🍂 Autumn Reflections & Winter Beginnings
As the air grows colder and the evenings settle a little earlier each day, the studio — and the garden — both begin their seasonal shift. This time of year always feels like an intersection between reflection and quiet productivity: the winding down of one cycle, and the patient preparation for the next.
🎨 In the Studio: Between Creation and Administration
The past few months have been a whirlwind across Art Collective International (ACI). Between rebuilding systems, finalizing new integrations, and rolling out the ACI Skool platform, there’s been plenty of behind-the-scenes work that isn’t always glamorous but is absolutely essential.
Skool has grown into something I’m deeply proud of — a creative community space where artists and makers can learn, connect, and grow together. It’s now officially free to join, with tier options available for those who want to dive deeper into lessons, mentorship, and behind-the-scenes content.
On the creative side, I’ve been balancing administrative work with bursts of hands-on art:
✨ Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) – A new small-format series I’ve been working on to explore quick studies, themes, and color harmonies. They’ve become a refreshing return to play and experimentation.
📖 Bookmarks – These have become both meditative and practical, blending fine art with everyday use. I’ve been painting and printing a few designs inspired by my Temple and Celestial Dreamscape series.
🔥 NSFW Commissions – I’ve also been wrapping up a few private commissions for long-time collectors — delicate, intimate pieces that merge narrative, form, and trust.
🖋️ Administrative and Studio Work – With ACI expanding, much of my focus has been on refining internal systems, coordinating studio collaborations, and preparing for the upcoming markets and the winter season of releases.
Even amidst spreadsheets and logistics, I keep a brush or stylus close — art remains the pulse of everything I do.
🌱 In the Garden: The Slow Dance of Autumn
Outside, the garden has begun its annual wind-down. The summer beds are cleared, the soil turned and mulched, and the fall and winter crops have taken root.
This season’s lineup includes:
Bok choy (白菜) — quick to grow and satisfyingly crisp, perfect for soups and stir-fries.
Garland chrysanthemum (茼蒿) — a beloved cool-season leafy green, fragrant and tender.
Napa cabbage (大白菜) — a classic winter favorite, sweetened by the chill.
Garlic (蒜) — freshly planted for next year’s harvest, quietly establishing itself beneath the soil through the winter.
The rhythm of the garden mirrors the creative process — patience, cycles, and quiet progress beneath the surface.
🐛 Caretaking & Companions
This year also brought a different kind of caretaking: raising Luna moth caterpillars. Watching them grow has been an experience in wonder and humility. They’ve now reached the stage where they’ll likely overwinter — a long, suspended stillness before emerging renewed in spring. There’s something poetic in that; a reminder that dormancy isn’t an ending, but part of becoming.
🍲 Recipes on the Horizon
As winter creeps closer and the kitchen becomes the heart of the home again, I’ve been developing a few new recipes to share soon — drawing from my roots in Taiwanese and Japanese cuisine and the produce from my own garden. Expect a few comforting seasonal dishes to make their way here in the coming weeks, just in time for cozy evenings.
🔭 Looking Ahead
As winter approaches, I’m balancing introspection with preparation. There are new lessons to write, artworks to finish, and community events to nurture. I’m also sketching out ideas for next year’s garden design and spring planting plan, tying together art, environment, and sustainability — as always, the heart of my practice.
This season is quieter, but it’s not idle, far from it. But it’s a time to breathe, to recalibrate, and to remember that creation thrives not only in the storm of productivity but also in the calm between.
Thank you for continuing to walk this path with me — through the art, the soil, through the tastes, and the shared moments of stillness.
