Gallery wall featuring three landscape paintings with headphones on a bench below, in an art gallery with additional artwork and information panels.

Installation of Art in the Park Residency Exhibition

Throughout my time in nature, including Art in the Park residency, I was drawn to the subtle chaos of the forest. The textures of mosses, the forest floor, rocks, and trees were constant points of fascination, as were the ever-changing light patterns and the quiet hum of life.

The audio for this work is derived from a sound sample I collected during a sketching session at Bear Creek Falls. Amidst the rush of water, I noticed a unique bubbling sound—the rising, gurgling, and swirling of water—something I hadn't initially planned but instinctively recorded. This sound has since evolved into a metaphor for life and action, uniting the elements of this series.

Although the environment may seem still, it is, in fact, a dynamic and living system. This quietness and movement is precisely the essence I sought to convey. In this series, my intention is to shift the narrative away from the familiar theme of human connection to nature, and instead, to question whether we are truly prepared to move beyond simple awareness. We can no longer afford to be passive observers; recognizing nature’s beauty, while valuable, is no longer sufficient in the face of the ongoing ecological crises we face.

A dark, abstract painting of a forest scene with tall trees painted in shades of red, orange, and black, with a figure standing among the trees.

Stealing From Earth
2025
30 x 30”
Oil on canvas

Oil painting Swift Moment of Dusk by Shirley W Liu

Swift Moment of Dusk
2025
30 x 30”
Oil on canvas

Oil painting The Hum of Life by Shirley W Liu

The Hum of Life
2025
30 x 30”
Oil on canvas

A black ring with a small Comtech logo on it, placed inside a beige jewelry box with the lid open, on a white surface.

Diamond Ring
2025
2.5 x 2 x 1.5”
Reclained keyboard, Sterling Silver, Jewelry box

A plastic container filled with black computer keyboard keys on top of a wooden surface.

Produce of the Day : Keyboards
2025
8 x 6 x 1”
Reclaimed keyboard, Polystyrene foam, Clean film, Paper

Close-up of a product label on a computer keyboard box, with text about the product of 'Dopamine Era - Keyboards', ingredients, instructions, and expiration date.
White foam packaging tray containing a white selfie stick with a telescoping pole, a rectangular stand, and small plastic parts, placed on a wooden surface.

Produce of the Day : Selfie Stick
2025
14.5 x 7.5 x 2.5”
Plaster of paris, Polystyrene foam, Clean film, Paper

Package label for a selfie stick with ingredients listing calcium sulfate hemihydrate from Paris and a warning about eye irritation. The label includes expiration date, packed date, and barcode.
Abstract painting featuring swirling shades of purple, white, green, and blue, resembling a landscape with mountains and a river.

Something That’s Changed Yet Never Changes (Neon mountain)
2024
12 x 9”
Oil on canvas

An underwater scene with large blue fish swimming over a landscape of mountains, greenery, and roads, painted in a surreal style.

Transient
2023-24
57 x 30”
Acrylic on canvas

Abstract painting of a dark, rocky landscape with a campfire and three figures around it, against a mostly grey and black background.

Everything that Exists is Matter?
2024
24 x 30”
Acrylic on canvas

An abstract painting with swirling colors including green, yellow, blue, black, and brown on a canvas.
Abstract painting with shades of blue, pink, purple, and green, featuring textured brushstrokes.

Diver and the Untitled
2024
11 x 14”
Acrylic on paper

That Person is still Here
2024
11 x 14”
Acrylic on paper

A spherical glass sphere with a partially submerged copper-colored sculpture inside, seen through the transparent glass, with a reflection of the sculpture above the waterline.

Echo Chamber
2023-2025
6 x 6.5 x 6”
Clay, Acrylic paint, Reclaimed light bulb, Resin

Abstract sculpture of a human head with colorful, textured paint strokes in shades of pink, black, blue, green, and white.
Abstract sculpture resembling a person's bust with colorful, swirling paint strokes, featuring a blue streak running down the center.
Close-up of a textured, colorful, abstract sculpture resembling a human face with a variety of thick, layered paint in shades of pink, blue, black, red, and yellow.
An abstract painting of people in a lively outdoor scene with yellow and brown tones, depicting a woman dancing in black attire, two seated women in white, and other figures engaging in social activities.

Larch Party
2023
36 x 24”
Acrylic on wood

Larch Party is part of the series “Incongruity”. It is inspired by a translated quote from writer Kōtarō Isak. The quote—"Unique animals are being protected; unique people are being isolated"—resonated deeply, highlighting the complexity and contradictions inherent in human nature, mirroring the world around us. Often, uniqueness elicits avoidance rather than acceptance. 

The series began with seven paintings, including images such as a lone woman in a mountainscape, a blurred figure running toward a valley, and two figures set against an ambiguous backdrop. The creative philosophy does not aim to provide definitive answers; rather, it seeks to provoke thought about the nuances of truth and perception. Is the figure being consumed by the dark foreground, or is it running toward the bright valley? Are the wolves truly in the field, or is the field still within the room, therefore the wolves are in fact “in the room”?

The intention behind the "Incongruity" collection is not to advocate for the protection of uniqueness itself, but to stimulate contemplation on solitude, contrast, and the profound serenity that can emerge from embracing diversity and incongruity. The series culminates with Larch Party, using larches—the rare deciduous conifer—as a motif. This painting incorporates multiple figures, each with distinct gestures and identities, suggesting the conclusion of the series.

The series continues below.

Painting of three nude women sitting on a floor, with one woman in the background with red hair, in an abstract art style with bold brushstrokes and red, black, and flesh tones.

Private Room (above)
2023
12 x 3”
Acrylic on wood

Distance Between Us 2 & 1 (below)
2023
12 x 16” each
Acrylic on wood

An abstract painting of four nude figures with blurred features, with one figure in the foreground and trees in the background.
An oil painting of three men in a hot spring. One man is on the right, with glasses and short hair, holding a cell phone to his ear. The other two men are on the left, with one slightly blurred. The background shows a scenic landscape with cloudy sky.
An impressionist painting of a mountain landscape under a cloudy sky, with a winding road in the foreground and green fields in the middle ground.

And the Valley Floor
2022
20 x 16”
Acrylic on wood

An impressionistic painting of a mountain landscape with green hills, a pink flower, and a cloudy sky.

At the Base of the Mountain
2022
20 x 20”
Acrylic on wood

Abstract painting of a room and outdoor landscape, with minimal furniture and a window showing trees and sky.

Wolves in the Field
2022
28 x 16” (two boards)
Acrylic on wood