Study Abroad Japan: Artist Journey
Donation protected
Hola!!! My name is Gonzalo Alvarez and I am a student illustrator and designer at Lamar University drawing my way through my Bachelors degree in Studio Arts. This summer a peer and I have been given the opportunity to study abroad in Japan under the wing of our mentor! The trip has been developed in short notice and would be a once in a lifetime experience of one on one mentoring in the beautiful countryside of Japan.
About me:
I am a first generation Mexican-American and college student raised in Port Arthur, TX. I am a 22 years old Junior at Lamar University, working with illustration and concept design. My subject matter consist of creating characters, creatures and surreal worlds usually depicted in a twisted and macabre setting. Many of my inspirations like Miyazaki and Kentaro Miura are native of japan! I am currently doing undergrad research as a Mcnair Scholar, help run 2 art organizations, President of Print Council and secretary of Animation and Entertainment Design, and am working towards the field of game design. After acquiring my BFA I plan on getting my Masters in Fine Arts at the Tisch School of Arts at NYU. My ultimate goal is to one day be the creative director of my own studio and create new worlds for people to enjoy!
Why am I raising money?
I am trying to raise enough funds to study with my professor at his family's hometown in the Miyazaki prefecture of southern Japan during July 15-Aug 5 this Summer 2016. This will be a three week program exploring the countryside of Japan, drawing on site, and developing my own body of work. We will explore Kagoshima, Beppu, Kumamoto, Tokyo, and more!
Growing up my family was very frugal out of necessity rather then choice. They started with nothing and despite their efforts have never been allowed opportunites for outside expenses. Despite having a part-time job and selling artwork on my own, I would not be able to acquire enough funds to partake on this experience alone.
How the money will be used:
The money will be used to pay for the housing, airfare, transportation, and tuition. The estimated expenses would be about $4000. More detailed itinerary will be provided soon.
When will I need the money?
The most important payment is the plane ticket. The rest of the payments are due later in the summer.
May 1: $1,400
June 1:$2,600
Why this means so much to me:
I have had a passion for learning since the moment I discovered my true artistic potential. Exploring this culture would provide unimaginable growth in my artistic skills and person. My mentor will be pushing my abilities to their extremes and I will never have a one on one opportunity like this again. The art of Japan has inspired and entertained me throughout my life and getting to see it in person would be a priceless moment. This experience will shape my life by providing an opportunity for networking and knowledge for achieveing my artistic goals!
How I will thank you all:
Besides letting you know how much it means to me, everyone who donates atleast $1 to $5 will get a sticker I design and a postcard with my art while in Japan! For $25 I will also bring back a small unique souvenir! If you would like to donate more there are bigger rewards available. For $20 dollars I will do 8x10 " drawings from my inspirations or yours, for $35 you will get a new hand printed woodcut design t-shirt , for $50 you will recieve a 12-page comic illustrating my experiences from the trip, and for $120 you can get the t-shirt, comic, stickers, and a small exclusive signed and numbered woodcut printed on paper! For my biggest reward, $300 will give you a ceramic sculpture of a creature inspired by my trip to japan!
Thank you everyone for allowing me to have this opportunity and I cannot wait to create new artwork, gain new knowledge, and excel in my creative career! I will be updating this regulary to keep everyone in touch!
You can find me and keep up with me or my work on facebook, twitter, tumblr, instagram, wordpress, through my alias Gonzzink or my official website www.Gonzzink.com
About me:
I am a first generation Mexican-American and college student raised in Port Arthur, TX. I am a 22 years old Junior at Lamar University, working with illustration and concept design. My subject matter consist of creating characters, creatures and surreal worlds usually depicted in a twisted and macabre setting. Many of my inspirations like Miyazaki and Kentaro Miura are native of japan! I am currently doing undergrad research as a Mcnair Scholar, help run 2 art organizations, President of Print Council and secretary of Animation and Entertainment Design, and am working towards the field of game design. After acquiring my BFA I plan on getting my Masters in Fine Arts at the Tisch School of Arts at NYU. My ultimate goal is to one day be the creative director of my own studio and create new worlds for people to enjoy!
Why am I raising money?
I am trying to raise enough funds to study with my professor at his family's hometown in the Miyazaki prefecture of southern Japan during July 15-Aug 5 this Summer 2016. This will be a three week program exploring the countryside of Japan, drawing on site, and developing my own body of work. We will explore Kagoshima, Beppu, Kumamoto, Tokyo, and more!
Growing up my family was very frugal out of necessity rather then choice. They started with nothing and despite their efforts have never been allowed opportunites for outside expenses. Despite having a part-time job and selling artwork on my own, I would not be able to acquire enough funds to partake on this experience alone.
How the money will be used:
The money will be used to pay for the housing, airfare, transportation, and tuition. The estimated expenses would be about $4000. More detailed itinerary will be provided soon.
When will I need the money?
The most important payment is the plane ticket. The rest of the payments are due later in the summer.
May 1: $1,400
June 1:$2,600
Why this means so much to me:
I have had a passion for learning since the moment I discovered my true artistic potential. Exploring this culture would provide unimaginable growth in my artistic skills and person. My mentor will be pushing my abilities to their extremes and I will never have a one on one opportunity like this again. The art of Japan has inspired and entertained me throughout my life and getting to see it in person would be a priceless moment. This experience will shape my life by providing an opportunity for networking and knowledge for achieveing my artistic goals!
How I will thank you all:
Besides letting you know how much it means to me, everyone who donates atleast $1 to $5 will get a sticker I design and a postcard with my art while in Japan! For $25 I will also bring back a small unique souvenir! If you would like to donate more there are bigger rewards available. For $20 dollars I will do 8x10 " drawings from my inspirations or yours, for $35 you will get a new hand printed woodcut design t-shirt , for $50 you will recieve a 12-page comic illustrating my experiences from the trip, and for $120 you can get the t-shirt, comic, stickers, and a small exclusive signed and numbered woodcut printed on paper! For my biggest reward, $300 will give you a ceramic sculpture of a creature inspired by my trip to japan!
Thank you everyone for allowing me to have this opportunity and I cannot wait to create new artwork, gain new knowledge, and excel in my creative career! I will be updating this regulary to keep everyone in touch!
You can find me and keep up with me or my work on facebook, twitter, tumblr, instagram, wordpress, through my alias Gonzzink or my official website www.Gonzzink.com
Organizer
Gonzalo Alvarez
Organizer
Port Arthur, TX
