Mother Stories
Meet S.F. Artist And Mother Of One Katrina Santa Ana-Jose
Written by Erin Feher
Photography by Maria del Rio
Jul 30, 2019
San Francisco has taken a fair amount of heat for pushing out its creative class, and for turning former artists’ warehouses into soulless tech offices. That’s just one reason why today’s profile is such a breath of fresh air. Katrina Santa Ana-Jose and her husband Victor Reyes are both working artists, and with their sweet, imaginative son—Valentine, 6—they all spend their days immersed in making. Whether it’s wall-sized paintings (him), eclectic textiles (her), or bamboo nunchucks (Val), the San Francisco–based family is creative to its core. They live a snug existence in a tiny apartment smack in the center of the city, but have plenty of space to spread out at their warehouse studio in the Dogpatch neighborhood, where there are zones for each family member to be inspired and make whatever moves them. It’s a dream of a studio, but what’s even more inspiring are Katrina’s poignant thoughts on art, politics, motherhood, and so much more. Click through the slideshow below to read our full interview with her, and prepare to be blown away by both of the spaces they call home.
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- "We started the new year here and it’s the third studio we have set up in two years. I wish you could have seen the last one. It was a big beautiful barn on a farm in Sonoma. It was tons of work and became a living dream. We learned a lot there. When it came time to let go, three of the realest angels in our life opened this warehouse up to us. We packed everything up and rolled right in. I’m not sure how much I can give away, but I will say our time here is just the beginning for this amazing space."
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- "No, we just cycle through furniture and rearrange based on our needs."
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- "Make yourself comfortable. Get seating to lounge in. Set lighting that makes you feel good. Center something captivating as a place for the eyes to rest. No matter what you have or where you got it, surroundings can summon joy, solace, and sanctuary when we nest them with purpose."
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- "At our last studio, Valentine spent extended periods of time with us while we dove into projects. He loves to be involved, but it won’t keep him entertained all day. We salvaged some wide ladders and made him a set of painted monkey bars. We hung up a hammock and swinging ropes over large rugs and a stair platform. It became his own space to chill out or make fun projects. We knew we needed a similar zone for the warehouse, but when the environment changes, so do the activities. The floors are concrete, so the monkey bars and ropes got stored, and after a week or two of boredom he picked up a skateboard and started kicking around soccer balls. There are cushions and a couch to chill, and I made a big fort as a quiet space to hide out. He comes here after school most days and listens to folk tales in there in between the physical play."
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"Victor really is a masterful painter. I enjoy seeing him bring his drawings to life. I’m piecing together textiles I’ve collected over these years entrenched in early motherhood. Val and I have sourced vintage and thrifted materials all over California. The quality of cotton and linen that’s been cared for is remarkable! It feels so good on the body and gets better and better with wear. I’ve been making simple, fun pieces for women and kids, and functional decor for the home. The quilt that’s hanging in our studio will go onto our bed soon."
Katrina wears a Seventh Son Tattoo T-shirt; and a vintage dress from Mission Thrift. Valentine wears a Kaws T-shirt shibori dyed by Katrina and pants made by Katrina.
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- "The space itself? The way the light filters in. I swear it changes your brain! Everyone who has come through here has a dream for what it could be. Those moments are golden. It’s like we’re getting in a time machine back to when beautiful industrial spaces in San Francisco were available for more than just desks and screens."
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- "I love the way our ideas mingle. Victor's energy is very passionate, very dedicated. I learn a lot from his discipline. When I look up half way through the day and we are both humming through a flow—that’s the best feeling. It’s great to be in there alone, too. Those days set me up to really go off and make a mess. A lot of big, spontaneous projects materialize when I have the studio to myself. I guess I have no preference, there’s value in both situations."
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- "I am an artist."
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- "I was born and raised in San Francisco. After high school, I moved to Honolulu. I worked in the nightlife and live music scenes for five years. Between a jazz lounge, Waikiki’s most iconic mai tai bar, and all the clubs in between, I was surrounded by musicians and beautiful eye-opening Hawaiian culture. I was lucky to meet so many inspiring people there, and on frequent trips to Los Angeles and San Francisco. When I moved back to the city, Victor and I started making quilted flatwork and bags together. We travelled to do murals, pop-ups, and art shows, then had Valentine a couple of years after."
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"Colorful and casual."
Katrina wears vintage sterling silver jewelry from the Alameda Flea Market and a ring stack from Fiat Lux.
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- "Bright casual dresses and jeans that hug just right. Victor’s always bringing me T-shirts. I love throwing them on with either."
