Janice M. Chau

Here is the last blog post of 2012.  It's a tad of a throwback from a previous blog in October. Origami Ornaments for Samodi Wedding .  In addition to the origami ornaments, we cut paper lanterns from STARDREAM Metallics Cardstock Silver 105lbs. paper, Cricut scrapbook cut outs of different random pairs, tissue paper snowflake doileys, and used baby's breath flowers combined together to create a random, picnic like, fresh, and whimsical centerpiece for their wedding.  The idea was to find imagery that would tell the stories of how Samson and Jodi spent their quality time together.  (just a side note, they literally traveled by train and planes to see each other since they taught English in two totally different cities in China).  Her special request to me was that each centerpiece would be random, colorful, but attain the main wedding colors of purple, pink, and grey.  She also requested that each on look individual and different, but have the sa...

MERRYYYY CHRSISTMAS from the studio!!!!!! This past weekend I had a spontaneous DIY project request from dear dear friends of mine.  The request was for a gift for him to propose to her with yours truly included in being part of the plotting.   THE CONCEPT of the PROPOSAL He called me on Saturday night; ironically that phone call woke me up from K.O after a wedding I had just attended. He said I want to propose Monday,Christmas Eve are you free.  She would love it if you would be there.  So naturally, my answer was YES!  I have known her for 6 years now, and she's been through the thick and thin, the negative and positive attributes of each season of my life.  SO YES I want to be there when she says YES! We put our heads together, and the concept went form an empty box to filling a gift box with something that she wants but can't find.  The story behind that is that she gave me a gift in 2010 that I wanted but could not find. (it was a De...

Since it's the end of the year we thought it would be nice to spruce up our church. A small team of us have been doing minor planning for the last month. We've split up small tasks for focus areas. But we each help each focus area with creative input, concepts, direction, and style. We've all agreed that the space needs to be an in between of hospitality warmth of living room and dens, but with a library science lounge feel. We began with the nursery. There are several families expecting, so we thought we would start here for the moms who need the extra rest, the tranquil space, and privacy. The idea is to have a joyful glowing, warm space. This small space though a nursery, it also needed a fresh look for multiple uses for small groups, ministry meetings, prayer, and vacation bible school.  The Beginning of Stage One Before repainting, this is what the nursery looked like.  Unfinished! We used a clothe to hid the jagged sloppy paoit duri...

I mentioned a few wseeks ago that many cool things would be happening in and out of the studio. 1.  MUCH LOVE Album Release Concert. THE ALBUM ART is finally done, and the cd's been mastered!!! 4 days left til the event.  You can RSVP here to the free concert:   RSVP! MUCH LOVE. jason chu, album art (front). Concept behind  the  Album Art. This is my first art direction for album art.  It was such a cool experience.  Photoshoot, to typographic layout, problem solving space and maintaining visual composition, to discussing life, to logo design.  Was really fun collaboration with Jason Chu .  Through the process there were many realizations not only creatively, but soulfully, Many thoughts of the message behind the words were coming through photographs and reasons why the typography is so spread out.  Like how MUCH LOVE comes in many forms, the space between us and that love is wide spread and shouts at us at different times. ...

I have spent a much of my time in the last 2 years teaching and hanging out with ESCALADE youth group down in Fullerton, CA at Kaleo Christian Fellowship.  I've been on a break since early September, and was wondering what I could do with MY TIME TO MYSELF.  I didn't think that that would involve mentoring at a military based school called Sunburst Youth Challenge Academy and   The 24 Foundation . (FB Fan Page:  http://www.facebook.com/24foundation ) I went into this mentoring program with 2 other friends as my accountability and support like a strong woven rope, we committed to 4 weeks of mentoring together.  The mission of The 24 Foundation is Creativity as the Catalyst for Healing the Soul.  Once or twice a year in  ESCALADE, we would exercise art therapy.  At least once a season or less.  BUT here with The 24 Foundation we are working with teens who are exploring, improving, and challenging their lives into a new ...

I've been working on origami ornaments for Samson and Jodi's wedding. There is no particular theme for their wedding, but they are Chinese American, have been living in China for the last 4 years, and got to know each other over several Chinese holidays, as well as flying kits in the park.  They will also eventually move back to China.  So paper kits and lanterns seemed appropriate as they are going to be soaring high as a newly weds. One thing that is special about this couple is that they met in Thailand (the land of smiles), and they both have been immersed into several different cultures such as:  Hawaiian, Japanese, Mexican, Texan, Californian, The South, Thai, and of course Chinese.  Within all these cultures the use of color, paper, print, and quality time have shaped much of their character. Their wedding colors are grey, pink, and purples.  But I figured, that splashes of other colors wouldn't hurt.  Here is just a sneak peak of what...

At the end of last year I was asked to do murals and vignettes for a the employee hallway at a hotel in Huntington Beach.  Here is a pique through the keyhole of the final product. * updates of the bigger picture sooner than later. Breaker's HB Woodie HB Woodie Sunset Surfer Orange Goves

For the past 3 years I have been able to participate the the Urban Ocean Festival @ the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach.  The festival invites the community to learn and be educated about the conservation of our ocean.  Many non-profit organizations come out to create awareness of how we can keep our ocean clean through sustainability, and others teach us about the ocean, fishing, and pollution.   I was working as a master artist in partnership with the Aquarium of the Pacific and Art Mile Mural Project.Art Mile promotes global peace and harmony through mural painting.  Each time I volunteer with these two organization, I'm continually inspired..  It's also been an awesome experience to share with my fellow art friends, and to just be able to collaborate together.  The funniest thing I've seen and never get tired of  is that each time I volunteer I get to I see children break free of their fear to paint and get messy.  I lov...