First Snow

It snowed on December 5th in Lakeville Connecticut.

The Artist, Woodcut Block Print 2007

and i wish i was there to watch the snow stick.

one more day, then, i will be home for christmas. oh i can't wait to see the pretty red ribbons and little gold lights on green. even the traffic lights make everything so festive. who doesn't love spending christmas in the city. happy holidays!

IFC Tower II, My Favourite building from home
Architect: César Pelli

Achieve

Somebody told me that when you hit a wall, you ought to look back. Now see and learn how far you've come and how much you've grown. So turn back around and find the door.

The ugly (self-portrait in watercolor) 2004

Here's to my very first painting. worst painting too! I even did this one on a grid.

But hey, you've gotta start somewhere right?

November

no im not stressed, just give me a moment.

Seeing Old Friends

You never realize how much you've miss them until you see them. This past weekend, I got to see two old friends from high school.

Mormina and Ruwe, Spring 2009, in Acrylics

And you'll always wish that they'd stay just a little longer.

Baseball

(top: Mark Appel 26, Summer 2010, in Acrylics

bottom: Stephen Piscotty 25, Summer 2010, in Acrylics)

To them, baseball is a base of their lifestyle. a solid passion.

Building a Wardrobe

(top: Liz's Shirt Fall 2006 in Pencil)

(bottom: Simplex Munditiis Winter 2006 in Wet Ink, Graphite and Charcoal;

piece inspired by Simplex Muditiis by Ben Johnson 1573-1637

STILL to be neat, still to be drest,
As you were going to a feast;
Still to be powdr’d, still perfumed:
Lady, it is to be presumed,
Though art’s hid causes are not found,	5
All is not sweet, all is not sound.
Give me a look, give me a face
That makes simplicity a grace;
Robes loosely flowing, hair as free:
Such sweet neglect more taketh me	10
Than all th’ adulteries of art;
They strike mine eyes, but not my heart.
)

Clothes are for moments in a Women's life. A dress she can depend on, one that is timeless but comfortable to wear and appropriate for her life.

Getting up early for your cup of morning coffee dressed in pretty is a ritual for the perfect day to come. perhaps tomorrow

Tapestries of Hope

TAPESTRIES OF HOPE is an astounding story told through the eyes of filmmaker Michealene Cristini Risley. The film is a powerful documentary that exposes the horrors of the rape and sexual abuse of thousands of young girls in Zimbabwe by men who believe it will cure HIV/AIDS. The movie and its message of HOPE have become an example of the violence inflicted on women and children around the globe and the efforts and commitment to stop it.

Betty Makoni, the subject of the documentary is a tireless advocate for children through her organization, the Girl Child Network. She has been honored with numerous awards including The Ginetta Sagan Award, the Worlds Children’s prize and last year Top Ten CNN Heroes. Fearing for her family’s safety, she fled Zimbabwe but is working with a team of trained leaders at GCN.

The movie is being used as a tool by many non-profits to help raise awareness and push the United States Congress to pass and FUND the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA).

“Tapestries of Hope” is premiering September 28th in theaters across the country for ONE night only. The film will be playing locally in the following areas:

Berkley:

Shattuck Cinemas

2230 Shattuck Avenue

Berkley, CA

(510) 464-5980

San Francisco:

Embarcadero Center

One Embarcadero Center, Promenade Level

SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111
(415)-352-0835

Palo Alto:

Palo Alto Aquarius Theatre

430 Emerson St
Palo Alto, CA 94301-1604
(650) 266-9260

buy tickets at http://www.screenvision.com/s/showing/TapestriesOfHope/

Come support Betty’s work AND most importantly your showing up at a screening is sending a message to CONGRESS that we care about violence against women and children. Right now the legislation on I-VAWA is at risk, and your showing up could make a HUGE difference.

If you can’t come, spread the word AND sign the petition at: www.tapestriesofhope.com

Thank you!!!

Here are a few designs i made for Tapestries of Hope and will be featured on t-shirts or products for the documentary:

Products Now available at www.cafepress.com/tapestriesof hope

A Soul-searching Summer

Angels on my guitar Summer 2010, Acrylics and Gloss Varnish

Summer2010 is a special one to me. Growing up is bittersweet, as soon as you realize, summer does not exist for you anymore. The job, the bills, &maybe even the lucky kids one day. For me, I did all that i loved and needed for weeks and days, removing any obligations or worries in my way. Then, going down the list of neverending to-dos.

Time cheats &you don't realize it. But learning how to play guitar is a beautiful thing. I promise that self-tutoring is not as challenging as it seems!

The origin of excitement and fun comes mainly from a strong-built character and personality. Adventures can wait, first fix all that needs to be fixed inside! So it's your turn before summer ends. This calls for a cup of steamy cappuccino, colorful macaroons, &a nice read in hand!

Saudi Eyes

Shelina Kassam 2010 in Acrylics

Another stunning girl in pretty fabrics.

I have never met anyone more supporting than Shelina. I met her in her tomboy phase sophomore year. Sporty, short haired girl wearing a grey hoodie. She was new and i needed a friend for a change... of scene at Hotchkiss. who knew this girl would slam me off my feet into a grander world of more lively, more excitement, more social and fun extremes. If only saudi arabia would let me in, i would be glued to her like a rock.Though many years have and will pass, i won't let you slip away even if time does. we've been through such rough times together, like kliza's ap chem (those negative motivation worksheets were a killah), boyfriend girlfriend dramas, family problems and many more. all i can think about is thanksgiving when i get to frolic sillily with you at chicagoan beaches. as soon as we manage, i can't wait to hear about your summer adventures and precious memories in DR

Mon Amour

Because i can't wait to see you, i painted you.

