 Welcome friends, we're going to get started in just a moment. Let folks fill up the room. Hello, good evening. Hello. Hi everybody. I'm an ESA I'm your librarian tonight and I'm going to put in the chat box the link. Sorry about that. Okay, I'm an ESA I'm your librarian for tonight and put the links in for tonight's document. This has info on library news and links to our presenter tonight. So I want to thank you all for joining us. We know there is a baseball game happening tonight. And thank you all for being here. So our library would like to acknowledge that we occupy the unceded ancestral homeland of the wrong mutual Sholoni people are the original inhabitants of the San Francisco peninsula. We recognize that we benefit from living and working on their traditional homeland and as uninvited guests we're from their sovereign rights as first peoples, and wish to pay our respects to the ancestors, elders and relatives of the raw mutual community. And I'm going to put in the chat right now. So we have some links to reading on first person culture, particularly aloney and a link to a map if you don't know what territory you're joining us on from this map is really great and interactive. You can also check out the security land trust and all women led indigenous organization out of the East Bay out of Oakland, which is also a lonely land, and they're doing amazing work. We are here tonight to see the amazing work of Jessica so rent a. And this is part of our weaving stories which is our Asian American native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month. SFPL we not only highlight during the month but we program all year round for all of our cultural awareness and heritage groups that we have in San Francisco which as you know is a lot and love it. And so, thank you Jessica for being here as part of our May celebration and look for programming like this all year round. If you haven't been by the main library we encourage you to come by, as you walk up into the Grove entrance you will see this beautiful artwork huge enormous. And this is by our featured a and hpi artist Nancy home, who has also played a pivotal role in art in San Francisco. There's also been connected to the current East Street workshop, who currently has an exhibition in our Jewett gallery, and it will be running through April 29 through August six, dreaming the people's history. And it is gorgeous it went up on Saturday, come down and have a look. Tomorrow night, author Chad Williams in combo with Sarah Ledipo manica about WED voice and the first world war and the treatment of soldiers live event in our current auditorium. And Thursday, we're doing an offsite event with the diaspora Vietnamese artist network, the van. And we've had quite a few events with them amazing authors. And I'm so excited for Christina vo, who has her debut novel, it's a book launch, and she will be in combo with land P dorm. And this will be at Manny's on 16th street so come. I love doing offset events and makes it a little more festive. So come on down. Also part of a NHPI, we're going to do a virtual calligraphy workshop with Jojo Lou. And there is a supply list for this so check out our website for what you need it's pretty minimal, and it's just a round brush and some ink basically but you can check it out. I hope to see you there. And here about what you think about our virtual programming. Partnering with cam for triple feature on Saturday. I know this says Monday typo. It's Saturday, May 13. And the amazing Q chin part of also the diaspora Vietnamese network, they two are going to change time so keep an eye out for the time changes. Life is something else. So, I am excited tonight to have Jessica so runtime with us tonight. Our, our campaign at SFPL is called weaving stories, and I googled textile artists, and Jessica's name came up and her work is just so beautiful. So I'm so excited that she agreed to come be in the hot seat with us and talk about her art. Born and raised in San Francisco time received her BA in studio art at Mills College in Oakland in 2013 inspired by her identity as a Chinese American woman. She creates embroideries that reference Asian patterns and objects from her childhood. Her work has been exhibited at San Jose Museum of built and textile textiles, and at the spring break art fair in New York. She currently lives and maintains a studio in beautiful South City. All right, and I will, like I said this is the link for the document tonight. I will continue to add resources to this document. And whatever comes up with Jessica, we will add it there. Welcome Jessica. Thank you for being here tonight. Thank you for having me. Let me just share that out. Okay, so, again, my name is Jessica. And I'm an SF native as mentioned earlier. And I just wanted to talk about basically my path on how I got started with embroidery. So, towards the end of middle school I knew I wanted to pursue the arts. I pretty much only enjoyed making art. I knew it would make sense to apply to school the arts in San Francisco. Fortunately, I didn't get in. But with the stroke of luck, my mom had