Visual Artist

Born in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines, Nikita Ares is a Seattle-based visual artist whose work explores movement, energy, and emotion through bold, abstract compositions. Her practice bridges painting, drawing, and large-scale public art; each piece alive with color, rhythm, and intuition.

As a queer Filipino immigrant, Nikita’s art is both personal and connective, reflecting her desire to build dialogue across cultures and communities. Her murals and installations appear across the Pacific Northwest, with commissions from Meta Open Arts, Seattle Kraken, and the City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture.

For Gallery Together presents: Omiyage, Nikita shares new works that honor art as an offering — each painting a visual omiyage of feeling, memory, and movement meant to be experienced and shared.

@kita.licious

Singer/Songwriter

Iris Kymm is a Seattle-based electro and alternative Korean pop artist whose music exists at the intersection of soul, reflection, and experimentation. Drawing from her background as a singer, songwriter, and producer, Iris crafts immersive soundscapes that blend R&B, jazz, and electronic influences — evoking both intimacy and transcendence.

Her acclaimed track “Wya” from the EP Message is emblematic of her style: layered vocals, ambient textures, and a cinematic sense of space that invites listeners to feel as much as they hear. Each song unfolds like a quiet conversation between memory and emotion — honest, resonant, and deeply human.

For Iris, music is an act of connection. Her work draws inspiration from the small moments that linger — the stories, faces, and silences that shape who we are. Through vulnerability and rhythm, she explores what it means to be both rooted and restless, to hold nostalgia in one hand and transformation in the other.

At Gallery Together presents: Omiyage, Iris’s performance embodies the spirit of giving and return — offering her voice as a form of remembrance and renewal. Through her sound, she shares a gift shaped by experience and emotion, inviting each listener to reflect on their own journey of becoming.

@iriskymm

DJ

We’re honored to feature Diana Ratsamee as the featured DJ for Gallery Together presents: Omiyage.

A Lao-American DJ, curator, producer, and musician based in Seattle, Diana exists at the intersection of sound — blending genres, traditions, and rhythms into transcendent, immersive experiences. Her sets are journeys through rhythm and memory, connecting people through storytelling, sound, and movement.

Beyond the booth, Diana is the creator and host of Eastern Echoes on KEXP — a national radio show exploring the vibrant, eclectic music of Asia and its diaspora. Her passion for celebrating the global musical mosaic extends into her work curating events and collaborating with artists across Seattle and beyond, building bridges through the universal language of music.

Rooted in the Chinatown–International District and South Seattle, Diana draws inspiration from her father — a Lao refugee who rebuilt his dreams through song. His story infuses her music with purpose: a celebration of lineage, migration, and joy.

At Gallery Together presents Omiyage, Diana brings a sonic gift — a tapestry of diasporic sound that honors where we come from and how we continue to move together.

@sabaidi.ana

Ceramics Artists

Founded by Siera Matsuo and Luanne Wilson, Reclaim Clay Collective (RECC) is a POC-, queer-, and women-owned pottery and art studio housed in Seattle’s historic Tsue Chong fortune cookie factory in the Chinatown–International District.

More than a studio, RECC is a creative home for community, a nurturing space for artists of all backgrounds to learn, heal, and create as their authentic selves. Through accessible classes, flexible memberships, and inclusive workshops, they reclaim artistic spaces for those historically excluded, one vessel and collaboration at a time.

For Gallery Together presents: Omiyage, Reclaim Clay Collective brings the spirit of giving through clay: hand-built pieces and a paint-your-own fortune cookie activity (for purchase) inspired by their studio’s iconic space. Each work is an omiyage of its own: a gift shaped by many hands and shared with all.

@reclaimclaycollective

Fashion Designers

Kaitlin & Kaitlin are longtime friends, designers, and co-founders of Sairen, a modern boutique in Seattle’s Japan Town–International District that bridges Japanese, Hawai‘i, and local creative cultures.

Their journey began in 2017 with Morning Siren, a small-batch clothing brand built around craftsmanship and community. Over time, their shared vision grew from pop-ups and collaborations into a permanent home — Sairen, a space that celebrates independent Asian American and POC designers through design-driven, handmade goods.

For Gallery Together: Omiyage, Kaitlin & Kaitlin will offer exclusive Sairen-designed screen prints on clothing, totes, and furoshiki wraps — each a modern omiyage, a gift that carries both story and style.

@shopsairen

Dessert Artisan

Donna, a former healthcare IT professional turned self-taught baker and entrepreneur, founded Puffy Pandy, a woman AAPI-owned dessert café in the heart of White Center, Seattle.

After a decade in tech and a life-changing health scare, Donna followed her lifelong love of desserts and community.  Created in 2022, Puffy Pandy offers playful, panda-themed desserts with Asian-inspired flavors; it is a joyful space designed to share experimental creations and family-friendly fun.

For Gallery Together: Omiyage, Puffy Pandy brings a special collection of desserts inspired by the spirit of omiyage: gifts of care, creativity, and sweetness meant to be shared. Each bite carries a piece of Donna’s story: heritage, happiness, and heart.

@puffypandy

Ceremonial Matcha

Founded by Justin and Lorie, Ta-Ta Matcha is a playful, community-rooted pop-up reimagining how we gather around tea. Blending the earthy traditions of Japanese matcha with a modern, joy-filled twist, their creations celebrate ritual, flavor, and connection in equal measure.

What began as a shared love of tea and storytelling has grown into a traveling tea experience: one that turns ordinary moments into gatherings of care and creativity.

For Gallery Together: Omiyage, Ta-Ta Matcha offers a ceremonial matcha experience inspired by the spirit of omiyage:  gifts of grounding, gratitude, and joy meant to be shared. Each cup is a reminder that togetherness can be as simple, and as sacred, as sharing tea.

@tata_matcha