Conversation 0721 Painting

I was born in Seoul, Korea. After college graduation, I went to France for 5 years to study and paint. It was good for my career and to experience another culture. In 1998, I went to America, another big change. Now I'm living in Los Angeles. Preparing my mind before I paint is a very important process. I need to concentrate and try to take in and use the power that I feel around me. It's an exciting time, an explosion of sensory awareness. My pictures are entitled "conversation" but they aren't based on ideas that can be put into words. The context of "conversation" is the flow of energy and feelings between me and my environment. And from that point of view, preparation is the busiest "conversation" time. The textures, colors and forms that I place on the canvas take on a life of their own and speak to each viewer in a different way. The artwork has to always begin with a clean and transparent surface, a metaphor for starting from scratch. When I see the white canvas, if I think about white as a color, I'm not ready to begin. "Clean" allows spontaneity which comes from an empty but strong mind and is crucial to the "birth" of each piece. Once "born", the essence can be steered down countless roads to arrive at its final destination. The ride is pretty free but I have one rule: stay clear of any bad feelings or ideas. I empty my mind of anger and any other bad thoughts. Sometimes this takes a long time. I have to fill myself with feelings of hope, passion and love. I've trained myself for many years to begin this way. From this, I've learned how to be patient. I have to be ready to catch the Muse when she comes. After that, I have to open another state of mind depending on the painting surface - canvas or wood.