History

I started exploring belonging last year, during a five-week residency at the Sanitary Tortilla Factory in Albuquerque, New Mexico. That project resulted in a 13 handlettered signs and a ’zine. Learn more.

Two examples of hand-painted signs commemorating places of belonging in Albuquerque, NM in a 2017 project.

I also created a project to explore belonging in the Bay Area in Take Action, an exhibition at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco.

Participants added their place of belonging to a map of the Bay Area (seen here on opening night).

I’m originally from the Bay Area, and have lived in the North Bay, Penninsula, and East Bay before relocating to Queens in 2010. I’ve returned regularly for family, friends, residencies, and exhibitions.

Process Notes

Want to learn more about my process? I’ve been posting regular process and research notes on my blog.

For example:

• Is Belonging a Place or Something You Carry With You? On Galería de la Raza as not a building, but a movement; on SF’s outflow of people moving away; and on SF becoming like NYC and vice versa.
• What is the Bay Area? Understanding the area and population of the nine-county Bay Area.
• Germination. Reviewing the seeds I’d planted for this project; plus an incomplete list of people I want to thank.
• Points of Reference on Othering and Justice Links to two stories about lives of immigrants that remind me of why belonging is so important.