Artist Statement

Growing up as a transracial adoptee in the USA, I found moments of cultural reconnection during the Lunar New Year. I actively pursue these moments through my ceramic work in order to reconcile my Chinese identity with my childhood in rural America. The pots' referential surfaces to historic Chinese ceramics are re-contextualized through the soda or wood firings. The fine lines of the brushstrokes bleed and flow from being licked by the atmospheric flame, altering the original brushwork's intent-emphasizing the malleability and fluidity of identity and culture. Whether through Gongfu tea preparations, leisurely afternoon tea, or the place settings at the table, my work serves as a catalyst to spark meaningful conversations surrounding the intersections of race, culture, and adoption. This investigation into my complex identity is layered and ongoing. Simultaneously, one truth remains: there are numerous pathways to understand one's own birth culture and to rejoice in reconnection.