Pao Arts Center’s ResLab Opening Kick-Off was one of the most beautiful events I got to be a part of. It was a wonderful way to get to know the community and see everyone come together from all walks of life at the Chinatown gate. The artists had created interactive pieces for people’s eyes to crinkle with joy. One of the pieces was the table with the different levels with the dragon on it and when I asked the artist how the idea came to be, Sheila Novak replied “it’s to bring the different ages of Chinatown all together.”
During the day of the event, people let out their creative side and drew on blank pieces of paper on this table. It was a beautiful site to see what the artist had in mind to come to life in front of me. The other piece that was there was the mini planters that was named “Community is a Garden,” by Yuko Okabe, Kathy Wu, Elaine Liang, and Amy Lam. The planters had people of all different ages and background painted on it. The planters’ designs were inspired by how the “residents help each other through mutual aid, language support, and acts of care both large and small.” Along with the planters, there was an interactive portion where people painted something from their backgrounds on mini wooden butterflies.
It was incredible to see people interact about their different upbringings to come together. It was a night filled with twinkling smiles all around under the glowing lanterns.
