surreal to have my story and work printed in the @nytimes this weekend 🗞️♟️
especially as it was my last week living there…a full circle moment with a last hurrah!
deeply grateful for this city and the people in it.
thank you, @zacharyhsmall , for uplifting my work!
♥️
More gratitude to all who have supported this piece behind the scenes: Jack Meister Lopez, Robin Ediger-Seto, @Anniewiggy , Andy Sowers, Mars Doutey, Alison Kopit, Taja Cheek, Constanza Armes-Cruz, Yolene Grant, Ana Beatriz, Jenna Weiss, Pati Herling and a special thank you to @lizmunsell for watching this piece grow up!
Bracelet & BTS Photographer: @MaryV
BTS Videographer: @andrsrangl
Sculpture Fabrication: @manuelabenaim
Lead mold fabricator: @shawzin
Installation hair: @johnnovotny
Wig: @deetrannybear
For Shane Cho’s first tattoo EVER, they flew out to collaborate ⠀
⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀:¨ ·.· ¨:
⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ `· . 𐙚
I’ve fallen in love with the process of designing large scale tattoos and it’s become impossible for me to ink without sitting with my client in person!
It all begins with a conversation, not a stencil.
Synchronize with my client’s energy and what they hope to embed within the ink is more clarifying than any video call. After we chat, I study the bone structure, moles, scars, and veins.
For Shane (pictured above), we discovered their Median Vein is always prominent + I was able to anchor their moles as checkpoints when weaving through their muscles.
(Applying what I’ve researched on the musculoskeletal system allows me to design a piece that moves with a body rather than against it).
Leaning into all of this, the rest is intuition as I freehand directly onto the skin.
No two pieces are ever replicated; they couldn’t be because each body is its own. 🩻
The result creates a bridge between my client’s present moment and their body as a landscape.
Thank you, Shane Cho, for your sweet words and trusting my work! Still can’t believe this was your first tattoo!
To many more ;)
sharing a piece of my heart for trans day of visibility today
curious how your hearts feel and fingers crossed you feel held today
thank you for loving.
thank you for being.
💌
unmoored/unbound
may 21 - august 9th
ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴠɪᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛᴜʀɴᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴄʏʙᴏʀɢ and ᴀᴜᴛᴏɴᴏᴍʏ as an installation in nyc.
much love to @powerhouse_arts and @bwacgallery for the support + putting this on
⠀:¨ ·.· ¨:⠀
⠀ `· . ୨୧
Still from The Device That Turned Me Into A Cyborg Was Born The Same Year I Was
Directed and writtenby Chella Man
Director of Photography: Leroy Farrell
Underwater Operator: David Quateman
How do you bridge two cultures in motion?
👀
It was monumental to host the first ROTATION ride this past weekend.
Communication barriers between hearing + deaf worlds melted away. We connected through play and quite possibly….pioneered methods of access on wheels?
I’m hoping to keep this community event going + host a free ride every month!
Want details for the next ride? Message me this video and I’ll send them over !
I’ll be sharing the details for June’s ride soon.
If you’d like to support the momentum of growing deaf and hard of hearing spaces in movement, feel free to donate to the gofundme in my bio!
MAJOR thank you to @scenicroutessf for providing support with this event and @fruitcake.cycling for organization advice!
Allllllll of my love to the angels who came out for the ride.
xoxoxoxoxo
My fastest 5K reminded me: looking ahead only makes the distance harder.
I willed the future to temporarily fade.
There was only the present stride, breath becoming fuel, fingers reaching - slicing the air.
< cycling in the Ironman race taught me this first >
I also toyed with language. Catching myself calling the runners beside me competition, I swapped the word for siblings and imagined us moving together in a pack.
I ran faster.
“Competition” feels rooted in fear…the need to prove you’re enough.
“Siblings” felt like equals at play.
Both love and fear can drive you. But, what you choose as the core of your motivations is what grows inside.
Can movement spaces be accessible for deaf and hard of hearing individuals?
MOMENTUM is a weekly class every Tuesday at 6:30 where we create the answers.
ALL people are welcome here! Just keep in mind this space centers sign language.
Many new faces this past week! ❤️🔥🫶🏼
Truly appreciate the support as I’m hoping to build toward a convention gathering and sharing information on Deaf/HOH inclusion within fitness and sport.
Want to support but can’t join? Check out the fundraiser at the link in my bio!
Interested in joining the class?
Comment your favorite movement emoji and I’ll personally DM you the class details for next week!
🏄💃🏃🏻
The journey of “Stay Present” :
a two-part kinetic sculpture installation exploring the paradox of presence in an increasingly automated world.
🤜🏽🤛🏽
Huge shout out my mechanical engineer and friend @timzillasf !
First Video: @sarahrivka
MOVEMENT TEE DROP!
in honor of hosting the first deaf and hard of hearing friendly community ride on MAY 2nd!
No one gets left behind! 😤
come roll out with us !
ps massive thanks to all who pre-ordered ;)
planning on dropping a fresh shirt every time there’s an upcoming community event
LINK IN BIO to snag.
Movement has saved my life.
As a Deaf, trans athlete and artist, I have witnessed how limited access and representation can be for Deaf and hard of hearing individuals every day.
I hope for this weekly ASL Fitness class to bridge communities and welcome all who are searching for a portal into their bodies.
Building toward a convention to connecting the world of movement to deaf and hard of hearing communities!
100% of funds raised will go directly toward making this event as accessible and impactful as possible. We’ll be hosting panels and fitness classes, providing transportation for speakers, and ensuring a range of ASL interpreters and CART services are available. We’re also hoping to produce a full documentary to capture the stories and experiences shared at the convention + create framework to share with other fitness spaces for accessibility. Most importantly, we want to make sure Deaf and hard of hearing youth athletes ages 14–22 from across the Bay Area can attend for free, with all registration costs and travel stipends.
Link in my bio if you’d like to support!
Video: @sarahrivka !
reflecting on placing in the Iron Man Race with my brothers 🫶🏼
This is just a peek into a larger project…
I also wanted to thank all of you who have reached out to share how this race impacted you.
I’ve had goosebumps ten times over witnessing many share their motivation and plans for forming their own queer, trans, and disabled teams to compete in races.
Heart swells.
Eager to see our communities continue to rise and play. And, looking forward to cheering each one of you on! 🤟🏼
Major thank you to our videographer:
@ariel.delsol / @tt.motion for capturing these moments.
