A Few of Her Favorite Things
gouache, metal leaf, and varnish on Fabriano paper
19 x 27 inches
2014

This spiritual portrait commemorates my late grandmother, Soolsin Chan-Ling (1921-2014), whom I called Ahma. Ahma was a matriarch, witness to the dawn and upheaval of modern China, a naturalized US citizen, a voter, and an avid reader. She remains my muse to this day. I was inspired by gilded icon paintings meant to be worshipped in prayer, depictions of the Buddha achieving nirvana, and funerary offerings for the departed. She is surrounded by personal effects from her daily life and Buddhist prayer.
Exhibitions:
Gettin’ Off the Ground: Contemporary Stories from an American Community, Angels Gate Cultural Center, San Pedro, California, curated by Isabelle Lutterodt, September 14, 2014-January 9, 2015
Colored Girls: Works of Art by Women Artists of the African, Asian and Latin Diaspora
Autonomie Projects, Los Angeles, California, curated by Chelle Barbour, September 11-12, 2015