For Those Who Plant in Tears (2018)
Unfired, bisque, and glazed fired stoneware, terra sigillata, LED light
This installation piece is for those who have to say goodbye to their loved ones for a better life and for future possibilities. Often times we have no choice but to do things and go places that take us away from our loved ones. That can involve starting a new life somewhere completely new. The transition is never easy but the resilience that people show during their most difficult times is powerful and it proves that difficulties are an opportunity to grow and become even stronger. The love we hold in our hearts for the people we care about is real, can shine through us, and can make an infinite impact in this world. When we eventually pass, our essence will live on through the imprint of care we have left in each other's lives and keep lighting up our next generation.
Solid to Liquid, Liquid to Solid (2018)
"Solid to Liquid, Liquid to Solid" includes approximately over ten thousand flower-shaped ceramic pieces of various natural colors. The flowers have been arranged to create a negative space of a person at rest in the fetal position. All flowers are made from clay which has been reclaimed from mud from the Montecito mudslide.
The piece was inspired by both the human vulnerability and the strong sense of community that I observed in the aftermath of the recent tragedy. This piece was made with care for the people who lost their loved ones and also to honor the people who help each other out during such difficult times. From this tragedy, we learned we need to appreciate everything we have and show love to the people we cherish while they are here. After the tears of remembrance we shed for those we've lost, we can be strong together and face the unpredictability of life.
The piece was inspired by both the human vulnerability and the strong sense of community that I observed in the aftermath of the recent tragedy. This piece was made with care for the people who lost their loved ones and also to honor the people who help each other out during such difficult times. From this tragedy, we learned we need to appreciate everything we have and show love to the people we cherish while they are here. After the tears of remembrance we shed for those we've lost, we can be strong together and face the unpredictability of life.
Dream dress (2018)
This work, Dream Dress, is about being in a marriage. When you see the dress from afar, you see a white, floating wedding dress. When you get closer, you can see all the lacey patterns on the dress which were created by laying countless wishbones and pieces of wishbones of various sizes. The idea came from my experience that many times in marriage there will need to be compromised with your partner. Not many people talk openly about that before getting married. When people think about a wedding they usually talk about the dress, the party, the happily ever after, etc. However, it’s necessary to know how to compromise when you are in a relationship if you want it to work. And it can happen many times every day. Marriage is not always easy and it can be fragile if one person stops trying to make the effort. But if you realize that’s part of the relationship and both are willing to do something to make each other happy and feel special, a marriage is a beautiful thing to work for in a the pursuit of happiness.
May I go out to play? (2017)
“May I go out to play?” is one of my favorite works. Once I had all the pieces made, it took about a week to hang them all up at the positions that I wanted. I am still looking for a good location and timing to hang it up again and improve something in the future installation. This work is created from my childhood picture. I did an abstract color pencil drawing of the picture and thought it would be interesting to make the drawing 3D and in a much bigger scale. Those cubes, beads and the three legs show how much I wanted to get out of the house all the time when I was a child. Now, after I have started a new life overseas for several years, I find myself thinking a lot about going home and wishing I could spend more time with my blood family. I used pastel and color pencils to color most parts of the work and that woke up my inner child and I enjoyed the process so much.
Life pinball series (2017)
So far I have finished 2 boards for the Life Pinball series. I started with the board about having a baby. The second one is about taking care of old parents when they can’t take care of themselves and even when they start to forget who you are.
These two life situations both can happen so unexpectedly. Sometimes even when we all try our best, things just don’t always go to the direction that we hope – as a parent, or as a child. We all feel there are some responsibilities that can be unbearable, and we all know somebody who is in a similar situation. Those challenges are not easy to conquer and the frustration won’t just magically go away. But there are always people who were or still are in the same situation and that understand the memories that you share with your love ones are special. And you are never alone.
These two life situations both can happen so unexpectedly. Sometimes even when we all try our best, things just don’t always go to the direction that we hope – as a parent, or as a child. We all feel there are some responsibilities that can be unbearable, and we all know somebody who is in a similar situation. Those challenges are not easy to conquer and the frustration won’t just magically go away. But there are always people who were or still are in the same situation and that understand the memories that you share with your love ones are special. And you are never alone.
Pencils series (2017)
The pencil series is about confessing artistic struggles and highlighting some of the unique and wonderful traits of being human in a humorous way. Artists use their work to convey their unique ideas and visions. The final results are not always appreciated or even accepted by society and some see artists negatively, believing that they do not contribute to society. We keep making art even though it can be lonely sometimes, because we believe there is value in expressing ourselves regardless of the risks of not being understood or being seen as different. Making art is a real job. It takes a lot of time, energy and thoughtfulness. Love and respect the artists around you and cherish your own ideas and talents. Independent of the pricetag, art and artists bring real value to society.