这幅作品的主题是自我蜕变，旨在展现我内心在各方面的转变过程。我运用了多种元素，包括阅读、倾诉、诉说、旅行、绘画、运动、音乐、美食和购物，为了使自己积极的体验我的生活，与自己的深入对话，并接受过去的伤痛。在绘画的表现上，我用抽象的形状去表现我内心更自由的感受，而不被现实中的形状所束缚，并且使用温和的暖色调，如蓝色代表平静，黄色代表幸福，粉红色代表愉悦。去表现我与过去的伤痛告别，并且获得了心灵上的满足。

“柿子与青蛙公主”的起源来自于我出生前的两个故事。在我的家乡，有两个传说：一个是民间流传的柿子是避孕药的解药，另一个是怀孕的女人梦见青蛙意味着怀的是女娃。因此，在作品中，柿子、青蛙和小女孩三者合并成了我，因为我是父母的第九个孩子，所以我创作了9个飞舞的辫子来表达我是个幸福的小女孩。柿子树是我的倒影，也是我的根。花的倒影代表我母亲的剪影，而井架的倒影则代表我父亲的剪影。同时也传达出我与父母阴阳两隔的事实。只有在梦幻般的红月中，我才能再次梦见他们。这幅画诠释了我和父母之间深厚的爱以及生命的延续。

“三扇门”代表我人生的三个阶段：过去的“回忆之门”、现在的“求学之门”和未来的“梦想之门”。“回忆之门”象征远离家乡，我将所有回忆深深刻在脑海中，如小时候帮我背书包的小狗，红丽，它是我儿时最亲密的玩伴。“求学之门”代表着我和女儿在美国的日常生活，我在画画，女儿在跳舞，猫在玩耍。平静、充实而幸福。“梦想之门”对我来说，是一个目标，也是一种信念。我的梦想就是有一天，我能举办属于自己的个人作品展。我很感恩，这个梦想现在已经实现。

母亲在我心中是圣母，她虽然已离开11年，但我仍然非常想念她。在作品中我运用歌德时期对圣光绘画特点，表达我对母亲敬仰还有她庄严神圣的气息。我化身为一只天使猫，飞入天堂与妈妈相会，并因再次被母亲拥抱而喜极而泣。母亲希望她来世能变成猫，我也爱猫，猫是我与母亲的联系。在妈妈的圣光中，我加入了四句中国古诗来表达我和母亲久别重逢的心情。

图像中的煤油灯代表两个含义，一是指引人生之路的方向。二是表达了母亲在过去各种资源困乏的情况下的艰辛生活。过去全家人的所有的衣服鞋帽和被褥都是母亲在煤油灯下完成的。在煤油灯光的照射下，我看到了妈妈当年在家乡窑洞的院子里种下的杏树和梯田。妈妈大量的精力都花费在梯田里耕种农作物，这样解决全家人温饱的唯一方式。我把我在美国所经历的生活体验用拼贴的方式表达我有能力来美国求学都是母亲指引的一条光明之路。

刺绣是中国民间传统手工艺之一，已有两三千年的历史。我的母亲是一位刺绣高手。她不仅擅长刺绣，还能设计图样。许多亲戚朋友绣花时都会用她绘制的样板。这项技艺成为了她平凡日子里的亮点，也展现了她独特的才华与创造力。刺绣必备的工具是绣框，不仅承载了她的劳作，也映照出她如花般的内心世界。家中每件绣花的衣物，都融入了母亲的温情与坚持。尽管生活繁忙，她始终用一针一线绣出希望与美好。日常生活中，母亲总是面带笑容。她的乐观与坚韧，如同盛开的花，不仅点亮了家庭的每个角落，也教会了我们用绽放的心迎接未来。