Marcheta Kay Marshall, Summer 2010

i hope you're having a fabulous summer in Washington with chip and indulging yourself in heavenly things like foreign weddings. can't wait to see you pretty face in hong kong, roomie! je te verrai en Septembre! je t'aime.

l'été Projets

while listening to harry potter tapes, starting from the 6th to the 7th and then will go back to the 3rd and 4th. i've been busying myself with quality me time, painting, glueing and doing whatever that inspires me. designing my own set of clothing line, cutting up old clothes and re-sewing them together, bring back the eco-fashion. and finally BEDAZZLING anything everything.

I was shopping at lane crawford with my younger sister and one of their jewelry displays caught my eye a pearl necklace by some highend brand with designs and patterns painted on it. i thought why not do it by myself. then the more things i saw the more these crazy ideas came into my head. so my room became a workshop.

i bought a 2 dollar pearl necklace in the market, painted delicate roses on it outlined with sharpie and made it into something quite glamourous.

Thrangu 2

What a beautiful monastery, i can not wait till it opens to public in late July!

I'm proud to have contributed. the blocks my siblings and i painted looked great rimming the ceiling.

hope everyone is having a wonderful eventful summer. Something good always happens, you just need to catch it in time.

Last night, I volunteered at a Charity Wine Auction, all donations proceed to the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Organization for Young Children. Number one killer of children under age 2. It was exhausting as it was the first time i helped out at an open auction but a great summer experience indeed!

"I'm gonna steal it"

So one day, i walk in my room and i find natalie aggressively rubbing her desktop screen, on these giant chub cheeks of this asian baby."awbaaaabyyyyy", i looked at her, grabbed my bag and slowly walked away.

The next day i made this her desktop wallpaper. and then we were obsessed.

Henry, Spring 2008 *pointy pointy*

Baby Henry was my faculty kid in my uppermid yr at Hotchkiss. Cutest baby ever. He has a little brother Teddy now.

Watch this Youtube Video: 15 yr old Victoria wants a baby (Maury Povich) it's disturbingly-catchy

but babies grow up too fast

CONGRATULATIONS BIG SIS, STANFORD GRADUATING CLASS OF 2010!

we're all so proud of you, kristine!

Next on Hong Kong Garden: Follow up on Thrangu-Monastery(i'm living in it now) Almost home!

and if you haven't added yourself as a follower. Follow it now.

Larkin Love

Dear my Larknites,

This one is for all of you. I'm going to miss being in Larkin. not just a little, but a lot. I've lived in dormitories for my last five years, and this is by far the craziest and most memorable one. College dorms are indeed more adventurous, seeing how i lost my mattress, my room phone, my room key, oh but i found my chair! Oh no, Kirk just said goodbye to me, i am tearing up. Why is summer here already? I know i will miss all you larkinites, but knowing that i will see you all again after summer ends, i think i'll be okay. but it's just the idea of leaving Larkin and having some strange frosh living in my room next year. what will i do without pete, fidel, tcone, matt, aleema, emu, cassie, bridge, declan, patti and geoff? Larkin has been so incredible. i love this place. i love how close it is to late night. i love how i am living in the center of everything. For one second, let us imagine if we were put into FroSoCo, our lives would be a complete different story. It's really about "all the right moves, people and places". And now that i'm graduation from Larkin'10, I can proudly say, "i am at the right place".

So to finish off this amazing year, i have complied a list of artworks, all done only by our fellow Larkinites! Please leave comments or tell them how wonderful they are!

(sorry cesar, i messed up on the captions)

Top Left: Raza Day Mural for MECha

Top Right: DLL Mural

Bottom: AP Art Portfolio

Also you guys should check out Cesar's blog: http://ctorresart.blogspot.com/

I know there are still some of you artists hiding out there! So please please please send me an artwork or two, and i'll complete this beautiful exhibition. Long Live larkin!

Love, Vickie

Recent Works in Painting 1 Class

Left: Mark Appel Pitching Photography by Patrick Appel

Right: Prized Baseball Glove, Spring 2010

i painted this baseball mitt for one of our reductive monochromatic painting assignments. It was symbolic of natalie's and my freshmen year experience. Whether its my morning wake-up calls to Ringo's snoring or worse Piscotty's pillow tackles, late evening surprises to Marcus on my bed like a sleeping angel or Sahil's terrorist 24 fights. My next goal is to have them all sign this small painting, so one day, i'll make money.

Left: Flowers away from home, Spring 2010

Right: Water Vase, Spring 2010

both are completed using reductive techniques. This means that no white paint is used. you use a wash cloth or mineral spirits to take away paint showing the organic canvas.

Directing Smoke and Streetlights, Diptych, Spring 2010'

Hong Kong Central Street Life, Spring 2010

Other Amazing Student Works and Finals:

by Angela Huang

by Kendall Ernst

Self-Portrait by Katie Murray, Diptych

Did i mention this is an introduction to Painting class? (Stanford really needs to fix its art dept.)

Next on Hong Kong Garden: The Final Chapter of Larkin Love

Note: If you're a new reader, don't forget to follow this blog (how? click on the follow button on the left column) ! i'd like to know whose reading, it really motivates me to paint more wonderful works!

and if you're an artist, writer, musician, photographer, email me @ vickieli@stanford.edu, because i'd like to feature you in some of these entries! i can think of some off the top of my head.