About sunia

Born in Wonju, S. Korea, Sunia, a transracial adoptee, was raised in Minneapolis, and is now based in Portland, Oregon. Her creative journey began with music at age five and expanded into abstract art in her late 30s. She has been working in faith formation and leadership since 1998.

Artmaking

Sunia’s art reveals the hidden stories of unseen people and places. Working primarily with acrylics and charcoal, she prefers the tactile immediacy of a palette knife, allowing instinctive and swift movements to shape her compositions. Influenced by early German expressionism and post-WWII French lyrical abstraction, her work is driven by a pursuit of aesthetic beauty, with layers of emotive strokes and textural contrasts emerging over time.

Songwriting

For Sunia, songwriting is rooted in storytelling, where a word or phrase sparks a lyric and melody. At the piano, she crafts songs that capture specific moments, resonating with the universal experiences shared by all. Her academic background in music and sociology fuels her creative process, blending a deep love for music with a passion for understanding culture and activating change.

Facilitation and Leadership

Bringing over 25 years of experience as a faith leader, Sunia is an organizational catalyst, and bridge-builder, guiding individuals and communities through transformation, conflict, and growth. Rooted in spiritual wisdom and adaptive leadership, she excels at uniting diverse stakeholders—congregations, non-profits, and cross-sector teams—around shared purpose. Sunia’s approach blends visionary strategy with grounded empathy, fostering spaces where complex challenges become opportunities for innovation, healing, and justice-centered action. Her work centers collaborative decision-making, navigating transitions with transparency and integrity, equipping leaders towards sustainable, community-driven outcomes.

Sunia is also committed to leadership development and Asian adoptee support through her work as co-founder of The Future Change Makers and founder of OMIJA.