窑洞，作为中国北部黄土高原上的传统居住形式，冬暖夏凉，承载了我童年最深刻的记忆。我是在这样的窑洞里出生的。这幅作品象征着我内心深处的情感与回忆。镜子是我与母亲心灵相连的桥梁。尽管我们如今已经天各一方，但那些和母亲在一起的幸福时光，常常浮现我的脑海。镜子外的猫代表着我，正凝视着镜中的家乡景象：母亲化身为一只猫，在那熟悉的窑洞院子里晒着辣椒、胡椒和玉米等农作物。它呈现出我们曾经的生活情景。这些记忆，是我心中最珍贵的部分，也是我对母亲深深的怀念。

端午节是我童年最喜爱的传统节日，每年这个时候，妈妈都会早早地准备好一切。她会亲手缝制很多可以驱虫避邪的香囊和五彩线，我母亲用奶奶传承给她的近100年历史的篮子，承载着母亲为了节日所准备好的满满的爱，并且送给我节日的祝福。每当我感到沮丧时，这些充满母爱的香囊，总是给我能够克服困难的勇气。那些无忧无虑的时光，早已成了我心中最温暖的记忆。

我妈妈没能来美国跟我一起生活，一直是我心中的遗憾。我想象着如果我的父母是在美国相识并结婚，会是一个什么样的场景。有一个被雕刻着牡丹和莲花的中式柜子，可爱的猫和两个中文字“喜”的红色纸雕，放在一个有西式彩绘玻璃的房间里。莲花与牡丹图案象征着婚姻的幸福与美满，红色的双喜剪纸象征着男女共同迎接喜庆的日子。猫咪抓红双喜纸雕是中国传统结婚时的一种习俗“闹洞房”，寓意亲戚朋友会涌入新房对新婚夫妇嬉笑逗闹。

对于父亲的记忆，我的印象是模糊且零散的。九岁那年，父亲因工伤去世，我曾一度认为自己缺少父爱，因而变得自卑而敏感。为了感受到父亲的爱，我拼凑了我和他之间零碎的回忆。父亲给我买核桃吃，亲手为我做的猴子玩具，耐心地教我翻跟头，我紧握着他手指去邻居家玩，以及刻印着象征父爱的石斛兰的父亲的骨灰盒。这些回忆让我感受到父爱的幸福。它给了我满满归属感和安全感，并且让我意识到自己心中充满父亲给我的爱。

缠足是中国古代的陋习。家长用布带将五岁女儿的双脚紧紧缠裹，使之畸形变小，并且走路不稳。它象征着对女性身体和自由的压迫。虽然这一陋习在1912年被废除，而我母亲生于1940年。因为她家乡过于落后，未能幸免。她一生饱受脚趾骨折的痛苦。她为了勉强站立，不得不在厚厚的鞋垫上剪一个大洞，并将断趾放入其中以缓解痛苦。沾满血迹的裹脚布象征着男性对女性的控制，同时也代表着摇晃的灵魂。我从小亲眼目睹她因缠足所受的痛苦与折磨，在心疼她的同时，也深感自己生活在今天这个更加自由的时代是多么幸运。

不同文化对于美有着不同的样貌。中国古代的裹脚、日本艺妓的发型、非洲盘唇，以及长颈族的颈圈，和欧洲鸟笼裙，以及厚重的首饰等都是不同文化对“美”的解读。这些传统在其文化中承载了深刻的意义。然而，值得思考的是，美是否必须以牺牲为代价？这些习俗背后的深层含义是否能够被今天的我们理解和接受？在多元化的时代，这些文化之美如何被重新解读，才能平衡传统与现代价值观的冲突？我们是否应该批判这些习俗，背后的文化意义到底是什么？

这幅作品反映了我的经济压力。我将其具象化为一只吞食金钱的怪物的大嘴。它像个漩涡一样贪婪的吸食着我生活中的所有开销。由于我是留学生，所有的开销都要完全依赖于我的老公。疫情期间，我的老公将他的情人带回我们上海的家中同居，并且对我和女儿在美国的生活实施经济封锁，这不仅让我深受打击。我的压力来自于我和孩子的日常生活的开支，学费，房贷，地税和保险等。这使我陷入绝望之中。通过这幅作品，我希望记录下自己在那段时间的崩溃与挣扎。

