She says:

"I fell in love with Chinese culture as a teenager. Perhaps because my father began to resemble a small Chinese man as he aged and, indeed, there was a Chinese community where he grew up in the Mississippi delta. Maybe because it was the most exotic culture I could imagine. Slowly I have made some of it mine. My wedding included Chinese music and rituals. My husband and I traveled to China twice: once to adopt our daughter, a second time to introduce her birth country to her. We celebrate Chinese New Year and the Autumn Moon Festival. I meet regularly with my Jiejies (older sisters) who are Chinese, Korean and American. In the past two years, I have added an addiction to Chinese dramas (C-dramas), TV serials depicting human ambitions, romances, celebrations and struggles in ancient and modern times. I’ve even picked up a little of the language and calligraphy. I love the architecture, gardens, art, poetry, food, and admire individuals’ ambitions, resilience and sense of humor. Paintings in this “Moon Gate” series share glimpses of my China passion.