Paper Cutting

I watched a TED video last night about this artist who does paper cutting. As I watched her talk about her work, as well as show her pieces I was so inspired by her. This woman did many odd jobs for years and then one day she knew that she had to start her life as an artist and she began paper cutting. I have only recently begun an obsession with paper. Working at a store that sells papers has definitely led me to a greater appreciation of paper. Paper is so much more challenging than I ever would have thought because humidity affects it, as well as thickness of paper affects what you can do with it. I have begun making paper sculptures because I’m a fierce recycler & hated to see the scraps of paper go to waste. Now, after watching this woman on TED I want to challenge myself and start cutting the paper. Paper cutting have always intimidated me because once you cut you can’t go back. There is something so permanent about it & that has scared me! Eek. But, now I am looking forward to the challenge & to see what I can cut & can create. Here’s to the first cut!

I will post pics once I start cutting & am kind of excited to see what will happen. 

Beatrice Coron & her Stories from Paper

Kandinsky

Who is my favorite artist and why?

I would have to say that probably one of my all time favorite artists is Kandinsky. Why? I discovered him when I was in high school and it was as if an entire world opened up within me. I felt as if I understood something about his internal landscape and the way the shapes related to one another on the canvas made sense to me. For some reason the fact that the shapes were largely abstract and not entirely recognizable made sense to me. The reason why I first picked up a paintbrush was as a way to communicate to him. I wanted to try and express what I felt about his paintings and the only way that seemed to make sense was to paint it.

Really, many of my early paintings were a conversation with Kandinsky, trying to express my gratitude for his works and how they affected me. In my teenage years having found his paintings meant that there was someone else who created a world not entirely made of picture perfect representations, but rather as more expressionistic.

I have since grown to have a respect and appreciation for all types of art, but I will probably always have a fond spot for Kandinsky’s work and how it began to open up that internal creative space within me. I feel in many ways my creative life has been largely informed and built upon his works.

Kandinsky Painting

Korean Wrapping Cloths

When I was visiting Korea years ago I was struck by Korean wrapping cloths. These cloths were typically made by hand and were created by women. When you were giving someone a gift you would place the gift in the wrapping cloth. Can you imagine making a small quilt every time you were giving a present? The wrapping cloths were really gifts in and of themselves and once I learned about them I loved them for their beauty and their function. 

Last year I took on the challenge of creating my own wrapping cloth and what a task that was! I had no idea how long the whole process would take, nor did I realize how complex it was. However, I took it step by step, stitch by stitch until the piece found its own rhythm. 

By making my own wrapping cloth I felt connected to those Korean women who created their own cloths, and I also felt connected to quilt makers. Someone told me a quote he read at an exhibition where quilts were on display. He said one of the women said that she made her quilts to keep her family warm, but beautiful enough to keep her heart from breaking. 

Why do I practice Art on a daily basis? I think it's because life is not easy and there are moments and situations where you can easily fall into despair. For me, art is a practice and one I am compelled and called to practice throughout the day. I often think of Rumi, "Let the beauty you love be what you do." And I do. There are so many beautiful things to see & create each day.

Constraints in Art

I've recently begun playing with paper. I was given four big bags of paper scraps, many of which were uniform in size. I was overwhelmed initially at the thought of trying to find ways to use the paper. I set up some restrictions for myself: that I would not cut or alter the paper. In a way, I suppose I was trying to honor some of the tenets of origami: no cutting. How could I transform small sheets of paper?


What I love about constraints in the art process is that it really forces me to dig deep and be creative. The solution is always so simple & obvious & yet it's the one I resist looking at initially. I took one form & simply repeated it to create a larger shape. 


The paper sculptures taught me to work in 3D and also to notice the shadows and lines that are created simply from repeating one shape.

Soup

I was asked to write about soup. What can you say about soup? Hmm...... I began making my own soups about five years ago. I love every part of the soup process & there's something lovely & satisfying about putting together disparate ingredients & at the end you have a delicious soup to eat.

The first soup I made, and one that is still a favorite, had tomatoes, onions, zucchini, mushrooms, garlic, chicken stock, tortellini, and a sprinkling of parmesan on the top. I make this soup in the fall & load up a big pot & let the ingredients cook together. I equally love making soup as I love eating it, but really I love sharing soup. Making a big pot & then having some bread to go with it & feeding it to others.

Since having my daughter I've really had to use my daily life as a means of meditation & art. Soup making was one of the ways I was able to do something creative & meditative in my regular routine. I believe that the intention involved in making the soup goes into the soup as well & I hope it blesses & nourishes those who eat it.

Really everything in life can be used for transformation & used as a means of blessing.

