Ly and Lines

In case my kid hasnt introduced me yet. Im a 20yo mother who likes coffee, yoga, the color red, buns and spicy soup. More kisses to come for my baby girl who seems to be growing leaps and bounds every passing moment. For my Mothers Day, husband treated me with a sushi dinner on Saturday then a full day home alone doing whatever i want. I ended up putting away 3 baskets of laundry, cleaned up my studio, changed out my winter with summer clothes and shredded piles of paper all while having Kdramas and anime on 😂 simple joy not so simple at all 🥰

This ONE reimagines connection. Inspired by Philadelphia’s Chinatown gate and Tianjin’s ferris wheel bridge, the sculpture symbolizes friendship between sister cities and the power of cross cultural unity. Created by Vietnamese sculptor and muralist Anh Ly (@lyandlines ) , the piece explores memory, resilience, and ancestral connection while balancing strength and delicacy in every detail. More than art. It is a reminder that Philadelphia’s story is global. Special thanks to our partners: @52FirstsPhilly @discover_PHL @phlvisitorcenter @visitphilly @constitutionctr @historicphilly @allthatsgoodpro #52FirstsPhilly #PhiladelphiaHistoricDistrict #PhillyFirst #Philly2026

If you missed today’s event, we recapped it for you! This ONE celebrates a Philly First that still stands tall today, the Friendship Gate in Chinatown. Unveiled in 1984 as a symbol of international partnership, belonging, and cultural pride. This number ONE Sculpture, created by @lyandlines , reimagines the Chinatown Gate alongside Tianjin’s ferris wheel bridge, honoring the sister-city connection between Philadelphia and Tianjin. Through vibrant color and symbolism, the piece reflects unity, resilience, and cross-cultural connection. There’s still time to experience it for yourself! Special thanks to our partners: @52FirstsPhilly @discover_PHL @phlvisitorcenter @visitphilly @constitutionctr @historicphilly @lyandlines #52FirstsPhilly #PhiladelphiaHistoricDistrict #PhillyFirst #Philly2026

Hopping on this trend! Realized I don’t have many photos from 2016. Taking this chance to flex about my talented husband. He used to work as a photojournalist in NJ then sports photographer for @sportsfile in Ireland and freelance news/sports in California. He now takes drone photos of real estate for his employer and photos of birds for fun. Codyglennphoto.com As much as I have been pursuing my dream dual careers in both online safety and visual arts, i wouldn’t be where I am without this partner of life. 2016 we simply worked a lot in our respective fields, trying to become better at our jobs. Our schedules didnt overlap too much so we learned more how to appreciate any time we got to spend together. I think these years of crazy amount of work pressures have made us rethink a lot about the kinds of careers and work/life balance we want to have in the future. Fast forward to 2026, i guess we still work a lot… >..< but theres more balance, more family time together. Im not looking forward to the next 10 years, for im just embracing the people I love and things I enjoy doing as much as possible in the present.

Step inside a Philly First that defines New Year’s Day. 🎭 At the Mummers Museum (1100 S. 2nd Street), this ONE captures the heart of a tradition that’s been part of Philadelphia for generations. The Mummers Parade isn’t just a parade. It’s the longest-running folk parade in the country and a celebration packed with music, satire, sequins, and unmistakable Philly energy. This ONE, created by artist Anh Ly (@lyandlines ), brings the Mummers to life through bold costumes, playful details, and interactive elements. Visitors can step into the scene by “wearing” the painted outfits, “playing” the illustrated saxophone, and even adding a gem of their own. Yes, this ONE is meant to be experienced. Want more stories like this? Listen to The 52 Weeks of Firsts Podcast wherever you get your podcasts, and follow along for more Philly Firsts you won’t find anywhere else. Special thanks to our partners: @52FirstsPhilly @discover_PHL @phlvisitorcenter @visitphilly @constitutionctr @historicphilly @mummersmuseum #52FirstsPhilly #PhillyFirst #PhiladelphiaHistoricDistrict #Philly2026

