January 2005

 

::01.23.2005

Time to share some photos from Japan. As some of you might know I was lucky enough to take two months of hiatus from work at the end of the past year. I was in need of a break and I headed out to Japan for some solo traveling, sketchcrawling ... and soul searching. The trip ended up being that and more. Interestingly Dan Lee had a similar break from work a couple of years back, when he took six months off to drive all around northern America in his Honda Civic ... armed with a digital camera and little more. I was inspired by his courage, curiosity and willingness to just drive off all by himself for such a long trip. I am really happy he took that trip, I am sure it turned out to be quite the adventure.

E

:: Miyajima Island is a natural park twenty minutes by boat from Hiroshima and it's one of Japan's "three most beautiful spots". And I can assure you it made me want to go and look for the other two. Deers roam freely around this island that was for the longest time off limits to men. In fact the Itsukushima Shrine (whose Tori, you can see in the photo) was built on water not to anger the gods of this sacred island. Even to this day the island doesn't have a cemetery or hospital. I was especially lucky to visit Miyajima in the fall as the park is famous for its Momiji (maple trees) and their bright red foliage.

:: Morning light

::Ohayo Miyajima

:: ah, yep should've brought my tripod. X(

    

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::01.18.2005

A colleague and friend here at Pixar, the talented Dan Lee, has sadly passed away last saturday after a tough fight against lung cancer. Needless to say we are filled with sadness around here, it's hard to see a friend this young go, it's hard to see an artist this gifted and a person this warm leave us. Dan used to sit at Canvas Cafe here in SanFrancisco and draw away for hours on his laptop with a tablet ... he drew people around him and people from his head... I am glad Ronnie just posted some of Dan's wonderful drawings on his blog. Be sure to check also Jaime's blog for some more thoughts on Dan and his artistry.

Our thoughts are with you Dan.

E

    

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::01.08.2005

Buon Anno Nuovo! Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu! Happy New Year!
Just got back from Italy a couple of days ago and I am starting my work again tomorrow. After two months of traveling, sketching, growing , meeting old and new friends, slacking, eating delicious food and drinking good wine I am finally back! And I am quite ready and excited to get back to work. I am truly thankful to have been able to do this.
In my traveling I have had the luck of spending a few days around New Year's eve in Granada, Spain. What a wonderful city: beautiful and unique with its both muslim and christian past. The quality of light there is really different and amazing. The sky is so blue and clear, it created astoundingly colorful and defined shadows. Seemed to me a paradise for painters. I will certainly have to go back and take more time to travel around Spain.

One a different note: the tsunami disaster in the Indian Ocean has been a truly terrible and sad thing, impossible not to be touched, moved or scared by the images of this calamity. It has certainly made think back to 9/11 ... but the scale of this cataclysm is simply chilling. The one good and heartwarming thing about all this has been how the world has gathered in the act of helping all these ravaged nations. If you want to help here's a few good links: give.

Well, here's a few photos of beautiful Granada ... more to come.

 

 

 

 

 

  

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