Yam

The day has finally come, I have completed my “pièce de résistance!” Swipe to see the piece at scale and progress videos/photos of “Rice Farmer” After 4 months, 4 bottles of Elmer’s glue, 5 kinds of rice, some lentils, chickpeas, mung beans, and SO many moments where I wanted to quit, I have completed my piece “Rice Farmer.” This piece is an homage to all the farmers who support and sustain us through their hard work. I used the fruits of their labor to depict the origin of the food itself. Very full circle. I have such an interesting relationship with farming. In Indian, some of my family own farms and my dad often recollects his time growing up there. Later in life I learned that “Patels” were also part of the farming caste. As a kid in Ohio is ironically didn’t have much respect for the farming community (sorry FFA kids) but I look back now and wish I had participated more in learning about agriculture when I had the chance. But you know that they say - it’s never too late. I’m looking to create more pieces about farming and also other aspects of the lifecycle of rice (farm ➡️ market ➡️ food, ceremony, weddings, etc) and I’m excited to learn more along the way. This piece challenged me more than anything I have ever worked on before. Covering 24”x36” of canvas in GRAINS OF RICE was a lofty goal 😅 and there was so much time sunk into this. There were so many moments where the piece was stuck in “the ugly phase” and I considered scrapping it, but I pushed through. It wasn’t until I put that last grain of rice into place that it all came together. I’ve never felt so emotional about completing a piece before! The methodical process reminded me of the farming process as well. You till the land, plant seeds, weed the soil, and patiently wait for the crop to come. You don’t get to enjoy the fruits of your labor until the end, but once you do, you realize the work was worth it. 🌾 🍚 ♥️

Piece 2/5 in my large rice series titled “Rice Merchant”! Swipe for concept sketch and progress photos. This one was completed in just over a month and I cannot believe I covered a full 24x36 that quickly. Let’s just say I probably won’t do one this quickly again for a while lol It’s particularly hard to convince myself to sit inside on a sunny day working on these pieces but the feeling once it’s complete is worth it. My favorite parts of this piece include the man’s face (specifically the mustache and eyebrows - I think he’s adorable!) and the pattern of the shirt. I get to frame this guy and my rice farmer piece Monday and I can’t wait to see them in their final state! Enjoy!👳🏾‍♂️🌾🍚

Piece 3/5 from my series of large rice pieces! “Rice Sifter” Medium: rice, mung beans, lentils, farro Size: 24”x36” Swipe for concept sketch and progress photos! I’ve been slowly working on this one for the past few months but finally had the time to complete it in sprints over the holidays. This one was an emotional rollercoaster! I started loving it, I hated it for a period of time, but when I placed the last grain in the sky I was elated! The movement of the falling rice was really tricky and had many ups and downs but I’m ultimately pretty happy with where it landed. I had some pie in the sky ideas for this that didn’t quite pan out including sewing in strings of rice so the piece would have literal movement and also making the sieve protrude off the canvas so the falling would be more dramatic but neither were very practical. Ultimately my favorite elements were the cross hatched sieve and the pattern on the dress! Exciting news related to this series! I got accepted into the @shunpikearts Store Fronts roaster for 2025 so this piece along with the previous 2 will displayed in a store front in SLU! I’m hoping to finish 2 more so I can have 5 total for the display 🙏🏾 I started piece 4/5 today so fingers crossed I can knock it out quickly🤞🏾🌾🍚

What a fun way to spend a Saturday with rice and community for @yammakesstuff Rice Roots show! 🌾 @moonriceshri led us through a rice workshop to learn about this staple for the people of the global majority and the different ways to cook it. We got a live participatory demonstration and the best part is we got to eat 3 different rice dishes that Shri taught us to make after! 🍚 Come through for the next event on the 19th for a community potluck! Bring a dish to share. Open to all! Hosted at @_common_objects .

Missed the opening? No problem! Check out the showing during @common_area bookstore hours and @sustainablestyleseattle clothing swap hours, or DM me to schedule an appointment! 📍2601 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98121 ⏰ Mon-Fri 3pm-6pm, Sat 9am-3pm, Sun 12pm-3pm ➡️ Swipe to see some pieces that are still up for grabs! Check them out in person or DM me if you’re interested!

