SOCIETY OF ILLUSTRATORS NEXT WEEK
Sequential Show opens at the Society of Illustrators in NY on January 31st. I have a piece in this category. Opening party is on the evening on the 30th, Tuesday. See you then?
NEW YEAR, AND ENGLAND, ENGLAND, ENGLAND
Yuko and the usual suspects are currently away to get “recharged” in the land of Port (for the boys) and egg tart (for the girls). I will be back on the second week of January.
And, I am coming to England for the first time. I will be at the opening of The Illustration Gallery, January 13th. Also, visiting Falmouth. I am excited!
Have a happy new year to everyone!!
SURPRISE ENCOUNTER TO MYSELF FROM 7 YEARS AGO…
By total accident, I found an interview article of myself from 7 years ago online!! It was written by Kyodo Press of Japan when I just moved to NY to start art school at SVA. I had completely forgotten this has even existed, and it was a nice surprise Christmas present for myself. You can read the interview here. (Sorry, Japanese only.)
I had come a long way since then. And I hope to feel the same 7 years from now. Merry Christmas, everyone.
NEW BOOK: THE PICTURE BOOK
Edited by Angus Hyland, The Picture Book features the works of 80 contemporary illustrators. I have 6 pages in this book. Thank you Angus and Steven of Pentagramand Lori of Laurence King.
BLACK + WHITE MAGAZINE FEATURE
Australian photo and culture magazine Black + White issue 88 has two page feature on my work. I sound 10X cooler than I actually am!!!! Thank you Marise Watson for writing such nice article.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!
Added three new images on the site before the holidays. See them all here. Entertainment Weekly is in newsstand today.Two holiday images added are on the right. Microsoft Zune novelty holiday card image is a variation of the Zune poster.
NY Times illo was from last Christmas. Remember that crazy period with no subways running?? I missed the chance to upload it last year, so here it is now. I made it big enough so you can read this wonderful short-short holiday story by Alice McDermott.
NEW INTERVIEW IN PINE MAGAZINE and more
New interview is on Atlanta-based online magazine PINE. Thank you Holly!
Also, Being There show gets a write up in NY Press.
And, in Australia, Black + White Magazine issue 88 has a double page spread feature on my work, which I will post more about it later in the week along with a new book out in UK called Picture Book, edited by Angus Hyland.
For now, let me work on getting over my tough cold and finish up all the holiday deadlines…
FRIEND OF MICA
Just came back from a business trip to Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. This was my third visit to MICA, and this time I did six hour senior thesis crit with a faculty and good friend Jose Villarrubia. I had a lot of fun as always, and the seniors there are SO GOOD!
MICA has been so nice to me since more than three years ago when then faculty Celia Johnson invited me for a guest lecture out of the blue. Nobody knew who I was or cared what I was drawing, and I was so surprised and flattered by the offer. I made lots of friends there since then, and I keep going back. Again, thank you everyone. I had a wonderful time, as always.
DON’T MISS EHON AT NY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Let’s just forget the fact that I hate Japan and (contemporary) Japanese culture, and that is why I immigrated to the US.I took my class to a field trip at New York Public Library this week, to show them EHON exhibit. Let me tell you, it was not just amazing, it was actually mind-blowing. I had never seen such well curated Japanese woodcut print book show, and you can trust me because I am Japanese! Don’t miss it.
ONGOING MAKEOVER ON MY SITE…
As a part of ongoing refurbish to my site, I updated my Bio Page today. I felt like it was time I needed an honest first person bio rather than the plain third person one. And I got a new haircut anyway!
My plan is to refurbish my site completely by early next year, with navigation bar and consistent design throughout the site, Press Page, link to my blog which I don’t have yet, etc. The next big makeover should be my top page, which I am designing right now.
Dream big.., but I am a self-taught armature who relies mostly on the power of Macromedia Dreamweaver, so see how it is going to go.. Stay tuned..