这幅作品是我想要表达当人们在面临新冠病毒时，大家都是一样的脆弱而平等。疫情席卷全球时，它以一种无差别的方式影响了每个人，不论财富、种族或地位。在死亡面前，生命的重量是相同的。病毒让我们意识到，没有人能独善其身，只有团结才能战胜困境。通过这幅作品，我反思了疫情下的真实生存环境，提醒人们做好防护、保护自己，也展现了在全球挑战面前，人类如何超越分歧，凝聚力量。疫情虽带来伤害，却也凸显了团结的重要性。

“过家家”是我小时候一直想玩的游戏。毛绒玩具是我小时候一直想要拥有的玩具。所以我想用创作的方式实现我的愿望。这幅作品通过黑白和彩色两种方式呈现，是我在不同时期完成的。在我2022年画黑白的时候，那时的我非常呆板和消极。在我经历一场思想上的蜕变之后，我决定重新画这幅作品，来表达我对现在生活的感激。在2024年画彩色时，我惊奇的发现，现在的我非常积极乐观。图像上的大龙是我，兔子是爸爸，小龙是妈妈，小熊猫是我的女儿。我希望带着父母的爱，变得足够强大，抚养女儿长大。

这幅作品表达了我在孩子教育理念上的变化。从焦虑到松弛，我的教育观念随着女儿的成长悄然转变。初为人母时，我总是焦虑如何让她更优秀，担心自己的努力不足以让她在竞争激烈的社会中立足。然而，随着她一天天长大，我逐渐学会了放手与信任。作为母亲，我意识到母爱不仅是无私的付出，更是与孩子一起成长。让她去做她自己喜欢的事情，并且找到自己的价值，从而感受到生命与爱的意义。在这段女儿的成长的旅程，她不知不觉变得才华横溢。

这幅作品表达了自信之美，它赋予我们掌控命运和定义自我价值的力量。作品是我的自画像，记录了28岁时的我，积极、乐观和不畏困难。那是我状态最好的时期。然而，在经历诸多痛苦后，我逐渐迷失了自己。如今，我通过自我探索找回了那时的状态。中国有句名言：“你若盛开，蝴蝶自来。”美丽源于面对蜕变的勇气与成长。在我接触到艺术之后，通过创作，我越来越了解自己。因此，我找到了自信与力量。这幅作品在提醒和激励我，无论遇到何种挫折，都要坚持我的信念，并且活出属于自己的美丽与精彩。

这幅作品是为了纪念我挥之不去的遗憾。母亲生前一直希望能去美国、日本、韩国和台湾旅游。在她去世前，我曾为她计划了一次去美国的旅行，她却提议等到来年春天再出发。然而，春天未到，她便离开了我们。未能实现的愿望深深烙在我的心里。如今，我生活在美国，为了弥补这份遗憾，我创作了主题为“Hope You Are Here”的系列作品，从中国出发并以美国作为实现她愿望的第一站。寄托了我未能陪她实现梦想的歉意。未来我希望能带着她的心愿去更多地方去旅行。愿上帝保佑，希望母亲的灵魂能在这里与我同在，见证这份迟来的圆满。

我对未来生活的期许是幸福的像花儿一样。我从中国北方来到美国加州，想用四种花象征中西方文化的结合，并且塑造全新的自我。这四种花的选取和位置定义作品的构图和寓意。画面的西方的玫瑰是美国的国花，象征爱与和平；东方的牡丹是中国的国花，寓意繁荣与富贵。北方的梅花是我出生于中国的冬季，象征坚韧不拔；而我现在生活在加州，南方的罂粟是加州的州花，寓意“答应我，不要拒绝我”。这四种花围成一个圆圈，中间是一个汉字“福”，发音与英文“Full”相同，意为圆满和充实，象征着我在蜕变的过程中完成了自我和解。