entered me into a raffle to enroll into a charter school called City Arts and Tech High School. And thankfully I got in. And by sheer luck, they have an internship program where they require their junior and senior students to basically do an internship one day a week. And thankfully, because I knew what I wanted to do pretty early in life in terms of what career path I wanted to pursue, I interned with two artists that I Googled that lived in San Francisco. The first one was Philip Hoa, a Vietnamese artist. He is still currently based in San Francisco on the left here. And on the right, I also interned with Jeremy Sutton. And little did I know that being part of this school and also interning with these two artists became such a valuable tool for me. Because later on, even after high school, I maintained a relationship with them. Did assistant work. And in the meantime also got plenty of advice from both, you know, well established artists in the city, so it was great to learn business aspects, just kind of handling pretty much non art related tasks in terms of running your own art business. And I'm still in contact with them today and so glad that I got to meet them. And so, with graduating from City Arts and Tech, through a friend, her mom went to Mills College and by that, I also decided to apply to Mills College and pursued studio art major. And I wanted to, for the longest time, I pursued painting and drawing your standard mediums, but at a certain point I got kind of tired of it. And so, thankfully, towards senior year, all senior students had to start figuring out what they wanted to do for their senior exhibition, and I had an assignment where basically I would experiment with materials and techniques. So in these two photos, I took some paper that they had in the studio and taped it all onto roughly the size of that same studio, I believe it was like 18 feet by something. But basically I folded it into a nautilus shell with the idea of creating like a little shelter for me, but unfortunately it didn't really pan out but this was a great exercise in terms of exploring different techniques and materials, which led to my senior exhibition. By chance, I just started working with embroidery. For example, well, being a college student, looking for materials and trying to use, trying to apply techniques to it. Of course, there would be a lot of cup noodle containers around, so I thought it'd be interesting to take the Styrofoam cup and start sewing into it. It turned out it was not a really good material to sew into, but I love the imagery of it so much that I decided to recreate it all in fiber, which birthed this piece of cup noodles. Part of the show was also me exploring language in textile, this piece Google Translate. I took a quote, I believe it was from Confucius, and I put it into Google Translate into Chinese, and then took that text back into English and then continue that until it basically wouldn't create any more variations. And that's what this piece is. It's a very cool piece. And the threads are linking the different words, so this word is connected to that word. And so after graduating, I didn't know what to do. And so during my unemployment, I figured, you know, what better time to make art. And I had a direct inspiration from this artist, Inkenaga Yasunari, who was a Japanese painter. And when I saw his work, I thought I fell in love with the pattern in the clothing and thought, what if I were to reverse that, so put the pattern on the skin and keep the fabric blank. And so that started off with these two pieces, which got really popular. And it kind of launched my, I guess, career. And so people started to notice my work. And I guess the rest is history. So next, in continuation of the object series, when I did get employed, unfortunately, I lost a lot of time spent sewing. And so the works I created became a little bit smaller. And so for these, I recreated significant objects from my Chinese childhood. So the chrysanthemum tea drink, classic, and the typical blue willow plate. So moving on from there while I was still employed, I was lucky enough to be invited to a group show held at Modern Eden. And things went pretty well, and they invited me to do a solo show, which I'm so thankful for that they all sold. And it was really great to be able to step into the art scene in San Francisco, and I learned a lot. Unfortunately, one of the main factors of working with galleries in terms of, from my experience is generally the gallery takes 50%. So it's like having to navigate how much you want to price your work versus how much you actually spent on labor materials and such. And so one of the unfortunate things I've learned is when I'm in group shows. Unfortunately, the medium of embroidery is somewhat still looked upon as like not fine art. So it's been a difficult process in terms of pricing your work, valuing myself and my hours versus how people from the outside value my work versus say a painting or an illustration. This piece in particular, La La Girls took over, I believe, 350 hours. And if it sold, it would barely begin