I came to visual art in 2021 as a complete beginner, with no formal training and a lot of feeling. As a dancer, the body was my first subject because it was the most honest thing I could draw. Over time, I learned that I’ve always been after gesture, embodiment, and a sense of rhythm. Much of this work is currently available for sale, while the rest has become source material for my collage work.
Suminagashi, July 2025
The “Suminagashi” Collection is a series of abstract ink paintings on paper, using the Japanese marbling technique of suminagashi (which translates to “floating ink”) as a backdrop for my signature ink brush strokes. This collection contains the first pieces of work I created that really felt like me, like my essence captured on paper.
Charcoal drawing, 2023-2024
Returning to the first visual medium I fell in love with. After exploring so many different art mediums in the past 2 years, I think my heart always knew what spoke to me the most, even though my brain kept denying it and telling me to “inject some colour” into my work. Charcoal figure drawing was where my art journey all started, and it will always feel like home.
Behind the creative process: Way Out and Skin
Calligraphic abstracts, 2023-2024
I spent the summer of 2024 experimenting with abstract art inspired by my Chinese calligraphy practice. I’ve been craving the flow and expression of Chinese calligraphy in a way that transcends language. “Fire and Ice” and “Flame”, in particular, came from experimenting with calligraphic brushstrokes in combination with other media like charcoal and acrylic and gold ink.
The “Electric” triptych from 2023 was a series of abstract studies that laid the groundwork for the painting, “Clarity” (below). My intention was to create a heavily abstracted figure painting that evoked a calligraphic sense of movement, an ode to my new studies in Chinese calligraphy at the time. The “Electric” studies ended up becoming works of art on their own.
Behind the creative process: DREAM 夢 and Jaz That Ink
Floral Ink Painting, 2023
Because Chinese calligraphy and Chinese painting are sister arts, I was inspired to branch away from figures and try my hand at floral painting. I was in that awkward phase that every artist goes through, where my old style doesn’t feel true anymore and yet a definitive new style has not yet evolved. An uncomfortable yet necessary part of the artistic process. I’m distilling it down to just doing the things that feel good and bring me joy (the satisfying feeling of painting brush strokes), without knowing where it’ll go.
Figure studies, 2023
A series of studies ranging from an extension of my figure painting practice established in 2022, to abstract figures using calligraphic ink techniques. “Follow Me There” is my largest piece ever created — the freedom of movement is unlike anything else, and the piece basically emerged on its own.
Behind the creative process: Follow Me There and Electric triptych/Clarity
July-Dec 2022
The latter half of 2022 was a vigorous period of honing my vision and technique. I started with a conceptualized series of acrylic figure paintings, each inspired by a different favourite song (this was before I realized I was an intuitive rather than concept-driven artist). I then enrolled in the Milan Art Institute to supplement my self-taught practice, which produced a series of oil paintings and charcoal drawings.
Jan-June 2022
This was the honeymoon phase of my love affair with drawing. I was drawn to depicting anything that had curves and implied motion: the human body, leaves, and fabric. I drew portraits of myself and others. I explored different media such as gouache, soft pastel, digital art, and watercolour, while further refining my drawing skills.
2021
Learning to draw: first, in oil pastel, then, in charcoal. Both these artistic mediums called to me because of the physical sensation of using them: a smooth, yet tactile, feeling of marks gliding over hot press paper. The “Old Woman” sketches were the first time I used charcoal, and its boldness (compared to graphic) reflected my temperament perfectly. After a few sessions of life drawing at Minerva’s Drawing Studio in New York City, I was hooked.
