Besharam Dinner on February 26

On February 26th, Chef Heena Patel and I will be hosting a collaborative dinner at her Dogpatch restaurant, Besharam, which was recently named Restaurant of the Year by Eater. It will be a festive, fun evening — an exploration of the creative mediums of two Gujarati American women. This ticketed event includes cocktails, wine, appetizers, and dinner. Chef Heena and I will have a spirited conversation moderated by La Cocina’s Geetika Agrawal about our shared Gujarati heritage, and what inspires us in our respective mediums. I’ll do a live paper-folding demo, and there will be a silent auction for two of my pieces. Proceeds from the auction will be donated to Pratham, a highly-regarded Indian NGO that works in 21 of India's 29 states to promote literacy and education among children and youths. Lastly, each guest will get to take home a small sample of my work.

This intimate event will be capped at 30, so reserve your tickets ASAP!

A Night of Art, Conversation and Food with Heena Patel and Zai Divecha

Join Chef Heena Patel and paper sculpture artist Zai Divecha for a night of conversation in Minnesota Street Project adjacent to Besharam. Geetika Agrawal, Project Director of Bay Area nonprofit La Cocina, will moderate a discussion about about their common Gujarati heritage, what inspires them, and how that reflects on their mediums of choice. Throughout the night, there will be wine, snacks, and dinner provided by Besharam, a paper-folding demonstration by Zai, and a silent auction for two of Zai's pieces. Proceeds from the auction will be donated to Pratham, a highly-regarded Indian NGO that works in 21 of India's 29 states to promote literacy and education among children and youths. Upon conclusion of the event, attendees will receive a sample of Zai's work to take home.

Heena Patel is Chef and owner of Dogpatch restaurant Besharam, which was recently named Best New Restaurant of the Year by SF Eater in 2019. Besharam means "shameless," which is a word often used to put women in their place. Throughout her female-led restaurant, Chef Heena reclaims that word and instead uses it to ask herself, what more can you do? If you're truly shameless, what else can you accomplish?

Zai Divecha is a San Francisco-based artist whose work provides a quiet, calm respite from an overstimulating world. By folding, pleating or rolling sheets of white paper, she creates intricate patterns of light and shadow. Divecha has shown at Marrow Gallery, West Coast Craft, and the American Craft Council; clients include Instagram, Twitter, and Square. Divecha is a Bay Area native and a Yale graduate, and she works out of a shared workshop in the Dogpatch neighborhood of San Francisco.

Wed, February 26, 2020
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM PST
Minnesota Street Project
1275 Minnesota Street, SF
Purchase tickets here

My Favorite Podcast Episodes Right Now

For my dad’s birthday this year, I’m putting together a compilation of some of my favorite podcast episodes that I think he might like. I listen to a lot of audio content while I’m working — both audiobooks and podcasts — and I’m always trying to get people to listen to the ones that I think are the absolute best. So here you go, my favorites right now! I’ve embedded specific episodes that I think are especially good to start with. If you’re a Spotify user, just follow this podcast playlist. Enjoy!

UPDATE 12/26/19: I have a funny story about my dad that happened after I drafted this post, but before I showed it to him. At our Christmas Eve dinner party, he smugly announced to the entire table that “podcasts have officially jumped the shark.” (Definition here, for anyone unfamiliar with the phrase.) Lolllll. I obviously debated him on this point, as I think we’re just now entering the golden age of podcasting . Anyway, I’ll update this blog post again once he’s had a chance to listen… and perhaps revise his opinion on podcasts.

2019-09 Zai Divecha New Studio-30.jpeg

Ear Hustle

“The daily realities of life inside prison shared by those living it, and stories from the outside, post-incarceration.” This is an absolutely incredible award-winning podcast. It’s fascinating, moving, gritty, tender, and often funny. I listened to all four seasons in about a week — I couldn’t get enough! I think it might be my #1 favorite podcast of all time. I’d recommend starting at the beginning and and listening in order.