to them wage. But it's like having to compete with other artists work, which not their fault, but it's just having to navigate in an already very limited scene where there's barely any textile work. It's been a struggle in terms of trying to find a balance. So thankfully, there are still up and downs. I had another solo show with modern Eden, which I believe almost sold out. I think there's still one left. But I mean, I'm quite proud with the sales that I've done and also quite proud in terms of the growth I've had in my work that I'm like with these I also incorporated acrylic paint, which I think helped with creating a more vibrant work in general. And so for a few years, I've been working with galleries in terms of mainly being invited to group shows and creating works and sometimes getting sales. But at a certain point personally, I felt a little bit unhappy with the situation. And I'm still happy to work with galleries but it was difficult to find something that I felt, I don't know what's the word like connected to. I wanted to create more art that was significant to my identity beyond just being Asian female. So one of the things that I like to do is I like to take original, like original packaging, like on the right side here with the Marvel and the lighter and recreate those in embroidery, but it's, there's only so many items I can find in my area. I'm also looking to find more references in terms of like the female body in my girl series. So I spent some time looking for, I guess like vintage discarded family photos in the San Francisco area unfortunately, I guess vintage is generally assumed to be more of a western, western like image. So it was one of the driving factors for me visiting Malaysia about a month ago. And so you see here I found quite a lot of discarded photos which I will be using in future work. So it was just really exciting to see like beyond my small circle here in San Francisco that I can. It was basically a treasure hunt and it was a great experience. And so, before I got on to Malaysia. One of the reasons why I went is because my friend Sheena, who is also an embroidery artist slash model persuaded me to come on by and because she was such a kind friend and also, you know, show me around I knew I had to create something as a gift for thank you for her time. And so I took her and her husband's wedding photo and basically created this cross stitch effect, however, the cross stitches don't connect with each stitch. And so it really increased this really interesting like kind of point to list style. And I really fell in love with this and I feel like once I finish up a few of these current pieces I'm working on, this is something I'm planning on pursuing in terms of going in this style. Just a close up of peace. That's it. That's really short. Sorry. That's how short that was, but I can answer a bunch of questions. Yes, we'll definitely take some questions friends if you have questions. That was very short. I encourage you all to check out. It can be short. It's okay. I encourage you to check out Jessica's website there's some really beautiful pieces on there and of course, follow her on Instagram I love the matchbook pieces I think those are so gorgeous. Thank you. Yeah. Does anyone have some questions for Jessica tonight. I was wondering is it Sheena like Liam. Yes. She goes by times, new romance, one of her accounts on Instagram. That's silly. I love it. Hope. I hope. What sort of materials would you like to work with that you haven't had a chance to use just yet. I'd like to go ceramics. It'd be interesting to see how I can combine those perhaps with embroidery. You know, any questions. Let's see. What inspires you in nature. Tony, Chinatown, I guess. I mean, not so much like nature nature but like more so just Chinese names in general, maybe. I don't know that doesn't really answer the question. I also not really a nature person works are also lovely. How did you find your models for your major trip. What about the fabric patterns. Google Frankensteining a bunch of poses. Adult media. Yeah, any pretty much anywhere on Google. I hope. Would you ever consider going back to that shell project and perhaps making out of fabric and then getting really, then really getting in there for a nice little nap look nice cozy. Yes, that was the intention of the first one. Unfortunately, even that size was not enough for me to actually like sit inside, but I would love to do another try. A little classmate did something similar, not in the shell shape, but with rice paper. And so she had wet the sheets together and it drive to hard shell, which was pretty cool. Hi, D Dallas. Could you talk a little more about your three works long time fan in Australia. Thank you. So I don't started with the cup noodle, and then I like the food theme, which then led to the Chinese bowl, the chrysanthemum tea. A lot of like porcelain and food items. It was more so urine towards iconic objects, significant to my childhood, which I feel like could also overlap with a lot of other Chinese American for like, China town some experiences. Like you go to