My inspiration is my own personal and family history. My (In)Visible series focuses on the Asian-American experience. My initial motivation was simple: I wanted to show Asian faces in paintings. Inspired by contemporary painters and especially African-American painters who depict every day people as proud and dignified, I want to tell the story of Asian-Americans who experienced profound discrimination, worked hard in tough occupations, and suffered numerous indignities for the sake of their children. My "Essential Hero's" paintings portray today’s front-line and behind the scenes workers, those doing the risky and often thankless jobs that have gotten us through the pandemic: fast food restaurants, fulfillment centers, and other low-wage occupations. They are also deserving of dignity and respect.The "Alone" series addresses the epidemic of loneliness that is gripping American society. The paintings show how, even though physically be proximate to others, we are seemingly alone and isolated from each other. We need to find ways to engage more with each other, through social situations, organizations, and physical designs that encourage interaction.