Mary, 2023                   

Mary is inspired by The Secret Garden, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, first published in book form in 1911.
I disliked Mary's character so much when I was younger. Her spoiled nature and how she treated others would make me angry, but then I grew to love her because she changed. She did not stay a spoiled little girl but instead grew to become independent, not just dependent. She showed courage in unraveling the mysteries surrounding the locked garden, and ultimately, her ability to help bring the garden back to life showed hope, healing, and reconciliation. 

Anne, 2024
Anne is inspired by Anne of Green Gables, a 1908 novel by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery (published as L. M. Montgomery). 
As a young girl reading this book, many elements resonated with me. Anne was an orphan, talkative, a dreamer, imaginative, dramatic, and had a temper. I loved Anne's joy in life and how she would describe her greatest sorrows, frustrations, and hopes. What I loved the most was how she grew and matured; amid that, her close relationships became sweeter and more robust. 

Winne, 2024

Winne is inspired by Tuck Everlasting, an American children's novel about immortality written by Natalie Babbitt and published in 1975. 
When you are young, having the ability to live forever would be the ultimate superpower.
But it's filled with heartache, as I learned when reading this book as a young girl. Aging and living are progressions; it's not meant to stand still. 
Winnie has a choice to be immortal, but in the end, you find a grave and learn that she died after marriage and having children. She lived an entire life. 
"Don't be afraid of death; be afraid of an unlived life. You don't have to live forever; you just have to live."

Floral Sequin, 2023                                                                                                           
Fashion is one of the sources of inspiration for me. I love looking at clothes, colors, textures, fabrics. This painting was inspired by Óscar Arístides Renta Fiallo, known professionally as Oscar de la Renta.

Cecilia, 2023

Cecilia Chiang came to the United States from China as a daughter of wealth who had fled the Japanese during World War II, traveling nearly 700 miles on foot. Once in San Francisco, she proceeded to revolutionize Chinese cuisine. Her restaurant, the Mandarin, introduced American diners in the 1960s to the richness and variety of authentic Chinese cuisine.Chiang oversaw The Mandarin's day-to-day operations from its opening in 1961 until its sale in 1991. In 2013, she received the James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award. This painting is inspired by the dress she wore that evening.

Living Jade, 2023

When I painted this piece, I wanted to try something that had a distinctly Asian appearance to it. Ancient pottery photographs by the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco inspired the features of this piece.

What do you see when you look at it?

Heal, 2022            

Lavender, Jasmine, Roses, & Sage are known as healing flowers.
My heart and body are extra aware of the significance of the word "heal." In April 2022, I was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer at 41. Healing takes time, it takes strength, and it often requires courage when trying to choose the best way to heal.
A nurse called me and left me a voice message, which I still have on my phone.  She said, "I was calling to make sure you're doing OK today, and I will definitely be saying some prayers for you, OK hon? "

Dedicated to those who are on the path of healing. 

Motherhood, 2022                                                                                                                   

Daylilies represent a child's love for their mother. Motherhood can come to many at different ages and stages in life. For some, it comes with years of infertility or miscarriage. For others, it never comes to fruition.
Personally, I became a mother at the age of 39 on Mother's Day, after experiencing the loss of our first child through a miscarriage the previous year. This experience has been one of the greatest gifts life has given me, and it's the reason why I started painting.

Knowledge, 2023

The traditional blue iris symbolizes knowledge. I had no official diploma to show when I turned eighteen. I flew halfway across the country and worked for a non-profit for eight years, traveling to multiple countries. Afterward, I became a personal caregiver for two women with disabilities. When I decided I wanted to take college courses I had no diploma. I was thirty when I began preparing to get my GED Certification. To this day, receiving my GED is still one of my proudest accomplishments.