Was very fortunate to finally do this tattoo also known as the “Borneo Rose”,  first of my career.  Good timing for me and my client .

So here is a portion I did (my italian greyhound “Leu”) on a mural with my fellow scientists in U.L.Z..  The mural was one of the best collaborations I have ever been included in.  It was directed by Chris Brand, and Evan Skrederstu with a total of 7 participating artist  in a span of a month with the theme being the L.A river.  My pictures of the completed piece do it no justice but will post them as soon as I get better ones.  I want thank Chris and Evan and will miss working with them in my studio but look forward to future experiments!

This tattoo is on one of the Angle family clan members. It is a stylized version of  Tibetan lotus and was meant to sit alone and eventually grow into a sleeve way down in the future, but it seems like it will happen sooner than we thought.  Will post the progress….

Last month I was fortunate enough to go learn more about TIbetan painting  in Northern California.  The trip definitely has shaped me and cemented my direction with my work and tempo of life.  We were there a week long and the subject was “om mani padme hung”, a Tibetan prayer. We painted with some of the locals and some people who travelled from really far to learn from Mr.Weber.  The studio was at an organic farm and just being there and meeting the owner was enough to blow me away.  It offered an opportunity to look at a more responsible way of living and how much more I need to learn about Tibetan painting.  I posted up the pictures of the farm where we painted, the dogs we hung out with,  and also a picture of everybody’s paintings from the end of the week.

I have been lucky to work on people that I enjoy their company, and that was the situation with this piece.  I started it in my old studio 2 years ago and continued it at the new studio, and  shy  one sitting from finishing.  It’s actually a coverup, I will post the rest of the sleeve later.  Also completing some Tibetan style paintings, so check the art section soon .

A while ago my friend Evan emailed me these interesting pictures and I figured I would share them.  The pictures show what is known as “the living bridges of Cherrapunji, India”, and are made from the roots of living trees.  These pictures have impacted me because they solidify something I have been trying to put in my paintings, which is the exploration of the true form of objects.  Here are “trees” which could be called “bridges” or vice versa.  On another note I appreciate all the feed back on the site and will be posting more of my older work and of course more in-progress work.  Also I would like to thank Tatum Ibanez and her family for purchasing the collaborative painting, which if you want to see in person your last chance will be at the Callejeros exhibition at the Smoking Mirrors gallery in Pomona…..Thanks for your time and peace.

2010 has just started and the times have been turbulent already in a great way with much progress.  One of the first group accomplishments for this year is this piece orchestrated between Chris Brand ,Evan Skrederstu, Steve Martinez and myself.  This piece is currently for sale at the Smoking Mirrors gallery in Pomona California, which will have a show April 10. For any additional  information please feel free to contact me.  I have also put more in-progress pictures up..  As always peace!

Every year that I visit Japan it is with the intention of visiting one tattooer, Miyazo.  Miyazo is one of my biggest influences, and his guidance has sped up my progress.  It is also every year that I get to see what he has been working on, which he does not post on the internet.  I always come back inspired and recharged, and only with the memories of what I saw of his work.  But I’m posting this because he has redone his website with his newest work.  I caught a glimpse of him building the site, and was impressed by every piece which was original and done by him, and that’s not even talking about the tattoo work.  So visit his site MIYAZO and enjoy!  Also the Pasadena Museum of California Arts is currently exhibiting the Ulysses Guide to the Los Angeles River artwork so visit that if your’e  in town, and I will keep posting the upcoming panel discussions.  All the best and peace, Espi

If you grew up in California there is a really good chance you have seen the show California’s Gold.  I grew up watching the host Huell Howser visit many sites throughout the state.  Sometimes the locations were not the most entertaining  but his point of view most definitely was.  No matter what, everything he sees is with an eye of optimism and amazement.(watch one of his clips and you’ll see what I mean)  Well Huell visited the L.A river on an episode and I made a painting of what I thought his perspective  would be looking around.  The painting is called “The right side of Huell Howser’s brain” and is in the Uglar Book, and now featured on Huell Howser’s website.  So check it out at this link Calgold.  I want to thank Mr. Howser for having an amazing outlook on things and for supporting the painting.  Peace to you all.