A community-based art residency at Saltwater Park through the City of Shoreline
As a Washington native and a proud child of immigrants, I have always viewed our region as a rich story of migration, tracing through the footprints of Indigenous ancestors, agricultural pioneers, and countless migrants who’ve traveled globally to make this place their home. With lush parks and commercial corridors, Shoreline is a microcosmic snapshot of the diasporas that connect our region to global communities.
I spent my two-month art residency exploring the connections between migration and community vibrancy in Shoreline through the lens of Saltwater Park. To celebrate immigrant-led entrepreneurship and cultural diversity, I painted a mural that features 6 immigrant- or BIPOC-owned small businesses in Shoreline surrounded by abstract nature motifs inspired at Saltwater Park: ocean colors, foliage shapes, driftwood patterns, and more. The businesses included: Taqueria El Sabor, Black Coffee Northwest, Hae-Nam Kalbi & Calamari, El Cubano, Fil-Am Food & Gifts, and Le’s Pho Tai & Sandwiches.