Math

I have never been very good at math & sometimes I joke about this because I'm Asian. Somewhere along the line there was an expectation that if you're Asian then you must be good at math. Sigh.

I have a story to share from when I was in kindergarten which pretty sums up my relationship with math. I was five years old and our teacher was trying to teach us how to count. I'd come home & try to practice counting with my mom. I'd say, "6, 4, 2, 1, 5...." and the next time I counted I'd say, "8, 1, 4, 2, 6...". Each time I counted I would count in a completely different order. My mom & my teacher were frustrated to say the least & there was talk that perhaps I had some developmental delay. They were worried why I couldn't remember the basic order.

Anyway, one day I said to my mom, "But, mom - why do I have to say 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10? I don't understand."

My uncle LOVES this story & we talk about this almost every time we visit together. He said he knew I was an artist at early age.

I must say that most of my experiences in education have been similar to my experience learning to count. I think I tried to learn many things just made no internal sense to me & did it just because, "that's the way it was."

Creativity

My friend Faith & I have been having a discussion about art, some of you may have been following it on this blog. Anyway, I went back this morning & re-read her comment about art, 

In my mind, I am trying to think of artists (of any medium) that were "fighters". There are certainly those who were disturbed, but I don't picture "fighters".

I was surprised years ago to discover that Hitler was actually an artist. I found out too that North Korea's infamous leader Kim Jong Il is an art lover, but he is an art practitioner? I highly doubt that Hitler created much art. I thought that too that Stalin had some connection with art that got thwarted at some point. My personal experience is that if you don't honor your creativity & find some way to express it it will find an outlet. I watched a great PBS series called Craft in America & one of the artists was so great at articulating this. He said that there are many things he's angry about & that he fuels that into his art. He makes a conscious choice to put that energy into art rather than into destruction. I was so impressed with him & his honesty. And you know what? You can say, "Oh, he's not doing anything to help the world - he's "just" an artist." And honestly, perhaps sometimes I think this way, but after watching him & listening to him I thought what a brave thing he is doing. Rather than fight with guns and bombs he makes commentaries through his art. 

For Faith

"Making art more accessible or mainstream for those of us who love to try art, but don't consider ourselves artists? Or something about your vision of being an artist."

I think you just start where you are, with what you have, and just begin. I like to call myself a creative practitioner because making art is a practice. What I have come to realize recently is that I practice this art in different ways though. On some days my cooking is my way to practice art and on other days yoga is the way I honor my creativity.

Creativity is not outside of us, nor does it happen to us. Creativity is a flow & moves through us. You can't hide from it, can't run from it, nor can you chase it down. Really, you must still yourself & allow this force to reside in and through you. I don't even really know if we can "teach" one another this, but rather it is something within ourselves that we each can discover.

When I was living in Eugene, Oregon I hosted art parties & let friends come over & create. I didn't "teach" them anything, nor did I want to. I provided materials & food & a place for them to make what they wanted. I was so amazed at what people created & realized that people don't need instruction on how to create art. I think rather people look for permission. I would watch my friends create beautiful & amazing things that I could never dream of!

I think many people are blocked about creating art because there's an idea that it should look a specific/certain way. I don't know. I guess each person has to decide what expectations and ideas they have about their art.

When my friend Faith asked me to write about this I didn't know that I was actually describing my vision as an artist. My vision is that it must come from within. I wish I had some magical formula for others, but really my art process has been to honor my artistic impulses & you know why? Those impulses are always way wiser than me & they always provide me with what I need.

Faith

"Making art more accessible or mainstream for those of us who love to try art, but don't consider ourselves artists? Or something about your vision of being an artist."

My friend Faith posed the question above. Thank you Faith! It's interesting that it should be Faith that should ask me these questions as my answer involves faith. 

When I was living & working in Eugene, Oregon I used to host art parties & invite people to make art. People would begin the evening protesting & claiming, "I don't know what to do. Where should I begin? I'm not an artist." I would just put out what materials I have & feed them some food & just start my own project. I didn't attempt to teach them, but rather provided the space for them to make something. And you know what? Make something they did & it would always be amazing to see what they would make. There is something so lovely & surprising about art. Using the same materials I had used they would create things I never would have imagined. 

At these parties we'd talk & sometimes we wouldn't, but I felt so close to these people. Somehow sharing that space & creating cut through the small talk. 


I believe you honor what is within you & explore that & listen to where it takes you & guides you. A big part of this is faith. Why? Because you don't know where it will take you, don't know what it will involve, don't know what it will bring up. And each creative act is truly a leap into the unknown. 

My friend Faith posed two questions to me & you know what? My answers to both of them are the same: have faith & create from the heart. You know how & where you start? Right where you are, with what you have. Really. Where you & what you have is MORE than enough.