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The things you realize after a while


After being just blessed and just god damn lucky to attend this year’s Teen Vogue U I have come to the realization of one main topic that every designer has said in there little speeches….they have all said to say true to your own artistic style. I always knew that but it has never really been tested until yesterday. As you few loyal readers know that by now (or I can just tell you now) is that I have a very specific type of dress. I tend to have to semi-tailor look to my style with hints of vintage,second hand, and splashes of metal femenine accents. So of course this comes very naturally to me and in my head it is very effortless. Its happens to be just also I buy almost everything n calm and neutral colors so it just lends itself to be just brainless to match in the early mornings of MICA or in this case NYC.

I talk about this since I had an almost insulting yet refreshing encounter to a student photographer. He was going around a photographing people who had “effortless” style during  this Teen Vogue U event. Sure that sounds very typical, a fashion photographer just getting a boat load of pictures. Surely I was not thinking about being photographed but then my fellow friend who was right next to me at the moment was apporached to be photographed for his “effortless” style. I can’t say it was effortless but it was much more urban,trendy, and experimental then what I was wearing. He was wearing a DIY bleach ombre button up with stud detailing on the collar, a gray blazer with polka dot trim on the pockets, dark red skinny jeans and black and white bowling style shoes. In contrasting with me with my all black button up,slim pants, satin skinny fit blazer, accented with a white and black polka dotted bow tie, a Christian Dior gold tags necklace, gold pin on the blazer, then my typical Asos brown leather oxford shoes with printed socks. I can I just say in this situation that I know for a fact that we both take roughly the same amount of time and effort in our outfits but the real contrasting factor of us is the actual style. Him being being more trendy and just more youthful in style where I am just more classic and simple which is accented with ornate details. I can’t just which is more effortless or easy but to tell you the truth mine felt easy to me since I had a very limited color scheme and had a solid base to work from. For him which was much more complicated where there were contrasting patterns,textures, and fits.

So to go off from the word “effortless” I personally don’t think effortless is the right adjective to really say anyone style is. I just think it is a just the sense of age,current trendiness of it…so many more factors that make it look more grunge, urban ,thrown together but the ironic thing is that “throwing” things together is much more difficult then just saying simple and classic. Not saying one is better or easier then the other but I want to make a point of miss using the word effortless. I personally do understand how I can look very put together, posed…and all things both casual at all but saying someone that they are not effortless is just rude. Its basically saying that we have a visual struggle everyday with yourself and how you want to visual represent you as a working person.

For a good day of so I had a identity crisis ( ok,not really but) I began to question myself for a while and does my visual look or style really relate to the public anymore or does it look forced? I talked it through with a fellow friend (Caroline Wimberly Smith who goes to PARSONS!) about this questioning of life and she and I talked it through and I came to the understanding that personal aesthetics and style is who we are as artist and we need to stay with it. No matter what trend (which is currently is rough and tough miss matching…) just do what feel most comfortable and best represents you and or how you feel as yourself at that moment. I thought for a second  that I lost to sense of taste, unique quality of me, just something wasn’t there anyone but really I was just looking in the wrong areas. I’m not youthful, 100% trendy…sure I have elements of that but I’m built on classics and nostalgic styles. Sure that might not appeal to some people and obviously it won’t on style forever but who really cares anymore. I obviously is trying to faze my way out of that now. Thanks to this miss have , I have just became someone who is really beginning to own ones self.

2012
10/21
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Uncharted.


Yes the summer has finally come for me. No more rushing around to photoshoots and desperately scraping time to finish project but I loved every moment of it. I have finally come to the point of the year I can just lay around with a good book so a sketchbook and let myself rest and vent whatever comes to my head. Also I have the chance to go back to my roots. My roots that are deeply engraved into the Chinese American culture of West Los Angeles. I can go enjoy and observe the familiar yet foreign setting of Los Angeles. Yes, this happens for me every year. The one thing that is always bond to happen; to venture back to my childhood home and pretend to relive my past just for weeks of my life and refresh my reason why I deal with all the works of wanting to make something of myself. The one thing that is different about think year’s routine is that when I go back to reality there will be no more familiarity to return to. There will be no more high school of familiar faces and the same circles of friends. All the circles have said their goodbyes and went their different ways. We are forced to grow up and the ones who didn’t bond for a life of limbo; wanting to leave but staying for the dead memories.

I have said my goodbyes to childhood and teenagehood peers. Friends that watched each other grow up and learn from each other. When I go back there are few days left for bliss of being a kid. No need to be responsible. I will be there to just having a few last laughs with the people that have made an inpack with my life. After off to a far away place called MICA. Here there will be a new pool of people who are focused, artistic, and driven to make something of themselves. Yet at the same time there will be no soul that I will know. No one I can hide behind and pretend to be sheltered by. I will be forced to be make new friends and create new bonds that I can’t even fathom right now. I know I will find at least a small group of peers that find each others interests interesting and fulfilling. The future looks bright yet still uncertain. I want to chart my own future and create something that not even myself can hope for…. I just have to prepare myself for failures and dead ends. I have to keep myself hopeful and youthful about everything. The saddest thing to do is let a dream die.

