Yellena’s Blog

New Site and Blog!!

Hello everyone.  =)

I’ve re-designed my blog and am in the process of transferring all of my content over to a whole new site.  For now it can be found at - www.Yellena.com/site/blog.  In the future, my new blog will take the place of this one on Yellena.com/blog but there is a little bit of work to be done first.

Please check it out and let me know what you think of the new format!  Comments and emails are always welcome.

Thanks so much for reading.

“Instill” at Gallery Hijinks in San Francisco

I’ve just returned home to Portland from my trip down to San Francisco for the opening of my new show, Instill, at Gallery Hijinks.

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything on my blog, and a LOT has happened since my last post.  As a rule, when I get silent on here, it means that I am either traveling or working very hard, or more often both.  I am incredibly pleased with the way this show came together. I had so much fun at the opening and I got to see & meet so many amazing people.  I have 19 pieces in this new collection, including a 58″ x 42″ drawing mounted on wood panel.  It’s been a work in progress for a couple of years and I’m so happy I finally get to see it up on the wall.  The gallery is working on a photo/video feature on this piece, so I’ll follow up soon with that.  It’s called “Immerse.”

“Immerse” 58 x 42, Pen & Ink on paper mounted on wood panel

I also did an installation in the front windows of the gallery using primarily paper & string.  It’s my first installation attempt and now I can’t wait to experiment more with 3D.

Besides my installation and the highly-detailed oversized drawing, I also experimented with some new colors and styles. Here are some pieces I did on paper, where I started adding more geometric elements among my signature organic shapes.

“Radiance” 11 x 14, pen & ink on paper 

“Entice” 11 x 14, pen & ink on paper

I also added darker backgrounds to some of my pieces

“Crush” 12 x 12, pen & ink and gouache on clayboard

All-in-all, it was another wonderful trip down to California for me. The weather was almost as beautiful as the people I got to spend time with, and San Francisco remains one of my favorite places on earth. I even showed up for the first time in the city’s historic paper, the San Francisco Chronicle!

Many many thanks again to my hosts, Jillian and Joe from Hijinks, all of the people who purchased artwork, and everyone else who took the time and made it out to the opening. Thank you all for such a wonderful trip.

New Limited Edition Print on Tiny Showcase

This one’s called Float, and it’s exclusively available on Tiny Showcase.  Also, a percentage of the sales will be donated to Animal Aid PDX.

click here to view the listing

Thank you!

Original Artwork from Together Gallery

I’m a little late with this post, but there’s still time to pick up some new artwork from my latest show. It’s a dual show with Portland’s own Betsy Walton at the Together Gallery on Alberta.  GO HERE to view the pieces from the show.

“Getaway”, 8″x8″ pen & ink on paper

I’ve just returned from six weeks in Europe. It was an amazing trip, but now I have sooo much to catch up on! Thanks so much to my sis-n-bro-n-law (aka: Jo & Dylan) from The Cart Before the Horse -www.thecartbeforethehorse.com - for taking care of my Etsy shop and my customers while I was away!

More soon!

Artwork from “Realms” Available Online - www.gr2.net

Many thanks to all who made it out to the Giant Robot in LA for the opening of “Realms“.  I am so sad that I couldn’t make it down as I had been planning, but work called.  Elsa and Ako presented some fantastic work and there was a great turnout of friends, fans and family.  Here’s a link to Eric Nakamura’s blog post, along with some great pictures that I wish I was in.  If there’s a break in the action around here, I would love to make it down to see this show in person before it ends on May 11th.

Along with some drawings and paintings, I included these new pen & ink on vintage paper pieces.  The paper came from an ollld scrapbook I found some years ago at an antique shop.  Very delicate stuff, but I love the contrast!

“Beacon,” “Chimera,” “Delight,” & “Dash” - pen & ink on vintage paper by Yellena James

“Realms” — Tonight at GR2, Los Angeles!

With Ako Castuera and Elsa Mora.  I’ve been planning this trip for a month, but I’m sad to say that I will not be attending the opening after all.  I would SO love to have made it down there for this one but my workload simply won’t allow it.  I picked up a huge job at the beginning of the month and my schedule’s been laid out since.  It’s a very exciting job, but I’ve signed an NDA so details will have to wait. ;)

I love the Giant Robot and will be there in spirit. Hopefully you can all make it out and have some fun for me this evening. I was really looking forward to meeting Elsa and Ako, seeing my friends at GR and taking in some fresh art.. not to mention getting some SUN. PDX is breaking all the wrong records this winter (wiki: Rain).

If you are in LA be sure to stop by!

Yellena James at Gallery Hijinks, San Francisco - Nov. 20th

My new show, Biosynthesis, opens on Saturday, 11/20 (6-10pm) @ the Hijinks Gallery — Brand new artwork, including a 96″ painting, some smaller paintings, drawings, and lots of in-between, with installation by SF artist Pete Belkin.. come by & say “hi.” Gallery Hijinks is a new gallery in the Mission run by some super amazing people with tons of experience in the art scene and an impeccable eye for great art.

Here’s a link to their blog-post and downloadable press release, and another link to an interview they just put up this morning. The show will run from November 20th, 2010 - Jan 1st, 2011. Hope to see you!

Biome - 14×10 pen+ink on paper © Yellena James 2010

My Artwork on Modern Family!

A few weeks ago, I received an email from the set director of ABC’s “Modern Family” (Wednesday nights @9pm *pst). They were getting ready to shoot the current season & she was wanting some artwork to decorate the set with. As it happens, I’m a huge fan of the show and, needless to say, I was more than happy to send her some. ;) Since then I’ve been watching every show like a hawk trying to spot my artwork.  SO exciting!!

If you’ve never seen the show, be sure to tune in on Wednesday! Pay extra close attention and you just might spot some of my artwork on the walls.

 (hint: “Season” is at the top of the stairs by Mr. & Mrs. Dunphee’s room ;)

“Flit” and “Fling” prints by Yellena on ABC’s “Modern Family”

Tonight! @ Together Gallery — Elemental w/ APAK, Betsy Walton, Jill Bliss and Me

Portland, Oregon - The artists’ reception for Elemental, a collaboration between myself, Jill Bliss, Aaron & Ayumi Piland (APAK), and Betsy Walton, is TONIGHT from 6-9pm! We will be at the Together Gallery on Alberta & NE 28th.

I’m very excited about this show. I was a fan of all of these artists before ever meeting them and an even bigger fan afterward. It’s been absolutely wonderful getting together with talented friends to share ideas, paint brushes, pizzas, stories, inspiration, etc., and I think the final result is a compelling & energized blend of all of our different styles. It’s so nice to see how all of the elements have come together!

The show officially opens tomorrow and will remain on the walls until August 22nd. So, if you can’t make it tonight, you can still check out the artwork anytime before then. Also, we’re working to get the entire show online for those of you not in Portland. If you are interested in buying one of the pieces or want to take a look at the work, keep an eye on Together’s website - www.togethergallery.com

Here’s a sneak peek –

See you there! =)

“Immerse” @ d i a l e c t, L.A.

If you’re in Los Angeles this evening, head to the D i a l e c t Gallery downtown at 215 W 6th. St. for the Thursday night art walk (5-11pm). I will have original works on the walls all the way up until the closing reception on August 7th (7-11pm).