Hidden histories. Untold stories. Sociopathy. Human trafficking.
Art is the most powerful medium to confront injustice — and to tell the stories of those who have been silenced.
My creative practice is a reclamation of the narratives systematically erased or distorted, particularly those surrounding my family’s history as Koreans in Japan. Growing up in the shadow of this intentional silence, I learned that history is often a battlefield of competing memories. My work serves as a conduit for these suppressed truths, grappling with the weight of colonial occupation and the scars of invasion. I believe in the necessity of confronting uncomfortable realities head-on, even when those truths are buried under the crushing weight of nationalism or political indifference.
To navigate these heavy landscapes, I employ the subversive power of humor and the accessibility of pop art. These aesthetic tools allow me to peel back the layers of complex traumas, making the invisible visible without sacrificing intellectual rigor. My canvases act as a dialogue between the macro-politics of history and the micro-politics of personal experience, blending the stark reality of injustice with a visual language that invites the viewer to linger rather than look away.
Yet, my practice is not solely defined by the endurance of pain. As my work evolves, I have expanded my focus to include the environmental precarity of Korea’s changing landscapes—where spring itself feels under siege—and the reclamation of personal identity through the whimsical, yet profound, realms of childhood memory and fairy tale. Whether through collaborative projects, poetry, or reimagined folklore, I strive to build a practice that honors our collective ghosts while finding room for the joy, resilience, and wonder that remain beneath the silence.
Fall 2024 – Spring 2025

Developed in Senior Painting Studio with Corey Antis. This surrealist, whimsical painting blends expressive figures, mythological imagery, and pop art sensibility into a single sprawling canvas — a culminating statement of Angela's time at KCAI.
Acrylic paint and mixed media on canvas
Spring 2025
33 × 53 5/8 in. (83.8 × 136.1 cm)
Exhibited at the Senior Thesis Statement Show, Lester Goldman Gallery, Kansas City Art Institute, May 14, 2025.
Developed in Senior Painting Studio with Corey Antis · Spring 2025 · Acrylic paint and mixed media on wearable canvas, thread, and dress form · Dimensions variable; approx. 60 × 28 × 18 in. (152.4 × 71.1 × 45.7 cm)




Developed in Senior Painting Studio with Corey Antis · Spring 2025 · Acrylic paint and mixed media on canvas, four hand-cut wood logs · Each panel: 62 × 41 in. (157.5 × 104.1 cm) · Overall: 62 × 123 in. (157.5 × 312.4 cm) · 3 pieces connected with hinges.



A woman in traditional Korean clothing seated on a wooden chair, two children standing behind her. Textured, greyish surface. Depicts the 16th century.
My Older Sister and me, present time. Spring 2025. 62 × 41 in. The artist holds a paintbrush before a vibrant sky of swirling blues, purples, and oranges.

Developed in Senior Painting Studio with James Woodfil. A playful, large-scale canvas featuring a towering blue Cookie Monster-like creature demanding "where is my cookie??" while a small bearded figure below responds "Huh?" — a signature blend of pop art humor and personal narrative.
Earl Ginkgo acrylic and silver acrylic marker on canvas
Fall 2024
20 × 16 in. (50.8 × 40.6 cm)
Exhibited at Lester Goldman Gallery, Kansas City Art Institute, March 1–31, 2025.
Developed in Glass elective course with Kate Clements · Glass-fused stainless steel · Spring 2025 · Diameter: 10.5 in. (26.7 cm) · Depth: 1.5 in. (3.8 cm) · It took one hundred days to create this glass bowl through many processes.






