MISSY BON BON
Posted on June 29, 2011 by Hannah
Photography by Rene Araneta
I just realized I’ve forgotten about this project from last year entirely. It seriously didn’t exist in my head until a few moments ago during a conference call when the client sent a visual reference that reminded me of this job. The talented Architect Edwin Uy (whose work i admired prior to finding out he designed it) invited me to work on the wall illustrations for Missy Bon Bon – a newly launched breadshop franchise in Cagayan city, Philippines last year. I was based in Saigon when I worked on this and I haven’t been able to visit the actual bakeshop yet since it’s far from Manila. Apparently these photos has been sitting in my inbox since April of last year and I only saw it now! I guess I was busy moving houses at that time so it wasn’t really my top priority or perhaps riding motorbikes everyday gives permanent brain damage. eheh..
I also found my initial studies from my email correspondence with Edwin.
It evolved to this. I like the initial direction better but then again the final work is more happy and warm which was in line with brand’s identity.
aww, now i’m craving for pastries.. yep – see what i did just there, subliminal manipulation… nuninuni..
The Making of the Ghost in the Machine
Posted on June 20, 2011 by Hannah
Hmm where to begin? I’ll try my best to recreate the experience here cause it really was a memorable one. Please bear with me. It has been almost two months now since this show opened, so i hope i didn’t miss anything.
On May 3, Liongoren Gallery opened it’s doors with “The Ghost in the Machine” exhibition. It’s ironic that I’m only posting about it now since we’re already wrapping up the show and obviously I’m just being sentimental. I guess i’ve grown attached to the artworks since I lived with them for over a month now.. eep x___x . This exhibit is the brain(heart)child of Goldie Poblador. Also the very first show I was closely involved with in my parents’ gallery, i played the role of exhibit designer/coordinator, which is something new and yet strangely familiar to me (not to sound pretentious or anything). It all began back in 2009 when i approached Goldie about doing an exhibition in our gallery. It was during this time when I was just about to finish my Interior design course and simultaneously supervising the renovations in the gallery while finalizing my decision about working Vietnam. There was so much changes happening in my life that it was a wonderful break when Goldie saw the space I redesigned and agreed to do a show! I really admired Goldie’s installation work from her thesis exhibit and the preceding installations she worked on after that and you can’t imagine how excited I was with what she’ll come up with in our gallery space.
A year and a handful of email correspondence later “The Ghost in the Machine” was born and subsequently conceived a special tribute performance art “Flight of the Primal Being” by our friends Vinty Lava, Denise Castillo and Martin De Mesa. I didn’t really know Goldie well aside from being team mates in bowling (Team Burton) and our spaghetti binging sessions in college but now i admire Goldie not only for the work she does but also for her heart. It was really great working with a sincere artist such as herself. I’m not very articulate so I’ll let the photos and video speak for itself. Enjoy!
December 2010 : My first visit at her studio/house
Goldie demonstrating how she creates her delicate glass sculptures. Look..
January 2011: Trip to Anggono
Goldie and I headed to Anggono to check out the progress of her works which was being polished by Mang Rading the framer and Mang Charlie the cement sculptor.
originally the sculptures look like this. That’s Charlie on the far right talking to Goldie.
Since Antipolo was on the way, we visited my dad for awhile… I just had to make a little tribute since it was father’s day yesterday and this photo is so pleasant to look at. (/segue)
Late April 2011: Day 1 Installation
During the 1st Day of installation, the two main pieces were delivered from Angono by Mang Charlie’s battalion of assistants.
1st the “Bird Goddess”
and then came “Goddess of the Now”
Day 2
Day 3
The next day, I saw this little creature resting in one of Godlie’s cement artworks.
This is IC – the artist/boyfriend/curator extraordinaire of Goldie’s show. We borrowed him for a while from Ateneo gallery.
I asked Goldie to make a hand made Title board and look at what she came up with – photo of the work in progress.
Goldie and IC Installing the title board.
TARAN! It’s all done! Thanks to my brother for taking Photos of the space.
The last two photos are by Erik Liongoren. To see more of this exhibit go here.
Flight of the Primal Being
We shot Martin the talented performance artist in our studio with the help of my dear friends Digo and Jj with the direction of Denise Castillo the video artist.
Vinty Lava the one who created music for the Flight of the Primal Being talking to IC, in one of our brainstorming sessions.
May 3 2011: The opening
AA little incense ceremony before the opening time.
The crowd.
Fine arts friends reunited! Friday and Denise the foxy ladies on the right are responsible for the write up of the exhibit press release and video art of Flight of the Primal being.
That’s Pog with stoked Goldie.. Pog wrote the beautiful wall notes you see above. Which you can read here.
It was such a long day, but it was beautiful.
Goldie in her element – lotus position during the late hours of the night.
Pirata Cat and Manikako at ToyCon 2011
Posted on June 16, 2011 by Hannah
Yey! It’s June! it’s the time of the year again for ToyCon which would only mean Manikako (a non-profit organization that sustains free doll making workshops for under-priviledge children also known as that booth with weird people pricking needles on voodoo dolls) will have a booth yet again in the annual toy fair! I can’t believe it’s been 5 years since our first booth in this decade old ToyCon and we’re still alive and kicking! Yehey.. I’m so happy to be back and helping our organization that all started in this toy conference back in 2007, before i start being sappy and sentimental let me just tell you a quick story about Pirata Cat!
