Miss Yumi Movin' Up and On!

Hello all (to those who may still be reading or just popped in) and apologies for going M.I.A.

A lot has happened over the past two years and now I would like you all to direct your attention to barakvong.tumblr.com, where I will begin sharing my odd tales collected throughout the years sprinkled with some reviews and pretty tidbits.

I will resume posts to the Journal and Sightings of Miss Yumi so check back for amazing internet links and introductions to new artists.

Now, to a fine new year and happy trails to all!

XOXO,

Miss Yumi

Legos to the Rescue

If only all the problems in the world could be solved with our childhood toys :) Join Jan Vormann in fixing the cracks and holes in your city by dispatchworking!

The Food Revolution

Hello boys and girls!

Today's food for thought is a link I got about Jamie Oliver's call to action to the United States of America. Watch this video and get inspired to take part in what this country has needed since the dawn of the microwave. The Food Revolution.

Please sign the petition and share your knowledge with your family and friends. Let's make Hawaii's healthy food awareness go from yellow to red!

Go to Jamie Oliver's site to find out how far we've gotten and read more about the project!

Earth Month 2010

I know, I know, it's been a while, but The Journal will be up and running again in no time. Miss Yumi is conspiring and preparing for her move to London and will have many more sightings to report in a few! 

This Earth Day, I visited my school, The Key School to help out by setting up irrigation systems with Mr. Waymouth and painting rocks with Mr. Katz for a moving collaborative installation piece on campus. It's nice to go back to an establishment and see the tweaks and changes that people are making to better the environment.

On the other side of the continent, Honolulu's HI-5 program has just released a PSA on their Eating in Public website and on YouTube. If you're in Hawai‘i, give back by making a recycling bin and placing it where you know people need one! 

And finally, here are a couple shots of my contribution to the Earth Day Art Project with the 6th graders at Key. Each river stone is designed with an abstract message about the Earth in mind and will connect to the surrounding pieces. Pictures to follow once the kids pick a location for the 60 something natural installation!

Yes we can!

Tweeted and retweeted again for it's genius, here is the epitome of the future of music. Mash it up, scramble it in two and what you get will appeal to all. Fear not my children, The Remix Project is here to stay! Ring in the New Year's with a little throwback party :) The Remix Project brought to you by illroots and okayplayer.

Tracklisting:
1. Tribe Called Quest - Electric Relaxation

2. Snoop Dogg - Drop It Like It’s Hot
3. Scarface - On My Block

4. Nore - Nothin
5. Jay Z - I Just Wanna Luv U

6. Punjabi MC - Beware of the Boys

7. Soho - Hot Music

8. Ol’ Dirty Bastard - Got your Money

9. Talib Kweli - Get By
10. Outkast - Spottieottiedopalicious

11. Big Boi - The Way You Move

12. Ol Dirty Bastard - Shimmy Shimmy Ya
13. Black Sheep - Choice is Yours

14. Digable Planets - Rebirth of Slick

15. The Foreign Exchange - Sincere
16. Destiny’s Child - Girl

17. Elton John - Benny and the Jets

18. Outkast - Prototype

19. Missy Elliot - Get your Freak On

20. Missy Elliot - Work it

21. Amerie- One Thing

22. Beyonce - Crazy in Love

Incredible job, guys. Hope to see more soon!

Download the full album for free here.

White Christmas

For all the purity and wholesomeness that is the color white, here is a blog that reminds us of the light: Curved White. Oh, how I love you, that which is almost everything and nothing.

Sincerely,

Miss Yumi

The Tools of Tag

Just came across a post on Drawn!, which is my go to for the latest and greatest innovative illustrators and creative projects. Although there are tons of videos of live animation and light projected artwork in the past, the Tagtool Project makes life easier for those that would like to partake in the Godzilla-sized fun. See clips from various countries, learn about the art and get tips on how to create your own Tagtooling hardware here!

Wall of Light - Luca Barcellona, Session 1 from makimono on Vimeo.

Please don't litter

Because even the smallest piece of trash could change our ecosystem. Today, my dad sent me a few links of photographer, Chris Jordan's work. Jordan has been documenting the world and it's irresponsible and over-indulging aftermath in traveling exhibitions depicting global mass consumption and pollution. In the past decade, Jordan has captured the destruction of Hurricane Katrina and chronicled the outcome of many albatross chicks throughout Midway Atoll. Maybe we will think twice about what we eat and where we leave our garbage if we catch a closer glimpse at the damage that our cultures are capable of creating.

