A note from Emiri Sensei:
The Bikini Artist will always live on in our hearts and the pages of Internet history! The last time I saw her, she was teaching snow monkeys the history of Modern Art in the Japanese alps. We parted on good terms, as I promised to keep this site up in her memory.
I returned to America in 2007, and promptly discovered I had much more free time, without having to shelp her royal bikini-clad highness from gig to gig. I decided that it was a little drafty back in Baltimore, in more ways than one: I put on some pants and a sweater, and got busy. Less flouncing, more painting...
In fall of 2007 I Joined the Community Art Corp, an Americorp program organized by my alma mater, The Maryland Institute College of Art.
Since then, I have been privileged enough to work with some of the coolest kids in Baltimore, making art together, and learning that I have a lot to give the world, even with my clothes on! I work at the Club at Collington Square, an after schools arts and academics program in East Baltimore. Wanna learn more? Check out their webcomics!
Much has been said about the Bikini Artist since she sprung from my head as a student at MICA. She was loved, she was hated, she did inappropiate things in a Thai brothel (it was a misunderstanding, I promise!) However, at the end of the day, no one knew her like I knew her! She stood up for the marginalized, she was un-afraid to make people uncomfortable, she took risks, and she didn't care what people thought about her-- just that she made them think! And she hung around as long as Baltimore needed her-- a bikini clad superhero, a pin-up princess, a talented artist and powerful teacher. In disguise. But now I think Baltimore needs an artist and a teacher who doesn't need an alter-ego to push the limets. Baltimore needs artists and teachers that love this city and are willing to get down off a stage and get dirty. Please enjoy the site: I remain proud of what I did here.