Nearly two years ago, I said goodbye to my dad. In the months that followed, I signed my mom up for painting classes—without telling her first! I hoped it might help her navigate her grief and rediscover a sense of purpose. Little did I know, it would ignite something incredible within her: an inner artist who had always been there, waiting to emerge.
By the end of her three-month stay in New York, she had created something beautiful—a body of work that deserved to be shared. So, I held her first-ever art exhibition in Brooklyn, showcasing not only her paintings but also over 40 pottery pieces we collaborated on: I made the vessels, and she transformed them with her unique touch. Many of our friends came together to celebrate her creativity.
What I see in her is more than just an artist. I see courage, resilience, and a profound strength in how she’s embraced healing through art. This journey hasn’t been easy for her and for our family, but we couldn’t be prouder. She’s found a gift that I know she’ll continue to nurture and share with the world.
And most of all, I know my dad is smiling down on her, proud of the light she’s found and the beauty she’s creating.
Music courtesy of Westar Music
KAPITAL WORLD MOVIE
Kiro Hirata, KAPITAL’s lead designer, and Eric Kvatek, photographer, meet up in France to shoot the Spring 2014 KAPITAL book, “Sailor Ninja”. Old friends return and new friends are made over a five-day shoot in Paris, Souesmes and Cassis. In Paris, the KAPITAL crew focuses on Bohemian styles and French Ninjas. Slightly more familiar hunting themes are played with in the French countryside, of course with a KAPITAL twist. Finally, the entire production crew travels by train to the South of France for a nautical-themed excursion. Through the behind the scenes look at the inner workings of a KAPITAL photo shoot, the special nature of the fifteen-year-long friendship of Kiro Hirata and Eric Kvatek is revealed. More information about this film and the entire full length of 60 minutes film can be found here.
Yuan Ko Fang
The story about my grandmother. She left China to save her own life and that of her unborn child. Even thirty years later she still misses her homeland. The world around her has changed. Where is her home exactly?