The last few months have been extremely challenging personally, but have shown me that I have so much to be grateful for in my profession and community.
It’s been just over a year that I've been an artist full-time. I’m still amazed every day that this gets to be my life, punctuated of course, with small moments of terror and imposter syndrome. The last two months my manta written everywhere my eyes could frequently wander is:
“Just do it afraid” *
I don't know where I would be without my friendships, the homies who have been riding since day 1 who got notes passed in class that were all gel pen doodles, to the friends I made over the last year at Moheif Studios, to my mentors and professors who help with critical feedback and perspective on not only work but heartbreak and health, to the perpetual phone callers/answerers who I now pant-speak to everyday while I bike to my new studio in Inglewood.
Thank you for the help to push through and remind me to enjoy life, to be happy living in the moment. I don’t see anyone getting this email nearly enough and while I know that’s just how it is sometimes, I hope you can come party on 8/4 with me and DJ Valida to see the result of my travel grant and support a few amazing Cuban artists, many whose work has never been shown in the United States for obvious reasons.
This night/opening is doubling as my birthday party - I am ordering Cuban food to feed you at the reception and we going out after to Tony’s (5 min walk).