February in Studio: Themes of Magic(k)

Candle Study I, 2025, 10 × 8 in, Acrylic and stain on wood panel

It had been a long time since I’ve finished a piece in studio.

I had been working on the bathroom mirror piece for about 6 months, and decided that I needed to take a break and work some things out in small form. I haven’t worked this small in years! These studies are 10 x 8 inches, and I am making several more currently that are slightly larger, before I get back to working on my show.

I am really excited about these. If you’ve been here for awhile, you know that I’ve been working on bringing back the theme of magic(k) into my work since my first solo on Philippine folklore, and I feel like I’ve finally gotten back there.

Candle Study II, 2025, 10 × 8 in, Acrylic and stain on wood panel

I’m also testing the mirror out more.

I love the mirror as a metaphor. Just like the candle it is also a magical object, but what I find so intriguing about the mirror is our ability to see past the reflection and visualize things that aren’t real. I find this to be a great way to express how people learn to see reflections that are based on the biases of others.

In recent months I’ve talked a lot about how I’ve been feeling a need to shift as an artist and storyteller. I’m finding a lot more satisfaction on refocusing my work to be less about a single identity, and more about multiculturalism. I think it’s the utmost important conversation right now—how do we bring different cultures together in a loving and caring way? What are the conflicts that arise, and how do we tackle those in affective ways so that we can coexist and thrive?

I’m currently exploring these questions in my next two solos, but for the rest of February, I am making more candle studies.