Lotus vases

The idea for these two pieces emerged last summer when I learned that my grandmother had been diagnosed with cancer. While I was deeply saddened by the news, it also stirred vivid memories from my childhood. When I was in elementary school, I would go to my grandmother’s house for lunch every day after school. Her dining room window faced a vast lotus field. Each summer, as we sat together for lunch, the fresh scent of lotus flowers and leaves would drift in through the window, and I remember watching the lotus leaves flutter gently in the wind.

These two vases were created from that feeling, both as a tribute to those cherished memories and as a gesture of hope for my grandmother’s continued strength and health. Like the lotus leaf, which remains pure and resilient despite growing from the mud, I wish for her to stay strong and graceful through her illness.

In traditional Chinese proverbs, lotus flowers are often celebrated for their beauty, while the leaves are viewed as supporting elements. But to me, the leaves are equally important, quiet, steady, and essential. That’s why I chose to focus on the lotus leaf in these pieces, rather than the flower. Through this work, I honor the quiet strength that so often goes unnoticed.