Senior Portfolio

芊芊 (Qian Qian)

34”x34”

Acrylic, stretched fabric, yarn

2022

A common Chinese cultural belief is the time and date determines one’s character at birth. I was a fiery child. To counterbalance my birth destiny, I was given the Chinese name 黎梓芊 (Li Zi Qian), which essentially means – woods, flowers, and luscious greens to soften and cool me with these natural earthy elements found in these Chinese characters.

For this self-portrait, I chose a traditional Chinese fabric with floral motifs in bright fire color to represent both my Chinese name and my spirited nature, adding embellishments of loose natural yarn tassels around my baby face. I intentionally made a bright and bold canvas background to show who I am inside – a fiercely passionate and expressive young artist connected with nature and its infinite possibilities. My energy channeled itself into my art, and when you look at the baby, you can see the color shine through, strong, burning with passion.

The Sporophyte Sweater

57”X28”

Yarn, Fabric, Ribbon

2022

In the Summer of 2022, I taught crochet classes to underprivileged mothers in Hong Kong, including refugees, asylum seekers, and local mothers. The mothers learned transferable skills with these classes and found an emotional connection in crocheting. It was a sobering experience but also an inspiring one. All the scrap yarn went into this project; these mothers were my main inspiration. After class, these mothers would leave to pick up their children from school or have their children sit on their laps during class. This “sweater” is for them. I used ribbons and different yarn techniques to make the texture of this piece. Inspired by the textures of moss and the moss life cycle, the sporophyte sweater tells the story of motherhood and dependence. In the moss life cycle, the sporophyte generation depends on the photosynthetic gametophyte for nutrition and life. The female gametophyte supports its sporophyte to help it grow and survive. Because without its parent host, it will die.

Experimental Life Drawing 5-minute figures

8.5”x6”

Oil Pastel, Color pencil, Acrylic 

2022

Three oil pastel and acrylic paint figure drawings from live models. I prepared the paper beforehand with abstract painted shapes and matched the shapes to the model live. I was inspired by the natural and fluid shapes the human body made, and I wanted to explore the intersection of how the shapes interacted with the figure. 

Life Drawing 

15.5”x21.5” 

Oil Pastel, Color pencil, Acrylic Paint

2022

A 15-minute one- continuous line drawing of a live model. I wanted to explore light and shadow through different techniques, such as the thickness and boldness of pencil lines and large blocks of color.

Experimental Life Drawing 2

32”x22”

Oil Pastel, Color pencil, Acrylic Paint

2022

 A total 30-minute observational drawing of a life model in multiple positions. 15-minutes per position. For this piece, I aimed to capture movement and shadow by utilizing the sharp box shape paint in the background and making it appear circular and round. I focused on specific body parts, letting the drawing fade into the paper. I used large portions of color for shadow and depth.

Spoons 

9” x 6.5” x1.5”

Mixed Media

2022

I tend to forget about my time in speech therapy because it was from so long ago, but when I stumble on a word, it brings me back…When I was younger, I pronounced “spoon” incorrectly. The spoon, therefore, is a metaphor: we spend years learning how to read and write so that now, we can speak with ease, almost overlooking the complexity of language. This children’s book describes this experience, and I hope it can help children with similar experiences struggling with disabilities. The colors change from a blue color palette (sadness) to red (eureka), then colorful (access to all colors), expressing the emotional wave I experienced throughout the process. The brokenness of the collage and mixed media (embroidery, paint, and labels) represents the brokenness of the words I spoke as a child. I plan to print 50 copies of this book to donate to Kids4Kids, a charity that teaches English literacy to local Hong Kong kids, which I have worked with for the past 10 years, in hopes that it will inspire other children to keep at it and eventually get there.
The poem can be read below:

🥄 SPOONS🥄
At one time,
I asked for everything —

But when I spoke the words,
they stuck between milky white teeth.
Standing there. Silent.

I wish they would slip down
your slippery spine, a long neck,
and fall into a comforting bowl —

a hug. Its skin, porcelain smooth.
Silver shiny silk
tangled up in the wind.

My reflection in the mirror, and an
experienced mouth guiding me. A teacher
or healer or doctor or friend. A pair
of eyes tries to smile back at me.

