Every visual element in PeonyTofu has a reason for being there. Some come from personal experiences. Others found their meaning over time. Together, they became the visual language of my work.
Botanical Elements
I've always been drawn to plants. When I think about emotions, I naturally think about roots, vines, and flowers. Roots remind me of the experiences we carry with us, especially the difficult ones. We don't always see them, but they're always there, quietly supporting everything above them.
Vines feel like memories. They grow with us. Sometimes they become tangled. Sometimes they find their own direction. They never really disappear. Flowers aren't there to cover the roots or hide the vines. They bloom because they're connected. To me, growth isn't about leaving the past behind. It's about learning to grow with it.
Daisies
Daisies became part of my work because they've always reminded me of hope. They're simple flowers, and I think that's why I keep coming back to them. They don't need to be the biggest or the brightest to stand out. Whenever they appear in my work, they're a quiet reminder that hope can still exist, even during life's more difficult seasons.
Faces
Faces are loosely inspired by my own, but they're never meant to be self-portraits.
They're simply where an idea begins. I use my own face because it's familiar. What happens after that depends on the piece. Sometimes the faces become distorted or grow extra eyes. Those details aren't there just to look unusual. They're another way of expressing emotions, memories, and the different versions of ourselves that can exist at the same time.
Porcelain and Anatomy
Porcelain reminds me of the version of ourselves we usually show other people. It looks delicate, but I've never seen that as weakness. Fragility is part of being human. Some pieces also include exposed teeth or anatomical details. They're not there to shock people. They're there because our vulnerable parts are just as real as the parts we're comfortable showing. I don't believe those parts make us any less beautiful.
Color
Most of my work uses muted colors because that's what feels natural to me. The memories I think about have never felt loud, so I never felt the need to make them loud either. Dusty pink appears often because it used to be my hair color. It stayed with me, and over time it became part of PeonyTofu. Now it quietly connects different collections and has become one of the colors I return to most. Some collections become brighter. When they do, it's simply because the emotions behind them call for something different.
Space
One thing you'll notice in my work is the amount of empty space. I leave it there on purpose. To me, negative space feels like taking a deep breath after everything that's happened. It gives emotions room to settle instead of asking them to disappear. I hope it gives the viewer that same feeling. A little room to breathe, to pause, and to sit with whatever they're feeling before continuing on their journey.