This Studio Exists Because of Her

The stupidest thing I’ve ever done was not turning around to look at my mom when we said goodbye at the Hong Kong airport.

I was boarding a flight to New York — a city where I didn’t know a single soul.

At the time, I had just accepted a position at an art museum. It was my dream job then, and honestly, it still shaped so much of who I am today as both an artist and business owner.

It’s hard to believe that was almost 10 years ago now.

I didn’t turn around because I was scared.

I knew she was standing there crying and waving goodbye, and I didn’t think I could emotionally handle seeing it.

At the time, I thought I understood how heartbreaking that moment must have been for her.

But the truth is, I didn’t.

Not even close.

I only started understanding a small piece of it after becoming a mother myself nearly two years ago.

And even now, I still don’t think I fully grasp it.

Back then, I also didn’t call home nearly as much as I should have.

I was busy building my life in New York. Building my career. Exploring the city. Working. Creating. Surviving.

And honestly, when you’re young, you don’t always realize your parents are experiencing your life changes emotionally too.

It took me becoming a mother to finally understand a piece of her heart.

Growing up, she used to always tell me:

“I’m happy when I see you’re happy.”

And now, that’s exactly how I feel about my daughter.

Motherhood Changes You

One of the unexpected gifts of opening my private studio in New York has been the women I’ve met through it.

Many of my clients are mothers.

Some are new moms navigating complete identity shifts.

Some are raising toddlers.

Some have teenagers.

Some have adult children and are now entering grandmotherhood.

And even clients who are not mothers often carry the same nurturing, resilient, deeply caring energy.

Inside my studio, I hear versions of the same emotional truth over and over again:

When you truly love someone, their happiness becomes tied to your own.

That kind of love changes you.

And now that I’m older, I can finally see how much of my life today carries pieces of my mother inside it.

My Studio Exists Because of Her Too

The design of my studio reflects her.

Her love for beauty. Her appreciation for fashion. Her femininity. Her standards.

When I signed the lease for my New York studio, the space had to be completely rebuilt from the ground up.

Everything was demolished.

Every detail had to be designed intentionally, piece by piece, until it became what clients walk into today.

And throughout that process, she was there emotionally with me the entire time.

She Supported My Art Before Anyone Else Did

My art career, my studio, my skills, and the life I’ve built today all exist because someone believed in me long before there was proof it would work.

My mom noticed I loved art almost immediately after I was out of diapers.

And for decades, she did everything she could to support that part of me.

Even when it didn’t make the most “practical” sense.

Because where I grew up in Hong Kong, art was not considered the safe path.

It wasn’t finance. It wasn’t medicine. It wasn’t law.

But she still chose to support what made me come alive.

That decision changed my entire life.

Women Shape The World

I think modern women are incredibly powerful.

We don’t simply exist in the world.

We shape it.

We create

We nurture.

We lead.

We build.

We carry visions for our families, careers, businesses, communities, and futures.

And honestly?

I can’t wait to see what more women create in this lifetime.

Because we are capable of so much.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C1P8D90Qqk