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- "I model patterns after dresses that I love. They are often simple nameless pieces found second-hand. This is less about copying a style as much as it is about loving the fit and wanting to wear it again and again."
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- "Parenting really calls us to be the highest versions of ourselves. It takes a lot of creative imagination to impart knowledge of our current reality to accessible levels. I’m thrilled to see so many young people using their voices to advocate for change. From the Parkland students to Greta Thunberg, there are parents behind all these kids empowering them along the way. I’m excited for the ways today’s children will change the world."
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- "Overconsumption and resource depletion give me so much anxiety. I see climate change tied to every struggle of power and privilege. The migrant crisis. Mass incarceration. Environmental precarity. The list goes on. Those of us who are able need to make a concerted effort to shift our purchasing power from funding extraction and exploitation towards investing in systems that work to construct a more sustainable environment and equitable society."
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- "I’m excited that he is growing up with female leaders and role models. These boys will find new strengths with their openness to learning from women and not just other men."
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- "Valentine means strength and vitality. We had a high-risk pregnancy with the outcome only to be known after his birth. His name was an intention."
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- "Valentine is five, nearly six years old. Lately he is very into Bruce Lee. Anything ninja really. Someone on Bernal curbed a bunch of bamboo and he and Victor made a kendo sword and nunchucks. They go ham in the studio getting all the physical energy out. Today we’re excited about a classic cassette player found at a thrift shop in Napa. We’ve been looking for a good one. He’s always loved storytelling and similarly, songs hold experiences of the past. I’m looking forward to him exploring music in an analog way."
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- "No, but I understood that that part of life would come. It’s as if I always held space for the possibility without imagining myself in the role."
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- "I cared for Valentine until he started preschool at almost 3 years old. While I took a break from my production in the studio, I kept collecting textiles, doing research, and assisting Victor with admin work in his studio."
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- "We’ve been blessed to attend a wonderful Waldorf-inspired preschool in Potrero Hill for the past three years, and I’ve often come to them for guidance. Teacher Monica hosts parent nights to discuss childhood development based on what our children are experiencing. It’s been an irreplaceable resource. We don’t have grandparents in the city and I always felt the women who run the school represented the voices of elders for Valentine."
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- "My closest friends are brilliant creatives with kids. We have friendships beyond play dates, and while they inspire me with how they lead in their households, the continuous growth in their personal practices excites me most. It means a lot to take Valentine to Melanie’s art show or for a listen of Heta’s podcast. I love that he has an understanding of them beyond their role as mothers."
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- "I grew up in San Francisco with my sister and my mother. I’m first generation; my parents immigrated here from the Philippines in the '80s. We lived out by Ocean Beach with lots of family around. I attended Catholic school early on and public middle and high school. My youth in the city definitely opened the door to all the people and things I have in my life today."
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- "Most definitely. Media has inundated us with so many versions of the human experience. It’s overwhelmed me. I process it by building our lifestyle around values rather than subscribing to any singular ideology. I think we can embody understanding by allowing for differences without internalizing them as opposition. Maybe then we will find it easier to collaborate and organize against systemic injustices."
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- "I was the first among my friends to have a baby and found the early stages to be painfully isolating. Postpartum comes in nuanced forms and the subtleties do not get the attention they deserve. Reach out to friends and family or seek out spaces where you can build community. Connection works wonders for mental health."
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- "We consider it frequently."
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- "My mother, aunt, sister, and best friends have all moved away in the past few years. It’s been brutal. Now our support comes in waves. Of course if there’s something big like a weekend or trip, someone always comes through. We just have to plan it."
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- "It’s fulfilling to relate through many dynamics. We have ways of being in the studio, as a couple, and as parents. It takes a lot of communication and reverence for the joy that comes from working through conflict."
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- "Parenting is like everything else I’ve never done before. Full of learning moments. I put forth my best, but missteps are inevitable. We can’t take them back, so we may as well look through the discomfort for what it’s meant to teach us and move forward."
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- "Valentine has seen Victor and I grow through so much. For better or worse, he’s riding shotgun between us while we create the map on the way. If our life models anything for him, it’s that the toughest challenges come with the most rewarding gifts. The labor is the dream!"
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- "I love the parks. When Valentine was a toddler I counted 10 parks within a 30-minute walk from home. We would go to a different one every day on his balance bike, his scooter, or the MUNI trains. It’s amazing how accessible the city can be."
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"We frequent the farmer’s markets. Sometimes twice a week! The diversity in California’s produce blows my mind. I love finding uncommon ingredients and getting prep tips from the farmers."
