Dance (if you want to)
@dancekamaruaoki.bsky.social
I used to write and now I paint. Particularly fond of Los Angeles. These are pages from my sketchbook.
Still adjusting so daily doodles are a little behind. Here’s today’s:
August 7, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Still adjusting so daily doodles are a little behind. Here’s today’s:
Return of the daily doodles.
Was recently hired on to work full time for an org I’m absolutely in love with. So it’s been a month of orientation to a new schedule and pace.
Was recently hired on to work full time for an org I’m absolutely in love with. So it’s been a month of orientation to a new schedule and pace.
August 5, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Return of the daily doodles.
Was recently hired on to work full time for an org I’m absolutely in love with. So it’s been a month of orientation to a new schedule and pace.
Was recently hired on to work full time for an org I’m absolutely in love with. So it’s been a month of orientation to a new schedule and pace.
Practicing my sketching technique!
June 20, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Practicing my sketching technique!
A big ole zine.
June 13, 2025 at 4:32 AM
A big ole zine.
God damn it Jon Stewart & The Weekly Show podcast. The stories of the economic benefits of immigration ARE BEING TOLD. It’s just that WHITE people aren’t interested in these stories because you are more interested in hearing stories you’re familiar with than STORIES PEOPLE OF COLOR TELL.
June 12, 2025 at 4:34 PM
God damn it Jon Stewart & The Weekly Show podcast. The stories of the economic benefits of immigration ARE BEING TOLD. It’s just that WHITE people aren’t interested in these stories because you are more interested in hearing stories you’re familiar with than STORIES PEOPLE OF COLOR TELL.
If white and white passing women stood between protesters & violent state police, protecting protesters, and calmly, driven by anger, strengthened by community, stood and demanded oppressors protect the innocent what message would it send? Perhaps we’re trampled. Perhaps.
June 9, 2025 at 9:13 PM
If white and white passing women stood between protesters & violent state police, protecting protesters, and calmly, driven by anger, strengthened by community, stood and demanded oppressors protect the innocent what message would it send? Perhaps we’re trampled. Perhaps.
The algorithm was algorithm-ing a few weeks ago when I was suffering from a case of “crushing on someone who could care less if I live or die.” Thanks to Rama Lauw for the ✨AmaJing✨ inspiration. Anyway, I cured what ailed me with a strawberry whipped cream sando.
June 6, 2025 at 1:22 AM
The algorithm was algorithm-ing a few weeks ago when I was suffering from a case of “crushing on someone who could care less if I live or die.” Thanks to Rama Lauw for the ✨AmaJing✨ inspiration. Anyway, I cured what ailed me with a strawberry whipped cream sando.
Ink & watercolor. Looks much better in person.
June 6, 2025 at 1:14 AM
Ink & watercolor. Looks much better in person.
Found objects! A whole book about vintage tractors is my new project.
June 6, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Found objects! A whole book about vintage tractors is my new project.
More stock photo practice in ink. Really loving this medium.
May 30, 2025 at 5:07 AM
More stock photo practice in ink. Really loving this medium.
Went to another Bring Your Own Pen get together at Stories in Echo Park. What a lovely gathering.
May 30, 2025 at 4:44 AM
Went to another Bring Your Own Pen get together at Stories in Echo Park. What a lovely gathering.
Pencil doodles, pressed flowers from a recent date. A little note that says, “I hope I’ll get to feel that alive again soon.”
Maybe far too vulnerable for a Blue Sky post but I’m old enough to remember that I can say whatever I want about love and desire and no one can stop me.
Maybe far too vulnerable for a Blue Sky post but I’m old enough to remember that I can say whatever I want about love and desire and no one can stop me.
May 28, 2025 at 4:45 AM
Pencil doodles, pressed flowers from a recent date. A little note that says, “I hope I’ll get to feel that alive again soon.”
Maybe far too vulnerable for a Blue Sky post but I’m old enough to remember that I can say whatever I want about love and desire and no one can stop me.
Maybe far too vulnerable for a Blue Sky post but I’m old enough to remember that I can say whatever I want about love and desire and no one can stop me.
Really enjoying ink these days. Apparently, I make this face a lot. Self portrait in ink and watercolor.
May 21, 2025 at 3:23 AM
Really enjoying ink these days. Apparently, I make this face a lot. Self portrait in ink and watercolor.
Practice! Found objects, sashiko, quilting, textiles, ink and watercolor.
May 20, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Practice! Found objects, sashiko, quilting, textiles, ink and watercolor.
Today I went to Bring Your Own Pen at the Last Bookstore. I brought pens but ended up using charcoal.
May 9, 2025 at 2:18 AM
Today I went to Bring Your Own Pen at the Last Bookstore. I brought pens but ended up using charcoal.
