ken tanaka: part 2

arigato to my friend ken tanaka for sending me this video.
a short clip of san diego comic-con, and i have a very short appearance in it along with my toy koibito.

enjoy:)

wired...

arigato to my myspace friend, yanya for letting me know about this write up. wired magazine posted a little review "10 things you should have bought at comic-con" on their website recently, and my koibito got featured on it.



click here for more

Munky King x Vinyl Pulse - VinylKings

last thursday my favorite toy store munky king teamed up with vinyl pulse to host an awesome party " vinylking " @ Basic Bar + Urban Kitchen in san diego. 

i had an amazing time painting at the event.
i got little tipsy towards the end but i think i did ok....

thanks to all people that came by to see us paint.
and thanks to the other artists, Scott Bellcastro, Angry Woebots, Peekaboo Monster, Jason Han, 2H, and Jesse Hernandez for making the night an amazing experience.

photos from vinylpulse

click here for more pictures and info

arigato:)

i just got back from san diego comic-con.
a very overwhelming and exhausting weekend but at same time very satisfying experience.

thank you very much to everyone who came to my signing, and those who waited in a line to get koibito and other goodies.
also a big arigato to munky king and all their stuff for helping me throughout the weekend.

here are some of the pictures:

photos from vinylpulse.com
thanks jack:)


and last but not least, arigato to attaboy and annie from hi-fructose for having me sign at their booth.

custom koibito: kuro edition

i'm heading to san diego for comic-con tomorrow morning.
i can't help but be excited about the release of my koibito.

to make the occasion little more special, i customized five of my toys.
here are the pictures:



koibito: kuro edition

２７度目の夏

太陽が眩しく照り続ける日々。。。。
一日中ステュディオにこもり過ぎていく。
そのせいで不健康なくらい白い肌。
せっかくの西海岸での夏なのに。
まーしゃーない、暇でぐだぐだ過ごすよりかまし。
そう自分に思い聞かし、やっていくしかしょうがない。
まだ２７度目、またゆっくりできる夏もそのうち来るやろ。
旅行したり、家族と一緒に飯が食えるそんなような夏。
それが来るまでもうひと頑張り。

あんまし関係ないけど夏に聞くハイロウズはいつもより気持ちがいい。

gocco prints

this whole week has been super busy.
I'm trying to get ready for san diego comic-con and i still have to work on few more things.......

i made some limited edition gocco prints to help promote my toy "koibito."
these are hand painted gocco prints. 6x6 on a masonite board, edition of 25 and they are all framed.
each print comes with the different back ground with various colors, textures, and stencils.


here are some samples:






hand painted gocco prints.
6 x 6, edition of 25.



for purchasing info please contact munky king.

koibito updates

many thanks to patrick from munky king for making this happen.

we are releasing our first color way of koibito at san diego comic-con next week.

here are the pictures and details:





KOIBITO - BLACK (SDCC EXCLUSIVE)

by YOSKAY YAMAMOTO
produced by MUNKY KING

• Vinyl
• 7 inches tall
• only 150 produced

and here is my signing schedule for sdcc:

thursday - saturday 1pm @ munky king
saturday @ 4pm @ hi-fructose

i hope to see you there:)

crimes on canvas

thanks to the people at m-modern gallery:)
i'm taking a part in their group exhibition "crimes on canvas" in las vegas at hard rock hotel and casino.

here is my piece for the show:


"the will" 36 x 24, mixed media on wood, 2008

my yoka

arigato to subtext for inviting me to be part of "beasts of burden."
this show features over 30 artists and their customized yoka panda bear.

i had a great deal of difficulty painting my yoka....
but in the end i like my piece so much that it's hard to let it go.

here is the pictures:










and the show flyer:

collecting the stars

it's been nice to have time to read....

sitting down, absorbed into the stories.... i really enjoy it.

after going through few books, i had an urge  to paint a scenery or a place....

i struggle to get the mood i wanted to capture but i'm happy with the result.

"collecting the stars" 

mixed media on wood, 18 x 36

in detail 

this is for hi-fructose group show.

you can find more about it here.

back in the bay!

i just shipped out two new works to 1988 gallery in SF for their new group show, "everyone in together." 

i used to live in sf when i attended city college few years ago.....

living in mission district, going to school full time and having few part time jobs.... but i still manage to paint enough to have few shows in coffee shops around the city.....  

i'm very happy to have my work return to the bay....  

i hope someone will recognize my work from the past and see my growth....

well anyway here are the new works....

"brighter discontent"  acrylic on wood,  12 x 24

"amidst the edge"   acrylic on wood, 24 x 24

Ode to Edo / Legacy of The Samurai

i just finished a new piece for a group show in toronto. it's my very first international show.

it feels bit strange to have my work traveling to a country and city that i have never been to....

but after all i feel very lucky to be in the show.

here is my contribution:

"last breath" mixed media on paper

new print:)

arigato to my friends at a paper tiger!

they have put out a new set of prints for me.

here is the image of the piece:

"hope and despair"

edition of 25

this piece was about the personal moment that i face often.

when the sun is about to set, i find myself drifting off...

somewhere between today and tomorrow.....

hopes and despairs looking at the opposite ends...

the self struggle of optimistic pessimist.

for purchasing please contact a paper tiger:

contact@apapertiger.com

"insider trading"

culver city is having their annual art walk tomorrow.

and project gallery is opening a group show " insider trading" with  their gallery represented artist.

here is my piece for the show:

"kirin", 2008

  40 x 48, acrylic on board

for more info about the show please visit:

www.projectgalleryLA.com

ken tanaka:)

here is a little clip of my solo show " up side of down" by ken tanaka.

enjoy:)

ken-san, arigato!

koibito

updates on my koibito toy:

project: gallery (white + silver), standard (white + red),  munkyking (black + gold).

also there is going to be a limited color way at comi-con this summer.

hi-fructose, vol. 8

many thanks to people at hi-fructose magazine for including me in the next issue:) 

this is going to be my very first time appearance in any zines....

Volume 8 Features: Femke Heimstra, the art of Robert Hardgrave, the gigantic wooden onslaught of Mike Rae, McBess, Esao Andrews, the maniacal Victor Castillo, Oksana Badrack, artist Barnaby Barford, and an indepth interview/ feature with cover artist Camille Rose Garcia. Plus the Unorthodox Taxidermy of Dr. Seuss, Yoksay Yamamoto, Ferris Plock, and the legendary Eyvind Earle, a Spotlight on Scott Musgrove's latest show.

between the steps....

it's been more than a week since the solo @ project gallery... 

the time seems to be moving some what slower these days.....

the transitional stage between the steps.....

comforting but intimidating in a strange way..,...

searching for something new but same time longing for the familiar ground that once i run across...

well again... it's a time to face myself.....

"negai" 2007

mixed media  sculpture

scion installation tour 4: it's a beautiful world

after traveling through 8 major city in the states, scion installation tour 4 is making the final stop in la. i was able to attend  seattle and miami openings last year, and i feel very lucky to be exhibiting my work in the same space with the artists that i admire greatly. 

below is the flyer for the event. please join us if you are in the area:)

and here is my contribution to the tour:

"the good, the bad, and everything else"

mixed media sculpture, 2007