🄼 Do you have access to your art studio during the shelter-in-place? If not, how has this affected you/your practice? 

🄹 I am incredibly fortunate to have a home studio at this time. I live in pacifica, and in our garage is a built out room which I turned into my studio about a year ago.

I usually have a full time job as an art handler at SFMOMA, so my art practice was in the evenings and on weekends. Now everything has changed and having the extra time to devote to my practice feels great. However, the uncertainty and whats going on in the world is very draining, so I have found that I need to take it day by day. Some days are incredibly productive and rewarding, and some days I don't leave the couch. Both are okay! We have to do what's best for ourselves.

🄼 What are you doing these days to keep yourself motivated? Do you have any routines that are helping? 

🄹 My sleep schedule is completely thrown off, so I am not getting up as early as I would like. I usually take the mornings slow, I drink my coffee, pet my dog, and catch up on social media and email. I have a huge list of projects and ideas that I keep adding to, I reference it and see if anything jumps out at me. This time is great for experimentation. I am trying new things and not really worrying about if they fit into my "practice" or not. I spend the afternoons on a project whether its art, housework, or reading and writing. Usually in the evening my husband and I walk our dog to the beach and then I cook dinner. 

🄼 Do you have any pets at home? If so, can you tell us about them?

🄹 Yes! I have a shiba inu named Warhol and I am obsessed with him. Shiba's are such a weird breed of dog because they are incredibly aloof. I am constantly begging him for attention and love. He is so smart and stubborn, he does everything on his own time and in his own way... guess we have some things in common. 

🄼 What are you currently working on?

🄹 I've recently become very interested in memory and the precariousness of it. I'm using photography and image making to explore how memory can shift and change with time, and how easy it is to manipulate memory with photography. I am also interested when photography rebels against itself, and an image is lost forever. Memories can make us immortal and provide a legacy, but only for as long as someone is interested in your memories. 

🄼 What do you think about virtual galleries and museums? Pros and cons?

🄹 I am really happy and excited to see artists and institutions adapt and find ways to still interact with audiences. We need creative outlets now more than ever. I don't think anything will ever be able to replace in person engagement with art and communities, but seeing the immediate response among the creative community within the bay area, and elsewhere was really exciting. I am enjoying the challenge of making work that can have an impact in this new world we are navigating. 

🄼 What is the best and/or worst thing about staying home?

🄹 The best thing for me has been being able to spend a lot more time with my husband. He is working from home and I am loving getting to have lunches together, and just connecting in new ways. I have definitely had moments where I broke down because the uncertainty was too much to bear Not knowing when I will be seeing friends, or having stable income, or just eating in a restaurant, but it all comes down to what we are doing is for the greater good, and I am so privileged to have what I do.

🄼 Do you have anything coming up that you’d like to share or promote? 

🄹 After the shelter in place is lifted, I am very excited to be in a residency at lightsource. I will be working on my series, "Absence is the Constant." I am really excited to revisit this work with less limitations and see what happens. The residency will culminate with an exhibition which I will be sure to blast out details for as soon as we have a time in place!