Twenty Thousand Hertz

“The stories behind the world's most recognizable and interesting sounds.” I wouldn’t describe myself as an audiophile, but this beautifully produced and edited podcast totally got me interested in sound design! It changed the way I watch movies, listen to music, and notice sounds around me. This podcast always makes me feel calm, happy, and focused. I’m often quoting interesting facts and stories I learned from this show. I’d recommend reading the episode summaries and listening to whichever topic catches your fancy. Here are a few of my all-time favorites:

Reply All

“‘A podcast about the internet’ that is actually an unfailingly original exploration of modern life and how to survive it.” – The Guardian. This one is a favorite amongst a lot of my friends (especially amongst — but not limited to — my tech-savvy friends). It’s full of fascinating and sometimes dark stories about the internet, accompanied by witty banter from the two co-hosts. These are a few of the episodes that are widely considered to be some of the strongest.

Planet Money

“The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, ‘Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy.’ Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.” I think many people are familiar with NPR’s economics podcast Planet Money. These two episodes are a bit old, but the stories are totally amazing, and you’ll never look at salmon or Subarus the same way again.

The Cut on Tuesdays

“The Cut on Tuesdays brings you women’s voices on culture, style, sex, politics, and people: It’s everything The Cut can’t stop talking about. Join host Molly Fischer every week for arguments, obsessions, dissections, reflections, confessions, and other deep dives.” My sister recently got me into this podcast. I haven’t listened to many episodes yet, but this one was a freaky look into trolls on the internet.

How I Built This with Guy Raz

“Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.” If you’re interested in how successful companies got their start, this is a really neat window into the process. The founders discuss the hurdles and challenges they had to overcome.

Modern Love: The Podcast

“Modern Love: The Podcast features the popular New York Times column, with readings by notable personalities and updates from the essayists themselves.” Each episode of this podcast features one essay about love that originally ran in the New York Times. The stories are often bittersweet and complex. This two-part series was especially moving.

The Guilty Feminist

“The podcast in which we discuss our noble goals as 21st century feminists, and the hypocrisies and insecurities that undermine them.”This is a live stand-up comedy show based out of the UK that’s feminist and (fairly) intersectional, while also being realistic and nuanced. I find it hysterical and so real. It makes me feel like I’m part of an army of global feminists who are all in this together. If you’re under the impression that feminists can’t be funny, I strongly suggest you give this a listen. :)

The Daily

“Twenty minutes a day, five days a week, hosted by Michael Barbaro and powered by New York Times journalism” I’m not sure I even need to include this, as it’s one of the most popular podcasts in the U.S. right now, but it’s part of my daily routine, so here you go. It’s a daily news podcast that dives deep into just one story from the headlines. It provides context and history, and tells the story in a really compelling manner. It helps bring otherwise dry news headlines to life. I’ve embedded one good episode below, but since it’s a news show, you should really just check out the most recent episode.

That’s all for now! What are some of your favorite podcasts?? Comment below or DM me on Instagram. I’m always looking for new ones!

HIV/AIDS Diagnoses in San Francisco

I created this four-part series to show how HIV/AIDS diagnoses in San Francisco have changed over the last couple decades:

Fun fact: Before I started working as an artist, I studied public health. As a college student, I taught sex education in local high schools, I interned at reproductive rights and HIV/AIDS nonprofits, and I got a public health master’s degree from Yale. Even though I’m not in the field these days, I still care deeply about a few key issues, and HIV/AIDS is one of them.

In this series, I wanted to use a visual medium to tell this heartbreaking (and hopeful) story about AIDS in my area. I put on my public health hat for a bit as I dug through the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s annual reports from the last 30 years, and then I put on my artist hat to figure out how to visually represent the figures in a compelling manner.

AIDS DIAGNOSES IN SAN FRANCISCO, 1992

In this series, I chose to represent one person with one tear drop. At the height of the epidemic in San Francisco in 1992, there wer 2,328 people diagnosed with AIDS.

AIDS DIAGNOSES IN SAN FRANCISCO, 2000

By the year 2000, the incidence of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses in San Francisco had fallen a bit, due to the availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART; also known as the “AIDS cocktail”). Scientists and doctors were definitely a part of the equation, but I want to talk about the activists who helped drive this change.

Some background: It took the government an unconscionably long time to acknowledge the AIDS crisis. Over 5,500 Americans died of AIDS before President Reagan even *mentioned* the word “AIDS” in public. There was nowhere near enough research, funding, or awareness — and way too much homophobia and stigma. A generation of queer men was dying.

