I've been getting more than a few "hints" that some recent posts have been long (a.k.a. boring). I appreciate the feedback since I don't want any overkill on my site. HOWEVER, it wouldn't be fitting for me to not have a post about one of my favorite things: alcohol & spirits. Those who are close to me, or related, know very well that I come from a long line of heavy drinkers. Call it what you want, but (with fingers crossed), I am very aware of my weaknesses, or shall I say, tolerance level.

To keep in line with the art/design theme I currently have going, I'd like to give you a little trivia into one of the "spirits" that brings me close to one of my homes - the Philippines (the other is, of course, Guam). I'm not a fan of gin most of the time, but my trip home last year opened up my palate to a solid spirit called Ginebra San Miguel. It's strong, smooth and dry; exactly how I like my liquor. You could pull a Bond move and martini it up, but I recommend it neat - drink it like a real Filipino would.

The label on Ginebra is a piece of work known as Marca Demonio - or Markang Demonyo. It is quite lovely how it depicts San Miguel (St. Michael) kicking the devil's ass! It was designed by National Artist Fernando Amorsolo. Please be advised (figuratively speaking), that the Spirit inside this bottle may not kick your demon's ass, but by all means, give it a try. We all need to find our Archangels somewhere...

Ginebra San Miguel -The world's largest selling gin; about 22 bottles of Ginebra are consumed every second. When I'm in the country, that number goes up just a bit. It absolutely breaks my heart that Ginebra is only available in the Philippines. I either have to visit my hometown, or someone has to bring a special "pasalubong" (translation: gift) for me if they come to the US.

Here's a little Filipino pride for you: (Just click to take a peek)
Best Filipino Boxer: Manny Pacqiuao (Pacqiauo vs. Diaz, 28 June - GO PACMAN!)
Best Hippie Filipino Artist: Alfonso Ossorio
Cutest Filipino Model: Bianca Araneta
Best Filipino Family: Fernandez :D
Best Filipino Cooks: from Pampanga (come on, everyone knows that)
Best Filipino Cuisine: Kapampangan
Best beer (when available): San Miguel Pale Pilsen

Please note, these ratings are completely unbiased.

So the Fernandez Notebooks have caught the eye of a few Creative profilers. They've sent me a few interview questions that they'd like me to post for readers. I love profiling other artists, but here's one that's closer to home...

Artist profile: Charlotte Z. Fernandez
When did you first know you were creative?
I'm not... I'm just picky and I like pretty things/people. I somehow manage to prettify things in various mediums.

How and when did you start out being an artist?
I was 20 - I lied (try not to do that anymore) and said I was an artist, then I just grew into my lie. I always hated art class since I was a kid, I was more of a jock.

Do you have formal college training?
Please refer to my previous post - "Why I won't go to school?"
I feel that formal training would strip away the perspective that I need (and have) to be good at what I do. I might be wrong, but I'm sticking to my guns.

What inspired you to become what you have become?
I follow my gut, even if i'm wrong.. it's me. (Please refer to Frank Sinatra's ballad - My Way)

How would you explain your work, both to the readers and then to your oldest relatives at a Sunday brunch?
I sit in front of computer all day at an office, then all night at home. The results of this insanity usually come out in ads, booklets, websites, logos & brand work, and other communicative mediums. The short version - Design is just lining things up... I like to tell people exactly HOW to line things up.

The ultimate piece of work you have yet to do.
Direct the entire creative of ONE brand - I've currently have my eye on something... an overseas trip may be in order.

As an artist, is any of your work autobiographical?
Other than my blogging and my pro-bono work, no. Bethlehem Creative is a project that's close to my heart. I started it over 3 years ago (imagine how ready it is for a redesign), put it on hold, was finally able to get the domain back, and now we're ready for fun...

What the heck is Bethlehem Creative?
Check out the site (very old): BethlehemCreative.com
Sometimes it's hard for me to find, I guess you can say, purpose in my craft. There's a big difference between my job and my work; my work lends to my purpose/calling/whatever you call it. Starting Bethlehem Creative was something I felt I needed to do. I don't know if it will serve any other purpose than me following a feeling (you can breeze through the mission statement on the site).

