"Helping out each other" a new painting!

"Helping each other" is a painting about the Dapper Elephant helping out a senior citizen get up from the bus bench.  The other animals didn't realize the senior citizen needed help because they were looking in their iPhones. I painted this as a goal for myself in 2017: Look down less in my IPhone and see more of the world around me. 

Another reason for this painting is because I'm in love from the Dapper Elephant! After painting him eating a slice of cake inside the Chinese bakery, I was curious to what he would do next!

Girls Drawin Girls' Powerful Women Show in Boston

In November I will be in the "Powerful Women" group show at the Wallace L. Anderson Gallery in Boston! The show is hosted by Girls Drawin Girls, a group of talented female artists who are into drawing pinups!

To me, a 'Powerful Woman' embraces her sense of play and knows that sometimes she is the center of attention and other times she is not.  My paintings "Come Together" (the girl is the main focus of attention) and "Movie Night" (the girl is having a mellow night with Panda's nieces and nephews ) illustrates the duality of my definition.  A personal goal of mine is to think of others more instead of myself.

Both paintings are 16" x 20" acrylic. "Come Together" is on stretched canvas while "Movie Night" is on board.  Each painting will sell for $400.

I will be featured on Cocktial Nation's podcast on Sept 20!

I did something personally scary but fun-- I went on a big podcast/syndicated radio show to talk about "Panda and Me"!  I love the intimacy of a honest, long form conversation on a podcast.  However, I am more used to listening to podcasts than being on them. :)  But I couldn't say "NO" when Koop Kooper reached out to me.

Koop Kooper's podcast/syndicated radio show is "Cocktail Nation." Imagine being at Don Draper's house party in his 1960's swank Manhattan apartment. You and everybody else are dressed to the nines, sipping cocktails and grooving on some cool lounge music.  "Cocktail Nation" strives to bring this retro coolness back into our 2014 technology focused lives. It's a fun listen.

After being on his show, of course I had to make some art about it!  So ta-da, here is a retro movie poster promoting our episode. The car in the poster is actually Koop's pride and joy, a 1964 Austin Healey Sprite. I had to remind myself to draw the steering wheel on the right hand side. :)

My interview airs on Sept 20, Episode #328. You can find the "Cocktail Nation" podcast on iTunes or go to www.cocktailnation.net to see if a nearby radio station broadcasts the show.

"Elvis Panda and the Mermaid" Chalk Painting at the Sylmar Olive Festival

Here are the step by step photos of how Tom Fremgen and I created this 10' x 10' giant piece in two days! It was a lot of fun, even in 96 degree weather. We got to hang out with other chalk artists and chat with the public.

I created this painting as a concept for the chalk piece. I ran out of time and thus, half of this painting is digitally done on top of traditional paint.

Day 1: After riding around in a golf cart with the organizer, I found my pavement spot at the festival. The first thing I did was prime the ground with white tempera as a base. This helps the chalk adhere to the surface. Then I created a grid so I can transfer my drawing accurately

I laid down a simple background and stared working on the mermaid's hair. Yellow and orange chalks are vibrant!

While I am working on the hair, Tom Fremgen is rendering Elvis Panda

After the hair, I work my butt off on the face. I draw reference lines to guide the placement of the eyes, mouth and nose. When working on such a large scale so closely, it's easy to get thrown off.

The end of day 1

For day 2, Tom Fremgen and I filled in the rest of the background and added in details. Even though I laid down a base coat, there are still areas where the chalk doesn't stick to the ground

I take multiple photographs of the finished piece because it's hard to capture a 10'x 10' art on the pavement. The camera distorts the proportions. I wish I had a tall ladder.

Here I am putting finish touches. Hopefully this shows the scale of the piece.

Tom Fremgen and I finished just in time for judging. We are gross and exhausted. If we do another chalk piece together, I promised that he can pick the subject. — with Tom Fremgen at Sylmar Olive Festival.

Chalk Painting at the Westfield Santa Anita Mall

Here is an intense one day chalk painting event at the Westfield Santa Anita mall.  I learned that i should prime the surface before I start chalk painting. The surface was so smooth and waxy that it didn't take my  chalk at all in some areas.

"A. Panda's Tiki Lounge"

Happy Friday folks! I'm giving a shout out to my friend Andy Panda Montero who recorded his second podcast of "A. Panda's TIki Lounge." There is a mix of upbeat swing, lounge music AND an interview with Koop Kooper, host of the national radio show Cocktail Nation. Give it a go!
http://apandatikipod.podbean.com/e/pandas-swinging-cocktail-hour/ — with Andy Panda Montero and Koop Kooper.

"Come Together" my painting for Tiki Oasis 2014

August 18-2014

Here I am at Tiki Oasis for the first time with my Panda painting. Tiki Oasis was a sensory overload (in a good way!) of Polynesian inspired art, music, fashion and fun people.
The more I do the thing I love, the more I realize there is a niche for it...
I will step up and be a vendor next year.. I hope this inspires you to create what you love as well.

Pie Painting Exchange with Andrew Dost of Fun.

July 5: 2014

I don't know how to write about this without sounding like a crazy fan! The painting on the left "Kitty Pie" was created for me by Andrew Dost, one of the musicians of my favorite band Fun. As a fundraiser for an animal shelter, Andrew created 50 custom paintings for his fans. When I signed up for mine, I emailed and asked if i could create something for him.. Amazingly enough, he said YES!! So on the right is "Andrew's Pie Shop," which is the name of his project... It's influenced by his song "Some Nights," "The Nighthawks" by Edward Hopper, my Panda character and Andrew and his pie paintings of course! (His twitter quote and his pie paintings are on the "menu"). I am mailing this painting out to him on MOnday. It is so cool to get to give something back to a musician who has inspired so much of my art!!

The Painting on the left is by Andrew. The painting on the right is by me.