We have activist groups like ACT UP to thank for forcing people to pay attention. They staged all kinds of demonstrations — from protests at city hall to civil disobedience on Wall Street to stunts at pharmaceutical companies and the FDA — to draw attention to the epidemic. And ultimately, they ended up working with the FDA to change how experimental drugs are tested and accessed. We owe so much to these early activists and their outrage — not just life-saving antiretroviral therapies, but a whole new model of patient advocacy.

Earlier this year, NPR did a fantastic segment on these early AIDS activists, and how they laid the groundwork for future health activism. If you’re curious, read (or listen) to hear more about ACT UP’s incredible tactics.

HIV DIAGNOSES IN SAN FRANCISCO, 2009

Every year, I raise money for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. I do this annual bike ride called AIDS/LifeCycle, which goes from SF to LA — 545 miles over seven days — each June. Over 2,000 people ride in it each year, and another 700 or so volunteer to help support the ride. This event usually raises about $16M for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center.

It’s an incredibly diverse and kind community that comes together every year for this one cause. Some folks are HIV-positive themselves, some ride to honor a loved one, and others do it for the sense of community and solidarity. The group spans generations — older folks in the AIDS/LifeCycle community share their stories of loss, grief, and hope; younger folks like me who didn’t live through the worst years carry the torch to honor their struggle. Together, we’re working toward a future without HIV and AIDS.

I’ve done this ride seven times, and I’ve raised over $40,000 for the cause. In 2020, I’ll be riding (and fundraising!) for my eighth time. If you feel inspired to donate, here's the link.

HIV DIAGNOSES IN SAN FRANCISCO, 2018

The San Francisco AIDS Foundation is one of the reasons that this rate has fallen so much in our area. They provide critical, life-saving work to folks in our community who are living with or at risk for HIV. And it’s not just the usual prevention, testing, and treatment options — it’s holistic care that includes sexual health, substance use, and social support services. One of my reasons for creating this series was to show people who have donated to my fundraisers in the past what kind of an impact these organizations have had.

Draco

Draco, 40” x 72” x 3”. This was a custom piece for a sweet San Francisco family to honor the birth of their second child. Like with Canis Major, holes were cut from the paper in the layout of stars in the night sky. But not just any night sky — this piece shows the sky over San Francisco at exactly 5:12am on May 8, 2019, the moment their child was born. This piece is named after Draco, the dragon constellation visible in this particular slice of the night sky. Thanks to Kilomade Studios for the elegant woodworking.

Feature in DuJour Magazine

DuJour recently did a beautiful write-up of me and my work in the Winter 2019 print issue of the magazine! See here for the online article, and below for print.


Feature in TIME!

I was recently featured in TIME’s Entrepreneur Diaries series! In this interview, we went deep on how I got to this point in my career — twists, turns, and low points included. Read the article here!

(This TIME Entrepreneur Diaries series was sponsored by Ally. But just to be super clear, I didn’t get any compensation for this. News outlets have to monetize somehow, and if it means I get to tell my story to a broader audience, I’m down.)

Sanctuary Panel Discussion

As part of the Sanctuary group show at Heron Arts this fall, the three other artists — Anastasia Tumanova, Nicole Sweeney, and Alice Wiese — and I hosted a panel discussion, moderated by Jen Woo of Rogue Habits.

About 100 people attended, and we served samosas and homemade masala chai. Guests had a chance to wander the gallery to see our work for a bit, and then we had a lively and honest discussion. We talked about our studio practices, the ways in which our communities shape our work, and what it was like to collaborate on producing a group show ourselves.

Sanctuary Opening Reception

Wow, y’all really packed the house! We had over 300 folks come to the opening reception of our group show, Sanctuary, at Heron Arts last Saturday. What a blast!

Canis Major at Instagram

Canis Major found its permanent home at Instagram’s headquarters in Menlo Park. Photos below!

For more on the constellation star cutouts and how I designed this piece, see my earlier blog post about Canis Major.

The Chai Cart: Burning Man 2019

For my sixth Burning Man, Phil Reyneri and I (along with my parents!) served ten to fifteen gallons of hot masala chai every night out of this little handmade chai cart. We ran a similar project in 2014 and 2015, but this year, we debuted an all-new cart.