Do you believe that the work you do is a very personal process for you?
Considering that I lose vast amounts of sleep, consume ridiculous amounts of food and infuse my blood to 65% alcohol when I'm working... personal is an understatement.

So what's next for Charlotte Fernandez?
Some overseas travel to gather a few muses... The South Pacific is a possibility next month, and New Zealand may be some new territory for me... I'll cross my fingers for that one.


Now for the nitty gritty:
little known fact:
my middle name - what the hell the Z stands for

favorite bar
fully stocked & filled with pretty people

favorite shirt
my little league shirt - Phillies #8. I wore it in the 5th grade and it still fits! I told you I was a jock.

first alcoholic drink you sneaked
stole some of my brother's vodka and put it in a water bottle ;) I still continue to do the water bottle trick...

best method for staying awake all night
being me; living in my head

10 favourite albums of all time
Dave Matthews Band - Under the table and Dreaming
Sting - Ten Summoners Tales
Imogen Heap - Speak for yourself
Jamie Cullum - Catching tales
Buena Vista Social Club
UB40 - Best ofs
George Michael - Ladies & Gentlemen
The Cure - Galore
Weezer - The Blue Album
Mark Ronson - Version (that's a new fave)

10 favourite tracks of the moment
Death of Me - Tony Lucca
Lucky - Jason Mraz
Love on the Rocks - Sara Bareilles
Infatuation - Maroon 5
Breakfast after Ten - Blue October
Confidencias De Amor - Omara Portuondo
Pamanuli - ArtiSta.Rita
Bad Skin Day - Bell X1
O Mare E Tu - Dulce Pontes & Andrea Boccelli
Heart of the Matter - India Arie
Mississippi - Train
Let this be the last time - Sizzla
(yes, I know that's more than 10...)

Best sandwich known to man... Details please.
From the move Spanglish - The fried egg makes the sandwich. Lay down the bacon JUST like the video. Have a beer with it. No, really, have a beer. Great movie, better sandwich...



your heroes and why?
I won't dignify that cheesy question with a cheesy answer.

your villains and why?
Anyone who tells me the way I am and what's happened in my life isn't the way I should be. Why? Because who I am and where I'm going depends on where I've been.

Excuse Mickey here, and the exquisite drawing by Daniel Anthony St. George 2ND (knockout artist, by the way, who ALSO has livejournal).

Are we really connected with I-phones, MYspace and YOUtube? I'm sure it seems as if it shrinks the distance between the billions of souls on earth, but does it really?

I'm guilty of contemplating that the oh-so-attractive hottie from across the continent JUST might be my soulmate... but you– anonymous in the plaid shirt, easy on the eyes, nose stuck in a great book and just 10 feet away from me as I sit at the cafe with a great view of the ocean - oh NO, Impossible...

Requirements to be a friend or dating interest for Ms. Fernandez:

• wonderful wit on you profile
  
• a list vast of interests that I can compare and contrast with mine
  
• some decent pictures, the cuter, the better
  
• trick out your layout just a bit, my darling
  
• must be one of the following Zodiac signs: gemini, taurus, sagittarius, aquarius, leo, libra, aries, scorpio, gemini, pisces, virgo, capricorn, cancer, gemini
  
• MUST log on to the site EVERYDAY!!!
  
• MUST post a comment on my page, or is it "write on my wall"
  
• extra points if I like your profile song and if you've posted a blog
  

World freakin' wide web, what a different world!
How "connected" are we, really? And what the hell are we connected to?

LOV,
charlotte ;)

Please note, the image posted here is the work of Daniel Anthony St. George 2nd. He was way cool to let me post his piece here and if you're on the East Coast check out his show next week - his info's on his livejournal.

Aung San Suu Kyi

It's a hard name to pronounce (Aung Sawn Sue Chee), but, it's an even harder story to follow... I'm compelled to ask a few questions: How can one woman be confined for over twelve years? and how can the military refuse any help when their entire country is in dire straits?

