I grew up in a small town in Iowa and was one of the few Asian people in a predominantly blonde, Scandinavian population, which was a painful and isolating experience. I took refuge in my imagination and had steely ambition to get out of there. My parents were refugees during the Korean War and wanted me to be a Nobel-Prize-winning doctor. I managed to get into Harvard, but then I majored in studio art. This devastated my parents, so I’ve always felt sheepish that I wasn’t some successful superstar. I could never live up to their expectations, so I compensate by creating as fast and constantly as I can.
My parents instilled in me an awareness of the precariousness of life. I am always freaking out about the fact that we all have to die, so a lot of my paintings have to do with the frustration of being trapped in a mortal existence. The increasing aches and pains of aging underscore this dilemma to me every day, and make me seek out color and beauty, as well as the relief of laughter alongside the recognition of despair.
Lately, I have been obsessed with Old Master paintings. I’ll start on a painting with the intention of emulating Holbein or Vermeer, but then I get dissatisfied with the overall effect— “this looks like bad hotel art!”— and start adding three-dimensional items to the surface. Mosaic techniques satisfy my compulsion to always be busy. I try to pick activities that are fun, restful, or refreshing. This also satisfies my need to always be productive. This is a byproduct of my driven, expectation-laden upbringing.
In my work I started off exploring the themes of dreams and illness. Then I was drawn to Medieval and Renaissance images of saints. I also like playing with scale — giant cat heads on human bodies, or tiny humans intermingled with items on a tabletop landscape. Basically, I just create paintings that make me want to go on living — that recognize the truth and folly of our existence, that are visually stimulating, hopefully gorgeous, and possibly funny.
I’m a fan and member of ArtLinks Arlington and have participated in several shows at the ACA, and the Roasted Granola holiday show. I enjoy the lecture presentations and community.
I have lived and worked at the Brickbottom Artists Building in Somerville, MA since 1989, and I have shown at every Open Studios since then without fail. I was the Open Studios director from 2012-2017 and am again co-directing it this year (November 18 – 19, noon – 5pm — please come!).
Click on images below for a close-up look at the details!
