Acrylic + Clay sculpture on canvas (size: 12 x 16) Homage to the Year of the Wood SnakešŖµšāØāļøA symbol of wisdom, intuition, and transformation in the Zodiac. The snakeās ability to shed its skin symbolizes rebirth and renewal, encouraging us to embrace change and new beginnings.The Legend of the White Snake goes that a white snake spirit, longing for human life, finally managed to transform itself into a woman. She became Bai Suzhen, and fell in love with Xu Xian, when they met on a rainy day on the Broken Bridge in West Lake, Hangzhou. Itās said that in a past life, when she was just a young snake, he saved her life. She was so driven by gratitude and eagerness to repay this kindness, that through her constant efforts, she transformed to take on human form, and then set out to look for Xu Xian.We all have the ability to shed, transform, and renew through our own determinationā¦as Daisaku Ikeda says āNever for an instant forget the effort to renew your life, to build yourself anew.āšš»āāļøAs a daughter of immigrants, may I never forget where I come from, the ancestors that guide me, and to repay my debt of gratitude to honor their journey, struggles + heritageā¦this acknowledgment grounds me with strong roots like a steady tree that can never be toppled by the wind, so that I can always live with the spirit to never be defeated, the inspiration to plant new seeds, and the wisdom to open new pathways forward for myself, those beside me, and those that will come after.
