Self-portrait, through the lens of Picasso's cubism (left).

Self-portrait, through the lens of Picasso's blue period (right).

Joyce Kwon
at 9 years old, Maurice Hawk Elementary School.
C. 1996


I recently found two self-portraits I drew in third grade art class. We were instructed to draw one each in the style of Picasso's cubist period and his blue period.

It's been fourteen years since then, and I'm faced with the same assignment. Only this time, instead of using charcoal & paint, I'll be using sounds, and instead of depicting myself in the style of Picasso, I'll be creating a self-portrait through the lens of jazz music.

Since settling back in LA recently, I have been thinking a lot about who I am, and more specifically, what it means for me to be a jazz vocalist. I presented this portrait of myself as I was on March 2nd, 2010 at Catalina Jazz Club, in the form of a quintet, and you can view pieces of that here.

I'm thankful for Hitomi Oba (tenor sax), Charlie Domingo (bass), Jake Jamieson (drums) & Brandon Bae (guitar), for contributing to this portrait with their own sounds, as well as my sister, Eunice, who made the flyer for this project, as she did for many of my other projects, in addition to writing copy on my "About" page. She has certainly had a part in shaping who I am as a person, and therefore, as an artist.