Sha’s recently been working on two tattoo design requests:

1. An ankle piece  involving Palauan money and a hibiscus flower.
2. A tattoo of the ulitmate Palauan warrior– Ngirngemelas– for a Palauan in the military.

The ankle piece is complete, but the “Ngirngemelas” is still in draft form.

Never a dull moment for the OngelungelAD!

Since 2001, Sha has been on a mission to become fully tattooed. Her first tattoo was designed by the Originator himself, while she designed her next several pieces. (You can see a few of Sha’s tattoos below.)

This year, Sha (with the Originator’s help) began designing her first personal sleeve tattoo. While we won’t go into the specifics, here’s a finished portion of the design:

Stay tuned for more exciting tattoo news from the Ongelungel Art Dynasty!

There’s been a lot of work going on behind the scenes here at the OngelungelAD! We are exceptionally proud of recent work we’ve done through our Etsy store and Facebook connections in the apparel area. (See photo examples below)

Our next step is to expand into the realm of craftivism– or arts and crafts for a cause! There are certain causes about which– thanks to the Originator– Yan and I have always been passionate. At the top of the list: social justice.

Whether it’s following the cases of Leonard Peltier and Mumia Abu-Jamal, volunteering with local organizations or driving around in a winter storm handing out warm clothing– we like to think that the Originator taught us proper values.

With that said, we’re working on a line of apparel specifically addressing social justice issues AND we’re working out a plan so that each item sold will result in financial support and increased cause awareness!

So check OngelungelAD regularly for upcoming news of our new venture!

I’ve recently rediscovered my love of the art swap– mainly for artist trading cards and variations thereof.

What’s an artist trading card? A 2.5″ x 3.5″ piece of art. Seriously. That’s the only real rule. There are varying guidelines, depending on the swap you’re participating in, but only the one solid rule. You can draw, paint, collage, stamp– whatever tickles your creative fancy!

I’ve only participated in a few themed swaps to date:

• Riot Grrrl
• Favorite quotes
• Hand-painted/drawn plumerias
• Hand-painted/drawn henna designs
• Recycled materials only
• Project Runway

I’m constantly on the lookout for interest group swaps, but am ALWAYS game for personal ATC swaps. If you’re interested in arranging a swap, send me an email at islanesia [at] gmail [dot] com. You can also find me at Swap-Bot or ATCsForAll, always under the name Islanesia.

Flyer courtesy of Two Vaults Gallery in Tacoma, WA

By some stroke of luck, I ended up having a piece displayed in a local gallery show. The show features amazing work, most of which is far better than my own attempt at macabre bunny humor. (Let’s be honest– I know nothing of bunnies, except that they are fairly evil creatures.)

I highly encourage people in the area to stop in before September 12 to see the truth behind the bunnies! Visit Two Vaults’ website to learn more!

Rabbits are running wild all over Two Vaults gallery. The annual group show “Rabbitual” is on almost every single wall, featuring 77 works by 45 different artists, and there’s a huge variety: some what you’d expect, some disappointing, but some really intriguing.

It’s impossible to cover such a huge show completely. “Rabbitual” is this year’s version of Two Vaults’ annual big group show, and the variety of media is great to see: paint, ceramics, concrete, textiles, mixed and digital media. (News Tribune GO Arts Blog)