DIGITAL ILLUSTRATION GALLERY

HOT SAUCE DIASPORA

Hot Sauce Diaspora (kaleidoscope), Valerie Caesar, 2026.

Lately I’ve been obsessed with all things screen printing. I still love pastels, but my spot illustrations of late have taken on a decidedly dotty and striped appearance, as I play with halftones and their convergence with color.

Here I’ve chosen three beloved hot sauce brands from across the Diaspora, rendered in dots, grain and lines, and adorned with a kaleidoscope of color. I wanted to choose a vibrant palette that evokes the heat and energy of the regions these sauces represent: Mexico, the Caribbean and the American South. I had so many options, so in an effort not to be so damn precious, I just created a pretty one at random. (I made many many more…)

Hot Sauce Diaspora (screen), Valerie Caesar, 2026.

And in actuality, my fascination with screen printing (and digital printing processes in general) is in its infinite malleability. From a humble screen of the black bones of your image, you can create any number of different colored variations and duplicates. A perfect model of beauty and sustainability. I’m finna make a t-shirt. Who wants one?

A CLOSER LOOK

Watch this short video at the full screen setting to hear the music paired with Hot Sauce Diaspora, and to view it in closer detail.