Drawing elephants in Thailand

 I kicked off the trip with a visit to the Elephant Nature Park. The week I spent 2 years ago volunteering was the best week of my life so the expectations were high.

I couldn't commit to the full week so instead did 4 days/3 nights. Rather than treating me like a volunteer, I participated in the visitor activities like feedings, bathings, and taking walks. By the second day, I was itching to get my hands dirty, but they already had more than enough volunteers so there was no work for me to do. I found myself a little disappointed about how the visit was going. Then I bumped into Jodi! She's an American tattoo artist who visited the park 8-9 years ago and never left. She now lives and works in the park. I connected with her during my first visit to donate a painting to the park. I reintroduced myself and hot diggity, she remembered me! She asked if I'd been drawing much, and I said not as much as I'd like, and she invited me to a drawing date with her and the elephants tomorrow morning. So, for the next couple days, I spent my time out on the field with Jodi's guidance, just us, our painting supplies and the elephants. Here are the results:

It was a great experience! One elephant even started posing for us once she realized we were drawing them. So cute. On more than a few occasions, the elephants would wander over to us in search of food. I can't describe how tremendous it felt to put my pencil down to touch the trunk of a wandering, curious elephant or move my extended legs because it was in the way of an elephant's path. After 8 hours of sketching, my sketchbook was half-full.

On to the next stop, Chiang Mai & Phrao, Thailand.

Traveling & Work

Phew! I just returned from a 3 week backpacking trip through Southeast Asia that involved everything under the sun from spending time with elephants, zip lining through the jungle, cruising along the Mekong River, biking 40+ km through temples, and attending a wedding. It was exhausting, adventure-filled, and exhilarating but honestly, I'm glad to be back and doing work again! Ha!

On the plane from Singapore to Manila, I finally had some down time and what was the first thing I did? I brainstormed ideas and a work schedule for the next two weeks. Work work work! Wandering SE Asia for 3 weeks made me realize I love traveling as much as I love working. In the same way I itched to adventure and escape when I worked, on the road, I found myself hungry for the hustle of my business. It was an unexpected realization but a valuable one. It confirmed that I still love what I do.

I've read articles warning that turning one's hobby into a business or a money-earning endeavor can spoil the joy. Don't believe them and don't let it scare you. Yes it's possible the stress of money can make it less satisfying, and probably will initially, but if you truly love it, there's a way to make it a source of happiness and your livelihood. Making it work is the hard part, but once you do, it's magic!

You can expect posts & pictures about the trip next week. I'm taking a brief internet break and visiting my grandma in the province for a few days so until then, happy adventuring!

Postcards from Abroad - March Update

I've finished the first batch of "Postcards from Abroad" (with the few exceptions I've intentionally waited to do). They were so much fun to make, drawing while battling the rocking motion of the train, using green tea as water for the watercolor, writing details about my trip, and awkwardly buying stamps at the post office. Thank you to the kind recipients for their sweet responses, photos, and blog posts about the postcards. Really made me smile.

Now, on to the next leg of my journey! Same rules apply--when ordering the postcards, please specify your preference (if any) for location.

March 1-3: Tacloban, Philippines
March 5-10: Thailand - Chiang Mai, Elephant Nature Park (illustrations from my previous visit)
March 11-18: Laos - Gibbon Experience (hopefully), boat ride along the Mekong River, Luang Prabang, Vientaine
March 18-20: Siem Reap
March 21-24: Singapore - for a wedding! :)

More silliness in Japan (mostly food)

The greatest hamburger-themed stickers Disney has ever produced.

 Delicious izakaya in Tokyo with Merrick, Leo & KB. My favorite dishes were the kimchi udon pasta & the tofu cheesecake. YUM.

 Gion Kitana, as recommended by Tara (formerly) of Sweet Breams. Make sure you get the dekitate, their fresh ice cream. So good.

 Yakisoba at Mizuno, Osaka. Their okonomiyaki is out of this world. I discovered the restaurant by following two people in Osaka who seemed to be on a mission to eat. I do that when I travel. Not creepy.