Developed in Ceramic elective course with Logan Reynolds · Spring 2025
Ceramic sculpture · 8 × 5½ × 5½ in. (20.3 × 14 × 14 cm) · A seated figure in green robe with a dark hooded head.
Ceramic sculpture · 8¼ × 13 × 5 in. (21 × 33 × 12.7 cm) · Two stylized figures — one white, one red — on a mixed-color base.
An abstract, organic top-down composition of interconnected rounded forms in red, black, white, and yellow.
Developed in Ceramic elective course with Logan Reynolds · Ceramic Relief Tile · Dimensions variable · Spring 2025






Acrylic paint and mixed media on canvas · Spring 2025 · 10 × 8 in. (25 × 20 cm)
Acrylic paint and mixed media on wood panel · Spring 2025 · 12 × 12 in. (30.5 × 30.5 cm) · A vibrant abstract composition with a winding blue line and bright green serpentine form.
Acrylic paint and mixed media on wood panel · Spring 2024–Fall 2025 · 43 × 26 in. (109.2 × 66 cm) · The 19th-century Queen's Daily Hanbok matching the era of Alice in Wonderland's first publication.

Developed in Senior Painting Studio with Corey Antis. This work continues Angela's Hae-uh-hwa series — "A Flower can Understand Language" — which confronts the realities of human trafficking and exploitation. The Bacha Bazi subject is rendered with quiet dignity against a textured grey background, demanding the viewer's attention and empathy.
Acrylic paint and mixed media on wood panel
Fall 2024
32¾ × 19 in. (82.2 × 48.3 cm)
Exhibited at Lester Goldman Gallery, Kansas City Art Institute, October 2024.
Developed in Senior Painting Studio with Corey Antis · Acrylic paint and mixed media on canvas, acrylic paint on wooden box, wooden frame, mirror, light, several miniatures, and mixed media · Fall 2024 · Wooden box: 23 × 22⅛ × 18⅝ in. (58.4 × 56.2 × 47.3 cm)




Independent Work · Acrylic paint and mixed media on wood panel · Fall 2025 · 10 × 15 in. (25.4 × 38.1 cm)

Angela at work in the painting studio — surrounded by canvases, brushes, and the creative energy of KCAI.
Directed by James Woodfil · Fall 2023 – Spring 2024


Front


Back — installed at Lester Goldman Gallery

Developed in Junior Painting Studio with James Woodfil · Acrylic paint and mixed media on canvas · Spring 2024 · 52 × 52 in. (132.1 × 132.1 cm) · A diagonally oriented canvas featuring a central blue book with a face, surrounded by twelve colorful, stylized figures representing the artist's muses.
Mixed media · Spring 2024 · Developed in Palimpsest Drawing with Samantha Krukowski. Earbuds and a red lipstick mark compose the portrait.
Acrylic paint on clear-thick vinyl and a clear plastic lid · Spring 2024 · 17 in. · Developed in Palimpsest Drawing with Samantha Krukowski.
Mixed media and photography on tracing paper · Dimensions variable · Fall 2024 · Historical photographs overlaid with colorful tracing paper drawings of Korean wedding garments.


Acrylic paint and mixed media on canvas · Spring 2024 · 10 × 10 in. (25 × 25 cm) · Developed in Palimpsest Drawing with Samantha Krukowski. Exhibited at KCKCC Technical Education Center, May 7, 2025.

Acrylic paint and mixed media · Spring 2024 · 22¼ × 28 in. (56.5 × 71.1 cm) · Developed in Palimpsest Drawing with Samantha Krukowski. A satirical, narrative-driven canvas featuring a stylized teapot, protest signs, and figures gathered around a table.




Acrylic paint and mixed media on canvas · Fall 2023 · 30 × 40 in.
Acrylic paint and mixed media on canvas and wood panel · Spring 2024 · Wood: 15 × 14 in.
Acrylic paint and silver acrylic marker on canvas · Spring 2024 · 10 × 10 in.
Acrylic paint and mixed media on canvas · Spring 2024 · 25½ × 44½ in.
Developed in Junior Painting Studio with James Woodfil · Acrylic paint and mixed media on wood panel · Spring 2024




16 × 14½ in. (40.6 × 36.8 cm)
16 × 15 in. (40.6 × 38.1 cm)
15 × 16 in. (38.1 × 40.6 cm)
15 × 16 in. (38.1 × 40.6 cm)
Acrylic paint and mixed media on canvas · Spring 2024 · Octagonal format with a dramatic mountain range against a vibrant blue sky.
Watercolor and mixed media on paper · Fall 2023 · 15 × 11 in. · Developed in elective course with Julie Farstad. Three stylized fairy figures against a dark background.
Acrylic paint and mixed media on wood panel · Fall 2023 · 18 × 39 in. · Celebrating the origin of Korean tradition with friends.

