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As a child in Tianjin, China I first dreamed of being an artist in fashion design and architecture. Though my parents wanted me to study to be a linguist they saw the passion for art in my life and at the age of 13 began private art lessons in my home. Then at approximately the age of 17 I was placed in the High School for gifted and artistic youth where I first displayed a natural talent in 3 dimensional designs. It was there where I was approached by the professor of sculpture in the College of Art and was invited to observe and to try my hand in the mediums of sculpture. Advancing quickly beyond the skills of the other students in this field, I then applied and was accepted to study at the Central Institute of Fine Arts in Beijing, China. After graduation, I worked briefly for the National Aviation Ministry in designing airport construction art projects. Five years later, I returned to the Central Institute of Fine Arts as a fellow and concentrated on large sculpture projects.
It was while attending art shows in Beijing featuring Rodin bronze pieces and American western art in bronze where my interest in working with and using bronze in my sculptures was stirred. Therefore in 1993, I entered Johnson Atelier Technical Institute of Sculpture in New Jersey to study casting and fabrication in bronze sculpture. During the study, I participated in the construction of the "Korean War Memorial" and the "Washington Crossing Delaware River" sculptures in 1995. I was then invited to Sweden for an international sculpture competition and my work received high remarks by international collectors. |
| In 1995 the computer was becoming a useful tool in all fields of study. It was then that I began the quest to incorporate the computer with my designs. After entering the Memphis College of Art as a graduate student I studied computer art design and art education. Then in 1996, my husband John Powell and I opened and operated the bronze foundry and sculpture studio Icon Atelier, Inc. in Memphis, TN. The facility consists of approximately 2200 sq ft of studio space and an 8700 sq ft fabrication area. My works are represented in public, private and corporate collections throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. |
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