梯田对我来说，是幸福与快乐的象征。然而，对于我的母亲来说，梯田却意味着责任与辛苦。为了全家人能生活得更好，她一年四季都在辛苦的工作。她在春季播种，夏季灌溉，秋季收割，冬季养苗。她每日迎着晨曦开工，直到暮色降临时才收工。我既心疼她的辛苦，又崇拜她的坚毅。在作品中，我以我的故乡梯田为主题，呈现了我故乡一年四季的变化。我快乐的童年，是母亲默默承受的艰辛换来的。层层叠叠的梯田，不仅象征着付出与收获，也承载了生活中的点滴记忆。母亲的汗水滋润着这些记忆，赋予我无尽的幸福与成长的力量。

这是我女儿雅典娜（Athena）的肖像。画中她三岁，正在幼儿园的才艺表演上。她的眼睛明亮而大，仿佛会说话。凭着这幅肖像，她获得了“最明亮的眼睛”奖。这幅画对作为母亲的我意义非凡，所以我为她画了这幅肖像作为纪念。肖像的背景使用了印象派的技法与色彩。

作品中的两位主角是蛇与龙，2025年是中国的蛇年，而我属龙。画面中蛇象征执法人员，代表法律的权威与制衡；龙象征我自己，代表被压抑却依然坚守尊严与信念的力量。两者的互动构成了作品的核心张力，也象征着个体与制度之间的碰撞与对话。

上方代表信念。融入字母 E (Equity) 与 J (Justice)，寓意公平正义源于人心的祈愿。中间代表希望。描绘法官与律师将公正判决交予背负女儿的我，展现母亲的坚韧与对法治的信任。下方代表秩序。标注字母 P (Penalty)，描绘毕、彭二人因破坏与欺骗终受法律制裁，彰显善恶有报。

这件雕塑的形象来自《人猿泰山》里的坦多，他是我童年时留下深刻印象的角色，也是泰山失去记忆时遇到的那头大象。在《人猿泰山》里，坦多是红色的，但我在创作时，把它的颜色换成了我最喜欢的颜色。

在中国文化中，大象是非常吉祥的动物。大象强壮有力，性情却温和忠诚，因此象征力量与好运，也被誉为“兽中君子”。

作品受原住民非线性时间观启发，探讨人与自然、传统与工业的共生关系。通过挑战消费主义，重新定义“价值”。

并置与对比：橱窗内，冷峻的“工业奢侈品”与带有瑕疵温感的“手工棉线包”并置，触发关于符号与真实的视觉对话。东西方文化交织：融合玛雅图腾与中国戏曲元素，将手工制品置于主体，使奢侈品退位为背景，象征回归自然与人性的本质。缝合未来：以“线”为纽带，象征修复与延续。每一针都是对记忆的缝合，传递出未来是由双手“一针一线”编织而成的信念。

价值究竟源于价格地位，还是人与物质间深刻的触感联结？

这幅作品是我在婚姻废墟上的自我重建。八个成语，八场修行，记录了一个灵魂从沉沦到飞翔的质变：

对牛弹琴寓意两个人完全不懂彼此，相互之间没有有效沟通。呕心沥血寓意我曾试图以无畏的付出去赢得对方的爱和尊重。拈花惹草寓意对方的背叛如影随形，信任的基石分崩离析。

舌枪唇剑寓意家成了战场，字字诛心，爱在声嘶力竭中支离破碎。肝肠寸断寓意一种清醒的剧痛，看清了结局，却仍要在深渊中生存。破釜沉舟寓意与其在泥淖中腐烂，不如彻底告别。断了后路，才有生路。

破茧成蝶寓意碎掉的是枷锁，长出的是羽翼。重塑自我，本就是一场向死而生。花飞蝶舞寓意万物复苏，生机勃勃。我飞过曾经的战场，也说明我未来生活繁荣、吉祥如意的象征。

The theme of this work is self-transformation and I aim to demonstrate my innermost transformation process. I employ various elements – reading, speaking, traveling, painting, and shopping – in order to give myself a positive lifestyle so I can communicate with my inner self and accept the pain of the past. Within my art, I utilized abstract shapes to express sentiments of freedom. I also used delicate, temperate shades of blue, yellow, and pink, which stand for tranquility, joy, and pleasure respectively. “Transformation” represents me leaving behind the pain of the past and reaching contentment in my heart.

