Happy Spring!

And welcome new subscribers 😃

Hope this finds you enjoying the season’s renewal—warmer weather, sunnier days, and blossoming buds. Spring has definitely sprung here in the Bay Area and I’ve been thoroughly enjoying it. I had meant to send y’all an update last month but I was so busy living I ran out of time. In addition to celebrating my birthday, I had the pleasure of sharing creative vibrations in community with some amazing people!

Collaging in Community

At the end of February I hosted a collage workshop at J-Sei, a multigenerational and multicultural organization that offers a variety of services rooted in Japanese American culture and values. It was exciting to make art in an intergenerational space that included elders.

We created some beautiful collages while sharing our goals for the Year of the Fire Horse and stories about our lives. It was super sweet that my mom (on the right) also participated. She made a collage with messages of hope.

As part of our closing events for the Gallery 2727 New Members show, I participated in my first Artist Talk. We shared our artistic journeys and what art means to us. I was proud to talk about how significant artists are in society as we are often culture keepers. Our art tells stories of how we feel, think, and experience the world in our lifetimes. Appreciated my community (like my friend Noah on the left) coming out to support.

The beginning of March began with an exciting collage table at the Lantern Festival in Oakland Chinatown. I had the best time connecting with attendees of all ages who visited my table. They were all brilliant artists and creatives!

I absolutely love offering collaging opportunities! If you or anyone you know is interested in getting creative, let’s connect.

Connecting through Taiko

March also had plenty of taiko! I led my first solo taiko workshop at the 41st annual Empowering Women of Color Conference hosted at UC Berkeley. It was fantastic to offer a space for participants to try something new and express themselves through music. We also discussed ways in which we want to incorporate more joy into our daily lives.

A week later, I had the honor to perform in Rising Tides, a community concert organized and produced by fellow taiko artists Koh Yamakawa , MJ Johnson, and Kirin Chanteloup. Performing in this concert was so special for me as I played alongside some of my students in front of almost 200 family, friends, and taiko community members. Photo by Isaac Ceja.

Birthday Celebrations!

All this activity was a wonderful way to spend my birthday month. However, I did make some time for some much needed respite in between it all. It was lovely to slow down, hang with family and friends, and be celebrated. I was treated to some yummy food, went on a nourishing hike to the beach, and simply rested.

When asked about how it felt to be 42, my response included pride, joy, and excitement. I continue to move forward with these sentiments. I also share them with those I cross paths with, including you! As you read this, I hope my joy reflects in you. At 42, I've learned that joy is most alive when it's shared — so consider this my gift to you.

Cheers,

💜 Trisha

UPCOMING EVENTS

May 8, 6-8pm Gallery 2727 Street Encounters Opening Reception (2727 California Street, Berkeley, CA 94703)

May 8-31 Gallery 2727 Exhibition: Street Encounters (2727 California Street, Berkeley, CA 94703)

May 9, 1-3pm Pieces of Self: Collage Card Workshop (2727 California Street, Berkeley, CA 94703)

May 17, 11:30am-5pm 76th Annual Satsuki Bazaar (2121 Channing Way, Berkeley, CA 94704)

June 6, 11am Queer Taiko Performance at Livermore Public Library (Livermore)

June 13-14, 11am-5pm East Bay Open Studios (6050 Lowell Street #117, Oakland, CA 94608)

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