"The Last Bodega" stories by Sheena Garcia: Conceptual Video Clip "Real Enough for Now"

  I wrote the Last Bodega pilot screenplay in 2009, and I am always so very thankful to mentors, friends, and family who have read and cheered this story on over the years! These roles are made for real actors to step into someday. I've carried these characters in my head for years now, and with today's storyboarding tools, I'm at least able to get the characters out of my head into conceptual imagery before hopefully real-life actors take on these cherished roles. More about this project coming to paulinteractive.com and PAULTV. Find out what happens when the Bodega starts talkin. Lol

Read the first episode of The Last Bodega in this issue of PAUL Goodreads. A brand-new issue is coming soon—featuring more of The Last Bodega and works by talented Philadelphia artists.

 

The Last Bodega by Sheena Garcia Storyboard Conceptual Trailer-1 From Concept to Camera

 I wrote the Last Bodega pilot screenplay in 2009, and I am always so very thankful to mentors, friends, and family who have read and cheered this story on over the years! These roles are made for real actors to step into someday. I've carried these characters in my head for years now, and with today's storyboarding tools, I'm at least able to get the characters out of my head into conceptual imagery before hopefully real-life actors take on these cherished roles. More about this project coming to paulinteractive.com and PAULTV. Find out what happens when the Bodega starts talkin. Lol

The Last Bodega by Sheena Garcia Storyboard Conceptual Trailer-2 From Concept to Camera

 I wrote the Last Bodega pilot screenplay in 2009, and I am always so very thankful to mentors, friends, and family who have read and cheered this story on over the years! These roles are made for real actors to step into someday. I've carried these characters in my head for years now, and with today's storyboarding tools, I'm at least able to get the characters out of my head into conceptual imagery before real-life actors take on these cherished roles. More about this project coming to paulinteractive.com and PAULTV. Find out what happens when the Bodega starts talkin. Lol!

Best experienced from phone! Once inside, tap "interative".

 

Reflection: On the Quiet That Makes Room

When I wrote this quote, I was thinking about the way some connections, collaborations, or moments in life don’t always end with a clean break. They just... soften into silence. That silence can feel like absence, and indeed sometimes it is. But... I’ve also come to see it as space being made. Space for clarity. Space for possibility. Space to return to my own voice.

As a person who creates, a teacher, painter, and storyteller, I’ve learned to trust the quiet. Not to rush to fill it, but to let it stretch open enough to hold new ideas, deeper truths, and emotional rest. Quiet doesn’t mean "nothing is happening." It means something important is growing that doesn’t need to shout right now.

This reflection is for anyone holding space where someone or something used to be and perhaps wondering what’s next. May your quiet be gentle. And may it guide you, the way it continues to guide me.

So… this is the part where I get real excited. lol! These are the digital 3D renderings of Lucille, my second art toy in the CocobeanZ Studio Collection. My first figure, Cordilia, was the beginning of this journey. Now Lucille is officially in the 3D phase with my manufacturer getting ready for printing and painting. Looking forward to the birth of Lucille! Yay! News of launches will follow. Stay close

 

As someone who has taught students from elementary through high school, I’ve seen firsthand how often our boys are told to “man up” before anyone ever asks them how they feel. They carry emotional weight we may never fully recognize. Dante is a reminder to pause and make space for all that our boys carry in silence.

 

Dante | Emotional Well-Being Toy Series

A quiet, powerful figure representing the emotional interior of boys, especially those who too often are told to hide it. Dante is part of an upcoming designer toy line that centers mental wellness, honesty, and creative representation. Through his still presence and symbolic design, Dante creates space for what our boys carry but rarely show. 

“Designed to feel. Built to reflect.” Created by Sheena Garcia | Cocobeanz Studio

 

First Peep at Lucille! She’s not a doll, but a character from my CocobeanZ Art Toy Collection. I dreamed her up about three years ago, and now… she’s officially in production! Yay! This is my original concept, but her final look may evolve just a bit as the manufacturer and I collaborate on final decisions. But... her energy is already here! She's sharp, sweet, and unapologetically her. Sharing her today in the spirit of the freedom to claim our joy, creativity, and reflections of us, on our own terms. Video has sound. Yay, Lucille! Dropping soon!