Thank You Ceramics

Way stoked and honored to be included in the CHAOS issue of .zine 🔥 Get your copy via .kim.h
Keep your eyes on Evoke, they are the real deal.

Photo of cigarette credit: Matt Macy

Temper. 2023.
Sculpture
Stoneware Ceramic
7 x 3.5 X 17.5
Currently at AMOCA until September 8th.

This piece explores the heat of anger, the need to express boundaries that are crossed, and how long that temper might flame. Our emotions are deeply tied to our bodies and gestures. Unfortunately our boundaries can be lost in translation.

While traveling to a foreign country with different customs, a security guard was creepily staring at me non-stop. I felt objectified. It was uncomfortable. I did not like it. So without much consideration, I flipped him off! And he joyfully waved back excited I acknowledged his presence. I felt like my middle finger was broken.

July is Disability Pride month and today is the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The creation of civilization is said to have began when humans cared for others with broken bones. What does that say about our state of civilization? More than 1 in 4 adults in the US have disabilities -that’s 70+ million people. It is the largest growing minority. If nearly everyone will experience disability within their lifetime then why then do we not shape our world for this inevitability? And I’m one of those people. I am dyslexic. And in 2022-2023, I became physically “temporary” disabled due to a negligent ceramic studio that lacked proper training and encouraged workers to “push through the pain”. This resulted in tendinitis in both my hands, both my wrists, and my left elbow. It’s been over a year and I have yet to fully recover.

Being disabled has completely changed how I relate to the world and my art. When people tell me about their pain, I UNDERSTAND what they are saying. I hate it when I people say “that’s unimaginable” in reference to suffering. We must challenge ourselves to not block our empathy for our fear of vicarious pain. I no longer have a pottery business and I’ve had to go back to school in attempts to get a new stable career that doesn’t rely on physical labor. I rather be making art. Before the injury I liked the physical work because I didn’t have to mask my dyslexia. I was proud of being able to lift 60 pounds. Now lifting more than 10 pounds is painful and might take a week to recover. And I miss surfing.

People sometimes say everything happens for a reason, and while, I am grateful to transition to sculpture (though not at the expense of my body and livelihood) -I say f*ck that -negligent bosses should be held accountable. As you can imagine I have become passionate about Disability Justice. If disability is inevitable for you or someone you love, isn’t it something worth getting passionate about? Isn’t right now a good time to explore our internalized ableism and start building a more equitable future by the small actions we can take right now? At the very least, if you’re an artist w/ functional hands, insure them.

Tonight in Oakland! The Q***r Agenda art show at 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Enough
2023
17”x7”
Ceramic. Glaze.

Pottery, does not question if it is pottery enough, so then why do we question if we are enough?

Keep your eyes on Palestine and center Palestinian voices who are in Palestine. I don’t know what’s going to happen but I do know that I can’t do nothing. I know that I alone can’t change anything but WE can change the world together. Sami and I have gone (and continue to go to) many protests. I was inspired to build Sami because of . As a kid I would borrow books from the library and look at pictures all about different art movements and that’s where I learned about protests and protest art. I remembered giant papier-mâché faces among crowds in protest and those images always stuck with me. In 2015 I visited a friend in Vermont and they took me to Bread and Puppet. The dots connected! I felt so inspired and fueled by being there in the rolling grass hills. I loved how larger than life art could be. And that we could interact with it, not just look, but feel. Late last year I built Sami because I wanted people to remember the kids as we protested since the children of Gaza couldn’t protest with us. I wanted people to know what happened to my dad. And what happened to all the Palestinians violently forced out. I wanted to keep adding fuel to the fire of liberation 🔥. I didn’t really think it through, -I have a lot of stage fright, I thought people would only see Sami, but they also saw me too. I’ve made so many friends at these protests and events. This community has expanded my sense of safety in the world. Something I never really felt before. People who understand that there is no joy unless we walk through the door of grief. That we have a shared knowing before celebration. I celebrate that later this summer I’ll be attending my first artist residency at I want to thank my community for all their support. And giving me space to show up as I am. I have comments off cause it’s too overwhelming, but if you like my work, feel free to repost or send to friends. Consider joining my patreon and keep your eye out for a fundraiser to help me attend this residency. ❤️🇵🇸

“Freedom is something that dies unless it’s used.” - Hunter S. Thompson

Humanity needs you. No matter how afraid you are, all people deserve kindness. Take any action you can no matter how big or small.

.egypt

Please bring communication to Gaza.

Fingers Crossed for Humanity.
It is our responsibility to take any and all steps we can towards liberation no matter how big or small. All liberation relies on each other, no one is free until we are all free. This includes you. This includes me. We are part of humanity. It is not outside of our ability. This is actually something we all can do. If we all take small steps together, change is possible. This is your sign to take action towards liberation.

Ceramic Sculpture
2023
17x4

FR33 PAL3$TIN3

Landscape No.1

Sculpture
17” x 18”
Ceramic + Silver
2023

Are we also landscapes?

Here’s some behind-the-scenes photos. Earlier this year I won a contest put on by .agency to shoot in their beautiful studio for a day. Seeing my work in a very different space for the first time, combining observations of nature in a classic repurposed warehouse factory -well let’s just say I am very into the results.

Thank you for being my emotional support and muscle. And thank you for your vision and 📸!

Dinnerware with an Eating Disorder
pt.6
Eating disorders are hidden in plain sight and much more complex than the behavioral patterns of bingeing, purging or starving. At least 27 people die from an eating disorder everyday. And often over looked are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color who are half as likely to be diagnosed, receive treatment, or even be asked about their eating disorder.
Treatment for eating disorders takes at least two years and costs $250,000. $250,000 is also the price of this sculpture. 75% of the profits from this piece will be donated. ()

Let this work be a catalyst for having the hard conversations.

National Eating Disorder Association Help Line 800-931-2237