Title: Desert Eden Acrylic on canvas 36 in by 48 in Scenery of a cactus garden and a castle in Phoenix, Arizona. I wanted to show how the ground is desert dry, but there is a lot of water underground that can support a variety of plant life. Strong sun, as if Arizona is directly under a rainbow. As I paint, when I choose lines, I choose based on the feelings I get from the subjects. As I choose the colors, I think of their stories, as well as how they interact with each other. I started with the overall feeling of how whimsical a place Arizona is to me. The strong sun gives beautiful colors to the sky as if this is the end of the rainbow. I appreciate that people take care of plants so beautifully, and the great landscaping. I wanted to show how I was surprised to find out that cacti have flowers and prickly pears. The more I studied the desert plants, they seemed alien to me. Then I realize that they are beautiful and unique, with so much resilience. Truly native to this environment. I then noticed the snake-like plants. From there, I started a story for the finishing touches. There is a snake (snake plants) and fruits (prickly pear). Kingdom of heaven must be the castle that the pathway leads to. There is a dense plant area before the entry to the castle, which must be the judgment. On the opposite side (far right) must be hell that someone might get tossed into. The plants get the highlights from the sun to look magnificent as if touched by something divine. This is a spiritual place, one that I see as Eden. Although I love many religions, and I am a learner of all things, my purpose was not to portray Catholicism, but instead to see how Native Americans viewed the desert plants, rocks, and places as sacred. When I saw Eden in this desert garden, I felt I could perhaps start to understand what Native Americans saw.
Title: “Sunset in Sedona” Chigiri-e Mulberry paper on paper board canvas 16 inch by 20 inch Hand ripped paper is matched with the organic shapes of the rocks in nature. Even using papers, I showed colors complexity by portraying highlights from the sun on the mountains in light yellow, orange, and white, and the sunset colors reflected on the mountains in purple, red, and brown.
Title: “Flower field” Acrylic on canvas 24 inch by 36 inch Mix of colors and textures. Strong stems with all blooming flowers trying to get as much sun as possible in a crowded field. Bottom of the canvas is wet ground by a pond.
Title: “Winter night” Chigiri-e Mulberry paper on paper board canvas 8.5 inch by 11 inch Stars shine in colors, and the fireplace and the window-side pillows are warm, while in contrast, the view from the window outside is simple cool snow colors. Hand ripped paper gives off the organic shapes of nature.
Title: “Fall in Arizona” Watercolor on cotton canvas 16 inch by 20 inch Depth is portrait in the difference in opacity in the colors. Multiple colors are shown to showcase the colorful plants that grows in Arizona, while the cactus in the front shows they coexist with the new comers. The palm tree is planted to showcase the economic success Arizona is experiencing.