For many years, I struggled to think of myself as a visual artist
because I didn’t feel my visual art was as good as my writing.
While writing will always be my first and deepest artistic love,
I’m growing more comfortable sharing my visual art
—which includes collage, mixed media, and textiles— 
because, like my writing, it too can be used for the benefit of my people.

Watermelon Seed Gallery, organized by the Fig Tree Project
Columbus, Ohio — June 2024

A few months into 2024, I realized I needed a tactile artistic practice to benefit my mental health. The ideal craft would be something portable, something I could do while talking to friends or watching a movie, something I could do while in an altered state of mind, and something that’s a meaningful folk art to one or both of my cultures. Enter, weaving! It checks all the boxes.

Once I got half decent at weaving on a frame loom, I started making woven Palestinian flags. I soft-launched 8 weavings at the Asian American Girls and Gays, I Love You reading at Two Dollar Radio Headquarters in October 2024. All proceeds from the sale of the weavings went to a family in Gaza.

If you or someone you know would like a weaving, follow my Instagram @offthebeatenshelf and my email list (sign up at the bottom of this page) so you’ll be notified about releases. These weavings take several hours each to make and I’m making them in batches to manage my time around writing.

FORTHCOMING

Interview in the documentary film “Trail Markers” by Mona Gazala