Kaohsiung is Taiwan’s third largest city and the country’s largest port city. I went for the first time in 2009, but it has changed a lot since then, particularly with its many large public art spaces perfect for exploring. It was wonderful to visit and definitely an underrated place with hidden gems. Kaohsiung also has an MRT and a light rail, so while the city is more spread out, it was pretty convenient to get around. Everything captured here were found via Google Maps and recommendations from friends. Below are some food highlights, top things I enjoyed doing, plus places I have marked for ..read more

Digital Illustrations & Personal Project, 2019 This was a personal project I did to continue learning the iPad and I had the random idea to explore Chinese numerology while drawing numbers in Chinese as rose gold balloons. I remember that while my parents aren’t superstitious people, they definitely ascribe to auspicious numbers in East Asian culture, particularly 6, 8, and 9 since they had O’s in them to signify fortune. We got a new license plate for one of our cars, and my parents both commented at separate times about how great it was that there were so many 8’s in it. The more I read ..read more

Illustrations for Solo Gallery Show, 2017 As part of my #100DAYSIANS solo show at Pearl River Mart in 2017, I did a portrait series of Asian American females to showcase faces of people I never saw growing up in mainstream Western media, from TV shows and movies to magazine spreads and advertisements. I also wanted the chance to practice drawing faces. I initially chose to do these portraits in a non finito (unfinished) style since I thought it looked interesting and it gave me a chance to focus on layering in colors to achieve different skin tones. Non finito was originally a sculpting techni ..read more

On May 8, 2023, I got a chance to speak with a cohort of Taiwanese American small businesses and startups with SPARK Accelerator about how I use storytelling to build my brand. It was a unique chance to see how I could provide value in this space as an artist.  At first, I honestly didn’t think I would have much to say. Truthfully, I just draw things, tell stories, and hope for the best with a lot based on instinct over strategy. But putting this talk together helped me sort through that chaos and find throughlines and themes throughout my career thus far. Below are highlights from ..read more

Live Drawing Event, Lunar New Year 2023 Oakland Chinatown, California To kick off Lunar New Year 2023, I did some live drawing of Oakland Chinatown storefronts with the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce and one of their market sponsors, Cricket Wireless. We had originally discussed doing a live mural, but that didn’t seem feasible with timing, so I landed on doing four wood panels of line art to bring those small businesses and the neighborhood to life. Drawing is already kind of a private practice, so the thought of live drawing was initially a bit nerve-wracking. I then got carried away ..read more

Self-Published Illustrated Book & Solo Gallery Show, 2016 - 2017 My first major personal project was a 100 Day Project illustrating what being Asian American meant to me. This project stemmed from a final assignment at a continuing education course at SVA in 2016 where we were asked to draw three illustrations of our dream project, and I chose to do some self-discovery work through drawing. I had been laid off two months before this final assignment and was using art as a refuge while recovering from corporate burnout and figuring out what I wanted to do next.     Around the sam ..read more

Licensing artwork for “American Born Chinese” and “Awkwafina is Nora From Queens”, 2023 I was lucky enough to have my art on both “American Born Chinese” on Disney+ and Season 3 of “Awkwafina is Nora from Queens” on Comedy Central in 2023. I get asked how I was contacted for these opportunities and both times the set design team reached out to me. It’s no surprise both these shows are centered around Asian American characters and stories, and I’ve made enough work that would work well on these sets. I also made most of the pieces in 2019 and 2020, so they have been in my portfolio for awhile ..read more

Digital Art for REALM Group Show, 2022 Chinatown, Los Angeles Vanitas No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 framed at REALM in Chinatown, Los Angeles. I made three new vanitas still lifes for a group show with other Asian American artists in LA’s Chinatown at REALM. The pieces are compositionally very me, but the intent and tone have shifted from my previous works. While my identity will always be a part of what I create, I’m looking to have my personal work going forward to be less explicitly about it, as well as moving away from the rather idealized lens with which I explored it.  I’ll always be pro ..read more

This city is easily one of my favorite places to go in Taiwan. I first went in 2019 on a day trip, and I remember eating throughout the day, walking through museums and a Confucian temple, and ending at a fort where the Dutch East India Company posted when they colonized Taiwan in the 17th century. Tainan was Taiwan’s capital for 200 years and is the oldest city on the island, which you can still see with the many historical buildings and beautiful architecture throughout. Many cafes, restaurants, and bars are in renovated buildings and old homes, adding to a relaxing and nostalgic vibe I’ve c ..read more

I only spent about 36 hours in 2022 visiting Taichung, but found the vibe quite chill here even though it’s Taiwan’s second largest city. The streets are wider and there are actual sidewalks, so I think the sense of space likely added to how relaxed I felt. Many Taiwanese people also find Taichung to be very livable, even more so than Taipei. As usual with many cities in Taiwan, there are lots of good food there, including the original bubble tea shop. I also loved how the country thoughtfully repurposes and preserves old buildings for modern use and some of the more touristy areas are obvious ..read more