Janice M. Chau

I've had an open ended conversation about a mural since November 2016.  In December the family that I was coordinating with had a little tike come along to join the process (a baby was born mid pre-production). The discussion began again in March 2017. Plans, a collab, and a #sketch were put into #roughdrafrs on the #drawingtable the last 2 weeks of April. started a sketch @universal_souls caught the vision and re sketched it Painting went throughout all of May. We were able to coordinate one community workday to block-in shapes and colors. For the detailing and rendering n-between part-time work, holidays, and personal time, needing to go out, and coordinating/planning for a conference this June... The circle of life for this mural has finally completed! Here are the highlights, textures, techniques, and #colorscheme of this #muralwall for Providence Mission Home. • I'd say this is my best and a good place to start after being away from being a freelan...

I've been making woven paper fish to prepare for an activity I will be hosting next week. We're going to be making fishing line bookmarks.  The bookmarks will be a reminder about our communities and this quote: "Give a man a fish, feed him for a day.   Teach a man to fish, feed him for life." Part of this project is also cultural.  In Pacific Asian countries it is very common to find weaving and crafts with palm or coconut fronds.  Here are the two tutorial videos that I used as my references. Woven Paper Fish Tutorial from azulchromis Woven Palm Frond Fish I didn't have a paper trimmer so i used an Exact-o knife and scissors to cut the strips from DCWV Border Stack Textured Yardstick Brights   This was really good training for cutting straight lines, but after all the paper i cut, for efficiency I will be investing in to a scrapbook paper trimmer from Fiskar. For the large fish I used 12 in. x 3/8 in. strips. For the small fish, I cut the exi...

Congratulations Ted and Eunice! May you continually grow and be deeply rooted in your new home. Before 10 August 2013 Photography:   Caroline Yoon Photography Home Sweet Home

Sometimes we get creatively stuck, kind of like writers block.  It's always good to take a blank canvas, an opportunity, and friends get away from the work/studio environment and just do something therapeutic. I was given the opportunity this past May to be a featured artist for the Urban Ocean Festival at the Aquarium of the Pacific down in Long Beach.  I had just the right amount of time to plan and do something well thought out and prepared.  BUT...life happens on the in between and several family emergencies occurred.  I took one day in May just to process it all, I had no plan, and I had no ideas.  I just wanted to face a blank canvas and see where my imagination, a different world would take me.  With the community surrounding, kids painting, other artist indulging, and aquarium volunteers/staff helping.  It was a good run.  That place of tranquility was found in an array of colors, and the thought of snorkeling/diving by the pier. ...

These are a few centerpieces that I've done in the past.  I am always approached about creating centerpieces with a very limited variations of use of flowers to keep cost down.  So the methods that I have used are in mixed medium.  I tend to gravitate towards the mixture of  nature and ornaments made from scratch. I personally feel like centerpieces at any special event tells a story, sets the ambiance, and sets the style of the event, yet you don't have to spend an arm and a leg to get a very imaginative, creative, and charming sculpture.  I love bringing in enchantment and whimsy into the room. I truly do appreciate the sustainability, upcycling, and the similarities in mediums, and useful resources.  (e.g.paper was once a branch).  Here is what I've done in the past. Oikos 20th Year Anniversary Januarty 2009 Adult Reception Table Pieces Children's Reception Table Pieces Photography:  Regina ...

First Art Class at Elephant Sanctuary Art House. Students and Coaches! On another adventure. A friend of a friend of mine invited me to come and create with the little tikes that were going to attend the first ever art class at Elephant Sanctuary Art House. (ESAH).  This was one of the funnest Saturday mornings I've had in a while.  It's because kids say the darnest things. It's funny how their imaginations run wild.  AND it is so awesome to see how their imagination comes to life in 2D or 3D form when they are given the opportunity to.  Here are my students being silly, focused, energetic and creative. Robert seriously was very mechanical about his elephant.  He built his piece by piece focusing on shape and proportions.   I could tell by the statements and the way he laid out the shapes before gluing it all down.   He used scissors a lot for the limbs, but tore the body. Christian had a lot of fun with the tissue paper....

My third of Visual Arts! Spring 2013 with The 24 Foundation zoomed before my eyes.  Just as all of us were really getting to know each other, life took one of its biggest pitches at me.  In a way I was very glad to have shared that moment with the girls I work with.  All of us have dealt with some type of loss, had to come to acceptance, learn to adapt, and face our fears of separation.  Before home week, some shared that they didn't even want to go home to deal with what they desire to separate from:  their old self, or even old ways of family life. I didn't know that this would actually become a way for our small group to bond.  So, week 2, before home week, one of the girls could not help but come to visual arts group with a very long face.  She shared with us that her dog is gone. Every so often the cadets get to call home.  The last thing she thought would happen while she was trying to make this transformation and change in her life ...