About me

I am a scientist by training and had spent my entire professional career devoted to research in life sciences. But I have always been interested in art because nature inspires me. Leaves on the trees, clouds over the sky, or waves in the ocean. I want to record the light and the mood and make those beautiful sights last forever.

A few years ago, I started to paint. I chose acrylic and oil as the media because of their intensity and versatility. Although painting seems to be a vast departure from the hypothesis-driven research I used to conduct, surprisingly, they have a lot in common. Both are about telling a story in each project. In research, it is about using data to elucidate and discover the stories of living organisms. In painting, it is about using paints in all colors to tell the story of a snapshot in a time and place. Both require imagination, motivation, and discipline. I found my scientific career translates well into my development as an artist.

I paint from photos I take locally and from my travels. For my mini paintings, sometimes I paint from reference photos of animals photographers generously made free for artists. Even though my paintings can never match the beauty I witnessed, I am still thrilled to capture a glimpse of it on canvas.