About Me
Discover the Soulful Narratives Woven into Every Brushstroke
Artist Statement
As an Asian-American painter, my abstract works on large canvases are a reflection of my exploration of the emotional spectrum. My paintings are a multi-layered expression of feelings, from the simple and obvious to the complex and elusive. The canvas serves as the foundation for a symphony of color, texture, pattern, symbolism, and words, each layer contributing to the depth and richness of the experience.
My artistic inspiration is drawn from the delicate balance between life's myriad obstacles and tragedies, juxtaposed with moments of profound beauty and grace. In my work, I delve into the conflict between chaos and calm, seeking to illuminate the path to a beautiful and well-lived existence.
In a world often marked by cruelty and unfairness, my art aims to bridge the gaps between us, connecting with the humanity that resides in all of us. Through my paintings, I offer gifts of love, empathy, and healing; inviting viewers to explore the harmonious interplay of emotions and the potential for beauty in even the most challenging of circumstances.
"God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called."
-Mark Batterson
A little More About Me
Art was not my first love. I do not have a list of accolades related to artistic accomplishments. My accolades actually have nothing at all to do with creativity.
I earned my Master’s in Nursing Leadership. I had a wonderful 25-year-long career in nursing. I served in our United States Air Force as a Critical Care nurse and was deployed to Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks on our country. After the Air Force, I found myself in the world of hospice care. This was another honor for me… to witness the sacred transition of life.
In 2020, my nursing career came to an unexpected end. I retired my license after suffering brain injuries in 2019. These injuries left me with many deficits that I just couldn’t accept at the time. My ability to think critically in the moment was gone. I couldn’t trust myself to provide safe and effective care to my patients. I didn’t trust my brain anymore.
I have spent the last four years rehabilitating my brain, working on accepting the changes the injuries left with me, and learning how to embrace the many abilities I still have. I had to mourn the abilities that I thought were the foundation of my value and identity.
The left side of my brain sustained most of the injuries. This meant that I had to work to strengthen the right side of my brain: creativity, emotionality, and intuition. I was in foreign territory. As a part of my healing process, I was told to include creative exercises. I discovered that I was attracted to painting on large surfaces. This was the beginning of my life as an artist.
As a result of the trauma in my life, I have become immensely creative, and thrive in trusting my intuition. These traits have always been a part of who I am, they were simply lying dormant. My tagline, “Colliding with Beauty” echoes the force behind my work. It points to the result of the impact of trauma in my life. I now have an acute awareness of beauty all around me. I am learning to love parts of myself I never knew existed. I struggled with perfectionism, shame, and vulnerability. The gift left to me as a result of the injuries is my realization that I am a powerful survivor, a crucifier of shame, and a champion for vulnerability and authenticity. The voices of societal expectations and my own self-criticism have been muted. Although I still experience frustration and sadness about the losses in my life, I am grateful that I have been set free to finally become the creature God has designed me to be.
I am embattled. I have overcome. I treasure the kind of beauty that has marinated in pain, suffering and trauma. As the renowned novelist, Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote: Beauty will save the world!