The Love Between Lola x Kenneth
This March we are highlighting warriors in our lives to celebrate the release of our very own Southeast Asian warrior princess, Raya.
Our elders are our champions and warriors in our lives. We honor and love the roles they've played in our lives. From teaching us their secret recipes, to cooking our favorite dishes, to dominating us over and over again at Mahjong. We are in awe of the paths and struggles our elders have gone through to create the life we have today - especially those who immigrated to new lands where the languages, customs, and culture were different than theirs.
We are excited to be able to share Lola x Kenneth's story with you all!
Hello! My name is Kenneth, and my lola (grandma in Tagalog) is Crescenciana. Together we’re The Lola x Kenneth Collaboration. In 2014 I moved back home to help care for Lola, and we started working together. Lola made paintings in watercolor, and I added drawings based on her stories and memories. When she passed, she left me with all her paintings and a purpose. I promise to finish everything she started.
- Shop: www.lolaxkenneth.com
- Instagram: @lolaxkenneth
- TikTok: @lolaxkenneth
- Facebook: facebook.com/lolaxkenneth
What inspired you to become an artist?
When I first moved back home, Lola and I would watch Netflix from morning until it was time for Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. One day, after breakfast, I asked Lola what she wanted to do. She said, “Something that is for a purpose.”
I’d read somewhere that seniors enjoyed art therapy, so I brought out some watercolors so that Lola could paint. That’s how we started working together.
How do you want to see your art featured and what stories do you like to share through your art?
I share Lola’s stories through our drawings and paintings. When I’m adding to one of Lola’s paintings, I base my drawings on memories she shared with me, or sometimes just on how she was feeling on the particular day she was painting.
What is your favorite dish? Is there a story behind it?
Apparently all of them, considering how much I’m juggling these days. But if I had to pick just one, then it's got to be my Lola’s leche flan. She would always bake it in a heart-shaped dish.
What does courage mean to you?
When I was in college, I came home to visit Lola. She asked me how school was going and I said, “I’m afraid I won’t finish, Lola. I don’t understand anything and I can’t keep up.”
Lola said, “Why scared? Discover! What is fear? You fight it.”
To me, courage means not letting fear dictate my choices. It means making choices because I want to discover.
Where can we expect to see you in the next few years?
I don’t know about the next few years, but this year I’m going to be launching a Kickstarter to publish a book with Lola’s stories and our work.
Thank you so much Kenneth and Lola for sharing their story with us! Tuk Tuk Box is proud to exclusively feature Southeast Asian ingredients and include refugee, migrant, and generational stories in every box.
If you, or someone you know want to share their story with us send us an email hello@tuktukbox.com. Stay tuned for future stories and the newest products by subscribing to our email list serv.