Every night, as soon as it got dark, we’d brew ten gallons of chai in camp, and then load up the cart. We took turns deciding where to serve the chai — a beautiful art installation, a friend’s camp, a dance party, or way out by the trash fence (the perimeter of the event). It usually took about three to four hours to go through ten gallons (we’d serve each person a few ounces at a time). Almost everyone had their own cup on them, but we kept a few loaner mugs on hand for anyone who for didn’t. I’m guessing we served chai to around 2,000 people over the course of the week?!

My favorite night was when we found a concrete fire pit and bench way out in the middle of nowhere. We set up shop, played quiet jazz music, and served chai to the small group of folks who had gathered around the warmth of the fire. It was cozy and intimate, and it was a nice respite from the loud and chaotic burn that was happening in the distance. By the time we ran out of chai a few hours later, we had amassed quite a crowd of people. They were chatting, sipping chai, and roasting s’mores (!) over the fire — another couple had shown up and handed out s’mores ingredients to everyone. I loved creating our own little chai party wherever we went!

Phil’s favorite approach was to make the chai around 3am so that we could serve in time for sunrise. Our last morning, we served chai during the sunrise set at Robot Heart, which delighted partygoers who had been dancing all night long. They paused their dancing to enjoy a bit of caffeine and sugar as they watched the sun come up.

Over the course of the week, we delighted, comforted, and caffeinated a LOT of people. We got feedback like, “this is the best chai I’ve ever had,” “this totally turned my night around,” “ARE YOU SERIOUS!! IS THIS FOR REAL?!” “oh my gosh I think I had your chai in 2014 and I can’t believe I found you again!” “I’m sober and it means a lot to me to find a yummy non-alcoholic beverage out here,” and “I’m also Indian and this chai is the real deal.”

Even if Burning Man isn’t your thing, I highly recommend doing something unexpected and delightful for strangers sometime. It’s truly amazing. It brings out the best in them, and in you.

Upcoming Group Show: Sanctuary at Heron Arts

Mark your calendars! I’m participating in a group show at Heron Arts next month featuring four female Bay Area artists: Anastasia Tumanova, Nicole Sweeney, Alice Wiese, and myself. If you like my work, I guarantee that you’ll love this show. The opening reception is Saturday, October 26, 6-9pm. RSVP here!

S A N C T U A R Y
A Group Exhibition by Heron Arts Gallery

Opening Reception - Saturday, October 26th
Showing Through - Saturday, November 30th

Sanctuary brings together the meditative and textural works of four female Bay Area artists: Zai Divecha, Nicole Sweeney, Anastasia Tumanova, and Alice Wiese. Through the use of light color palettes, repetitive shapes, and organic forms, the artwork takes on an introspective and soothing aura, inspiring feelings of inner peace and psychic refuge. Working in a different medium — paper, wood, ceramic, and fiber respectively — each artist pushes the boundaries of their chosen craft in technique, application, and expression.

Join us for the opening reception on Saturday, October 26, from 6-9pm. Drinks and light bites will be served.

Reserve a free ticket at www.sanctuaryheronarts.eventbrite.com.



Canis Major at Workshop Residence

Introducing my newest installation — a warm, glowing night sky, made of paper, wood, and LEDs.

When I was a child, my parents helped me stick glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling above my bed. Gazing at them while drifting off to sleep was a comforting ritual. I delighted in the magic of the glowing plastic, but subconsciously, I think I also liked being reminded of my place in a vast universe.

Canis Major, my newest installation, is about bringing that that feeling into my adult life. The feeling of being safe in your home, lowering the lights as you wind down for the evening, and contemplating your place in the universe. I hope it brings viewers a feeling of comfort, calm, and maybe a bit of childhood nostalgia.

Pinpricks of light shine through thousands of tiny holes, which are laid out in the exact pattern of stars in the night sky. Canis Major and Orion are among the constellations that can be found if you’re in the mood to do some stargazing.

The constellation chart below shows the map of stars depicted in this piece. Canis Major, the constellation for which the piece is named, is located on the far right side. It can be identified by the large cutout representing Sirius, the the brightest star visible in the night sky. To the right of Sirius is Orion -- look for the three stars in a row that make up Orion's Belt.

