genscribbles
HAPA HOLIDAY VENDORS
What is your name/brand name?
Howdy! I'm Genevieve Cozart, and I post online under "genscribbles."
What makes you Hapa?
There's a line from an Amanda Palmer song that goes, "I'm not gonna live my life on one side of an ampersand," and I think that outlook informs a lot about how I interpret my own identity. I'm not a this or that— I'm a this AND that. I look nothing like my brothers, or my Filipina mother who raised me, so growing up, it took me a long time to be okay with how I look versus who I am. I contain multitudes, and I'm not half of anything. I am many things in one vessel.
What kind of art do you create?
I'm an illustrator and designer who creates art and paper goods for women. It's so fun to imagine the end product for my work. Can it be a sticker? An art print or greeting card? A calendar? I love that paper goods are low-key art gifts; they're things we give and send to each other almost entirely because we think they're pretty and meaningful. It tickles my dark heart parts to know that my work has become that for someone!
How does being Hapa apply to your work?
I think we all love seeing ourselves represented in art, and really any media that tells a story. I'm a firm believer that art should be both a mirror AND a window; opening us to new things while reflecting some of what we are familiar with and love about ourselves. To get down to it, diversity and representation are big stress points for me, so it's what I actively bring to the front of my work. I'm constantly learning, growing, and getting excited about new things— and I hope that comes across in what I create.
How long have you been an artist?
I was like most kids who loved scribbling and making marks— I just never stopped! I have very fond memories of making my own paper doll clothes as a child, and hiding my vandalism on the insides of my dresser drawers (how sneaky and clever I was)! As I got older I graduated from crayons, moved to pencils and brushes, and now I create almost exclusively digitally.
What's your favorite gift you've ever received or given?
I love gifting artwork— either something I made specifically for someone, or something I found that genuinely made me think of them. Last year I illustrated the zodiac signs of my sister-in-law and her son embodied as cats. Because, cats.
What are your favorite holiday traditions?
Doing the things that remind me of how magical the holidays were when I was a kid: driving to the mall in the rain (gotta love the SoCal winters) to shop for gifts, drinking hot cocoa in front of big windows, and getting pummeled by the smell of cinnamon and clove. I just adore the magical aesthetic of this time of year; the sights are prettier, the tastes are tastier, and the smells are smellier. Lay it on me!
What are your favorite pieces of your work?
I always try to put some new whimsy into every piece, so I find that I like a lot of what I do and don't have a singular favorite. It's a good problem to have!
Where can people find your work?
I recently started tabling at local zine fests and art shows in Southern California, and I put most of my work up on Instagram. I also have an Etsy, though I don't list many things individually there. I'm very open to people emailing me to request custom orders of my artwork they've seen at shows or on my Instagram page. I'd love to hear from you!
What is your social media handle?
You can find me on Instagram, @genscribbles.