GEAUX Fund Me: Post 1

I recently started and closed a successful GOFUNDME Campaign towards art supplies for a very cool Cosplay Dance Party my friends Liz O and Diana M are throwing called Matinée!

Here's the flier/poster for the event:

If you'd like to check it out, here's the Facebook Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/720103414695064/

Q: "Wait, why do you need art supplies for a Cosplay Dance Party, Jeaux?"

A: Simple! Liz O & Diana invited yours truly to have a caricature booth at Matinee's inaugural event! I am soo excited to see everyone's costumes and to draw them all! Hence, the need for art supplies! I'm sure I'll take a couple dance breaks in between too!

I wanted a place to keep the kind folks who donated towards the campaign updated. A place where they can watch the rest of my GoFundMe campaign unfold and watch the vision of my cosplay caricature booth come to life and stay intact and secure. To nurture that seedling of an idea into a tree of success! And not just the people who donated, but those who helped me by spreading the word, reblogging, tweeting, and sharing the link! So I figured I'd dust off my poor, neglected little blog and put it back to use!

I still can't wrap my head around the generosity I received, especially during these rough, economic times we're in the midst of. I am truly amazed by the kindness and the knowledge that there are people out there who believe in me. Along with the GoFundMe donations, I also received offline donations via paypal, a check from animation great Gene Deitch (all the way from the Czech Republic), and even scored some way cool freelance offers! I am humbled, and truly honored.

So here is the 1st update to my Geaux Fund Me Journey!

Thursday, May 15th 2014

 My friend Bruce Heller and I

My friend Bruce is awesome, and is probably the living embodiment of the Lego Movie song, "Everything is Awesome!". I haven't seen Bruce in over 10 years, but it felt like we were just able to pick up right were we left off. I first met Bruce at Calarts when I was his assistant teaching animation to high school kids for the Calarts Community Arts Program (CAP). He is a great animator, teacher, friend, and a HUGE LEGO fan!!!

So we hit up an In-N-Out burger for lunch, caught up, and checked out the Topanga mall to hunt down a Lego Store he's never been to! I briefly worked at that mall and had no idea we even had a Lego store there while I did my "Disney" time! It was a very cool store! I learned all about bricks, AFOLs ("Adult Fan of Lego"), VIP lego boxes, lego engineer designers, and saw the incredible wall of Legos that had bits and pieces of every lego imaginable! It was eye-opening and very cool!

Bruce & his AWESOME "Busby Berkeley" marker set

Bruce wasn't able to make a monetary donation, but he suggested donating some markers to me, and he did! I love the colors and know they will come in very handy for the show! They even open up in such a beautiful, almost Busby Berkeley film like fashion! I love them! I love Bruce even more, for donating them towards the cause! Thanks Bruce!!!

My Cosplay Consultant: the Fabulous Lisa Fabio & I

After hanging out w/ Bruce, I met up with one of my besties from the Calarts years- Lisa Fabio! Lisa was my suitemate, sometimes more like roommate with how often we'd hang out at one another's room and binge on all sorts of movies instead of going to class. Lisa was at school for costume design, and I remember always loving her work. Her current work is gorgeous and has been seen sported by the likes of stars like Neil Patrick Harris, Jimmy Kimmel, and zillions of cosplay fans all over the world. Check out her AMAZING work at her Etsy site: Little Penny Lane. 

We headed out to wander about the Northridge Mall, Fashion Center, Excuse me... to pick up a few birthday presents for one of Lisa's pals, a couple Disney products (Lisa's a HUGE Disney fan!), and I picked up an integral part of my own cosplay outfit at OLD NAVY of all places!

I know, right? Crazy that Old Navy carries Military Jackets.

I was stoked on finding a military jacket, not only because I've been wanting one forever, but because it was the last one in my size I needed AND it was on sale!!! Normally $60, but I snagged it for $30!!! Way cheaper than if I headed out to an army surplus store or something. Lisa said it looked great on me, and I could not argue with her as she is the queen of cosplay!

Afterwards, we were gonna head out to an art store but it was getting late and we were hungry so we opted for the world famous (and delicious) Brent's Deli for dinner. Which happened to be right next to an Office Depot where I bought a huge bulk of art supplies there for Matinee.

Most notably, the 80s Glam set of Sharpies!

 Lisa dropped me home, and we made plans to go to Disneyland together more often. Thanks for being my "Cosplay Consultant" Lisa! Love ya!

It was so fun seeing old friends and buying art supplies for Matinee! I know it's gonna be a super fun party!

Stay tuned for Geaux Fund Me: Part 2!
-Jeaux

  ***UPDATE***

Richard Elfman, Director of the cult classic Forbidden Zone, has donated towards the cause!

My eyes grew really big, and I almost had a mini-heart attack because one of my heroes, Richard Elfman, director of one of my favorite Cult Classic films of all time, Forbidden Zone (!!!) just donated to my Go Fund Me campaign!!! 

I'm extra appreciative of this because this is so close on the heels of his own big Indiegogo fund raising campaign for the sequel to Forbidden Zone! 

You all saw the Forbidden Zone 2 cartoon promo I made for a cool FZ fan doc by Mikal Watson, that Richard then placed on his personal Youtube page, right?!? I'm really super proud of it! 
  

   

Thanks Richard! So very appreciated!!!
-Jx

Jump ahead and read GEAUX Fund Me: Posts 2 & 3!