April 12, 2025
With this painting, I celebrate Brian’s triathlon journey. He’s competed in a steady stream of races spanning two decades, marking his dedication, perseverance, and passion for the swim-bike-run trifecta. This portrait embodies his unyielding spirit, honoring his commitment to the sport and connection with nature – a fitting tribute to my Earth Day-born muse.
July 13, 2024
Updated oil on canvas portrait paintings of my babies who are now children full of personality. And our little puppy, too. Each holds their favorite companion.
September 17, 2023
My biggest artwork to date; these four panels representing four seasons with our family of four humans and a fur pup. For the past four years since living in beautiful Washington state, I’ve been studying the view from our house of the soaring Olympic mountains and how its terrain changes with the seasons. I imagined putting together this piece in my mind and am so excited it has come to life. Each family member appears in the season of their birth which turned out to flow correspondingly from oldest to youngest.
December 4, 2022
As I bid farewell to my 30s and celebrated my 40th birthday, I created my first self-portrait. This painting is a reflection of the past decade’s triumphs and tribulations. I cherish memories like my 30th birthday, when I first visited Seattle as a tourist, and six years later, when I returned with my family, ready to call the Pacific Northwest our home.
However, this portrait also acknowledges the darker moments. The pearls I wear symbolize my polycystic ovaries, and the uterine shape formed by my clasped hands represents my once-empty womb. Living with PCOS and infertility has been my most significant challenge. In 2015, I shared my struggles on social media, feeling defective and isolated.
But I was not alone. Sharing my story brought me unexpected support and connection. In this painting, the pillow under my arm bears personal symbols of family, friendship, faith, mountains, art, and medicine – the pillars that strengthen me. These elements form my backbone, empowering me to create and live beyond the limitations of my reproductive journey.
April 30, 2022
Since the girls started sharing a room in the beginning of the year, I decided to create some art I thought they’d enjoy seeing on their wall. I used their bedspread of animals as a source of inspiration along with the wildlife they’ve encountered while exploring the Pacific Northwest.
December 19, 2021
Finished this palette knife oil painting for my sweetheart in time for Christmas.
March 6, 2021
Those little fingers and toes will continue to grow, but I hope that twinkle of love in her eyes will keep the same glow.
September 13, 2020
As we are quarantined indoors today due to the smoke and very unhealthy air quality outside, I got to finish this watercolor painting of Eagle Creek Trail in Oregon that my husband and I hiked through in winter 2015. Sadly, this trail is still closed from a wildfire in 2017. For now, I’ll remember it for how it flourished from the beautiful blanket of fog, the falling flurries of snow, and the swooshing sound of cascades.
June 6, 2020
In a departure from my typical realistic style, this piece evolved organically, untethered to a specific reference image. Instead, it blossomed from the spontaneous fusion of winter and spring flowers surrounding me.
As I navigated the uncharted territory of the pandemic, embracing uncertainty and living in the present, my brushstrokes reflected the turmoil and anguish of the times. The killings of Black community members, exposing systemic racism, further fueled my emotional investment in this work.
Through the process, I sought to transform chaos into cohesion, mirroring my hope for our world. May these challenging times, marked by physical distancing and the unmasking of social injustices, ultimately yield unity.
December 18, 2019
A charcoal portrait of my Bà Ngoại (maternal grandmother) using her blurry image as reference and merging in some detailed features of my Má (mom).
June 17, 2019
An oil painting inspired by an image captured by my middle school friend who’s a rising wildlife photographer. This colorful bird was created by several brushstrokes. These strokes remind me of the several years, 30 total, that I’ve lived in Florida, all amounting to the final mark that completes my painting, to the final moment that concludes my time here. It’s time to fly away, but I will remember all the treasured moments during the years I’ve spent here, each summing up to a wonderful memory, like willowy brushstrokes merging to form a vibrant painting.
February 20, 2019
An oil pastel piece as a gift to my husband commemorating our 7th anniversary.
January 29, 2019
I am donating this oil on canvas piece to the 2019 Equality Florida Tampa Gala’s art auction to help support the goal of gaining equality in our community. Of Vietnamese descent, I grew up watching Hong Kong drama and idolizing martial artists who, oftentimes, had the skills to jump from summit to summit. This hazy painting depicts a dream where I belong, whereas, in everyday life, I don’t always feel like I fit in. I think a lot of us can identify with this feeling. With the rainbow river flowing from a prismatic waterfall, a representation of equality emerges. We all belong no matter who we are or who we love. We should be able to feel free to express ourselves and celebrate our diversity. Inspirations for this piece came from places I’ve traveled to; from foreground to background – Sierra Norte peak of Oaxaca, evergreen trees of the Columbia River Gorge, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, Lost Canyon in Sedona, the Matterhorn of Zermatt, and Mount Colonel Foster in Vancouver Island.
August 12, 2018
Hazel’s grown a lot since I started her oil painting at 38 weeks old. But what hasn’t changed is that determined look in her eyes.
April 12, 2018
A quick graphite pencil sketch drawn during a respite in Sonoma county adventuring with my little family.
March 25, 2018
My interpretation of Ganesha, the lord of beginnings and remover of obstacles, as a wedding gift for my friends. I couldn’t make it to India to share in their special day, but I celebrated their joy with each brushstroke in creating this oil painting.
December 18, 2017
Worked on this mixed media art using charcoal and colored pencil while caring for my newborn. It represents a pine cone encountered in Maine on a hike up its mini mountains. I emphasized the details of its structure much like the focused attention needed to care for a little human.
August 8, 2017
Dabbled in charcoal art for the first time with this portrait of a beautiful little lady I met and photographed in Falmouth, Jamaica. Her glistening eyes and coy smile were magnetizing.
June 6, 2017
My big oil on canvas project measuring 24 x 36 inches. I call it “Machu Maras” in memory of an unforgettable art workshop trip with Vanessa’s Art Studio to Cusco, Peru where we trotted along the salt mines of the Salinas de Maras through the Sacred Valley and eventually found our way to the almighty Machu Picchu mountains.
August 3, 2016
This colored pencil art took me more than a year to complete. I wanted to recreate in detail a colorful moment I experienced from my stay in Oaxaca, Mexico in February 2008. While I aimlessly wandered the streets of the enchanting city of Oaxaca de Juarez after Spanish class, a beautiful procession of dance and song crossed my path. I looked on in awe as the red, green, blue, and yellow of the performers’ dresses twirled gracefully by me. This jubilant interruption to my walk that evening is an example of what I love about traveling: the unexpected encounters that invite one to embrace another’s culture and tradition.
January 27, 2016
Using black, white, and the primary colors, red, yellow, and blue, I created this oil on canvas portrait of Duncan, our beloved rescue greyhound and graceful retired racer.
Art by Phuong Nguyen Willis 