I was raised to be ambitious, confident, and adventurous. Although I felt that way as a child, my confidence faltered as I got older. I became hyperaware of what people judged me on: my slender figure, long neck, and undeniably Asian facial features. These qualities should have been accepted, but they became jokes and remarks that led me to a place where I questioned my identity and why I could not be “better”. While I was able to overcome these problems, there are many others who cannot. They are attacked for being themselves, loving their body for the way it is, or forced to make changes to meet societal expectations. Through my works, I try to address these issues and inspire others to embrace what, rightfully, should be embraced.

My artworks include the use of traditional and nontraditional materials, primarily in the form of digital outputs, paintings, and sculptures. The variation in medium and style allows me to explore the powers of expression more unrestrictedly. I am drawn to the ideas of how we perceive aesthetics and how those perceptions alter our thoughts and everyday actions.

As someone who loves precision, I find delight in creating digital works designed to be screen printed, inkjet printed, or carved out by a computer numerical control (CNC) machine for stamping. My lines are deliberately made smooth and my images are simplified to create clarity. The text, usually marked in brilliant red and accompanying the illustration, features the implications of the artwork in a direct manner. These features are seen in every digital piece to keep my style consistent and focused.

Through my watercolor, oil, and acrylic paintings, I am able to approach more self-reflecting concepts and disregard the part of me that strives for perfection. My paintings aim to instill emotions that may have once been felt by myself or someone I know, usually in regard to appreciating the current self through reflecting on past memories. I use variations in paint and paintbrush texture, along with the differences in paint opacity to contrast the certainty and uncertainty behind each memory.

Additionally, my works include making sculptural art from a variety of materials (i.e. seashells, soda tabs, hot glue, etc.). They are meant to connect what I see or envision in my mind to the real world through abstraction and imitation. I aim to provoke thoughts on how human bodies relate to nature, consumption, and idealization, while often implementing specific lighting to create intentional shadows either for aesthetics or to enhance the purpose behind my work.

Through my art, I strive to draw attention to body appreciation and self-love that once or still does affect me and many others. Moving forward in these hard times, I often think and question how the rest of the world might now perceive me, but in doing so, I gain hope that others like myself can find inspiration to embrace what is present as they travel into the future.