Exploring new experiences often engages our senses, while familiar sights offer comfort and a sense of belonging. Despite being overlooked, these everyday moments hold significant memories that grow over time. The comfort and familiarity of home, family, and a sense of belonging that had faded upon leaving my home country were gradually replaced by the excitement and novelty of encountering a new environment, people, and culture. Over time, what was once new seamlessly transformed into my daily life, and the frequency of moments that compelled me to pause diminished. However, by capturing the beauty of everyday life, I find comfort and belonging in these fragments of time. Each experience became a source of inspiration and motivation, I discovered joy in simple activities like strolling around, absorbing the scenery, feeling the day’s weather, and relishing moments of solitude.
Living in California, I was naturally influenced by local artists such as Wayne Thiebaud and Richard Diebenkorn, along with iconic figures like Claude Monet and Edward Hopper. Additionally, my artistic palette has been enriched by the contemporary work of artists like Terry Miura, William Wray, and Ben Aronson. Their distinct concepts and styles consistently provide me with profound inspiration and the motivation to perpetuate my artistic endeavors.
My paintings capture the vibrant urban landscape scene, utilizing oil as my medium to depict the essence of my surroundings. I was first inspired by my experiences when exposed to Wayne Thiebaud's works at SFMOMA. My current painting series, ‘Moments at That Time: San Francisco,' captures the city's beauty, revealing scenes that might be overlooked in daily life. Inspired by my daily experiences, I incorporate value and/or color studies, drawing from photos that naturally catch my attention. These paintings transform ordinary moments into cherished memories on canvas, reflecting the life of San Francisco. I apply a full palette and painterly brushwork while considering composition, color, light, and texture to enhance each scene. My recent works incorporate expressive mark-making in the undertone, layered with representational elements on top. For example, in Red on Rails, Under Daylight, I capture a daytime city street with a red cable car approaching in my direction. Through a bright color, dynamic palette knife work, and textured details, the painting creates an ordinary scene into a joyful moment that embodies the vibrancy and energy of the city.
Through the paintings, I share these rediscovered moments, inviting viewers to explore the city's beauty, painting by painting.
Artist Statement