2024, 36” x 24”, acrylic on canvas.
When I was born, my parents planted a dogwood tree for me in our backyard. They chose dogwood in particular because my Chinese zodiac sign is a dog. In this non-representational self-portrait, I wanted to emphasize the similarities between human bone structure and tree limbs. Although the tree is scraped and cut, it has still been able to bloom beautifully, representing how I, too, have been able to grow and blossom through uncertainty and hardship.