About The Artist

About the Artist

My journey as an artist began in an unexpected way. I came to America in 1998 with a background in child psychology, not art. As I began building a new life, I found myself searching for something meaningful that I could continue to grow in—something I could become better at with time.

I found that in painting.

I had experimented with watercolor while living in Korea, but it was oil painting that truly captured me. I loved the richness and depth of oil and the way it could bring a person, an animal, or a landscape to life. I became especially fascinated with painting people and animals and capturing their character and emotion through their eyes.

I had no formal art training. I learned through observation, practice, and countless hours at the easel. Within about six months of beginning oil painting, I started accepting portrait commissions. Over the years, my work went on to receive recognition in California art competitions, including Best of Show and first- and second-place awards.

After about 15 years of painting, I stepped away from my art to devote my time to raising my daughter. More than a decade passed before I returned to the easel.

Now I am painting again, rebuilding my art practice, and once again accepting commissions. Returning after so many years has reminded me of what drew me to painting in the first place: the belief that an artist can continue learning, observing, and growing throughout a lifetime.

Today, I create original oil paintings and custom portraits with the same purpose I had when I began—to capture more than an image, and to bring something meaningful to life on canvas.