I don’t know if this is the right term for this kind of work, but it’s close enough for now.
Richmond nonprofit series
This is a series I began when I was working towards a show called Bridge the Ballot in 2020. I wanted to work in a different way than I had before. I made art inspired by the missions of the three Richmond-based non-profit organizations: Fix Our Ferals, Richmond Trees, and Urban Tilth. I am not an active volunteer there and I am not affiliated with these organizations at all, but I have been inspired by their missions and I would like a lot more people to know about them. I approached them by email and asked for permission to make artwork using their images from social media sites (mostly Instagram) in my art. I said I would try to sell the work and that 100% of the proceeds from the sale of inspired artwork would go towards their organization. It would be a win-win situation. They wouldn’t have to do anything but agree to let me use their images. Read more and see more work in progress here
So far these are the (mostly finished) works:
Excavation series
This is my attempt to tell my family stories.
In 2015-2016 I participated in workshops called A Place of Her Own, led by Cynthia Tom. One of the exercises was to explore our own family history. Although none of these works were made during the workshops, the seeds were planted and nurtured during my time there. I am also grateful to Reiko Fujii, Na Omi Judy Shintani, and Cynthia Tom (just a few examples of AAWAA members) who’ve encouraged and inspired me to make artwork that place our own family stories in a historical context. Many thanks to Pallavi Sharma of InnerEye Arts who offered me impetus and the opportunity to exhibit them the first time.