The story of “Persimmon & Frog Princess” was inspired by two myths of my hometown: Persimmon was the antidote to contraceptives and if pregnant women dreamed of frogs, their child would be a girl. The persimmon, the frog, and the little girl in “Nicole’s Story” are all different aspects of me. All of the girl’s braids were flying, which symbolized that I was a happy child. The persimmon tree is both my reflection and my origin because I was only born after my mother ate persimmons, which nullified her contraceptives. The reflection of the flowers portrays the silhouette of my mother and the reflection of the derrick depicts the silhouette of my father. Both of their silhouettes are reflections because they have already passed and it is only in the dreamlike realm of the red moon that I can see them again. This painting illustrates the deep love we hold for each other as well as the continuation of life.

“Three Doors” represents three stages of my life: the “Door of Memories” of the past, the “Door of Inquiries” of the present, and the “Door of Dreams” of the future. The first door illustrates how I am far away from home, so I engrave all the memories of home deep into my mind. For example, my childhood dog, Hongli, who helped me carry my schoolbag when I was a child and was my closest playmate. The “Door of Inquiries” represents the daily life of my daughter and me in the United States – we are constantly studying, learning, and inquiring about the world around us. I illustrated myself painting, my daughter dancing, and our cat playing; we are untroubled, fulfilled, and happy. To me, the “Door of Dreams” symbolizes both my direction in life and also my conviction. I dream that one day, I can hold my very own personal exhibition. Miraculously, I was able to achieve that dream, a fact that never fails to bring a smile to my face.

In my heart, I see my mother as a saint. Although she has been gone for 11 years, I still miss her deeply. To portray my respect for my mother, I used the attributes of Goethe’s holy light paintings to express her solemn and sacred atmosphere. The angel cat held in her arms – representing myself – depicts my desire to see my mother again and cry with joy for having the chance to be embraced in her arms again. I chose the form of a cat because my mother always said that she wanted to become a cat in her next life and because I love cats, too. In the holy light of my mother, I added four ancient Chinese poems to express my feelings of reunion with my mother after a long separation.

The kerosene lamp symbolizes two things: light to guide my direction in life and my mother’s difficult life in the past due to lacking conditions and poverty. When I was young, all the clothes, shoes, hats, and bedding of my family were done by my mother under the kerosene lamp. Through the light of the kerosene lamp, the cat, which represents me, was able to see the almond trees and terraces that my mother had planted in the courtyard of my home, which was a dugout on the side of a mountain. Considerable amounts of my mother’s energy were devoted to growing crops in the step fields because it was the only way to feed the family. I incorporated American elements into these life experiences and portrayed them together as a collage in this piece to convey that my studies in the United States are led by a bright road guided by my mother and her kerosene lamp.

Embroidery has a history of around two to three thousand years and is one of the traditional Chinese folk crafts. My mother was a master embroiderer who not only excelled at needlework but also the designing of patterns – many relatives and friends used her templates when they embroidered. This skill became the highlight of her boring and often tiring days and was proof of her unique talent and creativity. The embroidery frame – a tool that is essential for embroidery – in “Fingertip Bloom” both commemorates her efforts but also reveals her vibrant inner world. Every piece of embroidered clothing at home possessed the warmth and persistence of my mother. Despite her busy life, she always incorporated hope and beauty into every stitch. In everyday life, she was always smiling. Her optimism and tenacity, like blooming flowers, not only lighted up every corner of the family but also taught us to embrace the future with an open heart.

Cave dwelling, a traditional form of housing on the Loess Plateau in northern China, is warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and also carries the deepest memories of my childhood – I was born in a cave like this and lived there for most of my childhood. This painting symbolizes my innermost feelings and memories. The mirror is the bridge between my heart and my mother. Although we are far apart now, those happy days with my mother often come to my mind. The cat outside the mirror represents me, gazing at the image of my home in the mirror: my mother, in the form of a cat, sun drying the chili, peppers, and corn in the courtyard so familiar to me. “Cave Dwelling” showcases a common scene of my childhood – and one of the most precious recollections in my memories – as well as my longing for my mother.

