Originally from Taipei, Taiwan, Shang-Yi Hua (b. 1967) moved to the US in 1989 and is part of the BLOCK Program at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston (MFAH) Glassell Studio School. She makes her mark through stunning freestanding and wall-mounted sculptures drawing from nature and the environment, seamlessly linking material reality with the inner self. She explores merging and extension to demonstrate both contrast and harmony, and the artwork employs organic and artificial mediums, often in the same piece. Her arduously sourced and thoughtfully manipulated materials include precious metals and stones, driftwood, seedpods, concrete, steel and more. The concepts that guide her unique art-making process highlight her dual cultures, transcending the East/West binary, while also calling attention to universal, familial, and spiritual ideas. The pieces serve as individual stories and personal meditations on life’s treasures and ideals.Hua's artwork has been featured in a number of exhibitions. In 2017 alone, her sculptures were included in the thematic group exhibition “Natural Flexibility” at Cindy Lisica Gallery, “Assistance League of Houston Celebrates Texas Art“ at the Williams Tower Gallery (juried by Jose Esparza Chong Cuy, Curator of the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago), “Known and Underknown” at Arts Brookfield in Two Allen Center (curated by Sally Reynolds), and several international art fairs. Her artwork can be found in prominent private collections and was recently highlighted in Houston CityBook and HiConcept Magazine.