Today marks the beginning of my COLLIDER Artist-in-Residence at the South Central Regional Library, in partnership with the Louisville Free Public Library!
I am truly over the moon with excitement! I’ve been wanting to do this residency for a while, as the whole residence is around different celebrations of my identity. I placed it after the Lunar New Year, but during the Cambodian New Year, because I really wanted to think about the aspects of my Cambodian, Vietnamese, and Chinese identity. I’m hosting three events in the library over the month in honor of each of these parts, and then an instagram live Q&A, so it’s going to be a busy April!
Before today, I had the chance to visit the studio ahead of time to look at supplies, and the space is perfect. The room is filled with heavy-duty work tables, surrounded by large glass windows that let in the most beautiful natural light. I think it’ll be a really wonderful space to start developing my next body of work.
What also makes this opportunity even more special is the community of people involved with this residency. The staff has been really welcoming, and I’m really looking forward to getting to know everyone more personally as the residency unfolds. I was partially drawn to this residency because its so close to my neighborhood, and I wanted to get to know this area deeper. I feel excited, and it feels like others are excited with me!
And speaking of excitement—I’m thrilled to share that both my Lotus Painting Workshop and Lantern Workshop are officially full! I’m so grateful for the overwhelming response. It means so much to know that people are eager to connect and learn about these parts of my identity. The Lotus Painting workshop is connected to my Cambodian identity, whereas the Lantern workshop is more aligned with my Chinese identity.
That said, there’s still more to come. If you’re in the Louisville area, I’d love for you to join us for The Art of Vietnamese Lion Dance on April 18th with River Lotus Lion Dance troop! This event is FREE and will include a live performance, interactive demonstrations, and educational moments designed to bring deeper understanding and joy to the experience. There will also be door prizes for those who RSVP in advance—so definitely come through, bring a friend, and be part of it. You can RSVP with Liz.Magee@lfpl.org and let her know you're coming!
I’m eager for the way this residency will push me discipline-wise. For the first time, I’m stepping into a structured, timed, and externally held framework outside of my own studio. I feel that I’ll be able to hold myself accountable in a new way, and it feels like a challenge. While community engagement and sharing culture are at the heart of this experience, I’m also pushing myself to stay focused, to produce work, and to contribute to a larger narrative within my practice.
I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity to share my heritage, connect with the community, and grow as an artist. I can’t wait to see how this space, the people, and this structure shape the work to come.
I’ll see you all soon at the South Central Regional Library!
Yours truly,
Makara