I absolutely love looking at studios and workspaces. I don’t know if it’s because I am just plain nosy, or if this inclination towards seeing the spaces where a person makes things happen has a deeper, more meaningful motivation behind it. I just really, love looking at people’s spaces. I feel like it says a lot about who they are and how they work. Here are some of my favorite workspace-related blogs, in case you were curious:

• Workspaces, Tumblr
• Anik-Anik Love (Filipino creatives)
• Workspaces, Share Some Candy

The point of this post: My brother and I tagged along with my parents, who were having a meeting with Manuel Ocampo. You must understand that I am pretty much in awe of this man. Aside from being an art world BAMF with his name in lights all over the world, he was also partly responsible for the art inside Beck’s Odelay. Degrees of separation down to three! (Two? How do you count them?) Despite that, he is also quite nice and sincere. I wrote about him and his curatorial debut, a group exhibit comprised of Filipino artists held in Berlin, in UNO Magazine, for their October issue. (Solenn Heussaff was on the cover, my heart!)

(I do that with my shirt whenever I feel awkward/displaced. Good of my dad to capture it on film?)

Anyway, what was supposed to be a meeting turned out to be a studio visit to two other artists’ spaces—Gerry Tan’s and David Grigg’s—and a gallery, all of which were conveniently located not three minutes away from each other. Here are a few photos, the rest will be under the cut.

Seeing these workspaces reminded me of the reason behind the name of this little home for me, my sacred space. Taking the name from Jonathan Safran Foer’s “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close,” my favorite book, where he talks about “Nothing Places.” To quote:

“[W]e started marking off areas in the apartment as “Nothing Places,” in which one could be assured of complete privacy, we agreed that we never would look at the marked-off zones, that they would be nonexistent territories in the apartment in which one could temporarily cease to exist…”

The idea of my own little area, to be who I am and make what I like, regardless of other factors, is so appealing to me. I think that’s maybe why I always talk about wanting to move out. It’s not that I’m tired of the people I live with (because, at the very end of it, I do love my family very much), or that my circumstances are at all inconvenient. I just really think that I maybe need a space—mine—to be me, without having to explain or apologize or hold back. I think I just really need to mark off my own Nothing Spaces, beyond the screen.

Perhaps in 2011? For now, I’ll make do with what I have, try to be the most of myself that I can be.

Loads more photos under the cut. They’re pretty interesting. :)

Continue reading Studio Visits & Nothing Places….

Sure, it’s not the last day of the year yet, but I have slowly been making rounds around my blog archives and other means of internet documentation (music plays, books read, etc) and I am feeling as though so much has happened for me this year. 2010 is such a nice, round number, and it really made me think that Great Things were about to happen. It’s funny how a succession of numbers that don’t really mean anything—at least nothing that I am privy to, since I’m pretty much clueless when it comes to numerology—can give off that feeling of Mattering and of Significance. I don’t know about you, but 2010 really had a nice ring to it. And so, I expected and I hoped and I was met with a lot of failing.

If anything, this was the year of Trying Times, and I mean this phrase to mean more things than one. High highs coupled with low lows, and everything else being coated by a generally hopeless disposition. Post-graduation ,everyone went about throwing around the term “quarter-life crisis,” and making ourselves feel better by using the word “funemployed” to describe our own respective states of loss. But underneath this self-deprecating veneer, most of us were all, quite unfunnily, at a loss as to what the next steps were.

I’ve taken so many detours and side steps, and I’ve wrestled with so much uncertainty. I guess it comes with wanting to get the best for myself, but I’m constantly questioning whether this decision was the best, or if I was settling. I do think that most of the pains I went through were necessary sadnesses, things I needed to experience if only to arrive at the things I know now. I’ve tried new things, and I’m glad that I did.

2010 has been a tough time for me, but the truth is, I’ve had a lot of help along the way. Even though I had never experienced this much disappointments and failures before in my life, I can’t help but feel really grateful for everything. Like I told a few of my friends earlier this month, I quite liked 2010 more than I hated it, and I say this in all earnestness. If the good things do come with the bad, then I’d have to say that I would still want it all, anyway.

Because there are still a few more days left before 2010 ends, I’m going to save the year-in-review for later. I’m just really grateful for opportunities, second chances, and the occasional surges of boldness that have allowed me to try new things that were scary, but also, ultimately fulfilling.

I have a lot of things to say to a lot of people, but I suppose I have six days to muster up the courage to tell them, instead of copping out and typing them in a blog entry.

And, in closing, a tiny Christmas mix for you, comprised of eight meager tracks. I always mean to post Christmas mixes, but they always come together way too late. This is what I have so far, and I hope you like them regardless of their being Christmas-y:

1. The Only Gift That I Need — Dashboard Confessional
2. Linus and Lucy — Vince Guaraldi Trio
3. The Christmas Song — The Raveonettes
4. Xmas Time Is Here — My Morning Jacket
5. Baby, It’s Cold Outside (cover) — Darren Criss & Chris Colfer (Glee)
6. Christmas TV — Slow Club
7. Baby, Please Come Home (Darlene Love cover) — Death Cab For Cutie
8. Christmas Time Is Here (Vince Guaraldi Trio cover) — Mayer Hawthorne

Merry Christmas, everyone. I hope it was good for you. :)

I really look forward to the weekends. I work full-time, at the opposite time of everyone else, so I usually cannot really make it to gatherings, if it’s on a weekday.