Happy Birthday to our good friend, Yam! 🎂 We’re so lucky to have documented her debut solo show, “Rice, Roots, and the Road to Cultural Exploration,” which will run from now till May 29th at Common Objects 🍚🌾 If you don’t know Yam, she’s the best. Her passion and dedication to her craft, community and cultural connection is so inspiring. And if you’re looking to connect and support her work, definitely check out these upcoming events in Belltown: - Rice 101 workshop with Shri Repp (May 16th) - Community Rice Potluck (May 19th) 📍2601 1st Ave

I had the honor of attending the opening night of @yammakesstuff solo exhibition “Rice, Root, and the Road to Cultural Exploration”🍚❤️‍🔥. It was so so sweet to finally meet you in person and see your stunning art pieces! The places and art you created for your community and people to be seen and celebrated was so inspiring to witness. Thank you for being you and the culmination of all who became before you. ✨ If you want to see more of Yam’s amazing art, go follow her (if you haven’t yet) AND buy the “Fuck ICE, Eat Rice” Community cookbook! The cookbook has multiple rice art by Yam that depicts the cultural significance of rice in India— from the grains of rice being sown all the way to the final meal shared on the dining table! This cookbook was meant to also honor migration and the people who left their homeland to create a better life for themselves and their family. I thought it was so precious that your parents and my mom was there to see all of our work 🥹 And also how Seattle was the place my mom came to when she first landed on Turtle Island 35 years ago. Truly a full circle moment. All in all, the art/ photos/ stories/ recipes in this cookbook is a representation the labor of love it takes to grow and create something—even if we don’t get to see the fruits of it or who it will nourish, it’s still worth it. Thank you to the older generations and ancestors who helped planted and water the seeds. Thank you to the current and future generations for tending it and imagining a better world for all of us. Never underestimate what a single seed can do and the village it takes to grow it 🫶🏼 ID coming soon

Local artist Yaminee Patel’s (@yammakesstuff ) stunning debut solo show, “Rice, Roots, and the Road to Cultural Exploration,” opens tonight at @_common_objects in Belltown (2601 1st Ave), and is on display through May 29. Ahead of opening night, food writer Meghna Jaradi (@thali.creative ) interviewed Yaminee about the deeper story behind her ambitious 2-D and 3-D artwork, which uses rice, lentils, beans, and more to celebrate the communal strength found in food. Part of Yaminee’s own communal strength, it turns out, comes from a rich local ecosystem of restaurants, food pantries, and community advocates. Help from @revolutionarygrains , @cafeloloseattle , @medmixkitchen and many, many others helped supply and influence Yaminee’s intricate, thought-provoking work — which you should absolutely go see. 🔗 Link in bio to read Meghna’s review 📸 Photography by Xandra Yugto (@xandrayugto )

Auction link LIVE for my Rice to Table series! Link in the bio to place a bid! The auction will be live from Friday 5/8 12PM to Sunday 5/10 12 PM!

I called in reinforcements - Mama and Papa Patel are in the hoooouse! And today we hung vinyl and title cards and they were pretty good at it! Come eat home made food from my mom this Friday @common_area during @belltownartwalk from 5-8pm!

‼️ INSTALL WEEK ‼️ May 8th, 5-8 pm at Common Objects during Belltown artwalk!!! We are T-6 days folks! Everything is transported and in its place and it’s really coming together! Excited for the little touches through this week!

AANHPI Artist Feature: Yaminee “Yam” Patel ✨ 📸 @yammakesstuff 🌐 yamineepatel.com 📍 4th & Union Studios | 1405 4th Ave This May, the Seattle Downtown Art Walk is celebrating AANHPI Heritage Month by highlighting AANHPI artists, galleries, creative spaces and small businesses who help shape the texture, color and story of downtown Seattle. We’re starting with Yaminee “Yam” Patel, whose work brings together identity, memory, family, foodways and the quiet power of everyday labor. Yam’s practice explores her identity as a second-generation Indian American by transforming natural grains into unique folk art. She felt a profound disconnect with the loud, traditional facets of her heritage, seeking instead a meaningful connection to the quiet, mundane realities of Indian life: the daily labor, sacrifice, and communal love that anchors the South Asian experience. Inspired by her family—who are rice farmers in India—she utilize varieties of rice, lentils, and beans to honor the farming process from farm to table. Her work depicts the rice grain as a universal symbol of prosperity, unity, and abundance. Through this tactile medium, she has reconnected with her roots, honors her history, and find a personal path to celebrate the essential, humble labor of farmers everywhere. Yam is a current artist in residence 1405 4th Ave through @shunpikearts ! Catch her work every 4th Friday during Downtown Art Walk! To celebrate AANHPI month, check out Yam’s full body of work this May at Common Objects in Belltown from 5/8-5/29! She will be holding a solo exhibit titled “Rice, Roots, and the Road to Cultural Exploration.” Follow Yam at @yammakesstuff and come see her work in person. The Downtown Art Walk happens every 4th Friday from 5–8pm, free, all ages and self-guided. Support local artists, visit participating spaces and when a piece pulls you in, consider taking it home. 🌾🎨 #SeattleDowntownArtWalk #AANHPIHeritageMonth #AANHPIArtists #SeattleArtists #DowntownSeattle #SupportLocalArtists #ArtWalkSeattle #YamMakesStuff #Shunpike #CommonObjects #SouthAsianArtists