"After school, Val and I meet friends to play in the Mission before walking home. We often eat at Namu which is right by Dolores park. They farm Korean heritage vegetables and create unique offerings we all enjoy. Close to home, we pop in to Cala to treat ourselves to tacos. They open a tiny counter in the alley behind the restaurant for lunch during the week. It’s standing room only and best before or after the office break rush."
"Being in the redwoods early on a foggy day is otherworldly. The colors lean deep into purples and I swear you can feel the trees breathing. Lake Chabot rents boats for half-off on Wednesdays. We haven’t caught a fish yet, but it’s great fun being out on the water on a sunny day. You really can’t go wrong with nature in the Bay Area. It’s a grounding break from the busy city, and you can find it in every direction!"
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- "Absolutely. San Francisco is a wild and incredible place, but I think all three of us have reached our limit with the rampant inequality. The privileges of living here correlate to horrendous economic disparity, and living in the center of the city has us at high exposure to all of it. A five-year-old will raise some tough questions after witnessing the normalization of walking over humans, poop, and syringes every day."
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- Katrina wears vintage Levi’s and a self-made wrap shirt. Valentine wears pants and a kimono top made by Katrina.
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- "Our scene is the world we’ve created in our studio. I love getting lost in there and having friends come over to hang out or make stuff. Despite the mass exodus of San Francisco’s creative community, we have brilliant artists, musicians, chefs, photographers, writers, gallerists, producers, and visionaries in our lives. It would be revitalizing if consumer culture deviated from homogenous trends and acted as a patron towards living local artists. Otherwise, we risk losing a deep and diverse scene for everyone to revel in. Which is a shame because there is a lot to be said about the complexity of what’s happening here. Three films have recently been made about it! Sorry to Bother You, Blindspotting, and The Last Black Man in San Francisco. They are all a good look through the mirror. Artists distill facets of reality to prompt new ways of seeing the world and our place in it."
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- "We live in an old-school Victorian apartment in the center of San Francisco. My husband has lived in Hayes Valley since before the freeway over Octavia came down. It’s both chaotic and convenient to be right in the mix."
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- "There are books, little toys, and places to get cozy in every room. We have a fun waterfall table that he’s made into an alter of sorts. He pins up images and carefully places his treasures—Lego creations, precious stones, letters from friends. I love seeing his arrangements. They say so much about who he is."
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- "We share our space with each other. It can be maddening, but ultimately it’s a great source of comfort to be intertwined like this. Even in our bedroom there is a silver cup of wooden tops if he wants to play near while I’m getting ready."
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- "I treasure our book collection. Being able to shift the energy in a small space is crucial and stories do that for Val. The shelves in the kitchen are meaningful, too. I thrifted and redid them myself when we shifted to buying grains and spices without packaging. Shopping in the bulk bins has helped us reduce plastic consumption and visually it reminds me what to cook!"
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- "Utility and inspiration. It’s all very interactive. I’m not fussy about curating an aesthetic. I like what I like and those things don’t always match."
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- "I am more into comfort than I’ve ever been. With little separation between our work and home life, it’s important to wear clothing that can move between different activities and environments."
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- "It’s very minimal. I use a Vitamin C serum, face oils, and sunscreen daily."
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- "I feel at my best after spending time in nature. If that happens once or twice a month, I’m happy. I do pilates and yoga maybe twice a week. Val and I walk a mile or more almost every day. I learned transcendental mediation during my pregnancy and I’m still trying to work it into my daily routine. My friend Rachel makes Goldmine, an adaptogen mix, that I have with my coffee every morning. It helps manage hormone and stress levels."
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- "Victor and I are ace at giving each other time. We share an email that updates both calendars simultaneously. It’s a great way to coordinate time management without feeling like we always need to ask something of one another. I love going to the Alameda flea at 6 a.m. It’s fun to pick my friends up while it’s still dark and go treasure hunting. If there something at the museum I want to see, or a talk I want to attend, I’ll often do that solo so I can really sit with it all."
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"I’m working on being more honest about my identity. It took me so long to accept myself as an artist. It seemed to be something that was reserved for a certain race class or education. Which now to me is laughable. Artists have always been outsiders! As always, Victor and I seek to make environments where we can lose time in creation. We’re fortunate to have had spaces we’ve loved so much, and I’m looking forward to giving life to the ones beyond in our future."
For more on Katrina and her creative family, be sure to follow her on Instagram.
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I LOVE LOVE LOVE this post.
This is so refreshing ! Not just another Instagram mom. Katerina’s spaces and the values she promotes are just beautiful!