Developed in Junior Painting Studio with James Woodfil · Digital Painting · Fall 2023 · Two black rabbits in formal attire bearing the numbers 20 and 23.

Independent Work · Digital Painting · Winter 2024 · A hare with a bushy mustache holds a microphone in a lush green forest — a whimsical portrait of the artist's father.

Fabric paint, acrylic paint on fabric · Spring 2024 · 10 × 10 × 1.5 in. · Developed in Junior Painting Studio with James Woodfil.

Acrylic paint and mixed media on canvas · Spring 2024 · 10 × 10 in. · A green-skinned figure with "SENSITIVE" written on a bright red collar.

Ink drawing with watercolor and mixed media on rice paper · Fall 2023 · 6 × 8 in. · Developed in elective course with Julie Farstad. A stylized fairy with elaborate rose-adorned hair against a rich blue background.

Acrylic paint and mixed media on wood panel · Spring 2024–Present · 11 × 16 in. (27.9 × 40.6 cm) · Developed in "Studio Practice" with James Woodfil. A grinning, round face surrounded by a dark purple spiky border on a gold-textured surface.
Developed in Elective Course with Noelle Choy · Digital painting, screen printing, and fabric painting · Spring 2025







Acrylic paint and mixed media on wood panel · Fall 2023 · 11 × 11¼ × 5/8 in. · Developed in elective course with Noelle Choy. Thick, textured red paint and dark forms evoke the chaos and destruction of wildfire.

Independent work · Digital paint on digital photo · November 2023 · A whimsical digital painting used as an invitation for the William T. Kemper Painting Studios end-of-year show, December 1–2, 2023, at 4415 Warwick Blvd, Kansas City, MO.
Fall 2022 – Spring 2023



Developed in Sophomore Painting Studio with Noelle Choy · Acrylic paint and mixed media on canvas · Fall 2022 · 16 × 20 in. (40.6 × 50.8 cm)

Developed in Sophomore Painting Studio with Noelle Choy · Acrylic paint and mixed media on paper · Fall 2022 · 37 × 30 in. (97.44 × 76.2 cm) · Three pieces total.
Developed in Sophomore Painting Studio with Noelle Choy · Fall 2022
Acrylic paint and mixed media on wood panel · Fall 2022 · 30 × 30 in. (76.2 × 76.2 cm) · A dark door and window set into a textured wall, with lush bushes and a distant shoreline.
Mixed media, paper board sculpture, fabric painting · Fall 2022 · A box-like structure on a circular orange base, covered with colorful abstract fabric painting.
Acrylic paint and mixed media, paper board sculpture, fabric painting · Fall 2022 · Dimensions variable · A traditional Korean Hanok model on a painted fabric pedestal.

Developed in Sophomore Painting Studio with Noelle Choy · Acrylic and mixed media on canvas, oil paint and acrylic paint on hard canvas, fabric sculpture with mixed media, and photography fabric printing · Spring 2023 · Dimensions variable.
This ambitious installation weaves together painting, sculpture, and photography to explore the artist's relationship with memory, place, and cultural identity. The large green fabric sculpture anchors the space, while surrounding paintings and photographs extend the narrative of home and belonging across multiple surfaces and media.

Developed in Sophomore Painting Studio with Noelle Choy · Acrylic paint and mixed media on canvas · Spring 2023 · 20 × 16 in. (50.8 × 40.64 cm) · Dark swirling forms in black and deep blue frame a vibrant center of pink and magenta, with a single red rose and a small stylized bear figure.

Developed in Sophomore Painting Studio with Noelle Choy · Acrylic paint on canvas · Spring 2023 · 20 × 16 in. (50.8 × 40.64 cm) · A large yellow hand emerges from a grey sleeve against a dark background, surrounded by swirling pink and purple lines and small simplified figures.

