Monica my good friend graciously let me photograph at her studio in Queens. Her space had four huge bright canvases, three separate pieces. Monica painted the form sprawled across both connected canvases. I watched her mix her paint into palate of different shades of brown. It was the first time I had seen someone paint with acrylic. It was amazing to see how she approached the canvas!

We spent the time talking about her process and what influences her work. Her moving from the Dominican Republic at a young age, how her values and ideas differ from typical Dominican traditions and gaining growth and understanding from that journey. We spoke about her upcoming opportunities and past residences. We talked about the dating in New York, complexities of dating, and being ghosted. We went back and forth about gigs we had and how they went. We took a lot of time reflecting on why we make work and how we want to do so moving forward. I am such an admirer of her work.

Very grateful for this experience, thank you Monica.