I grew up in a house filled with artworks, many of which were created by my Grand Aunt, Hyo-chong Yoo. An oil pastel portrait of myself wearing a hanbok (traditional Korean dress) at my dol (Korean celebration for a baby’s first birthday) hangs above my bed, while an elegant oil still life of Korean objects in blue and red threads decorates our dining room.

These paintings, along with the love of art passed down from my Grand Aunt to my own mother, contributed to my interest in art at an early age. As I grew older, this interest grew into a passion, leading to my enrollment in art classes like AP 2-D Art & Design and AP Drawing, and serving as the current Co-President of the National Art Honor Society at my high school. My work has also earned recognition, including second place in the Congressional Art Competition, a cover feature in Blue Marble Review, and an honorable mention in the BowSeat Ocean Awareness Contest. 

I have always wanted to learn more about my Grand Aunt’s history as a Korean immigrant to the United States, and her contributions as an artist. Through my research, this curiosity grew into a deep appreciation and wonder for her as a person and an artist. This online exhibition is my effort to make her dream of having an exhibition centered around the theme of Sa-Mo-Gok (a lyric piece from Korea’s Goryeo Dynasty about longing for one’s mother) come true. It is also a tribute to an artist of genuine talent whose work I feel should be known and seen by the world, and I am pleased to be able to share it through this online gallery.