T.Jay Santa Ana

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One Year Later and I'm Doin' Shows, Ma!

 

Between Duality at the Ken Club and the APAHM (Asian Pacific American Heritage Month) Show at Title TK last weekend, I haven't had a chance to sit down and reflect upon my experiences until now.

Duality at the Kensington Club was every artist's dream of doing something borderline pretentiously artsy and passing it off as passion and creativity. Honestly though, it was amazing. Thanks to Art Unites I had a lot of freedom to essentially put on an installation/performance piece alongside some amazing musicians. There were also other visual artists set up —Eyegato, despite how elusive he was throughout the night —had merch and pieces for display. I got to chat with him outside and learned that he and his friends were having a conversation about my work, my process, and the video I had created and projected while I was working. I was a little mesmerized by him, ngl. Our small yet significant interaction made it to some of the pieces I had live-painted that night. George and all the family came and the brother caught and cut up some awesome footage. I landed another gig doing the same thing for a show called "Connect" coming in June. And I got paid, grorl.

Fast-forward a month or so to the APAHM show at Title TK —quite literally operating out of an apartment/townhouse-turned studio and a garage connected to an alley perpendicular to El Cajon blvd. Reese was sweet and very accommodating to the artists' (a gay Filipino photographer and myself) requests, which weren't very many. The bands were amazing, and Drea of Drea and the Marilyns bought a piece I had done recently, "Blu and Billy Are in Tahoe City," and I was feelin' some type of way about it? Like I was sad? But so amazed that it touched someone after I told them the story? Like?! I try to practice non-expectation at all times, but selling more than a few pieces that night was a pleasant surprise.

Below you'll see all the content I was lucky to have captured. If you're on a phone tap the photos to scroll through.

Such a thrilling ride, these days, with more planned for June!