lilly & bunny ears

Sirens

"Sirens" - I wanted these girls to be icy beauties, capable of luring you to the doldrums of their enchanted pond. I was inspired by Russian art and also the tranquility and beauty of Japanese gardens.

Betty

i've finally finished my drawing "betty"
she's taken me awhile and i haven't been able to let her go.
I wanted her to be soft and glossy, a little floating ghost wearing a cherry blossom cloak.

iPad & iPhone Speck Cases for sale

I've got new iPad and iPhone Speck cases for sale at my Artsprojekt store

"Open Book Girl" iPad Speck Case by tansydeora "Fumiko" 4G iPhone Speck Case by tansydeora

"Tomomi do Kazuko" iPad Speck Case by tansydeora "Harajuku Ballerina" 3G iPhone Speck Case by tansydeora

Interview for Ape on the Moon

I was interviewed by the very sweet Katherine Holt for Ape on the Moon.

I really appreciate the opportunity to talk about my art - and to give advice to young illustrators, not that I'm necessarily an expert but I've persevered over the years and I'm happy to have followed my heart to do what I love.

on another note...i've begun some new little paintings :)

girl with stars in her hair & seaweed dress

flower girls

La Galerie Provocatrice, Amsterdam

I am now selling art at la galerie provocatrice at the erotic art museum in amsterdam - in the red light district!

I have a few limited edition prints and serigraphs available. My work will be exhibited at their next opening Nov.12 I hope to visit amsterdam again someday soon!

Computer Arts Issue 180 "Sex & Design"

I was so excited to be interviewed by Graeme Aymer for the current "Sex & Design" issue of Computer Arts magazine. His questions were really thoughtful and since I was sick in bed at the time I had ample time to put down on paper all the thoughts swimming in my head about my art, process, inspirations, frustrations etc.
We finally got our hands on a copy and it's beautiful! I am so honored to be in here with such amazing talent - Jasper Goodall, Julie Verhoeven, Tom Bagshaw just to name a few...

I was also well chuffed (this makes me miss London!) that my "Open Book Girl" got a beautiful full page and my "Nerd Clan" was also included. Big thanks to Rob Carney and all the folks at Computer Arts!

Flowing Hair

pillow lips and smoky eyes

weekend girls

here are some pretty model-esque girls i drew this weekend. in the process of vectorizing them and getting them fashionable.

3 days left to shop Sweet Streets art @ Gallery Nucleus

Sweet Streets closes October 4th at Gallery Nucleus. I'm happy I sold my painting "Fumiko" and I still have a few pieces available for purchase here :)

"Tomomi do Kazuko" in Fused Magazine Student Issue 2010

The awesome folks at Fused Magazine were kind enough to include my Sweet Streets illustration of 2 students "Tomomi do Kazuko" in their latest issue, centering around students and life in Birmingham.

I studied at Goldsmiths College in London and my family lineage traces back to Birmingham so it's fun to have my art floating around England right now. I spent some time in Birmingham when I lived in London, it sure was cold there and the music scene is very vibrant. Saw my first ska show there :) Thanks to Fused for being long time supporters of my work!

Sweet Streets Opening was amazing!!

The Sweet Streets II opening party was such a visual overload I am still reeling from it all. A big thank you to the amazing curator Caro, who I was so happy to get to meet that night, as well as the wonderful folks at Gallery Nucleus and the sponsor, my favorite art magazine Hi-Fructose. I was so happy to get to show my work along the Shibuya Girls Pop artists and meet Eimi, whose work I adore.

The turnout was massive and 6%DOKIDOKI's fashion show was an experience like none other. Girls and guys wearing unicorn horns, every color of the rainbow, frilly living-doll lolita girls...it was insane. Thank you to my dear friends and family for coming out, and a special thanks to the legendary guerilla street artist Robbie Conal and his beautiful wife, the designer Deb Ross for celebrating with me!

♥ SWEET STREETS runs till October 4th and my work is available for purchase here



Here are some links to other photos of the event:
Bubblepunch's set
Big White Bazooka's set
Caro
Chloe Doan's (model)
Daniel Lim
Daily Dujour
Hi Fructose
LA WEEKLY
Michelle Woo
Nucleus Blog
Nucleus Set
Onch's video
Supahcute.com's set
Tada Time's set
Twinkie Chan's video

SWEET STREETS opens this Saturday!

