Artist Series: MR. ROB SATO

Rob Sato does not stop drawing. It actually gives me a huge complex about drawing. Why aren't I drawing all the time too that I too need a special compartmentalized side satchel to hold my travel watercolor palette and brushes and various pens????? Then I look at his art and feel somewhat worthless and hide to eat my feelings. So with that introduction here is the amazing art of Rob Sato, eater, cook, drawer, and friend to Drawing For Food.

SweetBonesDeck--painting of Sweet Bones on skateboard

SweetBones--sketches for broken arm drumstick ice cream cone

Satobites-imaginary food from my sketchbook

Ako with our dinner from the other night:
Sea Bass with miso marinade,
Tamago (japanese omelet)
brown rice,
avocados and pickled ginger.
DiscountBurgers--stickers I found that look like burgers
BurgerFolk--sketchbook image


Ako with Thai Iced Coffee


DFF: What is your favorite dish your mom makes?

RS: Rum Cake.

DFF: What do you snack on for art deadlines?

RS: it used to be whiskey. When my body couldn't take it anymore, I had to switch to almonds, bananas and water.

DFF: Do you make better art hungry or full? Why?

RS: Reasonably well fed is what works. Being too full makes me nod off over my work. A few times I've come-to with my face planted in a painting, drool pooling, and an unintended paint stroke streaking across the surface. I also fall into time warps after I eat where I suddenly become aware that I've been lying on the couch for hours reading or watching movies. On the other hand, being hungry causes panic, pacing, frantic snacking on weird food and long stares into the fridge. This can then lead to being overly full on snacks instead of simply preparing a decent meal. Every so often hunger mixed with creative blockage will drive me to the following menu, consumed in a near-zombie state wandering back and forth between the kitchen and the studio-- It usually starts with a handful of nuts, then maybe a strip of beef jerky, soon a hand plunged into a box to eat cereal dry, more nuts, a bit of chocolate, an apple, a bag of baby carrots, cheese melted on toast, bites of cold gray dinner leftovers directly from the tupperware, a spoonful of peanut butter, a fried egg with more toast, more chocolate, just biting cheese directly off the block, a longing look at any alcohol in the house then maybe a beer, all the bananas, the remainder of the package of beef jerky, a few spoonfuls of ice cream, a cup of coffee in an attempt to shake it all off and calm the frenzy. Then a dreary, stupefied drawing session or an unintended, unsatisfying, guilt-ridden nap.

DFF: Wheres your favorite place to eat?

RS: With Ako, on our porch.

****DFF: coincidently this is one of Kris Chau's favorite places to eat too...

DFF: If you could cut up and eat any artist in history to absorb their strengths and talents who would it be?

RS: This was a tough question. After much thought, the final and obvious choice is Leonardo Da Vinci. Absorbing him would deliver a massive load of skills and knowledge which I could mix with my own visual taste and pursuits. He does seem like he would taste pretty awful though. I'm not exactly sure why, but I'm imagining a combination of dust, dry burnt bread and bad, foul smelling cheese. The first artist that comes to mind who seems like they might actually have tasted good is Picasso. He reminds me of a cartoon drawing of a glistening ham. I've just disturbed myself.

And here is a recipe from Mr. Sato:

Chicken and Fruit Curry

2-4 tablespoons oil (canola, vegetable, peanut, or butter all work--amount varies depending on how greasy you want this)
2 medium onions, chopped
3 apples chopped into chunks (fuji or gala tend to be the least mealy, but all seem to work OK)
1 banana chopped into chunks (you can also use papaya or mango, or go with just apples but I prefer the banana)
1 cup tomato, diced
1 to 1 1/2 lbs chicken meat, cubed (about 2 breasts, or 4 cutlets, or 3 -4 thighs)
salt
2-3 tablespoons of curry powder
1/2 cup yogurt (optional)
hot pepper (optional)
soy sauce to taste, at least a tablespoon
handful of chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves

1. Heat up the oil over medium heat in a large saucepan or skillet that you are able to cover

2. add the onions, stir occasionally, cook until they become soft, 5-10 minutes

3. lightly salt the onions and then add the curry powder, stirring into the onions until they are fully coated with the powder,

4. add the chicken, the fruit, tomatoes and hot pepper (if desired)and mix them into the onions

5. pour the 1/2 cup of yogurt over the mixture (if desired)

6. cover the pan and cook covered for 8-10 minutes

7. check to see if the apples have softened, if not, it will need a little longer to cook

8. once the apples are soft, uncover and raise the heat to medium-high. cook until the mixture thickens slightly, another minute or two.

9. add the soy sauce and continue cooking for one minute

10. taste, adjust soy sauce if necessary

11. Serve over white rice, season with a spoonful of fresh yogurt, the cilantro, and mint

you're done.
serves 3-4