Works

Here is a selection of the mosaic works that are closest to Mimi's heart. They are each made from hundreds of intricately cut glass pieces and reflect themes of nature, family, and homeland.

(Please click on each image to expand and view them, using desktop view for the best experience)

Mother Child

Missing her children in her first years as an empty nester and caring for her mother when she had Alzheimers forced Mimi to reflect on the sense of loss implicit in motherhood. This piece reflects the journeys that both Mimi and her mother undertook. An important symbol in Buddhism and Vietnamese culture, the lotus, which grows in the mud but turns into something beautiful, symbolizes a mother's love and her resiliency through all of life's challenges. In Mimi's words, "When my mother arrived in the US as a refugee, she did not speak any English, but managed to raise five children on her own in a foreign country with no family around to support her. This piece is a testament to her strength and the many sacrifices she made for me."

Poppies

This mosaic is inspired by the poppy fields outside of Paris, France where Mimi used to live.

Reflection

A self-portrait.

You Are My Sunshine

This was inspired by a song that Mimi used to sing to her daughter Selena to wake her up each day.

Farm Island Cabin

This mosaic commemorates fifty years of family time at the cabin on Farm Island Lake, Minnesota.

Burden

This piece is dedicated to Mimi's mother. In her words, "When my mother was diagnosed as terminally ill and given 3 months to live, I reflected on her life and the burden that she carried as a woman, a wife, and a mother, as well as the burden I carried as a woman, her daughter, and her caregiver until the end. The baskets represent my mother's children and the path represents her journey in life."

Bird of Paradise

This is one of Mimi's favorite flowers, reminding her of the humid tropics and vibrant flora of Vietnam. She hasn't lived in a warm climate for over 45 years and misses these bold colors.

Ha Long Bay

This mosaic is inspired by a family trip that Mimi took with her family to Ha Long Bay, Vietnam in 2008. This was the first time she had returned to her homeland in 33 years since she fled to the US with her family in 1975, aged 12. In her words, "It was an emotional trip to revisit my childhood home and my grandparents' graves, but also to show my family where I came from." Mimi channelled these feelings of nostalgia and conflicted identity into this vibrant piece.

Flower Market

When Mimi was a girl, she would accompany her mother to the flower market where people bought gifts and decorations to celebrate the New Year. She saw beautiful young ladies wearing 'ao dai,' the traditional Vietnamese dresses, and wanted to grow up so that she could wear one too. Unfortunately, she left Vietnam when she was 12 years old and never got the chance, so, in Mimi's words, "this piece is an homage to a childhood dream." The top photo shows Mimi and her daughter, Selena, during a visit to a similar flower market. The bottom archival photo shows Mimi's mother (left) holding her brother Tony and her aunt (right) holding her.

Going Home

This piece is dedicated to Mimi's cousin who passed away in 2015 at the age of 52 from cancer. Her name is "Chau," which means precious gem in Vietnamese. Chau was 6 months older than Mimi and raised like her sister. Together, they loved to climb trees, finding a childhood joy in this secret hiding place. Her mother used to scold them for climbing trees instead of acting like proper young ladies and warned that this would impinge their ability to marry when they got older. This piece pays tribute to Chau's grace and their childhood antics amidst the trees.

Homeward

This piece is dedicated to Mimi’s mother who passed away in 2019. Mimi’s mother was born in Mytho, a city on the Mekong River Delta where water coconut groves grow abundantly.

Mimi also has wonderful memories paddling along the tributaries among the coconut groves with her family when they visited Vietnam recently.

Lake Birch

A view from the lake cottage on Farm Island Lake where Mimi and her family spend summer weekends.

Bird of Paradise

For Mimi, this beautiful flower represents freedom and joy. It is one of her favorite flowers and this mosaic was to celebrate and represent her retirement in 2022.

No Mud No Lotus

The lotus flower has many meanings across cultures, but this mosaic is especially significant as it was achieved during the Covid-19 lockdown. The flower’s ability to bloom in difficult habitats symbolizes the ability to overcome challenges, to let go and to be revitalized.

Split Rock Lighthouse

This mosaic is inspired by a family trip to the light house in Northern Minnesota.

Bamboo Whispers

Mimi was inspired to create this mosaic on a family walk through the bamboo forest in Haleakala National Park along the Pipiwai Trail in Maui. The sounds through the forest reminded her of my childhood walking through the bamboo forest as a child, and she was inspired by her children experiencing the same things.

Chrysanthemums

In Vietnamese culture, chrysanthemums symbolize longevity, nobility, resilience, well-being, vitality, and endurance. They are often given to the elderly as gifts to wish them a long life, and are also used to decorate homes during Tết (Vietnamese New Year) to bring luck, prosperity, and happiness.

Bluebonnets

The bluebonnet is the state flower of Texas, where Mimi’s sister-in-law lives. Mimi made this mosaic for her niece who lives in Texas and loves to hike and take pictures of the flowers during her journeys.

Bamboo

The solid, straight and high bamboo trees represent the resilience, indomitable and bravery of the Vietnamese people.