Incidentally, Pirata Cat and I had Matching scarves when i took this photo last week…hihi. He’s my favorite Manikako creation only because he’s my first and i think i got lucky finding the right colors in the stash of donated scrap materials while assisting head seamstress Gabie in a Manikako workshop funded by our very first TOYCON booth for an orphanage in South of Manila back in 2007. Here’s the incriminating evidence of that time and my not-so-wasted youth : ) He’s almost 5 years old now can you imagine? Pirata cat hangs out on this sail boat which I got from Vietnam, docked beside my window sill in my home office, greeting me every morning!
Anyway, Pirata cat told me to show you the TOYCON map in case you get lost on Saturday or Sunday : ) See you guys there!
Breakfast
Posted on June 9, 2011 by Hannah
Woke up to the ringing of bells around 6AM today that turned out to be my heavenly father sent from the hilly top of Antipolo. We had coffee and pandesal (bread) with cream cheese for breakfast while our sleepy 17 year old house keeper listened to his usual banter, that and other randomness we discussed. I told him about my frustration with shading and inking pencil panels during my failed attempts on doing comic strips these past few days.
He drew me this diagram that explains the importance of identifying the negative and positive space in drawing which he taught me eons ago that i never manage to learn, then from that topic he jumped to a series of chiasmus which is relevant because of its yin and yang nature, hence the picture above which i drew freehand with my pocket pen brush.
In case your wondering what’s that on the cow print plate, it’s yellow corn not mini leopard skin chips (if there’s such a thing). I have no idea why i made it positive, it looks weird… hnnh…
Hopefully this drawing frenzy continues. Don’t jinx it!
Tangled
Posted on June 8, 2011 by Hannah
Drew this last February, i think after watching Tangled. Posting it now to feel less tangled with thoughts. Unloading bits and pieces of life here the next few days. Just saying hi Wednesday, it’s nice of you to rain.
Dagupan City
Posted on June 7, 2011 by Hannah
I’ve been a delinquent in this journal for so long and hopefully I could set the momentum again with a subject that seems to be recurring in this blog (it’s unintentional mind you): Family – a subject that seems to be amusing me lately. Only this time it’s about a place I associate greatly with family, Dagupan City. My mother’s hometown province in the northern side of the Philippines. It’s also the setting where my childhood summers and holy weeks took place with the company of unlimited supply of playmates – cousins! I’ve seen the place evolved and the kids i grew up with are now adults replaced by another generation of youngsters. It amazes me how I’m still fascinated with this city despite the familiarity. Let me show you how our family spends the holidays together, Dagupanian style. : )
If you’re passing through Dagupan be sure to have lunch at Soratos Eatery – the best seafood restaurant ever!! and our family’s staple food source.
Papa the cat fish.
This was the first sunrise of 2011. My cousins and I drove to the nearby beach. Hello 2011 : )
Last April I spent the Holy week in Dagupan. Apparently there’s a new boat ride campaign for city’s tourism and my uncle suggested that we try it out together. It’s one of those perfect days that started with the perfect breakfast – Champorado (chocolate rice porridge) for champions and deep fried dilis dipped in vinegar.
scruffy looking cousin.
The bridge and the man under it.
We stopped over the oldest house in Dagupan.
My uncle and cousin setting up the mood music (nipple slip.. >_<). We went back to the family compound to have lunch. I was busy taking photos while my aunts and lady cousins cooked freshly caught seafood from our boa trip earlier.
my little niece, Anna – so shy and dainty.
3 Ostriches and 1 horse in our uncle’s backyard.
mid sentence.
foooooooooooooooooood!!
my adorable niece Neya with her honest to goodness smile. SQUEEEZZE.
Last days of summer ….
Coffee Flavored Twine
Posted on February 17, 2011 by Hannah
For as long as I can remember, the very first person I became really good friends with is my father. It was his birthday a few weeks ago (January 29 to be exact) and I totally forgot. I suppose it never really occurs to me that he ages. Though he sports a beard and white hair, his spirit is forever young. Most people won’t even think he’s pass 60 if they start talking to him. I have this series of drawings of him based on memories. This one is fairly recent. We were in this coffee shop 3 years ago and he started winding napkin paper together and dipping it in his coffee, saying it’s a Coffee Flavored Twine that you can place in your car’s AC and you can smell real coffee while driving. : )
Mama Pipino
Posted on February 8, 2011 by Hannah
I’ve concluded that my mother has a strange inclination with fruits and vegetables while traveling. She has got to have one with her at all cost! While growing up I’ve experienced a number of episodes during our travels in which she has in her luggage at least one article of vegetable stored safely among her clothes. The most recent one was last year when she paid me a visit in Vietnam in which she actually got me believing that she’ll be bringing a watermelon from home and while that was only a practical joke, she still ended up lugging around an avocado during our Vietnam adventure. That according to her fell off from somebody’s baggage which she picked up somewhere in the loading dock.
Proof! Forgive me for the crappy photo, this is the only one i have. This was from last year in the airplane to Hanoi, the south of Vietnam. The avocado conveniently ripened after our 9 day trip and I’ve never tasted an avocado that ridiculously delicious! I guess the travel did that to it : )
Welcome!
Isn’t this nice?!
New year, new blog, new found freedom from the day job?! It’s all new and shiny! I swear to my unborn child that I will update this blog more often. For now I leave you with this drawing of me on my work table.
Cheers!!
