As a person and an artist, self-awareness is a quality that I am continuing to learn.
Sometimes I feel I am a mystery to myself. However, every time I paint, I feel I am
breaking through a new plane of my identity, and a deeper level of my subconscious;
what makes me who I am. I paint to continually rediscover myself, over and over again,
as I evolve. I don’t simply paint what I experience, but I paint what my experiences have
molded me into. I have been professionally trained by two Chinese painting masters from
Hong Kong in Chinese watercolor painting from the age of 10, and I owe much of my
painting style to them. Most of my paintings utilize these Asian brushwork techniques
with Western mediums and materials.

I am very much a traditional painter, but ever so often, I’ll challenge myself. I
typically paint with oils or acrylics on canvas, emphasizes realism with smooth, blended
strokes. However, I am progressively moving to more contemporary methods of painting,
with bold tools and materials such as palette knives and mixed media elements.

My life has been filled with international travel and intercultural influences which
have instilled in me a profound understanding and fascination with other cultures and
their histories, customs, and beliefs; primarily the Latin, Chinese and Korean cultures.
My few recent trips to South Korea showed how much the West influenced the music
culture, pop culture and trends in Korea, while then returning home and recognizing how
much Asian culture has influenced ours, regarding aesthetic tastes, cosmetic culture,
health and wellness, even certain ideologies.

My ongoing body of work focuses on these cultural exchanges taking place today
between the East and the West, through media, popular culture, religion, and traditional
practices. Just as my current portfolio expresses Asian subjects with Western painting
methods, my newest, ongoing portfolio of work expresses my theme of cultural exchange
between the East and West by infusing Eastern painting styles and brushstroke techniques
with Western mediums and subjects.

No race is ever isolated from the cultural influence of another; there is no such
thing as a “singular” culture. Whereas my current series of artwork focuses on my
individual experiences within Asian cultures, my continuing series of work focuses on
two things: 1) how cultures outside of my own have influenced my personal culture, and
2) how cultures continue to evolve, share, and exchange values and customs with each
other, becoming richer and more complex. I wish to explore these themes and techniques
further with greater boldness, and to tackle more controversial issues through my
maturing East-meets-West painting style.

11.18.17 Upcoming Exhibit

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