Last Friday, I went with my friend Karen to see Endo and pass by school to give JP the books he asked me to buy for him. Then we went to We Are Triangle, a pop-up shop in Cubao X. Cat was playing ‘random crap [she] liked,’ so we went to listen and, also, to buy stuff. I got badges!, Filipino chapbooks from High Chair, and a CD. I haven’t read or listened to any of them. Because I am a hoarder.

Gabby showed me around a space she has, as well. It was nice. :)

On Saturday, I went with Raymond and Rico to RONAC. Some stores opened! I’m not really sure. We hung out in Terminal and talked to Kix for a bit, ate at Charlie’s (Strawberry milkshake!) and looked at CSJ‘s exhibit, Ethos. (Congratulations!) Then, we visited Kate in the hospital because she caught dengue, but there are no photos… because we were not allowed to take them. Haha. She’s all better and on her way to France now, though, so that’s good. :)

My weekend this week looks like it’s going to be laid back. Weekdays are pretty quiet for me, so I count on the weekends to make them a little more noisy, to put it one way. But quiet days are good, too. I had a mix for this post, but I think I’ll just post it tomorrow.

Anyway, this was just a tiny photodump. The pretty coloring is a result of variations of Afianne’s free .psd download. It’s pretty swell.

Continue reading Only On the Weekends….

This is old Tumblr news, but it took me a while to construct this post because I was having trouble with looking for the documentation of progress. I’m really tired now, though, so whatever, this is what you get! It’s kind of funny how it took me six months and a day to finish one a 3 ft. x 3 ft. painting. But, in my defense, I stopped for a solid three or so months (August-October) and just started painting again in November.

I’ve gathered some nifty photos of how it all came to be. I started the painting on the 5th of June this year. Suffice to say, I had no idea what I was doing. It might be of interest to you (?) but I’m definitely glad to see the progress. Yes, I’m done, and I’m also almost done with the significantly smaller piece I am working on. I’ve always been wary of painting, but that’s because watercolors and acrylics dry out on me too soon. I honestly think that oil was the medium made for me, and I’m definitely glad I tried it out.

Not too bad for a n00b, yeah? I think it looks pretty good in black and white. :)

P.S. I’m aware that this was part of Peregrine Honig’s final show on Work of Art. I started the painting in June, started watching the show in July, and was super surprised to see it there. Hopefully, Ms. Honig doesn’t mind.

Photos under the cut. Sorry for the ramble!

Continue reading Progress Report: Deerest (5 June – 6 Dec 2010)…

Photos from the huge-ass group show that opened on Wednesday. I had four works up, but I don’t have pictures of them at the moment. There are new works coming in mid-run, too, so I will do a proper update then. It was a really great night. Some friends dropped by & it was really fun. I don’t usually invite people because I feel like I am making them go to things they do not want to (heh), but I’m really glad people I actually knew went. So, thanks. :)

Run is until the 31st of December.

West Gallery is located at 48 West Avenue, Quezon City.
Gallery hours are 10am-6pm, Monday-Saturday.

Continue reading 12×9: A Small Update….

Because I am deluded enough to feel like people care. Most of the time, though, my Christmas wishlists turn out to be my own personal list of things to buy for myself, so there’s that. I’ve been trying not to be totally sucked into the whole business of consumerism, but sometimes I just like getting nice things.

1. iPhone 4

This isn’t even something I am expecting anyone to get for me. I just need Globe to give me my unit. I reserved waaay back in September, but couldn’t get my unit because I was in Hong Kong when they released them first. Apparently, they’d taken my name out of the waitlist, so I had to submit my name again. I talked to customer service yesterday, and he said that there are stocks, and my name is on the list, but none of the ones they have on hand are for me. The road has been long and arduous, and I am just really tired, and I just want the stupid iPhone so I can get that app that tracks your reading progress and also, so I can play Angry Birds.

2. LC-A+

As most of you know, I work for LSI. I usually make the newsletters that get people to buy things. It’s really not a surprise that they would eventually work on me. I’ve been thinking of getting either an LC-A or a Diana Mini, but people have been saying that the LC-A was the better bet. I’m sure that I’m going to get it eventually. Not sure if I should get it anytime soon, but I want to take advantage of the sales.

Additionally, I want to get some film:

3. Books!

Duh.

I think this is pretty self-explanatory. I have all of the books in the photo, but if you would be so inclined, here is my Book Depository wishlist. Book Depository is excellent because it provides free shipping. Not so excellent if you are trying to save some money, and need no more excuses to buy books in piles, i.e. not so excellent if you are me.

4. A Dictionary for Tumblr

Because it does not seem to know what ‘shortly’ means.

5. An iPad

It’s so pretty. I’m obviously not getting my hopes up for this (unless I go buy it for myself), but I’m putting it here anyway. Because it’s so pretty.

6. A Guillotine

photo by somethingshidinginhere

… paper cutter. I have grand delusions of making books, so I need a paper trimmer. But seriously, when I get everything sorted out, I will publish small runs of books—obviously not just mine—and it will be fantastic.

7. X-Acto Knife Blades

#11 or #16 please. My knife is a #1, so I guess whatever fits that.

8. Washi Paper Tape!

For obvious reasons. But really, I use it for everything. (This is a gorgeous set of colors.)

9. Records

I don’t even have a record player (LOL I borrow my brother’s) but these are awesome to have. My collection is meager, so I’m really looking to expand it.

10. For Things to Work Out for me

I am coming for you in March, Matt Berninger. Just you wait.

I have other things I want—DVDs, clothes, money for an apartment, talent—but I will go ahead and spare you. For the most part, though, I’m pretty happy (usually?) where I am. 2010 has been such a weird year for me, but I’d like to think that I am more of happy this year happened, than not.