An unaltered image of a baby albatross on Midway Atoll. Photograph by Chris Jordan.

The Magic Number is 350

October 24th, a day to unite and respond to a call to action. In 5 days, we will see 2009's International Day of Climate Action.

Log on to 350.org to find out more about global warming, the politics surrounding this touchy issue and what you can do to help. Anything you do will make a statement-- from uploading pictures incorporating the number 350 to donating money to registering for the cause. Together, we can catch the attention of the media as well as our nations' leaders. For the future of our planet! <-350!

Artists, athletes and writers alike can participate in the 350 movement!

Meltdown

I really appreciate art when it has a important statement other than "I'm human," "I'm hurt" or "I'm unique." There is something about how selfish and loud people are that leaves me with less chances of empathy or compassion. Today, I came across an article on Treehugger that changed my mind. Brazilian artist, Nele Azevedo installed 1,000 miniature ice sculptures at a public square in Berlin with the help of the World Wildlife Fund. It's interesting that it took that much effort to remind people that we, too, are endangered species.

Read more about the New Arctic Warming Report here. Photo via Wend Blog

I saw the future and the future saw me

When you wake up from a dream where you are putting semi-futuristic groceries into a slightly more advanced refrigerator than your own, it's hard to refrain from questioning the dreamworld and reality. If my thoughts and nightwalks are all a collaboration of what I have seen and learned throughout my entire life, including conscious and subconscious thoughts, where do the sideways dreams come from? What sort of "release" is it when you awaken less rested than the previous night?

On the plus side, I also remember an interesting new form of brown paper grocery bag that was covered in dark purple velour text. There were various perforations to either save some of the print as a poster, or use the other sides as coupons. I'm not quite sure why this method was better than what we use today. Let's hope our attempts at recycling follow through in the future.

One night @ Spada. Is this what we we'll see from the past?

Teknowledgy

Everything from communication to everyday functionality has morphed and grown exponentially over the past few years. This latest clip is an instructional video about how Google documents and posts street views for the public. We no longer need humans speaking or gesturing to understand a point! How has our world changed from the 50's or even the 90's? How many of us remember meeting a friend at the library or the mall that they didn't expect to see? Sometimes I wonder if we've completely deleted the chances of fate or coincidence from our high tech lives.

FLUX that 2010!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 14, 2009

New Magazine Launching 2010 Asks Hawaii to Decide Cover

Honolulu, Hawaii—FLUX Hawaii Magazine, a new lifestyle magazine in Hawaii slated to launch January 2010, has put the cover of its premiere issue in the hands of the public. The magazine asked five local artists to answer the question, “Where is Hawaii transitioning to?” Their responses came graphically using a variety of different mediums, including paint, digital, photography, prints and even toilet paper.

From now until November 15, FLUX Hawaii invites viewers to vote for their favorite cover art by Eugene “Eukarezt” Kristofher, Sonny Ganaden, Haj Gollestani, Landon Osamu and Yumi Vong. Art will be displayed at Fresh Café and viewers can vote online at www.fluxhawaii.com/features.

FLUX Hawaii is the brainchild of Lisa Yamada and Cody Matsukawa, who both found themselves scrambling for jobs in a jobless economy. Also on board is Ara Laylo, former production manager for SMART Magazine, which folded earlier this year.

“There was no magazine locally that I felt appealed to me and my demographic currently in the marketplace,” said Yamada, who is the publisher and editor. “I decided to take a chance and go for it.”

The magazine targets 21-to-45-year-olds, and “seeks to reorient how people think about Hawaii in terms of fashion, food, art, music and travel, both locally and abroad,” Yamada explained of the magazine’s vision. “FLUX is about reflecting a city in continued flux and portraying the influx of peoples, places and trends that make our home so diverse.”

Look for FLUX Hawaii on stands January 2010. For more information, visit their website at www.fluxhawaii.com.

Beauty in the Shadows

My beloved and reknown professor, Susan Waters-Eller from MICA, recently returned from an Artists' Residency at Rocheforte-en-Terre. During her time there, Susan captured the serenity and eery history of the topiary gardens. Her most recent post reminded me of some of my past sightings.

When I was on a trip to the Big Island of Hawaii, I got a chance to visit the vast lava fields between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. Every now and then, if one was perceptive, they could catch a little flower or plant growing up between the cracks of a desolate looking plain. No matter how destructive or unnatural a location is, I've noticed that nature and beauty always triumph in the end.

