New Published Art

22 Sep 2025 Leave a comment

by Tina V. Cabrera in Uncategorized Tags: ,

I am happy to announce the artwork by yours truly published at Flash Frog. I created the illustration for the flash fiction piece called “Dark Rooms” by Ali McLafferty.” Click on the link below:

https://flash-frog.com/2025/09/22/darkrooms-by-ali-mclafferty/

Second Bad Trip

08 Jul 2025 Leave a comment

by Tina V. Cabrera in Uncategorized Tags: , , , ,

We took a road trip to Olympia, Washington, for our ten year wedding anniversary this past May, arriving on a Friday. That night, we tried the new “calming” edibles we had purchased on the way, a kind that the clerk had told us was going to help us sleep. I should have known to question this assessment, for the edibles appeared much larger than the ones we had previously purchased in Vancouver, the ones that if I took them right before bed, the only side-effect would be the very thing I needed, to serve the needs of someone who struggled to fall, and to stay, asleep.

After climbing into the queen-sized bed that took up most of the room in the very tiny house, I chose the spot next to the window, and thank goodness, for what was to happen after taking the edible would make it necessary to breathe in the cool air coming from that windoe.

I immediately made note of the rust-colored beetle hanging on the wall opposite of my head, a hundred times larger than the real thing. The facsimile would serve as my point of focus in the ensuing hours in place of our smallest dog, who–rather than anchoring me as she had done during my first bad trip–would lie out of reach, underneath the heavy blanket, panting.

After chewing and swallowing the sweet salty edible, I shut my eyes and waited for the promised calm to wash over me. Instead, my heart beat rapidly as if I had been running or jump-roping good and hard. The louder it beat, the more I fixated on the false beetle–My how big you are, probably a hundred times bigger than the real thing, these people, these people must be obsessed with insects, on the other side, on the other side in the dark there’s an identical beetle remember the beetles in the house in Texas flipped over on their backs, that’s right, how long can a heart beat this fast before exploding or snuffing out my breath? Can I make it to the the tiny bathroom to vomit? Can I climb over Zen Zen and Mei Mei and babe’s legs? “Mei Mei is panting,” I managed to quietly utter, she’s panting under the heavy bed spread. And Babe, high like me only he never reacts like me, he said, “Oh, ha.” I wanted so badly to fall asleep but who can fall asleep with a heart beating so loud and fast it was greedy for the blood in my veins, competing with my brain seeking to hold onto some mantra, false beetle, be my saving grace. “Babe, my heart is beating so fast, I think I might have a heart attack,” I managed to utter. “Oh yeah?” he said. What I didn’t manage to utter was, “Maybe you should call 9-11,” and maybe they could save me from my heart exploding, and once again I’m ruining everything by being greedy for this big fat edible the girl clerk promised would be calming. Far from calming, my heart can’t take it. Time, time moved too slowly, the flase beetle hung in partial shadow, dark red ugly light. Then somehow, I must have fallen asleep with the beating heart beating just enough to keep me alive, fast, fast.

Making Art in Times of War & Suffering

24 Mar 2024 1 Comment

by Tina V. Cabrera in Uncategorized Tags: , ,

For a long while now, I have been brooding on the question of the role of art during times of intense suffering–whether it be firsthand experience or peripherally. Like the war in Gaza–a war so far yet brought to our attention daily on our screens. I think—what can art do, if anything, to ease the suffering?

Looking back at my journal entries, one labeled 10/5/23, it appears I had already pretty much given up on writing on the daily. I had also lost interest in reading; even before the attack on Israel, I wrote that I had already been taking an extended break from writing, and focusing on drawing, because I had lost my desire to write daily or at all; I could no longer write anything that could satisfy my desire to feel significant, or to connect with people enough for them to want to give a care. So I began focusing my energies on art: drawing and painting. Doing so does give me a sense of satisfaction, even if no one else sees what I create. But this brings me back to the question of the role of art in the face of war and suffering. What is the usefulness of a chosen profession like writing or making art? Could I be doing something more useful like participating in activism? Even if one makes art that directly interrogates warfare and other abuses of power, could that energy be better used? Does art need to console or to enact change?

Here is a link to an article in Estonian World with responses from various artists on this question:

What role does art serve in times of war and suffering?
Of all the responses, one that really resonated with me was the one by Anna Kouhkna, Estonian painter, illustrator and photographer, who, in reference to the war in Ukraine said, “When all this started happening, I lost my appetite for making art. I was devastated and read the news 24/7, putting all my emotions into it, almost hoping that my sadness, anger, compassion and attention could help in some way.” She decided to tune out the news and to pick up the brush again, for dwelling on negative emotions would not help anyone. I know it would probably help to stop checking the news every single day, but then when I don’t check I then feel guilty for going about my life as if everything’s just fine, and so the vicious cycle goes.

What do you think is the role of art in times like these? I invite you to enter the conversation with me and to share any insights you have, and if you have none, that’s okay too. Feel free to vent and rage, and of course share any resources that speak to you.

Making Art in Times of War & Suffering

23 Mar 2024 Leave a comment

by Tina V. Cabrera in Uncategorized Tags: , ,

For a long while now, I have been brooding on the question of the role of art during times of intense suffering–whether it be firsthand experience or peripherally. Like the war in Gaza–a war so far yet brought to our attention daily on our screens. I think—what can art do, if anything, to ease the suffering?

Looking back at my journal entries, one labeled 10/5/23, it appears I had already pretty much given up on writing on the daily. I had also lost interest in reading; even before the attack on Israel, I wrote that I had already been taking an extended break from writing, and focusing on drawing, because I had lost my desire to write daily or at all; I could no longer write anything that could satisfy my desire to feel significant, or to connect with people enough for them to want to give a care. So I began focusing my energies on art: drawing and painting. Doing so does give me a sense of satisfaction, even if no one else sees what I create. But this brings me back to the question of the role of art in the face of war and suffering. What is the usefulness of a chosen profession like writing or making art? Could I be doing something more useful like participating in activism? Even if one makes art that directly interrogates warfare and other abuses of power, could that energy be better used? Does art need to console or to enact change?

Here is a link to an article in Estonian World with responses from various artists on this question:

What role does art serve in times of war and suffering?
Of all the responses, one that really resonated with me was the one by Anna Kouhkna, Estonian painter, illustrator and photographer, who, in reference to the war in Ukraine said, “When all this started happening, I lost my appetite for making art. I was devastated and read the news 24/7, putting all my emotions into it, almost hoping that my sadness, anger, compassion and attention could help in some way.” She decided to tune out the news and to pick up the brush again, for dwelling on negative emotions would not help anyone. I know it would probably help to stop checking the news every single day, but then when I don’t check I then feel guilty for going about my life as if everything’s just fine, and so the vicious cycle goes.

What do you think is the role of art in times like these? I invite you to enter the conversation with me and to share any insights you have, and if you have none, that’s okay too. Feel free to vent and rage, and of course share any resources that speak to you.