Where Life Meets Art

Blessing Series I–III Faith and Grace Paper Installation Art by Jaclyn Bae Blessing Series I–III explores the quiet intersection of faith, grace, and light. Each work begins with hand-dyed coffee filter paper — an ordinary, fragile material that transforms through folding, layering, and stitching. These installations reflect how grace often arrives gently, settling into the folds of our lives. From the descending beam of Blessing I , the scattered fragments of Blessing II , to the sense of renewal in Blessing III , the series invites stillness and reflection. Each piece becomes a quiet prayer, where material becomes metaphor and creation becomes devotion. The choice of coffee filter paper is deliberate and foundational to the series' meaning. As an everyday, disposable material, its transformation into enduring art elevates the mundane to the spiritual. The hand-dyeing process introduces ...

Artist Books Handmade narratives of life, women’s stories, and daily memories by Jaclyn Bae Artist Book I — Seasons of Human Life Collaged seasons and shifting silhouettes of a life. Seasons of Human Life explores how a single life moves through changing emotional and physical seasons. Pages are built from collaged magazine papers in shifting colors and textures, suggesting spring, summer, autumn, and winter. On the facing pages, silhouettes of human figures echo these transitions — growing, bending, pausing, and moving forward again. The book reads like a quiet visual diary: the outer seasons of nature and the inner seasons of the heart layered together, one spread at a time. The use of collaged magazine paper is intentional, transforming discarded commercial images—remnants of popular culture and fleeting desires—into a sustained, personal narrative. The layering of textures and colors ...

Hanbok Series — Transformation, Memory, and Harmony Contemporary Hanbok artworks exploring cultural identity, trauma, resilience, and harmony. Artist: Jaclyn Bae 1. Transformation From a Western linen shirt to a reimagined Korean Hanbok. Transformation reinterprets the cultural symbolism of the traditional Hanbok. This piece is constructed from handmade paper , created through a long process of tearing and pulping a Ralph Lauren linen shirt once worn by the artist’s husband. The Western garment was transformed into paper and then reshaped into a Korean silhouette. Verses from Psalm 23 were inscribed onto the J eogori , echoing the artist’s personal transition from Buddhism to Christianity The work becomes a metaphor for identity, heritage, and inner transformation — bridging two cultures, two beliefs, and two versions of self. The act of deconstructing the Western garment and reforming its fibers into the distinct...

The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins — A Reflection on Emotional Freedom When we stop trying to control others, we quietly return to ourselves. Letting Go and the Let Them Theory Lately, I keep coming back to Mel Robbins’ idea of The Let Them Theory . When people do not understand us, when they disappoint us, when they walk away — our first instinct is often to fix, explain, or hold on a little tighter. But what if, instead, we simply said: “Let them.” Let them think what they think. Let them go where they go. Let them choose what they choose. The more we try to control what is not ours to control, the further our peace drifts away. We exhaust ourselves rewriting stories in our heads, rehearsing explanations, and chasing people or situations that were never meant to be held so tightly. Letting go is not giving up — it is opening. It is the moment we stop forcing and st...

“Let them. Let them be who they are, go where they go, and do what they do. Your peace comes from letting them.” — The Let Them Theory , Mel Robbins 📘 The Let Them Theory — Mel Robbins Book Reflections Series · by Jaclyn Bae Main Idea The “Let Them Theory” teaches us to release control over people and situations that are not ours to manage. True peace begins the moment we allow others to be who they are. Even when others leave, misunderstand, or disappoint us, choosing to “let them” protects our emotional freedom. Key Insights We suffer when we try to control others. “Let them” is not indifference — it is a declaration of trust. When someone leaves, don’t chase. In the empty space, new freedom grows. If someone misjudges you, you do not need to ...

Mindful Journal: Day 10 — The Greatness Within By Jaclyn Bae Small practices of letting go awaken the peace and strength already within. A 10-part mindful journal exploring life’s wisdom. Day 10 · The Greatness Within At the end of letting go, I didn’t gain anything new. Instead, I rediscovered what had always been within me. Peace, freedom, love, and a quiet strength— they were never absent. They were simply hidden beneath emotions, fear, and attachment. Letting go is a return to myself. And now I understand deeply: the greatness within me has always been here. This rediscovery of inherent peace is central to the concept of the **Authentic Self** in positive psychology. The belief that we must 'gain' something to be complete stems from external conditioning, which obscures the natural, unconditioned self. Letting go is the courageous process of peeling back those layers of external expectations and fear to reveal the **unwavering core of self-worth** that has alway...

