eyeone | seeking heaven

A sample of handstyles by Tempt from his upcoming zine. Spread The News!

More info on the EyeWriter project that Tempty is involved with...

J.Shea sent me this fresh drawing on the back of an envelope last week. Thank 9!

More of his work here.

My grandma hitting up EZLN with an OG can of Krylon Sunset Orange for the Rendition2 show opening this Friday at Hold Up Art.

I can't believe it has been 30 years since Pac-Man began chomping. ¡Sapo verde!

Above: Pac-Man skull by Le Gentil Garçon.

More on Frank Frazetta here.

2010: Beyond the International Year of Astronomy posters by Simon C. Page. More of his awesome graphic design work here.

Simon C. Page blog is here.

I had to make up for yesterday by posting one of my all-time favorite role models doing one of my all-time favorite things: Mafalda by Quino. That's what's up!

I've been following Lehumanbeing's blog for a minute now and thought I'd share this rad resource. Lehumanbeing has a precisely-tuned eye for illustration I dig, and always inspires by presenting work from artists I'd never heard of. Some of my faves, from top to bottom:

1. Girl and bike by Sergio Membrillas
2. Pelican by Bee Things
3. Sprint Finish by The Little Friends of Printmaking
4. Trick-or-treaters by Multiple Personality
5. Tandem bike by Retrowhale

More finds from Lehumanbeing here.

I don't know whether to file these under TOO MUCH FREE TIME or FUCKING GENIUS, but seeing them made me feel like I felt the first time I played Mappy.

(Nabbed from MICHAELHICKOX's YouTube channel.)

This is a selection of some Japanese character art and design that caught my eye whilst in Tokyo a few months ago...

CORRELATION


REGRETS


PALEONTOLOGY

I'm way late to the blogging-about-XKCD.com game, but I like to think it actually puts me ahead of the curve of its future retro-rediscovery...

Anyways, XKCD is some funny-a$$ $h1t!

After much resistance, I finally gave in and accepted amigurumi into my square mind's landscape, to nick from Morrissey (see previous post.)

First, I heard out about Stitch Wars. Then, I was given a crocheted cactus from Atwater's own Little Knittery for my birthday. Finally, I stumbled upon the radness that is Hello Kthulhu. That did it. I know I'm a bit late to the party, in internet years, but these are some I'm digging. Awwwwww....

1. Hello Kthulhu by Trinlayk
2. Bashful Blooming Cacti by Willynillywaterlily
3. Bacon & Egg Jellyfish by Yummy Pancake
4. Seal by Amibutton
5. Wolverine by Geek Central Station
6. Escargot by Gourmet Amigurumi
7. Eggs by Anapaulaoli
8. Mechanobot by La Fée Crochette

Tempt pointed me to this article he wrote for Estria's blog. I hope Estria is cool with me quoting it verbatim. Here goes:

"My name's Tempt, and I'm a graffiti writer from Los Angeles. I began writing in the early 1980's. My crew FB and I initiated the all-city freeway writing movement that blossomed to include later writers like Oiler COI, Gkae MSK, Ayer LTS and Saber AWR. I also push K2S-STN, one of the first crews in Los Angeles known for fusing the indigenous cholo writing culture of East Los Angeles - which dates back to at least the 1930's - with NY stylewriting, to create a uniquely Los Angeles style whose influence can today still be seen in almost every L.A. crew, as well as throughout Cali and the southwestern U.S. in general.

I've painted with many of L.A.'s most notable writers, and later met, became good friends with - and had a lot of fun - spending several years painting with some of North Cali's best writers, including Racus and Gigs FSC, Josh, Grey, Twist THR, KR, Some, Crayone TWS, Spie and the legendary Dream (R.I.P.) TDK.

Bay Area writing culture has always been special to me, ever since I rode the MUNI in the early 80's and saw the amazing handstyles, executed with Pilots, Uni-Wides and Mini-Wides, flooded with every Marsh ink imaginable. I've always had the greatest respect for the sense of community I witnessed in the Bay writing scene, which laid the foundation for a vibrant, strong graffiti culture that continues to flourish and innovate to this day. Bay writers are rooted in their history, and the Bay writers from my generation continue to shape the newer generations coming up.

When I returned to L.A. in the early 90's, I brought back with me a desire to affect community change at the grassroots level, using writing culture as a platform to address the issues affecting the inner-city. I began getting involved in community murals, mentoring youth, curating art shows, working with non-profits (the Peace and Justice Center, the Social Public Art Resource Center, etc.), and building alliances within the often hostile and violent L.A. writing community. My work addressed gang violence, police abuse and ''at-risk'' youth.

The spirit of community and DIY attitude of the Bay scene was one of numerous factors in my decision to start BIGTIME MAGAZINE in the mid 90's. BIGTIME was the only hardcore writing mag to come out of L.A. throughout the 90's and into the beginning of the millenium. It was distributed worldwide, and focused on skill, style and originality, as well as the socio-political issues affecting Cali writers. My aim with BIGTIME was to foster a sense of community in the graf scene, ground young writers in their history, showcase the illest styles, facilitate dialogue and bring a higher consciousness within the scene. The magazine is credited with many firsts, along with a loving tribute to KING DREAM TDK.

In 2003 I was diagnosed with ALS, a neuromuscular degenerative disease that renders the patient fully paralyzed. I slowly lost all movement in my body, and by 2005 I was fully paralyzed and bedridden 24/7. The loss of mobility and personal freedom was devastating. Prior to my paralysis, I felt a profound sense of fulfillment being of service to the community, and that - coupled with the loss of my ability to paint and draw - left me with a sense of emptiness.


Earlier this year, however, a tight crew of hackers who dig graffiti - known as Graffiti Research Labs (GRL) - got together with Not Impossible by The Ebeling Group (TEG) to create software that allows me to draw with my eyes, which is how I was able to bust the ''pieces'' you see here.

I can't even begin to describe how good it feels to be able to rock styles again, and through my art I've been able to raise awareness about my disease, ALS. I've since participated in several art shows in Norway, Tokyo and next week in Vienna. All proceeds from the sales of my art go directly to the TEMPTONE ALS FOUNDATION, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people who suffer from my disease.

Art is a tool of empowerment and social change, and I consider myself blessed to be able to create and and use my work to promote health reform, bring awareness about ALS and help others. This would not have been possible without the support of my family, my crew, the wider graffiti/hiphop community, and the prayers from my spiritual community.

In the indigenous culture, the concept of ''mitakuye oasin'' - the inter-relatedness of all things - is not an intellectual concept, but a prayer that acknowledges all life in the universe. It is the principle that sustains the whole community, where each individual sacrifices for the greater good of all. I am honored to be a part of the graffiti/hiphop culture that has done much to promote change for the community. We all come together to help each other, and that's dope.

Support local businesses. Be responsible for what you put in your body. Start growing your own food. Don't support products or businesses that are harmful to you and your environment. Take care of your health."

Peace,
TEMPTOLEUM K2S-STN
__________________________

Tempt One ALS Foundation
temptone.wordpress.com

Tempt One
temptone.com

F.A.T.
fffff.at/eyewriter

G.R.L.
graffitiresearchlab.com

Estria
estria.blogspot.com