I’m proud of my work and where it has gotten me but I can let my pride get in the way of letting it get me some where. Let do what it must so which is help me achieve my goal.

2012
06/24
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Where the thank you begins…


 

As my wonderful teenage years I just want to send out a few thank yous to my dearest friends.

 

Jennifer D.

 

I have known you since my second year of first grade (the year that I finally figured out the English language.) I still vividly remember sitting next to you in the classroom with Mrs. Farthing teaching us the basics. We both moved up to Mrs. Purdue and with her infamous Australia desk where both of us were since to once in our youth and still have the image ingrained into my head of the duct tape being pulled infront of my face since I was such a chatter box. Third grade we were split 😦 Fourth grade in Mrs. Drake’s god awful class, so bad we both swung facing the hill on the swings hoping she won’t see us when she call everyone in from recess. Fifth grade was the year that we ,including Tyler and Shelby were the shizz….or at least we thought we were. And we can forget our found love for Charmed! XD

Middle school, sadly not the most exciting times for us but still cherish the memories in Ms. Tanner’s class and asking her the day before our CFA auditions “So what should I say about our ‘favorite’ artist…” and her clearly giving us the answers to every quiz and test…your options are AAAAA…b..c..d..again AAAAA..b..c..d.

What really made our friendship to me amazing (to me) is the fact we shared at least one class with each other everyday in high school. From the dreaded days of the trailers, Ms. Cooney’s totes relaxed class, Mrs. Brown’s god hard @ss class to now around amazing CFA family. The days you use to drive me everywhere; including but not limited to Panera,Starbucks….

Throughout the years we both learned so much about each other and our similarities and differences I can always say that you were my best friend since 1st grade! We both live in different worlds, your’s including softball, hermitage, field hockey, etc and mine with VMFA, fashion jank, Tucker ,etc; we both still have the middle ground that we both share. In a sense we kind of balance each other with your logical thinking with my kind of logical but more right sided mindset. We make an amazing duo! An unstoppable team! You always knew what I was thinking about and our witting,blunt sense of humor is what we are both remembered by others.  I can’t tell you have happy I am you are pursuing a Engineering major! Very fitting for you! I know that you can make it though those classes and pass with flying colors 🙂

I will cherish my plushy Jack,plushy red elephant, and sweaters forever!

Thanks for being an amazing best friend-

Harry-

2012
06/05
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Labels don’t make the fashion


 

What an old idea and who would know that people are still stupid enough to not realize it. As I am doing my usual scroll down my facebook I noticed something that is horribly unsightly. Apparently some of my mutural friends have the money to own several Louis Vittion products, too many overly priced boots, unneeded make-up, and apparently drinks and parties a lot? I won’t judge on the drinking thing but i can say that is not the most flattering thing to post on your wall if colleges are considering you as a future student. Back to my point. As a person who has been exposed to a bit of the fashion design world I understand a bit about the quality work that brand name takes on making there most expensive products. Also I do understand the idea of keeping the type of “quality” people purchasing these items so the company won’t get a bad rep.

Firstly applaud for my friend who is in high school being able to purchase these items. Frankly, I don’t believe in the need for labels so early in life since we are just kids. Kids don’t need expensive brand names, we only need the look. Yet this is besides my point. The point I am trying to convey is the sad combination of expensive things that he thinks is flattering or visually interesting in anyway. Firstly, rule of thumb, layering of obvious labels is an horrible clash. Its the same concept of putting too many patterns on top of each other with no running constant or having a dominating pattern. You are not doing you are your purchases any good if you are wearing it just for the sake of wearing it. If you look closely at most top brand name fashion shows there is little clash of labels on the looks. Usually the pursue, bag….whatever that has the label within the pattern is the correlated with the outfits by the means of style, colors, scale… not by on the sheer fact of that its the same label or something in equal value. Having these clash of things completely canceled the whole worth of it and just makes you look cheesy, cheap, and visually unappealing. Who in the world will be attracted to overly materialistic people who obviously don’t understand the visual consideration of you ,your purchases, and even as far away as other people.

Its the exact same concept as me being a disney fan. You don’t see me wearing everything disney related having a visual clash with everything on me. Or in my art,decor…having things compete with each other for attention. To really showcase anything that prized to you is to really take into consideration of the overall tone of the piece. For me LV is a sign of luxury, glamor, classic, tailored…so with that I would consider dressing in a nice pressed neutral button up, playful bowtie, leather braided belt with rubbed brass details, slim dark pants, and maybe some tougher looking boots. Then having your LV bag adorning your shoulder will look more part of you instead of caking yourself with labels. As a visually active person this is a growing problem for the 1% population.