I slip out my tongue,
spiny spongy muscle,
Up and Down, In and Out.

Press it against my rubber pink gums,
tickling the tips of my teeth.

Buzz like a bee,
hiss like a snake,
till your teeth tingle and lips lighten.

My voice,
so weak and wimpy,
whose disappointments

create silence.

And the only stones
left are the ones in my throat.
So I push them out or else I’ll

choke. Words.

They are stones flung
from a volcano.

There’s frustration, teasing, and tears.
Salty warm droplets from a little girl's eyes.
So I will strengthen

lengthen and laugh.
Sip almond soup after class,
and sneak a smile.

Let the letters line up
shoulder to shoulder
backs straight and smart.

For years I wished to string
together sounds and symbols.
Sugared beads on a long necklace

relaxed and rested on my neck.

But now, I sing
a sweet song
of spoons.

My Superheroes

Digital Art

2022

I was part of an NFT gallery show fundraiser for the Charity Mother’s choice. Mother's Choice is a charity serving children without families and pregnant teenagers in Hong Kong. My Superheroes is a nine-piece collection about the general characteristics the children display daily. After meeting and talking with the kids in the orphanage, they described themselves as: Creative, Loving, Strong, Curious, Emotional, Resilient, Patient, Smart, and Observant. These superheroes show how these kids are more than their circumstances. The final gallery (Aug 19, 2022) was showcased at SHOUT gallery in Hong Kong and raised $208,510HKD for Mother’s Choice.

Hymenopus coronatus

43”x 30” x 13”

Metal wire, Flowers

2022

Hymenopus coronatus, the Orchid Mantis, is a tropical mantis from Southeast Asia. I explored the coloration and morphology of the mantis. Its petal-like legs have multiple adaptive functions for its elegant coloration: camouflage, signaling, thermoregulation, and mimicry. It mimics the orchid, which allows it to attract pollinators. I was interested in this deceptive floral mimicry; something so beautiful could be so deadly. This manifested itself through the floral design in my project. I made a metal wire frame for the structure of the mantis and experimented with blending using natural flower petals. I used real fresh flowers because I wanted to blend the strong metal wire into nature. I discovered how to make a hard, strong material, like metal, blend in naturally into nature, the way a powerful mantis can look like a delicate flower. This was my first wire sculpture – I wanted to challenge myself to recreate the elegant Orchid Mantis for others to admire its beauty the way I do.

Vanity

40”x18”

Mixed Media, Acrylic Panel, Collage, Recycled containers

2022

Your nose starts to itch, your throat is tickled, and you try to let out a sneeze silently. Instead, the sneeze is loud, proud, and contagious; you can’t hide it. Vanity is a self-portrait, a reflection of me in the mirror. An “ugly” sneezing face; there's nothing glamorous about the natural instinct to sneeze. I made pixelated, sneezing face-like particles, which I laser etched onto acrylic. There is a contrast between my own face and the surrounding ring of ideal beauty covered with magazine cutouts of heavy makeup, edited, and perfected faces. Old skincare bottles have my own branding of perfect lips, hands, and skin. Bottles are being sold as beauty. The sneeze is letting go of the preconceived notions of what society has deemed as beautiful. That thought is always in the back of your mind, and you just have to let it out and let it go - sneeze it out.

On the piece, it reads:

sneeze. 

a loud whisper tickling the back of your throat.

let life back in when you let it all out.

Chinese Painting (process)

Chinese ink and rice paper

2022

These are all my test swatches from the Chinese ink and rice paper sculpture I worked on. I experimented with different Chinese inks (dilution and mixes), brush sizes, dipping techniques, acrylic inks, types of paper, and paper folding. I started wanting only to use utensils to paint, but I found that folding and dipping the paper changed what I was looking for. I plan to do more experiments on this project to get an outcome for me to submit to the UOB Art in Ink Award competition next year. The UOB Art Academy was established by UOB in Hong Kong in 2015 to make art more accessible, nurture artistic talent and rejuvenate cultural heritage.

Sketchbook Patterns

Mixed Media

2020-2022

Photos from my world-traveled sketchbook. I explore color, nature, and symbols through pattern design in my sketchbook.

