april updates

This month I got the opportunity to do an online workshop with ArtStarts! ArtStarts is a charity organization that helps connect artists with teachers and classrooms.

They're very process-based, so I tried to ask lots of questions and encourage experimentation. This isn't my usual teaching style, so I do end up being a bit long-winded haha 😅

ArtStarts on Saturdays: Inking with Janice Liu

The pandemic has me thinking about my relationship to labour. I've been working in-person since summer last year, teaching art classes for kids. Work has sort of become the only thing going on in my life right now. I know how lucky I am to even be able to work, to have a job I love, and how privileged I am to be able to run my own art business, so I'm finding it really hard to not feel like I have to be working all the time.

One of my goals this year is to have better work-life balance. So I've been doing ~little self care things~ like having a consistent bedtime, cooking more, and reading more. It helps keep my mental health level steady, but I have to say that even my self-care activities have felt very much like always being ~a responsible adult~. I want to play and have leisure time that feels truly fulfilling, but it feels like I've forgotten how.

The funny thing is, I don't even know how else to define myself outside of work. When I think about the goals and dreams for the future... the main ones all tie back to my career and my work. I want to finish my middle-grade mystery comic. I want to see it published and in bookstores and libraries. I want classes running in my studio everyday, and to be able to pay and hire awesome artists to teach there with me. But like, I feel like aside from these career-oriented goals, I don't have anything to look forward to that feels truly fulfilling and meaningful. Maybe like, getting married? Adopting a pet? Even saying that sounds a little frivolous.

updates on various projects

Fly Together fundraiser

🦋🦋🦋

Vancouver artists Sad China & Kyinskies are running an online fundraiser supporting Asian and migrant sex workers. We hope to see you there!

If you order the $15 sticker pack, you'll get some of my Full Moon bunny stickers included with your purchase! (may be individual stickers instead of the whole sheet)

❤️ eventbrite tickets for live music & spoken word performances >>

❤️ purchase sticker pack >>

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If you randomly stumbled upon my work and we don't know each other personally, feel free to reply to this email and say hi! At the same time, if you have any thoughts or questions about stuff I've mentioned above, also feel free to reply! I'll respond to all genuine messages.

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