savage face, animal mind

been working on a new series & this is the first. This weekend I saw my good friend perform for a community event with Ugnayan & it was so great on many levels, mainly to be among beautiful, passionate folks sharing their poetry, dance, & music…

it reminded me of the people & places that brought me to where I am today… & affirmed what I’ve been feeling for a while. I’ve taken a long ass hiatus from community work & I’m just about ready to dive back in.

“Because what’s coming is better than what’s come before.” - J. Armas (via)

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KTOWN FISHEYE

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whenever I feel stuck, I find myself drawing lines & waves, trying to retell the movement of water.

It’s not that it’s fun or particularly enlightening, but the process is grounding. It’s easy to get carried away by my thoughts & desires when it comes to making art- how it should be, how I should be doing it, why it’s always disappointing when it doesn’t turn out to be the way I envisioned it.

so when I do this- waves & lines, over & over again- the self deprecating clutter just kinda drowns out. Everyone has their own happy place. I guess this is mine. 

With some obvious inspiration from the great wave of kanagawa- done @ 6pm in a crowded k-town cafeteria.

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“When I sing, trouble can sit right on my shoulder & I don’t even notice.”

-sarah vaughan

[class assignment] coffee, ink, pen, gouache

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just a little game

flickr

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god take, god give

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ON LOCATION in flushing, new york.

there’s a lot more where this came from

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STAY GOLD.

“You know what inspires me? Fearlessness. Drive. I hate lazy people. Barbs, stay in school. Don’t you ever be lazy. Don’t you ever complain about hard work, it pays off.”

-minaj

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waves on waves on waves

some stories are best told in full color

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dear bay area.

Thank you for taking me in & treating me like one of your own. Thank you for the people, all kinds of people, most of whom have moved in&out of my life, but mostly for the few that have stuck around. Thank you for kicking my ass when it needed to be kicked. & truly, thanks for all the adventures & moments & goods & bads, all of it, all around, I couldn’t have it any other way. You’re the best. I’m off & imma make you proud.

yours truly,
donna