To Do 05.27.21

PAINT: with Kaffe Fassett and Erin Lee Gafill.

Color will not be in short supply in this group painting session with London-based Kaffe Fassett and his niece, Big Sur painter Erin Lee Gafill. In washes of bright colors with a touch of camaraderie, they lead a virtual painting session in lieu of their annual paint retreats to celebrate their newest collaboration: an exhibit at the Monterey Museum of Art, Color Duets, and book release of the same name. They’ll paint the same arrangements of objects in unison, sometimes resulting in different interpretations. After the demonstration, the two artists will participate in a Q&A. The event happens 11am-noon on Thursday, May 27 (free for MMA members, $10/nonmembers). Reserve a spot at montereyart.org.

WATCH: a film about or made by AAPI.

May is AAPI or Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and there is no shortage of ways to engage with said community, especially when it comes to film. There is a sort of renaissance happening with high-quality, award-winning cinema that spans all genres. Analyze social structure and get a good scare in with South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite. Reanalyze the American dream with Lee Isaac Chung’s Minari. Or laugh and cry through the childish wonderment found in New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi’s Hunt for the Wilderpeople or Jojo Rabbit. Many are available in streaming platforms, but you can also join virtual film festivals like CAAM Fest (caamfest.org) hosted by the Center for Asian American Media.

TEST: the post-pandemic waters.

Ready or not, California plans on opening up again on June 15. Whether you’ve been casting judgment on maskless people or are ready to enjoy a maskless indoor dining event yourself, it’s best to prime yourself for what the world will look like and how others will interact with it. The latter you can’t know for sure, but you have control over what you’re comfortable with. When you’re fully vaccinated, see if daily tasks without masks feel OK. Start with relatively safe activities, like hiking in the great outdoors without a mask. You can always put it back on if there’s a crowd. If you’re ready to interact with people outside of your household, meet up at a cafe with outdoor seating. Maybe this week, outside is OK. Maybe the week after, it’s reservations for dinner indoors. However you choose to navigate the new normal, you have at least some control over how you’ll reenter it.