Oolong - Creative Works

My New Year's postcard design for 2025 which is the year of the snake. I made a lot of sketches, but I was dissatisfied with all of them. So I remembered an old drawing I did in 2019 of a woman and a snake and based the character design on that. I like the ink brush effect, especially for the patterns on the snake. Although I wish I didn't procrastinate so I could've picked out more interesting patterns for the fan, but it was made relatively quickly and I had fun with the process, so that's a win.

Painted this quick sketch of Subaru from Re:ZERO in Los Angeles fashion as a gift to the Re:ZERO team I interpreted for at Anime Expo 2024. It was so much fun giving them this drawing and seeing their reaction! I really feel so fortunate getting the opportunity to work with such inspiring people.

A quick ink painting after I finished the New Year's card. Unfortunately, the gold highlights don't come through the scan well, but I enjoyed the quick and loose nature of ink painting. I should do it more often.

Watercolor painting for New Year's 2024, year of the wood dragon. It was fun coming up with the scene in a minimal-ish approach. I had another sketch that was way too complex.

I'm catching up on old artworks I've forgotten to post for two years...

I call it "Twilight Yokai" based on themes that a friend, Monica, picked as she won the auction for JAMsj. In conjunction with the revival of Art Walk at San Jose Japantown, I spoke at a panel about local artists and how they got into the art and showed my work at the JAMsj exhibit.

Artwork for the Palo Alto Festival of the Arts as part of the Italian Street Painting Expo. Teamed up with Sindy Smart and Mitzi Caviness to complete this beast of a piece. Our idea was to celebrate AAPI heritage as well as to celebrate hapas/mixed ethnicities. With these difficult times, we want to honor our Asian heritage, but also not forget that being hapa is important to our identities because all three of us are mixed. (Sindy is Korean/Irish/Scottish, Mitzi is Japanese/English, I'm Japanese/Korean.) We want to express that being hapa is a source of pride for us and that being of hybrid backgrounds comes with rich history and traditions. The figures are in traditional Japanese kimono and Korean hanbok, but with patterns and references from England, Scotland, Ireland, etc to give homage to the melting pot of cultures. Really proud of how it all turned out, but we never want to do plaid/tartan again!! (Lesson learned!)

“Blooming Moment”

The weather has been getting warmer (a bit to warm in California) and so I wanted to do a painting to celebrate spring. Winter is my least favorite season and so it always makes me so relieved to see the blue skies, the warm sun, and the vibrant colors of life coming back.

Inspired by my photos from Shinjuku Gyoen in Tokyo and Kiyomizudera in Kyoto.

“Swimming in Daydreams”

An illustration made originally for We Go As Far As We Grow arts & crafts fair. The prompt was about growth and I went with growth of imagination.

It was drawn/painted on gray paper which was a bit too thin for watercolors, but I’m still overall satisfied with how it turned out.

A chalk drawing to commemorate the Japanese American Museum of San Jose reopening. The logo features a crane so I decided to draw a pair of dancing crane to celebrate the museum.

This piece went by really fast, which never happens. I sat around after finishing it and just chilled at the museum with friends and staff to enjoy the revival of San Jose Japantown.

Thanks to the Betsuin Buddhist Church of San Jose for giving me this amazing opportunity to do this piece for the virtual Obon Festival again! I’m so grateful to the San Jose Japantown community for all the great support and encouragement.

Finished this street painting yesterday.

Another piece in front of the Betsuin Church of San Jose. The koi pond I did in 2020 was starting to fade quite a bit with some chunks missing so it was time to clean off the old art and put in something new. To celebrate AAPI heritage month, I wanted to pay tribute to my Japanese heritage through scenery that expresses beauty and tranquility. So much thanks to Betsuin staff and San Jose Japantown for all the encouragement and help!

I apparently also forgot to post this. Sorry!

A street painting I did in front of the Betsuin Church of San Jose last year as an effort to brighten up the local community during dark and unsure times. The temple gardens used to have a koi pond actually so I learned quite a bit about the history of Japantown and the temple while drawing this piece!

Big thanks to Betsuin, Japantown San Jose, and everyone who gave me such lovely compliments and encouragements!

Forgot to post this one.

For San Jose Obon @ Home 2020 virtual event. We were featured on the San Jose Betsuin livestream for the occasion and it was so much fun!

Street painted this with my awesome and talented art friends, Yurika (left) and Addi (middle). Huge thanks to Ady, Chisa, and Rayos for helping out!

Painted a birthday cake to make into birthday cards. I’ll be adding them to my store once they’re ready!

It’s been unusually hot for some reason even though it’s January. Based on a photo I took in San Francisco of a strawberry and rosewater taiyaki soft serve at Uji Time with matcha Pocky.

New Year 2021 illustration.

Hope 2021 will be kinder to us all.