Another watercolor, partial blind contour. Reference photo comes from the Heidi Duckler Dance book of photos.
May 8, 2025 at 2:12 AM
Another watercolor, partial blind contour. Reference photo comes from the Heidi Duckler Dance book of photos.
Portraiture practice. The reference photo comes from The Sartorialist. Watercolor in my sketchbook, not so great mixed media paper, but very enjoyable practice. Still lots to learn.
May 6, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Portraiture practice. The reference photo comes from The Sartorialist. Watercolor in my sketchbook, not so great mixed media paper, but very enjoyable practice. Still lots to learn.
New sketchbook stuff! Celebrities and a self portrait.
I’ve been struggling with proportions. Practice makes progress!
I’ve been struggling with proportions. Practice makes progress!
April 22, 2025 at 4:59 PM
New sketchbook stuff! Celebrities and a self portrait.
I’ve been struggling with proportions. Practice makes progress!
I’ve been struggling with proportions. Practice makes progress!
Reposted by Dance (if you want to)
Liz Cheney a republican had to come up with our
Project 2029 but it’s so good I can get behind it! Cause fighting this fascist president has aged me considerably!
Project 2029 but it’s so good I can get behind it! Cause fighting this fascist president has aged me considerably!
April 17, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Liz Cheney a republican had to come up with our
Project 2029 but it’s so good I can get behind it! Cause fighting this fascist president has aged me considerably!
Project 2029 but it’s so good I can get behind it! Cause fighting this fascist president has aged me considerably!
It feels like Americans really enjoy saying, “we’re so fucked.”
May I suggest an alternative? Could we try to focus the things we say on statements that offer care? How will we shelter, support the most vulnerable, give our community strength to help us protect schools, farms, hospitals?
May I suggest an alternative? Could we try to focus the things we say on statements that offer care? How will we shelter, support the most vulnerable, give our community strength to help us protect schools, farms, hospitals?
April 15, 2025 at 5:45 PM
It feels like Americans really enjoy saying, “we’re so fucked.”
May I suggest an alternative? Could we try to focus the things we say on statements that offer care? How will we shelter, support the most vulnerable, give our community strength to help us protect schools, farms, hospitals?
May I suggest an alternative? Could we try to focus the things we say on statements that offer care? How will we shelter, support the most vulnerable, give our community strength to help us protect schools, farms, hospitals?
Ok, so I had to upgrade my phone and got the one with the better camera, and I’m wondering if that’s what’s holding me back, and not my own practice. Here’s a chonky borb in watercolor.
April 14, 2025 at 5:46 AM
Ok, so I had to upgrade my phone and got the one with the better camera, and I’m wondering if that’s what’s holding me back, and not my own practice. Here’s a chonky borb in watercolor.
Reposted by Dance (if you want to)
A reminder that if the government can send migrants to a prison camp without any due process, it can send U.S. citizens there, too. I know because this happened to me and my family in 1942.
April 7, 2025 at 8:30 PM
A reminder that if the government can send migrants to a prison camp without any due process, it can send U.S. citizens there, too. I know because this happened to me and my family in 1942.
The color palette is darker today. Vogue Japan, watercolor & gel pen.
I haven’t practiced for a good amount of time and it shows. Back at it! Apocalypse or no!
I haven’t practiced for a good amount of time and it shows. Back at it! Apocalypse or no!
April 7, 2025 at 4:51 AM
The color palette is darker today. Vogue Japan, watercolor & gel pen.
I haven’t practiced for a good amount of time and it shows. Back at it! Apocalypse or no!
I haven’t practiced for a good amount of time and it shows. Back at it! Apocalypse or no!
Reposted by Dance (if you want to)
Can we get more of this? “The Japanese American National Museum will ‘scrub nothing,’ Fujioka said, and instead will highlight the importance of DEI.
“Our community is based on diversity, equity is guaranteed to us in the Constitution, and inclusion is what we believe in,” Fujioka said.
“Our community is based on diversity, equity is guaranteed to us in the Constitution, and inclusion is what we believe in,” Fujioka said.
Japanese American National Museum takes a stand against DOGE cuts to NEH
The National Endowment for the Humanities warned museums across the country that it was slashing funding, including money previously pledged to places such as LACMA and the Japanese American National ...
www.latimes.com
April 6, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Can we get more of this? “The Japanese American National Museum will ‘scrub nothing,’ Fujioka said, and instead will highlight the importance of DEI.
“Our community is based on diversity, equity is guaranteed to us in the Constitution, and inclusion is what we believe in,” Fujioka said.
“Our community is based on diversity, equity is guaranteed to us in the Constitution, and inclusion is what we believe in,” Fujioka said.
Watercolor, ink, colored pencils. Doodling some characters, practicing with color.
March 25, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Watercolor, ink, colored pencils. Doodling some characters, practicing with color.