the Chinese restaurant I think that was pretty, pretty iconic. Yeah I'm still working on, hopefully making more three pieces I just recently created a base, which was pretty cool. A little difficult though. Hi Tony. Can you create your own patterns for free hand. A bit of both. Sometimes I mash them together much like how I deal with poses. If I can find patterns online I sometimes use those. That's a lot of searching, either online or physically like text all patterns. Are there any other ways you might suggest to artists who are having similar issues with galleries things like France, Patreon and the thing you might have found helpful slash where we can support if we don't have fun or just ourselves. That's, that's the trouble for everyone, isn't it. One tip is to not narrow yourself in that category. I mean, it's difficult just because the nature of the medium is so long that, for example, it on average takes a month for me to finish a piece. And usually time I get an invitation it doesn't really give me that much time. But whatever time you do have, I feel like focusing on perhaps passive income, like creating a design and putting it through place like print on demand stores. And France, Patreon are also good things. Perhaps YouTube videos where you're showing like a time lapse of your work or like kind of behind the scenes because people really enjoy those. If you're able to eventually get enough views for you to to be a viable thing, which I'm hoping maybe I can try to, but um, yeah, it's like, you know, to pursue being a store like business as opposed to creating one pieces, like one off pieces. It's, you know, you can sell one individual artwork for hire versus you can sell many of the smaller thing. So it's like, you have to balance both if you decide to do both or not. Do you have any plans or ideas for ways to maybe cut down on your time span each piece in order to make it more financially stable, sustainable going forward. That's actually one of the reasons why I incorporated paint into my work. I had always wanted to add more color. But thread painting is very intimidating, and it takes a lot of time. So that's one thing I did recently start using principle stabilizer in terms of using that to transfer design as opposed to hand tracing. So that, that was one thing that helped but besides learning how to use a sewing machine, which I'm not really good with. That might speed things up. Your works are also lovely. Thank you. How did you find your models before your Malaysia. Did I already have this before your Malaysia trip. What about the fabric patterns. Mainly Google. I do look for books that also containing like a catalog of models patterns. There are a couple, like, pose reference books that I like to like to use and for reference and mash up sometimes terms of fabric patterns. I like to go mainly on a rare occasion like actual fabric patterns that I find either physically or online. Do you listen to music while you work. If so, what do you listen to anything that stirs creativity. I like to watch where I like to put on YouTube videos. I don't really know why, but I can't put on movies but for some reason I like when people talk. So like podcasts. On the off occasion I do listen to music. But I usually chill stuff. Nothing to like, you know, like stressful, I guess. What theme have you not tried yet, but like would like to do. I don't know. I mean maybe something I would like to expand on like body sizes and ethnicities but it's, it's a little tricky for me I feel like I don't want to represent people incorrectly. If you know what I mean. I mean, granted I already do a lot of like stereotypical like standard of beauty things but or maybe like male figures, something non female. I don't know. I think that would be interesting to to try out just because I only do females really. What does your self care look like what do you do when you aren't creating I wear a lot of wrist braces drink a lot of water I sleep. Can you recommend any podcast or channels to listen to fees. I like trash taste. If anyone's interested in like Japanese meme culture. I also like to put on travel blogs, or woodworking blocks. Yeah, if it's not someone like talking usually it's someone working on something so like kind of like in a studio environment. You design your wrist bracelets to I think do you mean risk braces, they're just like the standard, like for injury braces. I have one that where I wear overnight. I have a spandage. What else do I have. mainly braces use a lot of like pain. Is that is the wrist braces from doing embroidery work. Yeah. The pain of art. Yeah, on occasion. Thankfully doesn't happen too often I find that my fingers get numb. If I hold the needle too hard. That's a little alarming but Yeah, are you worried about like the longevity of like your how to make up staying creative. Definitely like early on I would put in so many hours just to get like a single piece done, and it would almost always injure like the elbow area the wrist, my fingers, my shoulders and so I've had to get massages and when it got really back but I have like a massage