Mixed Media collage and is 9 x 11 REad more about it by clicking here.







If you are in the Los Angeles area, I hope you can stop by. Here is the complete info on the event.






ELEMENTAL PRODUCTIONS + ROYAL/T present
AFTERSHOCK LA : a benefit for BUILD CHANGE




Join us for a night of art, music and dancing and party to help developing countries
build earthquake-resistant houses. All proceeds and 50% of art auction sales
go to BUILD CHANGE.


BUILD CHANGE is an international, non-profit organization that designs earthquake-resistant houses
in developing countries and trains builders, homeowners, engineers, and government officials to
build them.
www.buildchange.org



ART EXHIBIT & AUCTION NIGHT
organized by CAFEMODE

curated by Kio Griffith
with curatorial assistance by Judith Kyvik + Bill Farroux


• FEATURING 92 ARTISTS AND OVER 100 WORKS OF ART


• AFTERSHOCK LA EVENT PARTY & AUCTION FINALE:
MAY 15, 2010 (Saturday) from 7:30pm-11:30pm


• ART PREVIEW & BIDDING STARTS:
MAY 10-14, 2010 (Monday thru Friday) from 10am to 6pm



SELECTED WORKS BY:

LISA ADAMS | DEREK ALBECK | DOUGLAS ALVAREZ | FUMIKO AMANO | JACKI APPLE | MICHAEL ARATA | DANIELA ARBIZZI | MARI ARAKI | MATTIA BIAGI | AIROM BLEICHER | CLAYTON BROTHERS | ELLEN BURR | KIME BUZZELLI | RYAN CALLIS | NATHAN CARTWRIGHT | FREDDI CERASOLI | TOFER CHIN | L. CROSKEY | DAVID DE BOER | TIMOI DE LEON | JUSTIN DIAMOND | ANNA DUSI | SHIGENORI EBATA | DOUG EISENSTARK | AMIR FALLAH | EVAH FAN | BILL FARROUX | REMI FEBRUARY | RONI FELDMAN | PJ FIDLER | KATERI FORBES | AARON FREEMAN | CLARK GOOLSBY | PHYLLIS GREEN | JAMES GRIFFITH | KIO GRIFFITH | THOMAS HAN | PHIL HAYES | SALOMON HUERTA | ASKA IIDA | ICHIRO IRIE | RICH JACOBS | JAMES JEAN | NISEY JORDAN | AUDREY KAWASAKI | YUMIKO KAYUKAWA | KEITH KNIGHT | STEPHAN KOLSANOFF | JUDITH KYVIK | KELLY LEBWITH | SUJI LEE | DANIEL LIM | TIFFANY LIN | TIFFANY LIU | CARL LOZADA | SAMANTHA MAGOWAN | JASON MANLEY | KAORU MANSOUR | JON MEASURES | GABI MENDOZA | SONIK MERCURY | JEFFREY MOHR | EDITH MONDRAGON | BRENDAN MONROE | MISATO NAGARE | ALAN NAKAGAWA | AYA NIIBO | FRIEDIA NIIMURA | PAM NOBUTO | JAYME ODGERS | AMY OLIVER | KENTON PARKER | AVE PILDAS | PLASTICGOD | POEL | MARY ANNA POMONIS | MAX PRESNEILL | RETNA | ANNA RODRIGUEZ | DON SCHMIDT | SHARKTOOF | AMY SHAWLEY | RICCARDO SPINOTTI | BILLY SPRAGUE | MARY SPRING | STEVE SUEOKA | MISATO SUZUKI | AGNES SZUMSKI | KAZU TABU | KEN TANAKA | MAYUMI TANAKA | FROHAWK TWO-FEATHERS | DOLORES UDAVE | EDWIN USHIRO | MARINA VALENTINA | PETER WATKINSON | VICTOR WILDE | NORTON WISDOM | IAN ETHAN VLOKE-WURTH | OVOL VELLUM VLOKE-WURTH | GREG YERMAKOV

(Artwork will be on view at Royal/T during the preview week from 10:00a.m.- 6:00p.m. or by special arrangement. Select artwork can be viewed online beginning May 10, 2010.)


ADMISSION - AFTERSHOCK LA EVENT:
$20 per person presale, available at http://aftershockla.eventbrite.com/
$25 per person at the door, cash only

INCLUDED WITH ADMISSION: delicious snacks, artist designed tote bag, unlimited photobooth pictures & drink ticket good for one GINGER SOJU LEMONADE TREMBLER
*Ages 21+, ID Required



AFTERSHOCK LA EVENT DETAILS:

• Music by DJ KING WO

• ROSALBA & THE ZAHIRA BELLY DANCERS @ www.rosalbabellydance.com
-Belly dancing show & lessons

• THE URBAN CRAFT CENTER @ www.urbancraftcenter.com
-Free crafting area
-Crafting supplies & kits for sale

• EARTHQUAKE MEDIA ROOM
-Earthquake media presentation
-Earthquake safety tips & supplies

• GAME TABLES
-Jenga, Legos, cards & more


for more information about AFTERSHOCK LA
please visit www.aftershockla.com


about ROYAL/T
Royal/T is a playful collision of spaces: café/shop/art space presented in stunning fusion. An eclectic mix of retail and contemporary art reimagined in the surrounds of LA's first Japanese-style cosplay café.
www.royal-t.org

about ELEMENTAL PRODUCTIONS
Elemental Productions is a production company dedicated to ethnographic documentaries focusing on the relationship between culture, psychology and personal experience in Indonesia and the United States.
www.elementalproductions.org

about CAFEMODE
CAFEMODE creates art and music exhibitions in alternative spaces. If you're interested in finding more about CAFEMODE, please contact Kio Griffith at info@cafemode.com
or call 424-785-0303.
www.cafemode.com