2012
02/11
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Chinese New Year 12′


 

Anyways here is just a little photo montage I put together for our Chinese New Year decor for this year. The idea of decoration for such a foreign holiday in a very colonial home is very intriguing. The style of the home orginating for a very Europe style where the buildings have no trace of any Asian influences contrasting with the very specific style of Chinese New Year gave me an interesting task to battle every year. To be frank about it is more difficult to decorate for Chinese New Year then Christmas. Since Christmas is a Western holiday the decoration naturally fit into this style of home. Columns, railings, fireplaces…key elements or places people usually deck the halls at but with the New Years things are a little different. The ornate vivid styles of the Chinese New Year is decor can get a bit overwhelming we need to figure out to incorporate it into the current layout of the home.  We wanted to gear away from the “lazy” way of just sticking a bunch of randomly places “posters” and lucky symbols everywhere. We wanted to work with the architecture and make it fit into the Western format. The contrast of the two things created a very unique look to it with a lasting impression for people who were never really exposed to this holiday. We wanted to give a very sophisticated yet warm overall tone. We wanted to get rid of the stereotypical idea of an Asian home with poorly placed decor.

2012
02/04
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You Must Be Real Important.


 

There are two clear categories that most people fall in in my head (exceptions is with family.) There is the “Yes, you are going to Disneyland with me” and “No, you will kill the magic for me.” Now here me out, this might sound a bit strange and almost cynical  but let me explain myself before you go judging..

Through my more mature and vivid ideas and concepts that literally hold up my sanity is the my drive to create atmospheres and out of this world places which stems from the intensive interest i have for Disneyland. For me it the idea of bringing so many different elements and fields of work  to sync into something that is completely mind-blowingly beautiful just shakes the very bones of my body. As my brother said from our most recent Christmas visit with our family ” this is your Mecca.” And in a less religious since yes, I religiously go to Disneyland every year during the summer to refuel why I do what I do. For me it is a safe haven and a dangerous patch to strive for something so familiar and friendly yet it is built up on something that is so progressive and constantly evolving so there is no set title or major I should do as for schooling.

The development from just a dream or idea to an actual want to be made me driven to do something more then just art for a lifetime. It made me want to make something of myself even if that me myself won’t be in the spotlight (since usually the more current Imagineers are unsung artist of the parks.) I want to be part of something bigger then myself. Just visiting the parks for the holiday season visually refreshed my senses and really re-inspired me to approach things in different perspectives. Sure it is just a man made place but the idea of man can create something that we can’t as a society can’t even truly understand, emotions, just interested me to push myself evoke more of this to  my everyday daily work and in the grander scheme in my body of work as an artist.

Having such a emotional and work driven attachment to this place made me to extremely selective who and why they (for me) can come enjoy the one of the single reasons I do what I do. I do believe many of my peers don’t really understand why I do things the way I do it for example my brother, He is one of the most encouraging people that I am lucky to be related to. Even though he doesn’t really know what I am doing but him just visiting the place gives him at least a visual to understand the basic understanding of my thought process.

Here is just a basic steps I have when making something

What- with my more current project the what is more like what will this do with the current storyline of my art pieces

Why- why is this part needed and how can it intensified the emotion factor of this body of work

How- more of a progressively changing process when I visually figure how to build little things can how to create illusions of textures with other mediums.

Not to get too ahead of myself but really, Disneyland for me as an artist and just a person lives in a very dear place in my heart. It is one of the driving forces of why I do things. I try to literally do more can I really handle. I am currently doing a very labor intensive collection of rooms, RVA fashion line all the time. Might not sound a lot but pile on top with just everyday annoyances it tends to add up to a very busy schedule.

So to really sum it up, if you can go to Disneyland with me you are with me for life. XD

2012
01/09
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Thanks to everything I got so far.


Since the year is coming to an end my brain automatically begins thinking about all the absolutely amazing events of this past year. Firstly, I am so thankful to even know the people I interact with everyday! Each of these people have opened my mind to totally different perspectives to life that I would never think of.

My dear friend Emily, she has enlightened me about the true understanding of Christianity and even though we agree to disagree on what we both choose as our main drive I feel knowing her I have learned more about the thought process of a actually good Christian person. She let me know that being Christian is not evil , unlike every young person said. I think its just a sad happening that there is just a majority of bad or narrow minded people that are just ironically Christian. Personally I feel bad for the overall face of that religion. That is the flaw in humans.