gun. I use a lot of a lot of pain killers, which is not really good on the long run but I try to take breaks. I don't take enough and I know I don't take enough. And I regret it when it gets too painful, but I'm still learning. And so what I'll just go on the same thing so like what is your work setup like are you, you have like light magnifying. I'm worried about like I'm gonna be able to see you in the long run. I have a decent light here that helps me. I unfortunately have a habit of resting my poop on my desk is I'm always usually looking down, and then when I'm stitching I'm always like, yeah, this motion. I usually just like, you know, try to stretch as much as I can, then take breaks. All right. Well thank you for answering all that barrage of questions that we just shot at you I loved it. Hope is putting. Yes. Is this the one that we thank you hope for putting that in there. Let me see. Yes, I have entered that into the document. We have two books at SFPL that feature Jessica's work. One is called unraveling women's art creators rebels and innovators and textile arts. And you know you can place these all on hold and pick them up. And the other one that hope mentioned this long thread women of color on craft community and connection. And I think it's really fascinating to thinking about like representing other people and other body types. I think authors think about that a lot and I think like in the past it hasn't been something that a lot of authors maybe thought about but I think the lack of representation of so many different cultures and like art and photography and embroidery and fine art is huge and so this is like for me thinking about how there have been times where I've read about like privileged white male artists creating like gaseous or like, you know, using the exotic female whatever and it becoming kind of like, who gets to create what you know as an Asian woman like do I automatically have to create this category of work, like am I limited to this, am I selling out if I create quote unquote contemporary modern artwork that's more abstract, for example. So that's just one of my concerns and thought processes in terms of, I guess, expanding beyond what I'm already working on, just because that's what I'm mostly known for. Even though it doesn't exactly reflect myself physically but it's, it's something, you know. I haven't gotten in trouble yet. I mean, I don't think they're, I think your work is, you know, treated with, you know, beauty and care that you would not be getting in trouble for anything. I would, if I were you I'd explore some other body types for sure and I mean. I try to continue and like improve my work. So I'm not creating the same thing over and over again, which is why I'm excited to move towards this kind of cross stitch thing but I do know that is also quite popular. So, you know, the this cross stitch thing isn't my end game. It's just kind of how naturally progressing in terms of my style I think. Excellent. Yeah, well we are all looking forward to learning, you know, following you and your art career and wherever you go next and the work you create and let's see. There is one more question is there anyone you'd like to collaborate with. You know, I would I was in Malaysia, I was working on something with Sheena. Nothing's come out of it yet, but it's work in progress. So I hope something would. Yeah, she does work is gorgeous to I love her though. She treats the hair. And then one of the first people to do it. And then everyone followed suit. Yeah, I've seen this a lot. I've seen like, you know, Shabiri embroidery where they do the ropes that are coming. Very gorgeous. Here's a question we can answer with our scrap discussion, where do you usually get your materials for embroidering I'm sure there's other places in the scrap but are there any color threads you are more drawn to. So I mainly go to Joanne for Michaels for like bulk fabric, and also I mainly use DMC floss, so Joanne is the most comprehensive store that has pretty much all the colors, usually if it's in stock. And then we were just expressing our love of scrap. If you haven't been to scrap, go to scrap. You'll come. Good place to donate, as well as a good place to come home with a bunch of scrap you might not have. When you hit it big you can hire a team of embroiderers oh there you go. I'm still kind of struggling in terms of not being a control free. So it's, I know it's a lot of work, and it would make more sense to, you know, have help, but I just can't let it go yet. Not yet. Maybe if I can't use my hands. That's when you're going to let it go. Yeah, I mean I have no other choice maybe I'll start sewing my feet. Jessica. Thank you so much for being here tonight and library community thank you for bringing those wonderful questions we appreciate it. And I hope to see you at some of our virtual events come by for the calligraphy event. Let me put the links in here one more time so you can have, as usual, all sorts of wonderful resources have come up. There they are. Jessica Thank you so much for participating. Thank you for your work.