Natural Disasters

Sometimes I think about where I would like to live and grow old. One of the first things I think about is the weather. Usually, the next thing I think about are the natural disasters in those areas. California has earthquakes and fires. The East has storms and hurricanes. The south has more hurricanes. The central states has tornadoes. The mid west has too much snow.

Lately, we've been hearing about hurricane Ike all over the news. Like other hurricanes, there is no mercy in the midst of a storm like that. I found some pictures telling the story of Ike and his aftermath disaster. Please pray for those effected by Hurricane Ike.

I think I'll stay in Fresno for a while...our natural disaster here is fog and auto theft.

Phil In The Circle Art

Phil Hansen is a well known artist on Youtube featuring his "Goodbye Art" which last only up to the point of being completed and then he destroys it permanently. His ideas are like no other in which they make a statement - political, humane, sentimental or for entertainment. I am always amazed at how creative and patient he is as I utterly enjoy the "time-lapsed" videos that show the final product almost immediately. Here are some of my favorite works of his...

"Dandelions were organized then photographed. This
process was repeated 24 times."



"This picture of Fidel Castro when he was young and old was
painted with a quote from a 1959 interview. 'When we have
fulfilled our promise of good government I will cut my beard.'" Watch the video



"I broadcast my phone number via the internet and
asked people to call me and tell me a moment that
changed their life. All of these moments were
written over the course of 136 hours of which I
didn't leave the work space except for restroom
breaks." Watch the video



"Colored matches white and black, then arranged them
to create the portrait. It was then set on fire." Video of this piece.




"By dipping my hands in paint and hitting the canvas." He basically karate chopped it all hahaha!


"This picture of President George W. Bush
was made with the names of Coalition
soldiers that died in the Iraq war."


Check him out! Support him!

Inspiring Hmong Artist

I have been intrigued by an artist by the name of Kao Lee Thao. I discovered her art a few years ago and her work has grown so beautifully. Her style of work is very dreamy and soft, yet the edges are unclear with bold colors that seem to drag off the canvas in a subtle and random way. She often uses images of Hmong women as her inspiration and muse. A distinct and continuous feature of her work and one of the first things you will notice are the swirls within swirls among splashes of color. She has a way with controlling these swirls and splashes into a calming and beautifully balanced mess. Her characters seem to be in constant motion and frozen in the moment. Here are some of her work...

Essentials of a College Life

While in college, I noticed that our kitchen and refrigerator goes through certain seasons of food.

#1 - The cereal season. It was fast and mostly healthy with fruit and milk. Plus very little time to prep and few dishes.
#2 - The coffee season. Once this season begins, there's no turning back because there is never an end to it.
#3 - Ice Cream Season - Never enough of it...especially if there is a WinCo Foods near by. It's a staple in our house.
#4 - Yogurt season - When girls realize that they're not getting enough fruit in their system, they buy yogurt. Plus it's easy to clean up.
#5 - The Junkfood lifestyle...it wouldn't be college without it.