When I was a child, the Dragon Boat Festival was my favorite traditional holiday. Every year during this time, my mother would get everything ready early on. She would sew numerous scented sachets and multicolored threads by hand to ward off insects and evil spirits. My mother would put her creations inside a basket – an heirloom that is nearly 100 years old passed down to her by my grandmother. Her sachets and multicolored threads were filled with her love and carried her holiday wishes to me. Whenever I felt depressed, these sachets full of maternal love always gave me the courage to overcome any difficulties I faced. These carefree times have long since become the warmest memories in my heart.

I have always regretted that my mother could not come to the United States to live with me. I combined both Eastern and Western elements in this painting to show how I imagined it would be like if my parents had met and married in America: there is a Chinese cabinet carved with peonies and lotus flowers. Cute cats and two red paper carvings of the Chinese word “Xi” in a room with Western-style-stained glass. The lotus and peony patterns represent the happiness and fulfillment of marriage, and the double red paper cutouts on the windows symbolize the joyous day for men and women to meet together. The cat scratching at the decor is a reference to a traditional Chinese wedding custom where relatives and friends will rush into the new house to mess with and prank the newlyweds in a playful way.

My memories of my father are fuzzy and scattered. When I was nine, my father died in a work accident. Due to his early death, I used to think that I lacked paternal love and felt inferior and sensitive because of it. To discern my father’s love, I pieced together incomplete memories I have of him to create this oil painting. My father bought me walnuts to eat, made a monkey toy for me, and patiently taught me to do somersaults. I depicted how I held his fingers tightly when we visited the neighbors as well as the dendrobium – a flower that symbolizes paternal love – engraved on his urn. All of these memories gave me a sense of security and belonging because they helped me realize that I never lacked paternal love.

Foot binding was a custom in ancient China and it was horrid. Parents wrapped their young daughters’ feet tightly with cloth straps to make their feet smaller, deforming them and causing them to become unsteady when walking. It symbolizes the oppression of women’s bodies and freedom. Although the practice was abolished in 1912, my mother, born in 1940 in a backward village, was not spared. She suffered from broken toes throughout her life and had to cut large holes in her insoles in order to ease the pain just so she could stand. The blood-stained cloth straps depict the oppression and control of the patriarchy on her body as well as the pain and fear that this mutilation inflicts. When I was young, I witnessed the pain she suffered from foot binding. I was deeply saddened by her pain and seeing her problems made me truly appreciate how lucky I was to live in today’s freer era.

Different cultures have different opinions on beauty. Ancient Chinese foot-binding, Japanese geisha hairstyles, African plate lips, long neck loops in Thailand and Myanmar, and birdcage gowns are all cultural-specific interpretations of “beauty.” Although these traditions carry significance in their cultures, it is worth wondering whether beauty must come at the cost of sacrifice. Can the intentions behind these customs be understood and accepted by us today? In an age of diversity, how can these different cultural ideas of “beauty” be reinterpreted to balance the conflict between traditional and modern values? Should we criticize these customs? What is the meaning behind them?

This work reflects the economic stress of my life. I visualized it as the mouth of a money-eating monster. It is like a voracious whirlpool sucking up all the expenses in my life. Since I am an international student, I cannot work, and all of my expenses are completely dependent on my husband. During the pandemic, after my husband started living together with his mistress in Shanghai, he imposed a financial blockade on my daughter and me living in the United States. This not only shocked me deeply, but also plunged me into despair because I faced the pressure of needing to secure funds to pay for the daily living expenses for me and my daughter, tuition fees, mortgages, local taxes, and insurance. This painting stands as a record of my breakdowns and struggles during that period.

