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Technology that unites us and separate us
Almost a month ago a co-worker from a previous job passed away suddenly. His passing surprised many members of his family, close friends and co-workers from the various companies he had worked at. It surprised me as well.
AOL Instant Messenger is what kept many of us in contact with him throughout the years, the technology that kept us in contact with each other even though some of us lived in the same city. The same technology keep us apart from seeing each other in person… sometimes its a lot easier to engage someone via chat that to pick up the phone and call.
As we near the end of 2008, I would like to share the following poem with you (which has been in my mind for the last couple of weeks).
In life brother, in life
If you want to make someone happy,
someone who you love very much
say it today, be very good
In life brother, in life.
Don’t wait until they die
If you wish to give a flower?
send it today with love
In life brother, in life.
If you wish to say “I love you”
to the people in your house
to your friend, close or far away
In life brother, in life.
Don’t wait until the people die
for you to love them
to let your feelings be felt
In life brother, in life.
You will be very happy,
if you learn to make others happy
all of those that you know
In life brother, in life.
Don’t visit cemeteries,
and don’t place flowers on graves
fill the hearts of love
In life brother, in life.
-Ana María Rabatté
(Translated from its original language – Spanish).
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Sketching in the Winter
During the past couple of months I have been taking my sketch bag whenever I leave the house, so I have materials at hand when I stop to sketch something on the way back home, however as of late… with the time change by the time I get a chance to sketch something (typically after work on weekdays) It is already too dark.
Solution? I decided to place the following in my car’s glove compartment:
Stratmore small sketch notebook 3.5″ x 5″ and a Pigma Micron Pen (Sepia), small set to carry around and also keep in the car, for any opportunity.
The sketch below was done while sitting in a waiting room.
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de Young Museum
Back in October of this year, my wife and I visited the de Young Museum in San Francisco during one of my vacation days, it was our first time since the remodeling took place. We truly enjoyed the day and appreciated the visit, although we didn’t stay there for long due to other obligations. I took my sketch bag but didn’t sketch anything, I was simply amazed at the amount of art on display and spend my time just looking.
We must definitely go back and view the exhibits at a more slower pace, specially the New Guinea Art section. We took some photos of some amazing pieces of that section as well as of the Art of Americas section, below is one of them.
When I was a kid I had the opportunity to also visit Museo Nacional de Antropologia located in Mexico City, I never got the chance to fully view everything, I am sure after so many years their collection has grown.
We also want to visit in the near future the Asian Art Museum as well as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art both located in San Francisco, CA.
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Asifa SF and APE 2008 Events
This past Sunday was a busy day for me, I got the opportunity to attend two events both in San Francisco, California.
The first event was held at the Balboa Theater in San Francisco, it was a benefit for ASIFA SF, the Bay Area’s Animation Association. I attended the noon presentation of Richard Williams, author of The Animator’s Survival Kit
He showed various clips from his new DVD set The Animator’s Survival Kit – Animated and answered a couple of questions. It was an informative and entertaining presentation. There were some animation techniques that had not occurred to me that made sense, specially after watching the clip.
The second event was the Alternative Press Expo, an event that I have always wanted to attend, simply because I keep hearing about it and it is always after the event. I figured since I was already in San Francisco, why not, so off I went.
It was pretty interesting, a lot of comics and books of all different types, a bit overwhelming… I am not familiar with most of the artists that were present that day (except a few), simply because this is all new to me. It was entertaining to say the least, but i didn’t spend a lot of time, just walked around the whole place checking stuff out here and there. I also saw Enrico Casarosa, Dice Tsutsumi, Ronnie del Carmen and Scott Morse.
Enrico was kind enough to give me a copy of his new book The Venice Chronicles, very nice book, I like it very much. I had read the story online however it is always better to have the book at hand. Even now when I read it I laugh at one thing or another.
Below is a picture of the promotional DVD copy they gave away at that Richard Williams presentation, he was also kind enough to sign his book, the promo DVD leaflet or sketchbooks to those that asked.. yeah I too got a signature, the picture also includes Enrico’s book (psst… buy it!), and the APE pass.
All in all it was a very positive and different day, it was very empowering to be exposed to the work of various different artists. My respect goes to all of you for taking the time to express yourselves.
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International Animation
Yesterday I had the opportunity to view some amazing international 3d and 2d animation.
The event was held in the Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) theater at the Presidio in San Francisco, California, it was very entertaining, well worth the one-hour commute to the location.
This even was made possible thanks to the International Animation Association, San Francisco chapter ASIFA SF and Animation World Network, the short animations were selected and presented by Ron Diamond.
Please click here to find out how to become a member of ASIFA SF, some of the events like the one mentioned above are only open to current members, one of the many benefits of joining.
I absolutely loved La Maison en Petits Cubes which was directed by Kunio Kato, it was an unique and refreshing way to share with the viewer life memories and the passage of time.
The other two that caught my attention were Skhizein directed by Jérémy Clapin, very clever way of explaining the problems and dangers a 150 ton meteorite can cause when one is struck by it, and Kudan directed by Taku Kimura (Trailer).
We also had the opportunity to see Glago’s Guest directed by Chris Williams and produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios (I saw John Lasseter name in the credits) as well as Presto by Doug Sweetland / Pixar.
I liked the other animations as well, but the ones mentioned above were my favorites.
If you have a chance see if you can get the opportunity to view them, they were all great in their own right.
Keith Reynolds Can’t Make it Tonight by Felix Massie
La Maison en Petits Cubes by Kunio Kato
Kudan by Taku Kimura
A Mouse’s Tale by Benjamin Renner
I Slept with Cookie Monster– Kara Nasdor-Jones
Franz Kafka’s: A Country Doctor by Koji Yamamura (Present at the event)
Glago’s Guest by Chris Williams
Hot Seat by Janet Perlman
Presto by Doug Sweetland
Skhizein by Jérémy Clapin
KJFG #5– Alexei Alexeev (Present at the event)
Thank you Ron Diamond, ASIFA SF and ILM for this event.
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