Drawing at "Taste of Japan" Event

Wow, how fast time goes by. Have so many things to post! For now I will write about an event I participated a few weeks ago. Japanese Art Festival, an organization that brings Japanese Art culture to New Zealand, took part in the annual Taste of Japan event that was held at the Auckland Museum. For this free event the entire Museum was filled with Japanese culture; its food, music, dance, fashion and art of course.

Japanese Art Festival exhibited art works by Japanese artists on the 3rd floor of the museum and the organizers were kind enough to let me (Kiwi-Japanese) to have my little space to draw and sell cards/prints while talking to the visitors. This announcement was made only a few nights before the event. So on the day before the event my room turned into a shamble of paper and bits and pieces as I worked away on my computer, printer, cutting board and knife, to make my gift cards and prints for the show.

Beetle Girl and Summer Santa Cards

Hungry Geisha design I made especially for this "Taste if Japan" event.

Alice and Rabbit. One of my favorite combo

Halloween theme "Jacky o' Babysitter"

"Turtle girl" and "Halloween Black Bath" cards

And many more!

Once I got to the event I sat up my space then drew all day from 10am~5pm. It was so much fun as I got to draw whatever I wanted without guilt. Thank you for everyone who has bought my prints and cards. The Christmas and Halloween themed cards were the most popular.

Also for all those lovely people who took their time to talk to me and give really nice complements, THANK YOU! Sometimes when you are dungeoned away in your studio for a looong time you forget that people actually like do your work :D
Now that I have had a good doze of ego boost and complements I have enough energy to keep drawing nonstop!

Not only did people by my cards and prints, many people bought the drawings that I was working on at the event... I was too busy to take any photos at the event (thank you for the organizers and the girls who sent these images through to me ) but below are the illustrations that did return home with me :)

2012 Japanese Art Festival

I have had a great weekend! I took part in the "Japanese Art Festival". This event have been held yearly in Auckland bringing together modern Japanese Art and hosting NZ local talents. More than 240 Japanese modern art works came from Japan for this festival!

It was my first time to have my work displayed for this event, it was such an great opportunity. I also did some live drawings. Thank you to all the people who came and talked to me and apologies to those who I ended up, not intentionally, rudely not noticing. When I start to draw I usually go off into my little own dreamland... next time you see me immersed in my la-la-land and want my attention, just give me a little yell and I should snap out of it!
Apparently this little girl was standing right next to me for 30min while I did a drawing, I didn't notice her at all until the very end when she said she wants the finished illustration. Her dad bought it off me :)

Anyway I met so many inspiring people (including the talented Wei Lun Ha) and saw many amazing works. So nice to step out of my cave once in a while to see what I'm missing out on! Being a freelancer can be very lonely and pretty dungeon-ed if you don't make the effort to kick your own bum out of the house! (it's nice to be not drawing in my PJs for a change too!)

Me drawing at my table

Below are some works that people bought off me! Thank you!

 

 

This one was the last one I drew for the day. Girl and Dragon. I took it home with me. 

Checkout my album on my Aki Art Facebook Page to see more photos! I have really enjoyed live drawing, hopefully more opportunities will come!