Jennifer, I have been so blessed to have someone right next to me literally from the 1st to 12th grade. It pains me to think that we might be separated in the near future due to schooling. I worry that without the one constant in my life I might just go a little insane. Our totally different yet strangely similar minds help both of us think in create and down right silly yet totally useful solutions to everyday problems. Obviously we are both leaning towards different careers but I do hope to never lose touch with her. We just have a disorganized friendship but I will never want it any other way.

My experience with the last VMFA Teen Stylin’ New York trip. Literally! I can’t get over how enjoyable it was. I can say I will never forget that I dropped that free condom in the train station in front of family of toddlers and there protective mother. Oh the silly things I do. I will never get over the silly conversations we and really let loose for just a few days while pretending to not look like tourist in NYC. For Caroline, I hope your second trip will be equally yet differently amazing as the one I went with you.

Gov School! It amazing how much this still effects me everyday of my life. I literally still have urges to go back and just replay every single day of that amazing summer! Sure it was like being in a beautified prison since the parental control was set on SUPER HIGH but from this experience I have met so many talented people around Virginia. Also for me I learned more social skills and hopefully this will make me less awkward..hahaha. I can see so far from this I am much more comfortable with interacting with guys in general. I met my absolute best guy friend I will ever meet in my whole life. Oh DJ. Literally he might just be my long lost family member so something. He can tell you how I am just too comfortable with him. I think emotionally I just longed for some guy friend that I wasn’t interested in to be there for me and the same I will do for him. The emotional abuse I get from him is just what I need to keep myself from getting to soft XD

I can’t get over how blessed I am in this lifetime. In just a year I have gotten so many chances to experience these amazing things that molded me into a more confident and social person. My art is finally speaking for itself. No need for me to vocally speak about it. I am always striving to keep my work true to myself so I will be a correct representation of me as a person.

2011
12/13
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a clash in personalities.


Until just now,I have not really realized the contrasts we all have as people in personalities. Of gosh this is a shock to me. Of course naturally people argue and with my most recent one I really thought hard a well about why? Why did we argue? It’s literally just a disagreement over a topic yet why? For myself, I think that if you are put in charge of something you should put out anything that can possibly help out the team. From what my friends have observed that sometimes  I really go out of my way to make it that someone on the team can do what it is necessary to help all of us out. My friend said frankly, most people wouldn’t go to that point to help them out that much, they would just wish them good luck.

This is very prevalent in what just happened today, since I am throwing a party to celebrate my 18th birthday my father offered to provide and set up massive Peavey speakers in the garage. I was so thankful for the gesture and took it then he asked ….how is this going to work. I said ” Ipods! everyone will bring their own and we can just swap it” for me it’s just easier then CDs. He told me no, that is not possible but he made up this whole story about how swapping ipods can cause a riot…of please who dares to cause drama with me…hehe and really; I think we are more civil then that…we’re not f*ckin little kids here. I asked why since my friend has something similar to us except it is ipod compatible… He just said, no it doesn’t exist. So of course I investigate a bit and figure out there is a very specific cord we need. I just wondered “why in the world can he just say that or something relating to the sound quality of ipods vs. CDs.” I’m not mad at him, I’m in a daze on the contrast between us. Is he just trying to hide the fact that he doesn’t really know and he wants to keep his pride? IDK

2011
10/17
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Modesty is key.


You are number 1! Maybe one of the most spoken ( or least hehe) sentence with all parents. You kid is the best, they are smartest,cutest….just perfect. The problem with this common phase there comes a risk of them thinking they are the best and they might look down on everyone else. Surely I do know I am talented in art but there is someone who is better some where also I can plenty aware I am not too book smart. I feel knowing your strengths are weaknesses is one of they key factors of people an likable person. People are plenty aware of your talent so why rub it in even more. Think about it, don’t you hate people who just flaunt there wealth,talent…. As a society we hate them…if so why is there people who still do so?

I hate to type it but I do know some people near and dear to my heart who has this mental issue. I want to confront them but I don’t want to be rude to them or offend them…

2011
08/18
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Hold On.


 

Wait just a minute. People this that liking art is an easy task? Wahh….First, there is a huge different in admiring art and actually understanding and liking art. It takes at least a few years on intense schooling for you to get into the feel of a wide variety of art. Surely, more traditional art is easy to see the hard work in patients in it but for the more contemporary art its more the just skill. It’s the infused emotions that make it art. Surely somethings seem easy and basic but that is why it is so hard. The simple fact that it is so simple yet so moving that it can be called “Art.” Art is all around us, just look. Don’t this art takes no brain power because it does!

The fact is that people who this being and artist is an easy, low paying, useless job…well they are just wrong! Don’t they understand that art is why we as people live for. Just look at the craft, detail,design of your technical device you are viewing this on. Sure it is more of technical skill but why is this so pleasing to the eye; art thats why. To the way your desk functions or how the exterior of your house looks. Every little things is art and if it not done right it can change the whole mood o and totally kill your day.

2011
08/15
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