My artistic sensibilities are enriched by and grounded in the aesthetic traditons of East Asian culture. Instead of the brush and scroll, my art is composed with lenses and mouse clicks, and instead of landscapes, I focus on the concrete world of American urban life. Ever since taking up Zen practice and kado (“the way of poetry,” in Japanese), I have begun seeing life in rich moments and series of moments in time. When I am fully engaged in this practice, every moment becomes utterly precious to me, and I find myself wanting to express this excitement.

My photography serves as a conduit to share this childlike wonder in a loosely structured format. In composing Something Over There, I found myself enthralled by the children gathered on a subway bench directly across from me. Because of their dynamism and energy, children really bring me back to my own childhood, when I spent many days just dreaming and exploring the world around me, with little to no concern for what others were thinking.
I wish I could say what exactly the kids in the photo were looking at, but I’m pretty sure it was darn interesting.