The piece is on display — and available for purchase — at Workshop Residence in Dogpatch. Email manager@workshopresidence.com for pricing.

UPDATE 10/3/19: This piece is no longer available.

“Quiet Type” Showcase at Pas Normal Studios

Come see “Quiet Type” — my paper sculpture that recently won Adobe’s 36 Days of Type competition — this Thursday night! Swing by Pas Normal Studios in Hayes Valley 6-9pm for drinks and charcuterie and a little party. I’d love to see you there! RSVP here.

This event is especially fun for me because I’m an avid road cyclist, and I love those rare occasions when my art and cycling worlds collide! It’s special to be able to show my work in a beautiful space designed for cyclists.

Getaway Artist Fellowship

Last month, I was granted the Getaway Artist Fellowship — I had the opportunity to hole up in a tiny cabin in the Catskills in upstate New York and make art for a few days. I went by myself, which was a new experience for me (usually I travel with friends and loved ones). Turns out I absolutely love being in nature by myself. I had an incredible time, and I’m proud of the work I created while I was there. And it made me realize I need to carve out more solo time for creativity and rest.

Some highlights of my time there:

  • Sleeping eleven hours without waking up. I didn’t know my body could still do that.

  • Being totally mesmerized by a little shaft of light in the cabin, and watching shadows of leaves dancing in the wind.

  • Doing everything slowly. Brushing my teeth slowly. Drinking my tea slowly. Heating up food slowly. Taking a break in between those mundane tasks to lie in the window and watch the light change in the forest.

  • Bringing only the tools that were absolutely necessary — not my full studio set-up. As any backpacker will tell you, there’s a beauty in bringing just the bare bones equipment you need to survive — or in this case, make art. I loved having just my most beloved tools: x-acto blade, bone-folder, tweezers, bookbinding glue, pencil, etc.

  • Building a roaring campfire — and enjoying it — all by myself. One of my secret skills is that I can build and maintain a crackling fires. It’s one of the great pleasures in my life.

  • Cooking a full-on feast for myself over the fire! I roasted sausages and veggies over the fire, and then cooked some cheesy potatoes on the electric stove in the cabin. I finished it off with four s’mores. I take my s’mores very seriously. (Golden brown, no charring, melted chocolate, and open-face. Fight me.)

  • Having no agenda other than to be a human, rest, and make art.

  • Having no one to talk to. I’m an extrovert, so I rarely carve out solo time on purpose. I was surprised by how much glee I felt at being able to create all of these beautiful moments just for me to enjoy.

And here are the finished pieces I created during my fellowship! I’m proud of these little babies. If anyone feels especially drawn to them, they’re available for purchase through my online shop.

Thank you to Getaway for this incredible opportunity. It was such a treat to be able to disconnect from the world, rest in a way I haven’t rested in a long time, and make art in a beautiful place. I need to do this kind of thing at least once a year! Thank you for that lesson!

Winner of Adobe's 36 Days of Type Contest

Remember that project where I made one letter of the alphabet, and then all of the numerals, every day for 36 consecutive days? Turns out my project was one of six winners for Adobe’s 36 Days of Type contest! Thousands of incredibly talented designers, artists, and illustrators participated in this year’s competition, and I was totally surprised and delighted to hear that I was one of six winners. Read my interview and check out the other winners over at Adobe’s blog post.

West Coast Craft Summer 2019

Had an amazing time returning to West Coast Craft! The quality of the work there is always so high, and I always leave feeling inspired and joyful. As an extrovert, I love having an opportunity to see my friends, run into people from different chapters of my life, and meet Instagram friends and followers in real life.

Quiet Type

I recently participated in the 36 Days of Type, an annual, global design challenge in which illustrators and designers each create and share one letter or number every day for 36 days.

I’ve never taken on this kind of daily challenge before, and it was tough! It forced me to stay on a rigorous schedule of producing and sharing new work every day. It was fast-paced, and there were several days in which I cut it really close to the deadline. It gave me a good excuse to develop new techniques, some of which have already made their way into larger standalone pieces.

Below is a quick snapshot of the entire project, but click here for larger photos of each one. The alphabet is currently on display at Marrow Gallery, and it’ll be up through May 25, 2019.

Architectural Digest

Quick mention about my solo exhibition “White Noise” in Architectural Digest!