Since 1989, Aung San Suu Kyi has been put under continuous house arrest by Burma's military junta. Burma has received quite a bit a media since Cyclone Nargis devastated the country on 2 May, 2008. It has been over a month and the military government has not been allowing international aid into the country. We can assume that the junta fights the aid coming into their country so that their oppressive military rule would not be exposed. It is the same oppressive rule that Aung San Suu Kyi has been fighting for over twenty years.

But how does one woman fight a military government? Here is a semi-complete list of how she "fights":
-non-violence and insisting on dialog
-compelling world leaders to speak out on her behalf and her unlawful confinement
-winning the Nobel Peace Prize
-inspiring a nation as a symbol of hope and establish the National League for Democracy (NLD)
-causing the military junta to break their own laws regarding her confinement

However, the loss this woman has suffered is tremendous. In the course of her confinement she has lost her husband (who died in March of 1999), been separated from her children, and watched her people continue to suffer under oppression.

Please check out these sites if you'd like to find out more about how you can support Burma and Suu Kyi (knowledge is power, my friends).
http://www.actionburma.com/
http://burmaitcantwait.org/burmaitcantwait/

For me, she inspires heartbreak, hope, anger, and the rejection of silence (not violence).

For Damien Rice, she inspired the composition of this:


Lyrics:
Come and see me, Sing me to sleep
Come and free me, Or hold me if i need to weep
Or maybe it's not the season, Or maybe it's not the year
Or maybe there's no good reason
Why i'm locked up inside Just cause they wanna hide me,
The moon goes bright The darker they make my night

Unplayed pianos Are often by a window In a room where nobody loved goes
She sits alone with her silent song. Somebody bring her home.

Unplayed piano (unplayed piano)
Still holds a tune (still holds a tune)
Lock on the lid (years, years pass by)
In a stale, stale room (in the changing of the moon)
Maybe it's not that easy (too many windows)
Or maybe it's not that hard (in a stale, stale room)
Maybe they could release me (stale, stale room)
Let the people decide, I've got nothing to hide
I've done nothing wrong, So why've i been here so long?

Unplayed pianos Are often by a window In a room where nobody loved goes
She sits alone with her silent song. Somebody bring her home.

Unplayed piano Still holds a tune
Years pass by In the changing of the moon

**U2's "Walk On" was also written for Aung San Suu Kyi

**As of today, Aung San Suu Kyi's confinement has been extended for another year (once again, and possibly indefinitely), as the junta dubs her a "...Danger of Subversive Elements".

Here's another phenomenal artist. I don't know his surname; to me, he's Vincent from Quebec. I was lucky enough to have him and his friends as house guests last year; it was fun having eight French-speaking boys hanging out and sharing their west coast adventure stories.

It was then that I learned Vincent was an artist. I got a quick peak at his travel sketches and loved his art. Many of his pieces are rather curious, and sometimes, just plain funny... They're common objects/things usually hidden in plain sight, but Vincent turns them into quite a bazaar.

I'm not sure if he has an online portfolio, buy you can check out his work on his myspace.

I'm "commissioning" him to do my portrait for my website. I can't wait to see what he comes up with - I'm sure I'll love it.

Sometimes you see art that compels you to find out who the artist is; that's how I felt when I saw Tobie Giddio. From Tiffany, Infiniti, Apple, to Shiseido --- who shouldn't hire her?

I could go into the opacities, brush strokes, curves, contrast and subtleties in her art, but I'm sure you understand me when I say it's just good! There are numerous illustrators going on the sponge bob/tokidoki/anime route with their work (which I am still a fan of - check out Mark Verhaagenand and Jijzijn), but Tobie Giddio's renderings of the feminine human figure remain elegant and, more importantly, timeless.

It's utterly fitting that some of Tobie's "flowing" artwork gets set to motion... enjoy her stills and video work at tobiegiddio.com.

Please note, images posted here are the work of Tobie Giddio. I take no credit for them. I just wanted to share...