Sweet Streets II is just 2 days away! I am so excited to see all the amazing art in person! Plus this will be my first time showing both my digital work and paintings together :)

Sweet Streets II @ Gallery Nucleus Opens Saturday Sept. 11 7pm to 11pm 210 East Main Street Alhambra, CA 91801 ~ 10 minutes east of downtown LA Sweet Streets runs till Oct.4

Tres On'nanoko for SWEET STREETS

acrylic on wood panel, 12x12


Continuing on my theme of Japan meets LA for Sweet Streets I was inspired by this photograph and mural to create my own tribute to 3 schoolgirls - "Fresh, Shy, and Pretty"

"Fumiko" for SWEET STREETS

acrylic on wood panel, 11x14

"Fumiko" is one of my 2 paintings for SWEET STREETS II at Gallery Nucleus.
Having grown up in Los Angeles, the fashion of cholos and cholas was intriguing to me as it was so unique, strong and also intimidating. Gang culture is synonymous with LA life, just as much as Hollywood and celebrities, both of which you are equally likely to come into contact with here.

Fumiko is the name of the only woman to ever run the Yakuza in Japan. My idea behind "Fumiko" is how a tough Japanese girl might interpret LA life and translate it's culture into fashion - the recurring theme of clothing as costume, and as identifying what kind of girl you are.

Land of Girl Head Mountains - Göoo magazine #9 "Utopias" Issue 2010

I just got my adorable copy of Göoo magazine in the mail and it looks awesome! I am very happy with how my "Land of Girl Head Mountains" turned out! It was so nice of Martin Orza to invite me to take part and the theme of "Utopias" made me think of a land of girls with batting eyelashes and waterfalls running down their silky manes. I pictured myself living in a land of girliness where everything is beautiful and soft and full of love. I would slip and slide down the slick mountains and skip through the meadows of heart-leaved trees and everything would be right in the world.

Sweet Streets ad in Hi-Fructose Magazine

Hi-Fructose magazine Volume #16 is here with the Sweet Streets 2 ad featuring my art "Tomomi do Kazuko" on the back cover! I am pinching myself this is so cool. (and pretending I'm in Japan, making it the front cover! ;P )

I almost done with my paintings for Sweet Streets and am so excited for the show!

paperbag kitty ~ elephant ~ squid nerds

june sketches

a new tiny sketchbook and black ink, while bunnies roll in the dirt and chipmunks sun themselves....

Pumpkin ~ almost full grown

my cute little pumpkin is blossoming... acrylic on wood panel. getting my juices flowing to start on my sweet streets paintings....

Gramma Delma's Palette

My Great Grandma Delma will be 113 years old this Halloween.
She was born in 1897 and she was a teacher and an artist.
She painted purple cows, seascapes, landscapes, girls with flowers, and she was also an avid gardener and made the best darn cinammon rolls this side of the mississippi.

This is her palette and her paints. An amazing treasure.
Taking these photos has inspired me to compile and publish a book of her artwork. I always have her kit on my table as a constant source of inspiration.

Sweet Streets Hi-Fructose ad

I am so honored to have my girls "Tomomi do Kazuko" in the Sweet Streets Hi-Fructose ad
Thank you so much Caro!

I am really having fun making art for this show. Japanese fashion encourages you to break all boundaries, experiment and have fun. A great motto for life I think! Can't wait for the show :)

"Tomomi do Kazuko" for Sweet Streets 2

"Tomomi do Kazuko" - my 2nd digital piece for SWEET STREETS 2
"Tomomi" meaning "beautiful friend" and "Kazuko" meaning "peace child" are 2 young college students posing for the camera.
These girls definitely evolved from their pencil sketches and I had a lot of fun playing with color in this drawing.
I just recently made my first dress with the guidance of my immensely talented mother. Maybe one day my sewing skills will be up to snuff so I can actually make some of these outfits I draw my girls wearing.

"Harajuku Ballerina" for Sweet Streets 2

this is my first piece for sweet streets 2. after looking at all the amazing fashion at tokyofashion.com i was inspired to put together an outfit that consisted of what I would have worn when I was say 5 years old. i love the creativity and exuberance of the people and fashion in tokyo, it really is magical and reminds me of the carefree, fantastical way i viewed clothing as costume, and as capable of transforming me into anything i wanted to be when i was little. i wish i had that same courage i had back then to wear all the sparkly berets and tutus i wanted!

i would love to visit japan again. last time I was there I was 7 and went on rides with Michael Jackson at Tokyo Disneyland. this was during the "Bad" tour. He had rented out the whole park and I think I rode the tea cups a hundred times in a row. Who's bad? ;P


all of my work starts out as a pencil drawing. i do everything in layers and blue tape is my best friend to piece it all together, kind of like paper dolls. this piece inspired me to draw my dad's amazing vintage leather jacket, which i am now restoring and hope to wear soon!

Hot off the presses! SWEET ILLUSTRATION Book

My "Sweet Illustration" book by Monsa & Eva Minguet has arrived and it sure is lovely. I am just over the moon to be in the company of all these amazing women!