On August 6th, 1945, my grandpa survived the Hiroshima bomb. When I think about my grandpa and his life, I am reminded of the remarkable resilience he has. The adversities he faces remind me to work hard and find joy in life, despite the turns life throws at you. Because of this, I used vibrant colors for the painting and a warmer tone. The bamboo leaves and tomato pumpkins represent endurance similar to my grandpa. Additionally, the tomato pumpkins pay tribute to my grandpa's vegetable garden, which he tends to faithfully. As an artist, I hope that my work will provide hope and a deeper understanding to my audience. While my grandpa may not be around for my work and accomplishments later in life, I hope this peace can serve as a promise for what's to come.
Nyiaj(top)
2024, graphite, 9"x11"I forgot you were my other half(bottom)
2024, watercolor, 9"x11"About Nyiaj:
Nyiaj is the Hmong word for silver. It is a widely adored material for jewelry and decorations due to the belief that they ward off evil spirits and provide good luck. Many of these groups keep silver as a talisman throughout their life. This drawing was made with graphite pencils to create a silver-like feeling in place of colors to accompany the jewelry. The background also serves to display the unique Hmong patterns, with the swirls symbolizing spirit as well.I completed this mural for my Girl Scout Gold Award, where I designed, led, and organized a community mural. The artwork was supposed to spread cultural awareness and allow others to connect to culture in a form other than language. The process included projecting my design onto a wall so I could trace the design onto paper proportionately, tracing the paper onto the staircase with tracing paper, painting onto the stairs, and finally, outlining the design with black markers. The community was able to help out during the painting process, and each crane was painted by a different person.
2024
watercolor and gouache, 9"x11"
2024
colored pencil, 9"x11"
2023
watercolor, 9"x11"
I have a love for storytelling, which I sometimes express through making comics.Â
Still-life paintings were never really my favorite thing to paint. In other words, it wasn't my cup of tea. Yet, doing this painting helped me to experiment with colors in shadows, helping me to alter what was in front of me. I learned how to change objects into an observational painting with my creative touch. I saw these same transformations within origami, which overflows from the teacup and decorates the background. So while still-life paintings may not be my cup of tea, it can be a fun one to try out and improve my art.