Original painting
Acrylic on canvas. 14”x18”

Guardian is inspired by Chinese opera, something I have always found fascinating for its striking beauty, its larger-than-life characters, and the stories passed down through generations. Watching it always makes me think of my family and our traditions, and how much of who we are is shaped by the things we inherit, remember, and carry forward. I wanted to honor that feeling through a guardian who exists somewhere between the earthly and the celestial, their face covered in flower petals that soften the strength of their traditional opera appearance. Against the yellow background, they sit quietly, almost as if they have nothing to prove. Yet hidden along the bottom of the canvas, where the painting wraps around the frame, their sharp nails are holding back the entire galaxy. I love that this detail is easy to miss, because so much of what we carry and protect in life goes unseen by others. To me, Guardian is about the quiet strength it takes to hold things together, protect what matters, and preserve the traditions and stories that make us who we are. It is a reminder that sometimes the greatest acts of protection happen quietly, just beyond what the world can see.