“Nkauj Hmoob Lucy is a symbol of how we’ve adapted to our hardships and our culture will continue far through the ages.”
Although my background is in 3D animation I picked up a paint brush in 2004 and my world has never been the same. My hobby of painting turned into a career. Throughout my career I’ve been blessed with such a supportive community, and I want to thank everyone who has followed my journey.
Art has the ability to unite communities and heal the soul. Art is a way of life and artists provide a small glimpse into their world with each creation. Art evokes expression and beauty into our surroundings providing unique experiences that sparks imagination within us and future generations. We must embrace our children’s passions through support so they can achieve success.
I grew up watching Peanuts, inspired to be an animator and working on Lucy was a return to my earlier animation career. It was an honor to transform such an iconic Peanut’s character and bestow my culture on her character. A challenging aspect of the design was working with the existing Lucy sculpture to conform traditional Hmong clothing to her shape while also giving her my artistic voice.
I’ve always been fond of Hmong textiles and the meaning behind each pattern. I chose to use bright colors to express our vibrant culture. One symbol that echoes throughout my artwork is the swirl. The swirl symbolizes beauty and balance. Anytime I can bestow my beautiful Hmong culture using Art as a platform, I feel it enriches our community.
“Lucy” is part of our Peanuts sculpture gift to Changsha. The St. Paul-Changsha China Friendship Garden progresses. She will be traveling to China. Fabricated by TivoliToo