Heart Of Dinner Painted Paper Bags (I)

Early on in the pandemic, I saw a news feature of Yin Chang and Moonlynn Tsai rallying with their community to provide hot meals to Asian elders throughout the New York City area through their Heart of Dinner organization. Months later, my friend and I were talking over dinner about how I yearned to get back into doing creative projects and she reminded me of Heart of Dinner and suggested I illustrate the paper bags they use to package their food. The stresses of the pandemic and work felt me feeling drained, and also not in the headspace to craft and create, which in turn left my creative bucket feeling very empty. I was so motivated by Julie’s suggestion that I emailed the organization the very next day.

At first, I was taken aback by the fifty bag minimum, but I had the best time brainstorming what to paint. With things feeling so out of control in my life and in the world, each brush stroke felt so therapeutic and relaxing. It also warmed my heart knowing I was creating something for such a worthy cause.

Attaching illustrated notes cards that were so beautifully done by another volunteer.

Contemporary Holiday Wreath

My friend Melissa was feeling in a crafty mood and wanted to make something similar to this lovely wreaths. I never seen wreaths interpreted in such a modern and minimalist way and was excited to try making one.

I have not crafted in awhile, so it felt so good to get my hands dirty and try to figure out the exact placement of each greenery piece. I love how it turned out!

DIY Polaroid Ornaments

My friend and her fiancé recently opened a super cute doggy care shop in Downtown Brooklyn. To get into the holiday spirit and showcase all their dog clients, Geraldine asked me make some ornaments for the store’s Christmas tree. She had taken polaroids of all the pups and we brainstormed how to spruce them up with some holiday cheer.

We wrote down each dog’s name on the polaroids and embellished them with red ribbons, fuzzy balls, stickers, and mini clothes pins. The evening was exactly what I needed – girl chat, crafts and delicious Thai food. A much needed distraction from all the woes of the pandemic.

Koa, Geraldine’s dog, pooped from the evening. ♥️

Pop Art Illustration Class (Apex For Youth)

One-Point Perspective Art Class (Apex For Youth)

I had the opportunity to lead a virtual art class for elementary students through Apex For Youth. It has been a minute since I had volunteered with the organization so I was thrilled to help out and put on my creative hat to develop an one-hour class.

After toying with several possible topics to cover, I settled on exploring the principles of one-point perspective and using those concepts to create three-dimensional letters. I thought the kids would gravitate towards seeing how their names could look 3D with simple techniques.

Trying to keep young kids engaged can be tricky online, I mean, I get bored on some Zoom calls. So it was really helpful to do a practice rehearsal with Tra, the volunteer coordinator.

Here are a few slides from the presentation:

The class was really well-received. And, as a naturally shy person, I was mindful to keep my energy level high and upbeat (but not too upbeat) when presenting. I am always reminded of Beyonce, who says she transforms into Sasha Fierce when she is performing.

The class was the perfect marriage of art, education, and serving the community. I am so glad I reached out to Tra to see if there were an opportunities for me to teach. It never hurts to ask, right? Let’s hope there will be many more classes to come.