Come meet the artist Rae Akino and hear the stories behind their art. Rae Akino is a Seattle based, self-taught visual artist. What began as a coping mechanism for depression and anxiety became a lens to examine and understand the world. Being closeted, a slave to others expectations, and losing one of the most important people to their existence caused a mental, emotional, and spiritual paralysis. The need to escape turned into isolation, until they were encouraged to draw their way out of it. Influenced by music, theater, literature, film, life, people, etc; the DC native uses bold colors and expressive form to explore identity, sexuality, Afrocentrism, spirituality, mental health/ awareness, consciousness, and self. Centering the viewer into an emotional, mental, and spiritual connection with themselves opens the door to endless possibilities. Awakening desensitized emotions lead to the questions that spark conversations. Living in a society where boxes and labels are a way of life, forces one to hide and resent the parts of themselves that are not accepted. Never being strictly one thing or another fostered the realization that “I am all things” “We are all things”. “Telling stories that are unheard, or undervalued gives greater meaning to any work.” -RA “My objective is to make the viewer connect and think outside themselves or what they know to be true. To see beyond the pretty picture on the wall” -RA Gallery hours begin at noon and are extended through 9pm for First Thursday Art Walk. Talk begins at 7pm and will end when the conversation dies out.