As the pandemic swept the globe, it affected everyone regardless of wealth, race, or status – death doesn’t discriminate, and neither do viruses. In the face of death, the weight of life is equal, and we are all equally vulnerable to COVID-19. I portrayed this idea by combining the features of people from all groups and putting an oxygen mask over the combined face. The pandemic made me realize that no one can stand alone and that only unity can overcome difficulties. Through this work, I reflected on the living conditions during the pandemic to remind people to take precautions to protect themselves. The meshing of features into one face also demonstrates how people can transcend differences and unite their strengths in the face of global challenges. While the pandemic has hurt, it has also highlighted the importance of solidarity to everyone.

When I was a kid, I always wanted to have a stuffed animal and “play house”. I wanted to realize my wish through art. I use black and white for one piece and full color for the other in order to portray this work in different time periods. The black and white painting in 2022, was very dull and negative. After I experienced a change of mind, I decided to repaint this work in 2024 to express my gratitude for how well I am living now. While repainting, I was surprised to find that I have become very positive. The big dragon in the image is me, the rabbit is my father, the little dragon is my mother, and the panda is my daughter. They symbolize my desire to become strong with the love of my parents so I can raise my daughter well.

This work depicts the change in my perception of children’s education. From anxiety to relaxation, my concept of education quietly changed as my daughter grew up. As a new mother, I was always anxious about how to make her better, worried that my efforts would not be enough to help her stand strong in a competitive society. However, as she grew older, I gradually learned to let go and trust in my daughter. I realized that maternal love is not only a selfless effort but also growth alongside your children. I learned to let her do what she likes, help her find her value, and feel the meaning of life and love through the process. In her journey of growing up, my daughter has gradually and imperceptibly become talented.

This work expresses the beauty of confidence, which gives us the power to control our destiny and define our self-worth. This a self-portrait of me at the age of 28: positive, optimistic, and not afraid of difficulties. I was at my best during that period. However, after going through so much pain, I gradually lost myself. Present day, I hope to return to that state through self-exploration and reflection. As an inspirational Chinese saying goes: “If you bloom, butterflies will naturally come.” Beauty comes from the courage to change and grow, and after I started making art, I learned more and more about myself, allowing me to get ever closer to how I was at 28 years old. This piece is both a reminder and an inspiration to me. No matter what kind of setbacks I encounter, I must persist in self-improvement and drawing out my intrinsic beauty and brilliance.

This series records one of my deepest regrets — my mother’s unfulfilled dream of visiting America, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. Before her passing, I had planned a trip for her, but she suggested waiting until spring. Unfortunately, she passed before spring could arrive, so she never got to go on her dream trip. Ever since then, her unfulfilled wish remains seared into my heart. Today, I live in the United States, and to make up for this regret, I created this series of works that depicts famous places starting in China and ending in America – the first location she had wanted to visit in her wish. In the future, I hope to travel to all of the locations she had wished to go to fulfill her wish for her. I hope my mother’s spirit can be here with me through my art to witness this belated fulfillment.

I wanted to reinvent myself, and since my plan for the future is to be happy like blooming flowers, I decided to use flowers to represent my new vitality and prosperity. I came to California from Northern China, so I elected to mix Eastern and Western values through my choices of flowers. The rose is the national flower of the United States, symbolizing love and peace. Peony, the national flower of China, symbolizes prosperity and wealth. I was born in winter, so I selected the plum blossom, which represents winter and symbolizes perseverance. Today, I live in California, so I chose its state flower: the poppy, which represents “say yes, don’t say no.” These four flowers formed a circle, and in the middle was the Chinese character “fu”, which is pronounced similarly to the English word “full”. Coincidentally, “fu” also means fullness and satisfaction, symbolizing that I have achieved self-reconciliation during my transformation.