2025 was productive and revealing. It was neither all roses nor all thorns. What you saw in this post are my handpicked, carefully arranged roses :) so please proceed with caution. Some numbers: - assisted 2 murals, ~12k sq ft of wall! - 7 client commissions in chalk murals and an Eagles mural - 6 group exhibitions, including 1st time in a state museum and 1st time in NYC - 2 self-initiated shows - Art is ~20% of income but probably took 70-80% of my labor/time. Im excited with 2026 because less is more (at least it might be cyclical and 2026 is that dip in the production curve where I need an off-hustling year to rewind, reflect, and redirect myself). I have enjoyed the hustling in the arts, seeking opportunities, saying yes instead of no, telling myself the visions of long term payoffs. And while I still believe in the fruits of such labor, ambition and drive, in 2026 I simply need to focus on rebuilding my emergency savings and grounding my financial stability for the foreseeable future. I have a rising grade schooler and multiple health scares, albeit non life threatening at the end, within my own and my family tells me i need to be proactive with my finances in event of health crises. I also want to prioritize creative freedom and agency, to cultivate my artistic voice. But to really do so requires dedicated alone studio time, saying no to projects and work that dont align with my needs or long term goals. For a good latter half of 2025 i have done processed the grief that I wont be making a living as an artist. I am not giving up on my art journey and instead shifting my strategies. So in 2026, i will continue to make and share art, but at a lesser rate, more intentional and selective. That said, one thing that I love doing is sharing job/ art call opportunities and connecting with others 1:1/ small groups. So please look out for more of these this year!

Strut into history. When you visit this ONE at the Mummers Museum, located at 1100 S. 2nd Street in Philadelphia, you will experience a Philly first that proves New Year’s Day just wouldn’t be the same without the Mummers. Philadelphia is home to the country’s longest-running folk parade — the Mummers Parade — a New Year’s tradition filled with sequins, satire, music, and unmistakable Philly spirit. What began as a rowdy neighborhood celebration became an iconic cultural tradition unlike any other. This ONE, created by artist Anh Ly (@lyandlines ), celebrates the vibrant costumes, instruments, and playful energy of the Mummers. Visitors are invited to step into the experience by “wearing” the painted costumes or “playing” the illustrated saxophone, and don’t forget to add a gem, because this 1 is interactive! Want to hear more Philly First’s? Listen to The 52 Weeks of Firsts Podcast wherever you get your podcasts, and follow along for more Philly firsts. A special thanks to our partners: @52FirstsPhilly @discover_PHL @phlvisitorcenter @visitphilly @constitutionctr @historicphilly @mummersmuseum #52FirstsPhilly #PhiladelphiaHistoricDistrict #PhillyFirst #Philly2026

Introducing the artist behind this week’s #1 Sculpture, Anh Ly (@lyandlines )! Anh’s design for the #1 Sculpture pays tribute to the Mummers Parade, capturing its bold costumes and iconic traditions. The piece invites visitors to step into the celebration through the act of play and pretend. See it for yourself at today’s Firstival from 11 AM to 1 PM at the @mummersmuseum !

When it rains it pours. But my January is raining with miracles and good news. So thrilled to be exhibiting in this group show in NYC! This is my 2nd time showing work in the Big Apple; it happened thanks to @anna.guarneri a fellow @the_canopy_program_ artist who brought together works from 4 Philly artists. The exhibition is made possible by @paradicepalase and @all.st.nyc . Artists support artists and community building is key! Im honored to be part of this show with @marielainelamp , @stephaniekan and @kvanvliet ! If you are in NYC or have family and friends in the area, come join us! Opening Reception: Friday, January 9, 6-8pm ET Closing Reception and Artist Talk: Sunday, January 25, 3-5pm Exhibition Hours: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 1-6pm Pulsing Through is the culmination of a 3 month Curatorial Intensive bringing together 5 artists to curate a group exhibition. Working across painting, drawing, ceramics, sculpture, collage, and printmaking, the 18 artists in Pulsing Through cross the boundary between self and world, inner and outer, body and soul. Their works trace encounters with tender bodies and ghostly figures, moving between presence and absence, and revealing memories that hover just beneath the surface. Curatorial Intensive: From Concept to Exhibition, co-led by Hayley Ferber @hayleyferber and Lu Solano in partnership with Paradice Palase, provided a hands-on opportunity for artists to explore the practical and conceptual foundations of curating an exhibition. Designed to demystify the curatorial process, this program emphasizes collaboration, critical thinking, and creative vision—guiding participants from the initial idea to a fully realized gallery presentation.