String of Names

17”X14”

Color Pencil

This is a colored pencil drawing of friendship bracelets my friends share with me. My friends are all around the globe, in Hong Kong, France, Australia, Palo Alto, Boston, Connecticut, and New Hampshire: near and far. I made these bracelets for us and mailed them all around the world to my friends. But it’s not the bracelets that connect us; instead, the names on these bracelets are the threads that connect us. “Sha-sha” is a nickname my friend gave me when we were 2 years old in preschool. “Aaalysha” it was my friend calling me late at night on facetime. “Banana sister” is what we called each other after ballet class. I purposely made it hard to read what the bracelets said and focused on the beads themselves because their names are very personal to each relationship. All these names are a personal thread to my friendships with each person, which continue to be strong and forever connected. 

Fabric Pattern Design for “Unspoken”

Digital Art

2022

"When I was just a little girl, I asked my mother, '' What will I be? Will I be pretty? Will I be rich? Here's what she said to me: Que será, será. Whatever will be, will be. The future's not ours to see. Que será, será. What will be, will be." - Doris Day. The Spanish phrase "Que Sera, Sera" means "what will be, will be." We fear the future and regret our past. But the truth is, it is all uncontrollable and unknown. This pattern was designed for “Unspoken” a biodegradable, sustainable dress that tackles the issue of fast fashion and body positivity in the fashion industry (next slide). Communication through the use of patterns on ethically sourced materials was my goal, so I used American Sign Language layered on complementary floral patterns to communicate the idea of inner thoughts. I think of ASL as a silent communicator. When you initially look at the fabric, you see the beautiful flowers, but if you look closer, you will see the beauty in the unknown - the unspoken. 

Unspoken

Size: Free size 

Biodegradable eco printed Cotton fabric

2022

Unspoken promotes body positivity, made with biodegradable and sustainable fabrics. I first started designing my own material when I learned and realized that sustainability in fashion comes from all aspects of the design, which includes the fabrics (from the previous artwork) and materials used to make each garment.  This is a halter neck a-line dress made with complementary blue floral patterns. The darker fabrics highlight portions of the dress, and the extended straps cross at the back. A long line of bows serves as a zipper-free closure and decorative design. It is 100% biodegradable and made completely of bio-materials, meaning: no plastics, no zippers, and no waste. Not only are the custom fabrics printed on organic cotton, but the designs use alternative and innovative closures to ensure that there is minimal waste. 

The Dying Hands

80”x30”

Fabric, Wooden Frame, Acylic 

2022

When I was younger, I would visit Yunnan, China, and watch the local fabric dyers work with indigo. I first noticed their hands, permanently stained blue from natural indigo. As you walked closer, you would notice the dark, pungent smell of indigo leaves: earthy, mossy, grassy. They tied and sewed fabric with string, making a tie-dye pattern. I collected these fabrics and used them in the piece to try to capture this dying process but also this dying art: the gradual decline of the traditional indigo artisans. This triptych includes soft sculptures and paintings of the hands in motion: squeezing, wringing, and dipping the fabric. Indigo is a living dye. The fermentation of indigo leaves makes them bubble, almost as if they were breathing. I remember being told that they fed the indigo daily, giving it water and sugar, which I later learned was the fermentation process. In a modern world drenched in synthetic dyes, we forget the smells, texture, and life of natural indigo.

A Network of Threads

Reclaimed Fabrics, Yarn

2021

More information on: https://www.alyshalai.com/network-of-threads

Run your fingers along the crochet yarn mycelium connecting each fruiting body —this is their communication network. Find the orange mushrooms growing off the wall —their texture is made from quilting techniques. Sit on a giant toadstool — a polka-dotted seat perfect for a rest. I want to showcase the importance of mushrooms and mycelium through my recycled fabric sculptures. Mushrooms are crucial to our growing earth — we must decompose the old to create new life. Mycelium is a network of threads, called hyphae, between fungi and their ecosystem, allowing plants to share nutrients, sugar, water, and communicate. Communication is essential to life as it enables us to connect, understand and appreciate fellow humans and our growing world. This interactive installation is sewn with reclaimed fabrics and stuffed with all the fabric scraps from the project. I encourage you to play with these sculptures —interact with the magical world of mycelium and their mushrooms.