The terraces are a symbol of happiness and joy to me. For my mother, however, the terraces meant responsibility and hard work. She sowed in the spring, irrigated in the summer, harvested in the fall, and raised seedlings in the winter – all to provide for our family. My mother toiled in the fields day after day, bending to the dawn and tilling until dusk fell. I was worried for her because of the harshness of her labor, but I also deeply admired her perseverance. In my art, I took the terrace fields of my hometown and depicted them in different seasons to show the changes throughout the year. My happy childhood was the result of my mother’s hard work. The layers of terraces not only symbolize the effort of the harvest but also carry the memories of life. My mother’s labor saturates these memories, blessing me with endless happiness and the power to improve and grow.

This is a portrait of my daughter, Athena. She was three years old and attending a talent show in her kindergarten. Her eyes are so bright and big, it’s like they can talk. With this picture, she received the “Brightest Eyes” award. This picture is very meaningful, to me as her mother, so I drew a portrait for her as a memento. The portrait’s background uses impressionist technique and coloring.

The two subjects in this oil painting are snake and dragon. 2025, the year I created this piece, was the year of the snake, and I was born in the year of the dragon. The snake in the painting symbolizes law enforcement officers, representing the authority and justice of the law; the dragon represents myself, conveying the upholding of dignity and faith under oppression. The interaction between the two creates the core motif of the work, highlighting the collision and friction between individual and system.

The top section represents faith. The letters E (Equity) and J (Justice) are combined, signifying the heart’s desire for fairness and justice. The middle section represents hope. It depicts the judge and lawyer handing a just verdict to me as I carry my daughter, showcasing a mother’s resilience and trust in the rule of the law. The bottom section represents order. The letter P (Penalty) is marked, depicting the guilty ultimately facing legal punishment for their sabotage and deception, highlighting the principle of karmic retribution.

This sculpture is of Tantor from “Tarzan of the Apes”, a character who left a lasting impression on me as a child. He is the elephant that Tarzan met when he lost his memory. Tantor is red in “Tarzan of the Apes”. However, I changed the color of his sculpture to my favorite color when I was creating it.

In Chinese culture, elephants are very auspicious. Elephants are strong and powerful, but they are also gentle in temperament and loyal. Therefore, they represent power and luck. They are also known as the virtuous among the beasts.

Inspired by indigenous peoples’ non-linear perspective of time, the work explores the symbiotic relationship between humanity and nature as well as the balance between tradition and industry. It challenges consumerism in order to redefine the idea of “value”.

Juxtaposition and Contrast: In a shop window, impersonal “industrial luxury goods” are juxtaposed with the warm, imperfect feel of “handmade cotton bags,” triggering a visual dialogue of symbolism and reality. Interweaving Eastern and Western Cultures: Blending Mayan totems and elements of Chinese opera, the handmade items are placed at the forefront, relegating luxury goods to the background, symbolizing a return to the essence of nature and humanity. Stitching the Future: Using “thread” as a link, it symbolizes restoration and continuation. Each stitch is a stitching of memory, conveying the belief that the future is woven “stitch by stitch” by hand.

Does value come from price and status, or from the profound tactile connection between people and material things?

This piece depicts me rebuilding my identity on the ruins of marriage. Eight idioms, eight spiritual practices, record a soul’s desperation from despair to flight.

“Playing the guqin to a cow” conveys two people completely misunderstanding each other, with no effective communication. “Pouring out one’s heart and soul” marks my past attempts to win love and respect through selfless devotion. “Playing with flowers and grass” stands for the ever-present betrayal, the crumbling of the foundation of trust.

“Spear tongue and sword lips” denotes home becoming a battlefield, every word piercing the heart, love shattered in desperate cries. “Intestines and livers cut to pieces” expresses a clear-eyed, intense pain, seeing the inevitable end, yet still forced to survive in the abyss. “Burning one’s boats” shows that rather than rotting in the mire, it’s better to say goodbye completely. Only by cutting off all roads to the past can one find a way out.

“Breaking out of the cocoon and becoming a butterfly” symbolizes breaking free of shackles and growing wings. Reshaping oneself is, in itself, a journey of life against all odds. “Flowers fluttering and butterflies dancing” signifies the revival of all things, full of vitality. My flight over former battlefields symbolizes a prosperous and auspicious future for me.