Honoring Philadelphia’s first official folk parade, we’re proud to introduce the artist of this week’s #1 Sculpture, Anh Ly!   A Vietnamese sculptor and muralist, Anh draws from personal, cultural, and ancestral memory to create work that balances strength and delicacy. Her design for The #1 Sculpture celebrates the Mummers Parade, highlighting its vibrant costumes, playful traditions, and joyful energy—inviting visitors to “wear” the painted costumes or “play” the illustrated saxophone.   “Who wouldn’t love such a positive, quirky, joyful parade?” says Anh. “I attended my first Mummers Parade as an international student in 2010—and it remains one of my most memorable first impressions of Philadelphia.”   Thank you, Anh, for bringing this Philly First to life! 🎭🎷   See it for yourself at the @mummersmuseum .   @52FirstsPhilly @muralarts @discover_PHL @phlvisitorcenter @visitphilly @constitutionctr @historicphilly @mummersparade   #52FirstsPhilly #PhiladelphiaHistoricDistrict #PhillyFirst #Philly2026

Proud to be a part of this exhibition together with 9 other artists from across the US and Canada, with the mentorship of @rose.nestler this year in the @the_canopy_program_ . Since year start, we met virtually every Monday evening to share our former and current works in progress. We gave each other’s works feedback, listening to lectures and crits by other guest professional artists and historians in the field, asking big and small questions, sharing our deeply personal ties to the works, revealing our fears and vulnerabilities. Turns out being an artist is simply being human. But in the arts we lay our hearts, thinking, soul pretty bare out there, manifested into the way we make, into the final visual representation. To me, our works are an extension and a reflection of ourselves, the what is, what if, what can be. Doing so alone can feel intimidating and yet somehow nurturing such personal artistic voice together with multiple strangers-turned-friends ends up giving me way more stable ground and community than I had even imagined. With these ladies, i felt understood, related to, supported and most importantly grounded. Going from “i want to be an artist” to “i am just an aspiring/ in training artist” to “yes, i am an artist” to now “i have my own vision as an artist and Im fully accepting myself” is such an empowering journey and a breakthrough this year for me. This program, culminated into this little show, gave me the peace and conviction as an artist the past few months and going forward. My two works I chose for the show reflected my Vietnamese heritage, my personal yearning, longing and pride of my roots. From the get go, i instinctively chose the name “Ly and Lines” for my social media presence. While my first name is important to me, my family name Ly is even more so. Im proud of it. I never wanted to change it upon marriage. My deep reverence for my family roots and ancestors love and sacrifice drives my core being and hence my art practice going forward. I have been homesick and perhaps forever so in this distant second land I now call my home. It is a wonderful feeling, but almost a mandatory calling, for me to make art as a Viet artist.

Here’s a *first* look at my three number One sculptures for 52 Weeks of Firsts! Link to the aired full video segment in bio. This started at 42:30. I can’t reveal everything just yet, but these three celebrate the: - First Mummers Parade - First Authentic Chinese Gate - First University Starting January 2026, you can find these 52 One sculptures at various museums, institutions and organizations across the city during the Philadelphia Historic District’s weekly #Firstival celebrations of historic Firsts. Learn more about @52FirstsPhilly at 52firstsphilly.com (link in bio). #52FirstsPhilly #PhiladelphiaHistoricDistrict #PhillyFirst #Philly2026 Thank you @6abcactionnews for covering local human artists in action! Shoutout to @jennprocacci for her amazing Ones in progress! Thank you @muralarts , @52firstsphilly and @historicphilly for such a wonderful opportunity to share my work/ story!