Mindful Journal: Day 9 — Surrendering to Life By Jaclyn Bae Peace comes when we stop resisting life and allow its natural flow to guide us. A 10-part mindful journal exploring life’s wisdom. Day 9 · Surrendering to Life I have always tried to control life—planning every detail, steering outcomes, wanting everything to follow my will. But life moves in directions I never expect. When I let go and surrender to its flow, peace quietly arrives. Life’s river is wiser than I am. All I need to do is allow myself to float, experiencing the journey as it unfolds. The act of resistance—the mental struggle to control the uncontrollable—is a primary source of anxiety and unhappiness. Psychologically, the belief that we *can* dictate every outcome is often called the **illusion of control**, and the chronic stress it generates is ultimately fruitless. Surrender, in this context, is not passive defeat but an active, courageous choice to **stop fighting reality**. By letting go of the nee...

Mindful Journal: Day 8 — The Lightness of Desire By Jaclyn Bae Releasing desire lightens the heart and reveals unexpected abundance. A 10-part mindful journal exploring life’s wisdom. Day 8 · The Lightness of Desire The more I want, the heavier my heart becomes. “I must have this, and that too.” Desire never ends, and fulfillment often leaves a deeper emptiness behind. But when I release desire, I feel lighter than I ever expected. When the need to possess fades, I see clearly that what I already have is enough. And in letting go of desire, life quietly brings unexpected abundance. The core tension between desire and fulfillment is a central topic in philosophy. The observation that "fulfillment often leaves a deeper emptiness behind" aligns with the psychological phenomenon of **hedonic adaptation**, where initial satisfaction quickly fades, requiring ever-increasing levels of stimulation to maintain happiness. The mindful choice to release possession and recogni...

Mindful Journal: Day 7 — Handling Anger By Jaclyn Bae Observing anger without resistance gradually softens its flame. A 10-part mindful journal exploring life’s wisdom. Day 7 · Handling Anger Anger rises like a sudden flame. Holding it in burns the heart, and exploding only leaves wounds behind. Letting go is neither suppressing nor expressing anger without awareness. Instead, I simply notice it the moment it appears — observing what shifts inside my body and mind. The racing heartbeat, the heat rising through the face — I just watch. And slowly, the flame softens, leaving behind the quiet ashes of calm. The mindful practice of observing the physical sensations of anger—the racing heartbeat, the flush of heat—is rooted in **interoceptive awareness**, a key skill in emotional regulation. By focusing solely on these physical changes, we interrupt the mental narrative that fuels the anger, creating a necessary **'space' between the emotional trigger and our reactive be...

Mindful Journal: Day 6 — Facing Fear By Jaclyn Bae Acknowledging fear gently softens its grip and frees the mind. A 10-part mindful journal exploring life’s wisdom. Day 6 · Facing Fear Fear often follows like a shadow. I used to run from it, distract myself, or pretend it didn’t exist. But now I understand: the more I resist fear, the bigger it becomes. The more I face it, the smaller it grows. “I am feeling fear right now.” Simply acknowledging it transforms fear from a frightening monster into a temporary visitor that will soon pass. This recognition of fear as something to be acknowledged rather than suppressed is the central principle of **Exposure Therapy**, a highly effective technique used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Psychologically, running from fear only reinforces the brain's danger signals; the avoidance strengthens the fear response. Conversely, confronting the fear—even by simply naming it—teaches the brain that the threat is manageable. Moreover...

Mindful Journal: Day 5 — Peace Within By Jaclyn Bae Peace was never something to be found — it was something to be uncovered. A 10-part mindful journal exploring life’s wisdom. Day 5 · Peace Within I searched for peace in many places — through achievement, through meditation, or by reaching for something far beyond my everyday life. But peace was never outside of me. It had always been within. As I learned to let go, the weight of suppressed emotions slowly lifted. In that gentle clearing, a quiet peace — one that had always been there — finally revealed itself. Letting go is not about gaining something new. It is about rediscovering what was already inside of me — the stillness, the clarity, the peace that had simply been covered by the noise of fear and expectation. This experience of 'uncovering' inner peace by releasing suppressed emotions is deeply rooted in mindfulness-based approaches. Psychologically, suppressed emotions do not disappear; they manifest as me...

Mindful Journal: Day 4 — Through Love By Jaclyn Bae When expectations soften, love begins to breathe again. A 10-part mindful journal exploring life’s wisdom. Day 4 · Through Love Even love becomes heavy when we try to possess it. When someone does not meet my expectations, disappointment and frustration often follow. But when I release those expectations, love flows more gently and freely — simply by seeing it as it is, and accepting it as enough.  The disappointment experienced when expectations are unmet is a core concept in the psychology of relationships, often studied through the **Expectation Disconfirmation Theory (EDT)**. Disappointment arises not from a partner's flaw, but from the **discrepancy** between what we anticipated and what we received. Crucially, many of the heaviest expectations we place on love are **implicit**—unspoken rules we unconsciously impose on others, making them virtually impossible to fulfill. The mindful practice of 'letting go' ...