August 26th, 2010

Please excuse the lack of update, but I have safely made it to Virginia!
Though I planned to post over the weekend, I'm having problems with the wireless internet connection at my new place.

So, my paintings are a bit beat up from the move from Mexico to SF to LA to VA. They have some fold creases which I hope will smooth out (they are currently hanging over my tv in high hopes). I'm also currently searching for a place that will make these paintings into stretched canvases for me so that I can continue painting and preserve them better. Hopefully it won't be too expensive.

I'll post again with pictures once they are stretched and I can get a connection at home!

August 4th, 2010

I've just been painting away the past couple of days. From this Friday though I'll be taking a break for about 2 weeks as I transition over from Mexico to CA to VA.

Status of Painting at yesterday's end

Status as of now

So I worked on my father's face today. I haven't done anything to the background yet as I am still debating on what I should do for the pattern...but I'm leaning towards the second sketch.

August 2nd, 2010

So, new sketch...or new pattern anyway.

After seeing my first sketch, my parents commented that it made my dad seem like Kim Jong Il. Though it wasn't my intention I understood what made them think that way. So today I sketched my dad's portrait on the new canvas, but left out the background. I then did some more image searching and thought a bit more about my dad and how North Korea has impacted his life.

As thoughts were running in my head and images passing before my eyes, I clicked into a map of North Korea. It was then that I realized that for my father, the greatest obstacle and frustration regarding North Korea was probably the fact the country was locked--that the land was physically inaccessible to him. Always knowing that his father (my grandfather) longed to see his family or hear any sort of news, one of my father's goals in life had been to find my grandfather's relatives on the other side. Being unable to enter into the country my dad had to resort to neighboring countries and other resources.

Painting begins tomorrow!