Developed in Sophomore Painting Studio with Noelle Choy · Acrylic paint and mixed media on wood panels with clear acrylic box and UV resins · Spring 2023 · Overall: 20½ × 19⅜ × 2 in. · Each: 4⅜ × 3⅛ × ½ in. · Twelve small landscape paintings arranged in a 4×3 grid, encased in a clear resin box.

Created by AHL and Cam · A collaborative zine pairing the 12 Springs artwork with whimsical character illustrations — a sun figure and a pumpkin holding a "WITCH'S BREW" book. Scan the QR code to access the full zine collection.


Developed in Sophomore Painting Studio with Noelle Choy · Mixed media, fabric painting (natural paint), digital painting, and soft sculpture (dolls) · December 2022 · Dimensions variable · A full installation featuring paintings, t-shirts, a red-cloth table, soft dolls, and character panels for "Stark Momo" and "Mr. Longman."

Independent Work · Digital painting · July 2023 · Four anthropomorphic cats in a forest, one declaring "Soon is our Hero!" — a playful, character-driven independent work.

Good bye~ Sophomore · May 2023
A celebration of the sophomore cohort at KCAI — approximately twelve students gathered outdoors, one holding a banner reading "SOPHOMORE GENERATION", marking the end of a formative year of artistic growth under the direction of Noelle Choy.
Education & Coursework · 2019–2022
Fashion 1 · Susan Peter
Drawing 1 · Clinton Ricketts
Sculpture 1 · Angelica Sandoval
Life Drawing 1, Painting 1, Drawing 2 ·
Juan Diego Gaucin & Reuben Castillo
Life Drawing 2, Painting 2 ·
Juan Diego Gaucin & Misha Kligman

Developed in Painting 2 with Misha Kligman at JCCC · Acrylic paint and mixed media on canvas · Spring 2022 · 23¼ × 20 in. (59.1 × 50.8 cm) · Four figures in hanbok playing a board game against stylized green mountains.
Developed in Painting 1 with Juan Diego Gaucin at JCCC · Acrylic paint on canvas sheet · Fall 2021 · 18 × 24 in. (45.7 × 61 cm) · Snow-capped peaks, dark green forest, and a white lake.
Developed in Painting 1 with Juan Diego Gaucin at JCCC · Acrylic paint on canvas · Fall 2021 · Three houses on a hillside, Korean flags, tigers, and a green snake on a yellow background.




Color inks and pencil on paper · Spring 2022 · 24 × 18 in. · Life Drawing 2 with Juan Diego Gaucin
Color ink with pencil on paper · Spring 2022 · 24 × 36 in. · Life Drawing 2 with Juan Diego Gaucin
Pencil and charcoal on canvas · Spring 2022 · 24 × 36 in. · Life Drawing 2 with Juan Diego Gaucin
Charcoal, red conte, kneaded rubber eraser on paper · Spring 2022 · 24 × 18 in. · Life Drawing 2 with Juan Diego Gaucin

Independent work · Acrylic paint on canvas · January 2022 · 20 × 20 in. (50 × 50 cm) · A distorted, multi-colored face with a wide toothy grin against a dark background — an early independent work exploring sociopathy, one of Angela's core themes.

Developed in Painting 1 with Juan Diego Gaucin at JCCC · Acrylic paint on canvas sheet · Fall 2021 · 18 × 24 in. (45.7 × 61 cm) · A yellow house with a red roof, a cat peeking over the roofline, a small white dog, and a green boat with red rocks.

Developed in Painting 1 with Juan Diego Gaucin at JCCC · Acrylic paint on canvas sheet · Fall 2021 · 18 × 24 in. (45.7 × 61 cm) · A monochromatic still life of geometric and organic forms against a stark black background.