 Sushidai in Tokyo.

 

Matcha green tea paste at Ippodo Tea, recommended by Yoko of Homako.

Kaboucha fried goodness.

Thanks to the lovely friends who sent suggestions and made our trip that much more delicious and delightful. Special shout to Merrick for housing KB & me, and teaching us some key Japanese words. Good host. Arigatou gozaimasu.

Temples & Totoro in Japan

In Kyoto, Kevin took me to Kanga-an Temple, a temple with a hidden bar once the sun goes down. 

We sipped on Japanese whiskey (finally!!).

“The pace is slow here so it calms you down,” says Yamada [the bartender]. “It’s not the drinks, it’s the garden that relaxes you” (from the Japan Times).

After Kyoto, Kevin & I stayed in Eko-in Temple in Koyasan. The train ride was so pretty.

 Dinner.

Best tofu ever.

The view! It was nice to wander the halls and find random rooms and studies. The best parts were the fire ceremony in the morning, relaxing in the onsen, and the table in the room with an electric blanket as the tablecloth. Glorious. We basically lived under the table.

And then there was Totoro! I happened upon him many times before actually saying hello at the Ghibli Museum.

Hokkaido, Japan

I've been to Japan once before for the Sakura Festival. Next on my list was the Sapporo Snow Festival in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. Boy was it cold but beauuuuutiful (and delicious!).

The snow festival in Sapporo is well known, but there's also one in Asahikawa, the second largest city in Hokkaido. We got to see the ice artists in action chiseling, sawing, and brushing away the blocks of ice into gorgeous, tremendously detailed sculptures.

This Transformer tripled as a sculpture, a performance stage and, to the right, a gigantic slide! You sit your bum down on a piece of laminated newspaper with a loop of nylon rope and slide down 150 feet of ice into a pile of snow. So. Much. Fun.

Miso ramen from the original Santouka in Asahikawa. They have locations in CA, and even in the Philippines!

A piping hot bowl of broth and scallops for 400 yen. Yes please.

 

8am breakfast at Donburi Chaya in Sapporo.

Cheesy ramen at Karin in Furano.  

 Blue & brick building is Otaru Brewery. I had a "smoked" beer. Delicious. Worth a visit.

Genghis Khan lamb dinner at the Sapporo Biergarten (we already ate the lamb).

Kita No Ice Cream in Otaru. Left, uni & taro. Right, sake and squid ink. All very good.

Hokkaido is known for their dairy so if you do visit, please have cheese, caramels, hot milk & sake, and most importantly, vanilla soft serve ice cream. It is so very much unlike anything you'll ever taste (my favorite ice cream in the world), you will eat it walking through the snow, in 20 degree weather. It is that good. At least Kevin and I thought so :)

2013: A Year of Travel & Renewal

I have yet to share my 2013 intentions because I didn't have any until an hour ago. I've been rushing around (doing a lot of nothing, which someone once told me I do a lot of). Of course I don't mean literally, but I do tend to stress myself out, running around doing work without really enjoying or being aware of the work I'm doing. Now I can sit down and really think about what 2012 meant to me, and how it will inspire a different, new year.

My personal goal for 2013 is to "have an adventure." This means traveling, trying new things, discovering new abilities and traits about myself. With the itinerary I've planned for myself, I think I can do it.

Business-wise, I find myself in a different position where growth doesn't mean doing more of something or making more of something. It means restructuring and redoing a lot of things I've been lazy about doing. It comes at a perfect time as I think my intention of adventure has pushed me to think outside of numbers and sales, and approach my business more abstractly and big picture. So, my 2013 business intention is "renewal." This means new website, refining my brand, new product photos, and sadly, retiring old prints and cards to make way for new ones.

The first four years were to prove I could make a living doing "art." Now that I know it's possible, it's time to find a way to do it more efficiently, in a way that minimizes stress, and maximizes happiness (mine and yours!) and creativity. I do think there's a correlation between happiness and productivity, so if all goes according to plan, expect sweeter, more refined art in the months and years to come.