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Jimmy Liao now occupies one of the top spots in my favorite artists of all time. Discovered about his works through my good friend Christiane and been a fan ever since. More than the drawings, what I like most about him is the way he conveys emotions and stories in his artworks. If you've known me long or been following my works, you'd notice that my favorite subject to draw is that of couples in love. Jimmy Liao has a set of drawings with that theme and I absolutely adore them.
If you get the chance of seeing his books on stores, make sure to grab a copy of A Chance of Sunshine and Sound of Colors. I don't have my own copy yet, but I plan on going on a scavenger hunt when I visit China or Taiwan or HK maybe. I read that the English translations don't do justice so I want to get the Mandarin versions and though I suck at Mandarin, it will be my life goal to understand what's written on that book. Hehe.
Another thing that really inspired me about Jimmy Liao is this picture of a gallery he had at Hong Kong. I was so awed because the way the gallery was designed is just completely breathtaking. If someday I were to have my own gallery (as if...), I pray that it be as amazing as this one. I love the way it's shaped, how the artworks are placed, everything! I never felt so inspired to have my own gallery. But then again, Jimmy Liao is like an art god (in my world at least) and it's not surprising that he holds a gallery as impressive as this one.
One of the best presents that I've ever received! Last May 24, my good friend Bens gave me (using his own words) the PERFECT bible for me (and so it was)! I love it very very much, to an extent I couldn't even put into words. Thank you super super, as I've been repeatedly telling you ever since. Haha.
Of all the years I have studied at a Catholic school, I have always rejected Catholicism and its teachings. For years, I was a Buddhist and I proudly declared this to people I met. I emphasized that it was more than just a family tradition that I follow and that it was a true personal choice that I've made. I will not tell the story of my personal spiritual journey (one that I am still going through right now, of course) but to cut the long story short, recently, I believe that God has started to reveal Himself to me and is continuing to do so. Thanks to my wonderful Christian friends (hello, 'churchboys' *and girls* haha), I am more and more learning about God and his wonderful message for me (and us all!)
This SUPER PERFECT Bible is SUPER PERFECT in every way; the translation is very easy to understand and it makes things easier to read, the color PINK is my favorite and this pink is just a very HAPPY pink haha, the silver sides on the pages are just adorable, the font is so easy on the eyes (unlike my old Bible hehe), it contains only the canon books and it's so handy that I can bring it anywhere (and I plan on bringing it everyday with me to school).
I read the Bible everyday now and it never fails to make my heart glad. The perfect breakfast book to read to start the day and the perfect bedtime book to read before ending the night.
Taschen publishes amazing art books. If I had the money, I would buy the entire collection. Each book is full of full-page, high-quality pictures and is a VERY good resource for art students and enthusiasts alike. I get a lot of possible ideas from these books and I just love them so much. What I love most are their books which tackle on the subject of Pop Culture especially the sets with vintage graphics. The wealth of images that they provide is amazing and it's as though you are being transported to a different era as you flip through the pages.
The picture above are covers of some Taschen Books that I REALLY want to get. Also includes some books which have yet to be released as of this moment. Also, I posted sample covers so that you guys have an idea how the covers look like (in case you haven't heard of them before). Very pretty, aren't they?
I currently own 2 Taschen books: Japanese Prints and The Golden Age of Advertising - the 60's. Both are part of the 25th anniversary set, which means that they were priced cheaper than the usual Taschen books. Hooray! I will increase my collection once I start earning more! Haha!
As one of my favorite quotes go: "The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page." And whenever I feel the need to travel but find it impossible to do so, I suffice myself by reading a very good book because sometimes, a book can carry the world in its pages.
The Travel Book by Lonely Planet is one of my favorites. It provides a condensed profile of every country in alphabetical order. It is easy to read, fun and very light (not literally, as this book is REALLY big and heavy). It gives you a good glimpse of every place with the witty remarks and advices on what to do and when to go. And of course, the photographs are breathtaking. Definitely not the usual tourist photos, the selection is amazing.
Coincidentally, I first encountered the quote I mentioned above by St. Agustine from this very book, but that was long ago, before I bought my own copy (And the fact that I bought it form my own hard earned money *from doing commissions* makes it even more special to me). I got the paperback edition because I thought that the hardbound would just be too heavy, and I was right. The paperback is already 4.6 lbs. Very heavy. I had to pay extra at the post office because of some stupid reason but it was very worth the trouble.
I haven't read through all of it yet, and I don't plan on doing that in just one sitting anyway. I read as little as one country from time to time, and in a sense, I feel like I am visiting places, one step at a time as well. I like flipping through the pages and just glancing at the different pictures. My greatest dream in life is to travel the world so I guess it's not surprising that whenever I'm not traveling, it's what I'm thinking about most.
One of the things I love most about this book is something that many may not have even noticed, and that's the message from Simon Westcott which can be found in the front flap. The introduction is perfect and you have to read it in its entirety. It is brief but nevertheless inspiring and he ends it with this line: "We offer you this book in hope that you will travel more, travel well and travel safely, thereby coming to read as many pages as possible of the greater, richer book that is the world."
Jimmy Liao now occupies one of the top spots in my favorite artists of all time. Discovered about his works through my good friend Christiane and been a fan ever since. More than the drawings, what I like most about him is the way he conveys emotions and stories in his artworks. If you've known me long or been following my works, you'd notice that my favorite subject to draw is that of couples in love. Jimmy Liao has a set of drawings with that theme and I absolutely adore them.
If you get the chance of seeing his books on stores, make sure to grab a copy of A Chance of Sunshine and Sound of Colors. I don't have my own copy yet, but I plan on going on a scavenger hunt when I visit China or Taiwan or HK maybe. I read that the English translations don't do justice so I want to get the Mandarin versions and though I suck at Mandarin, it will be my life goal to understand what's written on that book. Hehe.
Another thing that really inspired me about Jimmy Liao is this picture of a gallery he had at Hong Kong. I was so awed because the way the gallery was designed is just completely breathtaking. If someday I were to have my own gallery (as if...), I pray that it be as amazing as this one. I love the way it's shaped, how the artworks are placed, everything! I never felt so inspired to have my own gallery. But then again, Jimmy Liao is like an art god (in my world at least) and it's not surprising that he holds a gallery as impressive as this one.
