The third Day of My Art Festival.

Introducing my favorite piece of work I've sold.

   Today is the 3rd day of My Art Festival. Today's topic is my personal favorite story among the paintings sold during my ten years of work.

  ​Actually, all the paintings I've drawn until now are precious and meaningful. There is an apparent reason why the picture was drawn, and it has its own story and concepts.

  Since 2021, I've been blogging about the process and story of them. In that sense, the blog is a useful virtual space where I work or present the results of my work, and I think it is a valuable stage to talk about the story of the painting that I have not been able to talk about that. Above all, the stories about the paintings that have been accumulated are very adjuvant when making a portfolio and planning the next work.

 Like a blog, life experiences are accumulated in this way, and the piles make another challenge to jump up. My first challenge started in 2006. For the first time in my life, I left Korea with my own will. In a nutshell, it is the starting point of independence. And in 2006, I left Korea, and I have been living abroad for 15 years.

   In the meantime, my sense of values was changed and got many opportunities to broaden my perspectives surroundings. I could learn how to build tight-knit friendships and face to solve problems with strong confidence. Those the internal product is the result of patience against the loneliness and poverties when I've been experienced in a foreign country.

   As a peak at the fruits of endurance, I had gotten a good chance to change my direction. 

  As a result, I made my debut as a painter, and I am making a living by painting and selling my works. In the meantime, 

  When I draw something, I often update them on Artflakes. A total of 235 points have been raised so far. Some of them cannot be classified as artworks. Digital images created as illustrations or as simple tutorials should be subtracted. If I do that, I estimate I drew about 200 pieces. If I calculate it again, it means that I have been drawing steadily at 20 points per year. But these records are very scarce. In the case of an American artist named Grandma Moses, whom I introduced earlier in my post, she made her debut at 76, and she painted 40 paintings each year. Comparing that there was such energy at the age, I am ashamed to dare publish statistics to the public. But it's just my blog, so I'll report it comfortably.   

  ​Among them, I sold 60 paintings. So 30% of the drawings (including acrylic and digital) were filled out. Almost 100% of the paintings are sold while painting, which is insignificant compared to painters. However, I am personally proud of myself when I think of the results I made by splitting up time and squeezing out resources in my environment.

  ​Compared to the artists, who sold their works almost 100% even while painting, which is insignificant as a statistics. However, compared to my situation myself, I am personally proud of the work-out when I think of the results I made by splitting up time and squeezing out resources in my environment.

  ​Wouldn't it be great if someone gave a lot of support and interest to artists who do their best? I think about it as others. I set up an easel next to the kitchen early and painted it. It was not easy to fulfill my dream while doing housework in an unfamiliar land, taking care of a child, and supporting my husband, who came to study abroad. I had had an excellent opportunity to make my debut and get an atelier at a low price, but I missed out on an offer because I didn't have enough good affordance. At that time, the best efficient thing, which I can make my works do was draw while cooking.

  ​Even now, my resource hasn't changed much there. I still have the priority to do housework first. After that, I draw pictures in-between times. Still, my studio is close to the kitchen for saving my time.

But even though I'm working on such a tight schedule, I'm not that desperate or depressed. I know mentors, I admire such as the German painter Hundertwasser, who explained that artists do not need a studio and that all-natural environments are studios. Considering his life, paintings, and philosophy, my small studio nicely arranged in the house feels like a kind of luxury.

  ​Above all things, my art lovers love my paintings and are the owner of them. Thanks to them, I can keep walking.

The sunflowers for wishes, 2015, Myungja Anna Koh

  For Introducing my favorite sold painting, I was looking for past records. 

 ​ Of all the paintings that have been sold, my favorite painting is "The sunflowers for wishes". (The title was changed from that to sunflowers)

  Actually, this painting was made by someone's order. I wished her 
happiness, always bright light, and full of joy and laughter. So the title is "The sunflowers for wishes".  But for some reason, she canceled to purchase the painting. I respect individual opinions. There must have been a good reason for that. And when that happens, I don't be disappointed because I know that person is not the owner.

  The painting has since been exhibited in several exhibitions to find its owner. Come back from the trips, it hung up on my studio wall. Because strangely, it gave me good energy and brightness like an energy booster. Looking at this picture gives me power and makes my heart happy. So, in other things, I was worried that someone would like to buy it.

  Then it met a nice owner. Looking back, it seems to be the fate and blessing of this painting.

  I hope that my paintings will reside together in the same way that people find their color and direction in life's countless life processes with bitterness and sweetness. And I want to continue drawing pictures that share good energy and comfort and deliver happiness while living together like that.

  ​And among the works sold, I will introduce another anecdote that touched me the most. That's the story of a piece called "In my Dream." This is a picture I drew for my first exhibition. It was about my dream story with acrylic on a long canvas. A Korean visitor who saw it recalled the famous Korean poem "Mom, sister, let's live by the river" by Yoon, Dong-Ju.

Mama mine and sister sweet,
Come live with me by the river.
In the garden, a glow of golden sands in glitter
And hums of reeds outside rear-gate.
O, Mama mine and sister sweet,
Come live with me by the river.

In my dream, 2012, Myungja Anna Koh.

 This painting did not sell at that time but was sold at another exhibition. 
The customer is a gentleman who had been a professor for a long time and then retired to become a full-time painter. He bought the painting and invited my family and me to his house to show us how the sold painting goes well. Sometimes I see a lot of sincerity and deep passion in art from German painters. The energy they offer me is becoming another mentor.

 Thanks again for his love and passion for art.

 Most of the interesting things, I could see the paintings that he drew in his spare time while teaching students. If there is a chance, I would like to introduce them here. At that time, I realized that there are many hidden masters in the world. And I was able to keep my humility in front of the painting.
​
 I learn a lot while drawing, but I know a lot through my relationships while selling like this. These lessons may be why I can walk steadily on this path, not just for success and fame.