WANT TO HAVE MY ART?
Welcome to my artworks. These are physical and digital works created through different mediums of drawing, painting and printmaking made within the last 10 years (2009 - 2019)
These artworks formed the basis of which I support myself spiritually, somatically and financially as an artist. Like many other artists, the struggle of being an artist is not confined to only economic means but more fundamentally, the struggle of having an "art" to share and the responsibilities we as artists hold to our craft, ourselves, our relationships, our communities and the world we live in.
A STATEMENT ON MY ART JOURNEY
As a dyslexic queer-of-colour with multiple intersecting oppressed identities, as well as CPTSD, it is essential to me that I touch on this topic of privilege.
I was fortunate to be able to access a fantastic and now, abandoned Studio Art program at Capilano University. Through the instructors, I have been able to not only create art but to also use what I have learnt there to strengthen my own contemplative and reflective art practises, for the use in times of need with others and myself. I highlight this privilege of access at a point of my life where I was able to be kind to myself, to put myself through art school as a mature student.
However, my artistic journey took a 7-year silence where I contemplated what it means to have my traumatic lived experiences take over my artistic expressions, and what it will mean for someone to "buy" the art I make. I don't like capitalism and have experienced the first-hand negative impacts of having my life shaped and controlled by the idea of "free capital", that it makes something like selling my art difficult.
ON RELATIONAL ECONOMY WITH MY ART
One of the results of this deep contemplation allowed me to discover the idea of a "Relational Economy" - an economy empowered by healthy relationships and not just dollars and cents. I started becoming curious as to how an exchange of money and goods can also improve our relationships, instead of feeling empty.
From my perspective, that means sharing my stories of each art that I make, the process of which I make them and also being curious about you and what is it about my art that engages with you?
WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH MY ART
So many things! Ultimately, I want my art to bring about contemplation for change, through my own lived experiences and artistic expressions to others. We live in a time where community-based art and art practises that nurture contemplation, reflection, and conscious action is needed more than ever, to tackle the division of the world.
I have the unfortunate "privilege" of knowing what suffering means to me, and to so many others. Through my works, I hope to share stories to you and with you. I hope to bring validation to those that find resonance with my works. I hope to bring the voices of my fellow survivors of trauma and abuse to the surface, for witnessing and validation. And most of all, I hope for my work to add to the healing journeys that I and others are on.
So enjoy the gallery and if you have any questions or thoughts, send me an email at [email protected].
Welcome to my artworks. These are physical and digital works created through different mediums of drawing, painting and printmaking made within the last 10 years (2009 - 2019)
These artworks formed the basis of which I support myself spiritually, somatically and financially as an artist. Like many other artists, the struggle of being an artist is not confined to only economic means but more fundamentally, the struggle of having an "art" to share and the responsibilities we as artists hold to our craft, ourselves, our relationships, our communities and the world we live in.
A STATEMENT ON MY ART JOURNEY
As a dyslexic queer-of-colour with multiple intersecting oppressed identities, as well as CPTSD, it is essential to me that I touch on this topic of privilege.
I was fortunate to be able to access a fantastic and now, abandoned Studio Art program at Capilano University. Through the instructors, I have been able to not only create art but to also use what I have learnt there to strengthen my own contemplative and reflective art practises, for the use in times of need with others and myself. I highlight this privilege of access at a point of my life where I was able to be kind to myself, to put myself through art school as a mature student.
However, my artistic journey took a 7-year silence where I contemplated what it means to have my traumatic lived experiences take over my artistic expressions, and what it will mean for someone to "buy" the art I make. I don't like capitalism and have experienced the first-hand negative impacts of having my life shaped and controlled by the idea of "free capital", that it makes something like selling my art difficult.
ON RELATIONAL ECONOMY WITH MY ART
One of the results of this deep contemplation allowed me to discover the idea of a "Relational Economy" - an economy empowered by healthy relationships and not just dollars and cents. I started becoming curious as to how an exchange of money and goods can also improve our relationships, instead of feeling empty.
From my perspective, that means sharing my stories of each art that I make, the process of which I make them and also being curious about you and what is it about my art that engages with you?
WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH MY ART
So many things! Ultimately, I want my art to bring about contemplation for change, through my own lived experiences and artistic expressions to others. We live in a time where community-based art and art practises that nurture contemplation, reflection, and conscious action is needed more than ever, to tackle the division of the world.
I have the unfortunate "privilege" of knowing what suffering means to me, and to so many others. Through my works, I hope to share stories to you and with you. I hope to bring validation to those that find resonance with my works. I hope to bring the voices of my fellow survivors of trauma and abuse to the surface, for witnessing and validation. And most of all, I hope for my work to add to the healing journeys that I and others are on.
So enjoy the gallery and if you have any questions or thoughts, send me an email at [email protected].