Illustration by Susan Waters-Eller in Brittany, France

Numbers

At the moment, things are getting organized and numbers are being crunched. My latest online relief has come from the site, GraphJam: where music and pop culture are explained through charts and graphs. It's best to search for a specific subject, such as "cats," "politics" or "movies." Here is one of my favorites:

Reading List [001]

Recently finished Wicked: the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, which was an interesting depiction of the social and political world surrounding L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz. The different twists and perspective on the classic introduced a realistic tone to the charming tale. I found a few quotes that seemed important and somewhat relevant to the not-so-ever-after world that we live in.

"She was smart. But there was more than one way to be smart." —Elphaba

"She continually wanted to strangle Liir, as a means of saving him from smooth-talking father figures." —Narrator

"It was his duty to have opinions on things we shouldn't need to know about." —Five

The Button Mashers Benefit Art Show

RT from Mr. J Domingo: Project 365: The Button Mashers

atypicalLIVING and Grace Bible Church Pearlside Youth Ministries, in association with OlaNui!, present The Button Mashers, a benefit art show for Grace Bible’s Youth Camp this Summer.

This event will feature multimedia art displays, live music, a live art mural painting featuring Shaun Castro, Janel Natividad, Philippe Anthony Quinal & RZone, a BBoy Battle, a Street Fighter IV Tournament, and interactive, hands-on video game displays.

This all goes down Saturday, June 27th, at OlaNui! Christian Fellowship, 760 Halekauwila Street, next to Logos Bookstore & near Ward Center.

All proceeds to benefit Grace Bible’s Summer Youth Camp.

Big UPS to Grace Bible Church, OlaNui!, Redefine, lightsleepers, prolifik, Prototype, First Lady The Movement, Liberty Peralta, Yumi Vong & Mike Ulep.

Get Ready… awesome is imminent.

8-bit for All!

"Something new..."

Since I have begun working with a photographer, I have had to branch out to a few different aspects of society that I had never expected to deal with. One aspect is the wedding industry with all of its glitter and flutter. For the past few weeks, my downtime has consisted of researching the extravagant field by watching TV shows from, "Who's Wedding Is It Anyways?" to "Say Yes to the Dress" while reading up on the latest trends in magazines. Although I am not planning anything in the near future, I thought I could share some of the cute ideas and vendors with my lady friends who are in the market for the "perfect day"!

DRESSES

annenamba.com – created with the best kimono material
priscillaofboston.com – magic that could be within your price range
lynnlugo.com – design your own bridesmaids dresses

HAIR
saragabriel.com – beautiful hair accessories
mariaelenaheadpieces.com – princess headpieces

INVITATIONS
zazzle.com – customize your stamps

annagriffin.com
dauphinepress.com

minted.com
gryphonstationers.com

A sample veil from Sara Gabriel's Headpiece Collection

To choose or not to do?

When life throws you an opportunity that changes everything, do you always have to think twice before taking it? At what point can we decide to live for ourselves versus following the will of our parents and families? They will always be protective and afraid and alone without you, because that is their job and their love. We are lucky to have them as the angels on our shoulders and to have their opinions at hand, but to become individuals and to grow into our own paths. We must change the past and pick a different future-- one that might seem less safe and more uncomfortable than the ones that our ancestors and relatives have had, but also, one that will define the new generation. As long as we keep their love, knowledge and experience at heart, we can let loose and roam free to create a better day.

Sincerely,

Miss Yumi

Good luck with your decision, Karen! No matter what you choose, we're here for you!

*Calibration

Hello my pickles and friends.

It has been a while and many bloggable events have come and

gone. Sometimes I miss out on them and sometimes it's just better to let them rest in our memories. Whatever the case, sorry for the absence and delay.

At the moment, the house is clean, the kitten is clean and the island looks like it may cleanse itself after a few muggy days of vog. Spring cleaning is over and summer may begin.

Interestingly, as much as I have mocked the idea of master photographers and the like, I was recently given the opportunity to switch from one career to the other while staying diligently in the arts. I, Yumi Virginia Vong, am now an apprentice master wedding photographer. A few months ago, I claimed the email address of masterphotographer@me.com through Apple's MobileMe accounts and sure enough, it predicted my future.

Step 1 complete. Time to initiate Step 2: complete training in a different field, learn more about people and how they respond to life and apply to Step 3.

I've got the bike. Now, ride!