Where the Tree Grows is opening today at the KALA Gallery, 2990 San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley. The reception is from 6-8PM. Hope to see you there!

I finished my residency at KALA at the end of June and have spent most of my time afterwards completing work for the Fellows and Media Residents group show. Here we are and tomorrow is the opening. If you're in the Bay Area come by and see the work of the 10 artists in our cohort.
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https://www.kala.org/exhibition/where-the-tree-grows/

I delivered Brown Meat to Axis Gallery on Memorial Day for UP-CYCLE, an upcoming group show. There are six painters from the region and the show was curated by Mirabel Wigon and Frank J Stockton. Exhibition dates are from May 31 - June 30, with a reception on June 8, 5-8PM.

I'll be in a group show in July with all the other KALA Fellows once our residencies end in June. So I'm busy finishing the pieces I plan to show. The painting I just finished, Manong Bob - The Great Migration, has a lot of threads and images that speak to being a Filipino immigrant and coming to America. I'll me posting more as the date gets closer.

I was at KALA the other day and was interviewed by filmmakers, Louise Ruback and Perry Pickett for their documentary archive project, "Enlisted." The 2023-24 KALA Fellowship was also awarded to one artist in the cohort who had served in the military, which I was selected for. Had a great time chatting with both of them and telling my story.

Here are a few things that I've been working on. The Lego Bulul, the Broom Branch and the Man Bird are all pieces that will be part of my installation in the KALA Fellowship Group Show in July. I plan to also include a video projection of footage I've shot of migratory birds. The work will speak to Filipino diaspora, immigration and migration. While my residency ends in June I'm trying to work there at least once a week. I'm still experimenting making monotypes, some pictured here, but I'm also making silkscreen prints and hope to include some plrints in the installation.

I've been making a few drawings, monoprints and this painting of Wino Shrimp. A character that referances the time I spent in New Orleans, LA. The knives come from carvings I saw in Italy a few years ago on the side of a church.

Was invited by Carlo Ricafort to participate in a group show at Taylor 15 in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines. The show was up during Art Fair Philippines 2024. A couple pieces were included at Gerry Tan's venue in Makati.

I spent the month of February at KALA living in the Higsby apartment and walking to and from the studio. Learned a ton about pulling intaglio, mono and silkscreen prints. I really enjoyed making mono prints. I really never had a connection to printmaking, but my time printing art KALA has given me a new appreciation for it. I'm looking forward to making more work there and also working on the pieces I plan to put in the group show in July.

This year I'll be working on projects related to my time spent kayaking and being out in nature filming birds. They're separate things that I enjoy, but recently I realized that I can relate both of them to Filipino diaspora, immigration, survival and much more. So with my time at KALA this year I hope explore and expand on that connection. Part of my obligation as a KALA Fellow is to participate in a group show mid-year so I want to include some video footage of migratory birds either projected or on a large monitor, but finding a connection to materials and imagery will dictate whether I include video or not.

Since I took a class in lithography and drypoint last year I'm really interested in pursuing printmaking. I hope I can take more classes or at least get some time on a press. Would love to buy one at some point. I've also set up a silkscreen station in my studio to make prints as well. Just need to get the darkroom and exposure unit completed and tested.

Just a short list for now, but lots to get done and look forward to in 2024.