Flower Power, juried exhibition in Mills Pond Gallery.Flowers are metaphor and symbol. We have been communicating through flowers for a very long time. We send flowers to express our love, express our condolences, or apologize.
Whether commemorating or opposing war or decorating a scene from diplomatic history, flowers are used to convey messages. In 1967, the image of a young man holding a chrysanthemum in front of soldiers holding guns became famous around the world. It was meant to protest America's intervention in the Vietnam War. Homage to these symbols is also seen in murals by famous graffiti artists. Flowers are storytellers. Flowers have created various stories with humans at almost every important moment of human life, such as birth and death, celebration and sadness, gratitude and sorry. The fairies from the fairy tales I read as a child also sit among the flowers and sing. I tried to express the energy that these flowers give through paintings. It felt like a cheerful waltz to me. The ball begins as the beautiful woman's skirt spreads and spins around. Each person wore a beautiful dress of a different color. All of life's joy, hope, and brilliant moments are contained in the flower petals. I tried to capture this waltz-like flower scene.
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Recent watercolor painting, The reflection.I recently finished editing my watercolor painting, Reflection. There are always times when I end up feeling regretful after drawing a picture. There are times when the painting itself tells me that it is not finished yet. Then, from an artist's perspective, I worry a lot. What on earth was lacking? However, if I take some time to think about it, there are times when a picture speaks to me. And strangely enough, the picture shows me another image, like a perspective. I follow that image and finish editing. This is truly an amazing experience for me. So I definitely believe that art and painting have a soul. I believe that my paintings will one day be read by everyone in the world. Pre-commencement for Dean's Awards!I finally received my master's degree. After a year and a half of journey, including the summer semester, I graduated with the Dean's Award. The reason I received this award is because I had a GPA of 4.0 (at least 3.8) and was recommended by the faculty. I feel very rewarded because I studied to the best of my ability for a year and a half. I attempted to obtain a master's degree for the first time in 20 years. 20 years ago, I received a master's degree in a field other than art. Then I moved to Germany and then to the United States, and 20 years later I was able to study again. Because it was such a difficult opportunity, I studied not for grades or a bright future, but because I really wanted to study. And more than anything, I was happy and grateful just for being able to study. This is because we are well aware that studying is something that can only be done when society is stable. I can study comfortably only with the support of my community and family. My studying requires someone's sacrifice and support. We can never get anything for free. I didn't want to let this hard-earned opportunity go to waste. So I didn't calculate anything and just studied. Of course, my diligent study resulted in a 4.0 score and I even received the Dean's Award today. In Western terms, it is self-expression, but in Korean terms, this type of achievement is not often revealed. But I want to express my accomplishments today. Because I know very well that there are people like me who want to try another field 20 years from now. As someone who took the first step, I would like to send endless support, applause, and respect to their decision. Because I know very well how difficult it is. Today's pre-commencement lasted for a total of 2 hours, with the award ceremony lasting 1.5 hours and the reception followed by 30 minutes of refreshments. The staff responded kindly. I thank them all. I especially liked how pre-submitted family photos were displayed in a slideshow between ceremonies. My family also loved looking at the photos. An individual's accomplishments are the accomplishments of his family, friends, and community around him. I hope to always remember this gratitude and grow well as an artist along with the surrounding community.
Recent new watercolor painting, 'Reflection'To remember is to make it real. It is the process of contemporizing past events. When we observe a season through memory, that moment becomes the same experience as the past. Lost first love is the past. It is made real through memory. One of the memorizing is a painting. Among Banksy's graffiti, I like the picture of a person erasing a cave painting. This picture has a lot of meaning. Although artists and the public want to pursue true art and love paintings, I am concerned that we are often swept up in the times and lose our authenticity in pursuit of trends. As an artist, I sometimes feel conflicted about whether I should paint and promote my paintings in a more cunning way. But every time I do that, I remember the passion and initial feelings I had for painting. ‘Memory’ is not simply remembering the past. This is the act of connecting past events to the present. So, when we think about the hurts of the past, we suffer the same pain in the present. In this way, memories transcend time and space and allow us to stand in same dimension. That's why I realize that I can live a happier life when I use the device called 'memory' well. For artists, this device called ‘memory’ is the task of transferring images that come to mind onto paper. I often find that the past and present are connected through these memories. This painting I completed today also shows the past and present of humanity coexisting. I was able to regain my ‘first love’ through the Altamira cave paintings. When I was suffering from a slump and could no longer draw or come up with any ideas, the Altamira cave paintings I discovered by chance reminded me of humanity's 'first love'. As humans fought for survival in deep caves, they used whatever materials they had available to create paintings. The cows they painted were so vibrant and beautiful that I don't think they were just painting them to survive. In those days when there was no language , fierce beasts and unpredictable natural disasters would have been waiting for them if they went out of the cave. They would often gather in dark caves and not be able to get out for long periods of time. Just as we were isolated due to the pandemic shutdown, they may have also experienced the same panic. While they were in the cave, they started drawing on the cave. Looking at their drawings, you can clearly see that they are not just doodles for a day or two. They probably thought for a long time about how to create more three-dimensional, beautiful, and long-lasting paintings. And after researching, trying, practicing, and failing, they would eventually draw the picture on the wall that they wanted. In this painting, I feel a purity and sincerity that goes beyond survival. Then, as if an electric shock passed by, inspiration struck me and I started drawing on this subject. The first picture I drew was called ‘Resilience and Determination.’ This painting symbolizes the Altamira bull and was created as a question of what is needed in life. And by drawing this picture, I was able to completely get out of my slump. I no longer worried about what to draw or how it would look, but kept thinking, exploring, and finding answers on my own. The painting that was reborn through this process is ‘The refugee from the counterfeit facade.’ My question mark is sincerity in art. This mark was created while thinking about how to pursue art as an artist in a world distorted by lies, hypocrisy, and contradictions. And what I worked on afterwards was the confidence in ‘memory and recovery.’ I contrasted the act of 'remembering' with 'reflection' and created a scene where the past and present meet. At this time, I focused on the girl who first discovered Altamira. And I hypothesized that a pure, childlike desire to simply pursue pleasure through art might be what creates true art. The painting called ‘Reflection’ was created through this work. I was very happy when I drew this picture. The space on the paper told me what needed to be there. I just brushed on it. And a new space opened up for me. I find great satisfaction in working on these images. And my journey will continue.
Chito, Mito and KaroA new family has moved into my empty pond. The names of the fish are Chito, Mito and Karo. These are the names my child picked up in an instant. My child is good at memorizing their characteristics and names, but I'm still confused.
Lively and adorable orange koi fish are playing happily in my pond. My husband has been very busy cleaning this pond, changing the filter, and decorating the area since they moved. And seeing koi fish playing in the beautiful pond is another source of happiness and joy given to our family every day. I get inspiration from looking at three lively little fish. This pond was obviously a dark and cold place, as if it were dead, but my new neighbors turned it into a living place. |
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