Developed in Painting 1 with Juan Diego Gaucin at JCCC · Acrylic paint on canvas sheet · Fall 2021 · 18 × 24 in. (45.7 × 61 cm) · Various candy bags and a large red pumpkin in a playful still life.
Developed in Sculpture 1 with Angelica Sandoval at JCCC · Iron stick with welding skills · Summer 2021 · A complex, abstract metal structure resembling a virus particle — created with the intention of defeating the coronavirus during the pandemic with positivity and joy.
Developed in Sculpture 1 with Angelica Sandoval at JCCC · Wood and mixed media · Summer 2021 · A tall abstract structure of red and silver materials standing in a gallery space, with a small stylized figure visible inside.
Developed in Sculpture 1 with Angelica Sandoval at JCCC · Mixed media and aluminum · Summer 2021 · Dimensions variable · A dramatic installation featuring a figure in a dark blue dress with a silver collar and a golden metallic figure surrounded by shiny red and blue spheres.





Charcoal, vine sticks on newsprint · Spring 2020 · 18 × 24 in. · Life Drawing 1, Clinton Ricketts
Charcoal on paper · Spring 2020 · 18 × 24 in. · Copy of Rembrandt's Portrait of a Young Girl (1642) · Life Drawing 1, Clinton Ricketts
HB pencil, 0.5mm black pen on paper · 15 × 10 in. · Drawing 1, Clinton Ricketts · Exchanged subject with a neighbor-classmate
HB pencil on paper · Spring 2020 · Drawing 1, Clinton Ricketts
Charcoal on paper · Spring 2020 · 24 × 18 in. · Life Drawing 1, Clinton Ricketts

Developed in Life Drawing 2 with Juan Diego Gaucin at JCCC · Watercolor · A central figure in a white dress with a purple patterned skirt holds a large pink lotus flower, surrounded by figures in traditional Middle Eastern attire against a dark background framed by a yellow border.

A field of yellow flowers under a blue sky — an early landscape study reflecting Angela's enduring interest in nature, seasonal change, and the Korean spring that would later become a central theme in her senior thesis work.
Senior Thesis Statement Show · Lester Goldman Gallery, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO · May 14, 2025
Senior Thesis Statement Show · Lester Goldman Gallery, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO · May 14, 2025
BFA Show · Emily & Todd Voth Artspace, Kansas City, MO · April 19 – May 17, 2025
KCKCC Technical Education Center, Kansas City, KS · May 7, 2025
With Prof. James Woodfil and Earl Ginko · Lester Goldman Gallery, KCAI, Kansas City, MO · March 1–31, 2025
Leedy-Voulkos Art Center, Kansas City, MO · February 1–28, 2025
South Korea · October 2026 - Present
Kansas City, MO · April 2024 – May 2025 · Produced and edited Issue 1 (Apr 2024), Issue 2 (Nov 2024), and Issue 3 (May 2025)
Kansas City, MO · January – May 2025 · Unbridled Exhibition (Artist as Curator Class)
Kansas City Art Institute · January – May 2025
August 2023, and August 2024 · Assisted with new student move-in and campus orientation events.
In collaboration with Maya Sunflower McKinney · 2024–2026
With Finn R Weintz · 2024–2026
With Cameron Lou Sinclair and Alyssa Underwood · 2024–2025
With Finn R Weintz · 2023
With Cameron Lou Sinclair · 2023

A window display featuring the 12 Springs landscape paintings alongside the collaborative zine !Oh, T.W.R.T.B? and 12 Springs! — a testament to Angela's commitment to merging fine art with accessible, collaborative publishing.
forestangela75@gmail.com | (816) 772-7519 | Instagram: @angelian1021art
May 2025 · Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO
May 2022 · Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, KS · Honors Program
South Korea · March 2026
Kansas City, MO · Jan–May 2025
May 2025
November 2024
Jan–May 2025
August 2024, Kansas City Art Institute
April 2024
August 2023, Kansas City Art Institute
2024–2027 · In collaboration with Maya Sunflower McKinney
2024–2025 · With Camerone Lou Sinclair and Alyssa Underwood
2024–2026 · With Finnr Weintz
2023 · With Finnr Weintz
2023 · With Camerone Lou Sinclair
April or May 2026
April 2026
May 2025
December 2024
March 2024
Welcome to the "Sincerely and Wonderfully Weird" Art Archive