EM: Occupation and Position.
Life Artist / Designer / Musician / Creative Director of Demon Slayer Family and Shop At Portals Online Store

EM: Who does the cleaning at home?
My Sister and I both do the cleaning at home.  Her cleaning method is moving things around and hiding them in out-of-sight places like the laundry hamper or under the sofa.  Sometimes I’ll open my pantry to grab a snack and I’ll see a stack of design books, sunglasses and last weeks junk mail.
As far as “cleaning myself at home” I usually do it in my bathroom. Sometimes I get self conscious about my miniature uni-brow so I pluck the middle or my home girl rolls through and gets her threading on. Most of the time I don’t give a fuck about my barely-there uni-brow; I like it because it looks like there is a big black hairy Caterpillar slowly crawling across my forehead. I am attracted to my eyebrows for that reason. I like nature.

EM: What neighborhood do you closely identify with? What makes your community so unique?
I’ve traveled to many places, but I was born and raised in the Inland Empire, specifically Riverside. Apparently all the Riversidean elements provides a mystical concoction of awesome creatives and weirdos who all collectively add to the community. I love this city because it’s hella grimy but at the same time peaceful, inspiring and serene. There are many Riverside natives who have gone on to greatly affect popular culture. Etta James, JJ Fad, Revok, Us Versus Them, Jeff Soto, Skee Lo, Blink 182, half of Super Krew and many others have come from this area. The first ever functional cryogenic labs were established in Riverside.
P.S. The Richmond neighborhood in SF is relatively awesome as well. There are great restaurants lining the streets, easy access bike routes, ill hand styles everywhere, and it is located next to the Golden Gate park.

EM: What’s the greatest item that you found at your local garage/estate sale?
I bought a Sea Doo for $175 at an estate sale in 2002. There was this crusty looking homeless dude who ruled the corner of Van Buren and Lincoln. That was his spot. He would stand out there day and night like Kid Cudi and hold a sign that says “Anything Will Doo, God Bless”. One day my friend saw kid crusty riding a bike in the hills where all the baller-status mansions are. She was totally lurking and following this homeless dude around and it turns out that the homeless dude had a home! A mega nice one at that. I guess his parents owned the spot. I came up on the Sea Doo at thier garage sale. I didn’t see kid crusty though. I guess he’s not really a kid because he looks 52 years old.

EM: If you could interview one unsung hero, who would it be? Why?
I would interview the homeless guy. Just kidding. I could interview Alejandro Jorodowsky or Milton Glaser but really I would like to bring light to all the people who do the dirty work behind the scenes. There are people who make the world go round, oiling the multi-leveled gears of our vast system but rarely ever get publically recognized for their continuous work. I’m speaking about the sanitary workers, the mothers who are forced to work fast food in the back (and break out because they’re cooking fries all day) and the elderly heads who ride the bus to work at 4AM, etc. I guess in actuality they put themselves there in that position. So yeah I would probably end up interviewing Bruce Lee; i’m sure his insight would be greatly appreciated by the world.

EM: What’s your favorite youtube video?
Magic Fly by Space. This music video was released in 1977. They are a French synth-pop band that handled for a few years. I think Daft Punk was mega influenced by them.

And  this video on John Chang (clearly an alias).  He’s an acupuncturist who studied the ancient art of Qi Gong and Chakra formation for like 25 years or something. By focusing his internal energy (Chi or Ki), he was able to produce electromagnetic pulses and waveforms with his hands. He could even emit intenst heat from his palms. Our palms have small openings in the center where our Life force constantly radiates warm energy. I believe that this is where hadokens and fireballs originated from.

EM: Where are your favorite local spots to eat?
Pho Express (I have a large mural in there) Pho Vinam, Life Cafe, University Cafe, La Cascada, Friend’s houses,  Old School Chico’s and Paul’s Vegan Chinese Spot (no one remembers paying attention to the name, they just call it “that one Vegan Chinese Spot”).

EM: What songs are at the top of your playlist at this very moment?
Clutchy Hopkins – “3:25″
Sun Ra and the Myth-Science Arkestra – “Space Mates”
ShapeShifters – “Farmers Market of the Beast”
Galt McDermot – “Ripped Open By Metal Explosions”
Juana Molina – “Los Hongos De Marosa”
Melt Banana – “Aquatic Bee”
Alain Goraguer – “Le Bracelet”
Demon Slayer – “The Freaky Frame”
SquarePusher – “Do You Know SquarePusher?”
Fog – “Check Fraud”
Lupe Fiasco, Pharrell Williams, Kanye West – “US Pacers ”

EM: What is your current bedside read?
“Children’s Book Illustration and Design” Edited by Julie Cummins, “The Template” By Juliet and Jiva Carter.  I am also editing my friends dissertation on the psychological effects of active participation in graffiti culture.

EM: What is your favorite city to visit when you travel abroad? And why?
I lived in the Panamanian forest for two months with about 200 artistic gypsy travelers from around the world. Everyone had their own little space deep in the forest. There were always people coming and going. We worked together as a community, chopping wood, building a waterline from the top of the waterfall to our camp, cooking together,  being creative, learning, growing etc. There was a strong rushing river, beautiful mountains, hot springs, naked girls, and the consistent sounds of the living forest.

I was there with my girlfriend of the time. One day we were chosen to cook dinner for the whole camp so we borrowed a horse from one of the few remaining forest rancheros (there were only 2) and rode into town. Never ride a horse without a saddle for extended periods of time because eventually the horses’ back sweat seeps through your pants and it gets all nasty. I had to jump in the river (like Thom Yorke) and clean myself off.

So anyway we rode for hours to the nearest general store then we left the horse there and took an long bus ride into town to buy groceries. The next day we made the bomb vegetarian Asian-influenced dishes and from then on everyone REALLY liked us because they had been eating vegan gruel for most of the time

Tragic Forest Mural – D. Nguyen (Panama City)

EM: What new projects you are building on right now?
I am obviously excited about the UNESCO mural that I worked on with Mailan Thi Pham (who is also part of Demon Slayers). The United Nations is going to take the canvas to Egypt and wrap it around the Great Pyramid of Giza on International Peace Day 2010. That is going to make a nice picture. Cosmic! I am also working with the San Bernardino County Natural History Museum in Redlands to paint a permanent mural in one of their halls. Cool!

I am coordinating and handling shit with the Institute of Perception, we are throwing the third annual Telemagica Gathering. Also the Demon Slayer brand will be dropping new ish come Fall 09. Lookout! A stop motion animation in the works with Mamiko.nu, opening a silkscreen / design studio office with Jon Roach.

The most gratifying and challenging project will be when I finally have a child! Although that will be many years in the future, the thought of children excites me…imagine making something (the kid) and having it grow on its own to change the world. Wow. Its like those small sponge dinosaurs that you add water to and they grow, except your sponge will be HUMAN!

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http://demonslayerfamily.com/