Friday, June 5, 2009
Cultural Elements
My new work is done in this new methodology to push my conceptual side. I have been working on a complicated piece of work. Each group of work has a meaning. Each group is divided into three pieces: the past, the present and the future. The past is represented by a back drop fabric with finished and unfinished edges depending on the group it belong to. It is also beaded in Morse code. The present is represented with a woven structure woven traditionally with different materials such as sewing threads, unprocessed hemp, paper, wire, gold or silver thread, wool or ramie. The future is represented by a hand woven lace veil made out of steel wool, wool and ramie yarns with some sewing threads. This veil is also beaded with Morse code. I feel that Morse code is like a lost language and being in the engineering field, it is close to me. It is also a dying language being replace with other forms of communication methods brought on by our ever growing electronic era. I feel that this communication tool is like being a ESL student as myself because learning Morse code would be like learning a new language which you may not understand it completely until you master it. I have chosen many rarely used words for each group. Why cultural elements then? You may ask. It is cultural because each group represents the 5 elements of the Chinese zodiac which metal, wood, fire, water and earth. It represents my heritage and my cultural background. I still have not named this show yet but look forward to show it. I will keep you posted on the event date and time.
Light and Shadows
Let me bring you back to what inspired this group of work.
This group of light work entitled Delineation of Light is an experimentation with new media. I wanted to use paper and hand-weaving technique to create an interesting visual. I have carefully cut and woven strips of photographic blotting paper. The spacing between each warp and weft is carefully spaced to create a 15X15 strip piece. The gaps between each warp and weft give a small dot of light on backing of the box which it is contained. My enjoyment in this piece is to see the iridescence of the bead which is carefully sewn onto it to bring light to the top of the surface of this piece. This simple woven structure has been an inspiration for my work and carries in on in most of my art work. The titles of each boxes have meanings in them to tell where the beads are.
This group of light work entitled Delineation of Light is an experimentation with new media. I wanted to use paper and hand-weaving technique to create an interesting visual. I have carefully cut and woven strips of photographic blotting paper. The spacing between each warp and weft is carefully spaced to create a 15X15 strip piece. The gaps between each warp and weft give a small dot of light on backing of the box which it is contained. My enjoyment in this piece is to see the iridescence of the bead which is carefully sewn onto it to bring light to the top of the surface of this piece. This simple woven structure has been an inspiration for my work and carries in on in most of my art work. The titles of each boxes have meanings in them to tell where the beads are.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Submission
My opportunities keep moving me forward. I have received an acceptance letter for my art work to "The Fantastic Light Show" in Groton, New York. I am so glad and happy to be able to show my work outside California. This is my second juried show. I have had another juried show last year in April 2008. I had my opening of this work in November 2008. I am excited once again for this opportunity for me to sell my work. This work will be displayed from June 11, 2009 to July 19, 2009. Hope you will enjoy.
Visit them at http://www.mainstreetgal.com/
Visit them at http://www.mainstreetgal.com/
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
First Sale
This is the first picture of my artwork which I wish to show. This piece is categorized under basket weaving in textile terms. It was my second attempt at making a basket. I am going to make a new one once I have had the time to go and buy the materials. It is made out of Japanese twine and plastic. This donated piece was sold at Works San Jose Auction Benefit Fall 2006. It was collected by a aspiring curator. I am happy about this and will keep working to refine my form in every sense.
This work is my first attempt to make something more formal and with content. The idea behind it was simple. I wanted to make something that looking like a fruit or vegetable. The viewer cannot distinguish this piece to be either a pear like shape or a gourd like shape. My joy of making this work is in the intricate weaving process and playing with mixed media materials. I tend to work with rather interesting materials that is non-traditional to weaving.
Hope you will enjoy this. Take care
This work is my first attempt to make something more formal and with content. The idea behind it was simple. I wanted to make something that looking like a fruit or vegetable. The viewer cannot distinguish this piece to be either a pear like shape or a gourd like shape. My joy of making this work is in the intricate weaving process and playing with mixed media materials. I tend to work with rather interesting materials that is non-traditional to weaving.
Hope you will enjoy this. Take care
Monday, May 4, 2009
New Begining
This is a new space for me to start documenting my work and the continual progress of my art work and shows. It has been a long awaited to do list item that I have not completed. Everything has a beginning and keeps perpectuating.
At this point, there had been many events and possible experiences for me. It all started when I was younger at around 12-13 years old, I was watching an older man weaving "Songket" cloth(traditional Malay cloth used mainly by man for Muslim prayers) in Central Market, Kuala Lumpur. He was using a 20 shaft loom with three different rollers on the back beam. This loom was amazing as he was using three shuttles and weaving three different cloths at the same time with different patterns. I just sat and stared at it forever. From that point on, I knew I would want to weave.
Growing up in a upper middle class household, I was dictated a path of education due to my parent's legacy of being poor. Being a hardworking youngest kid of a family of four, I made good progress in school. I never would even imagine being an artist.
Fast forward a few more years, I found myself going to the US to further my education due to lower educational standards and racial quotas in the educational system in my country. It was an amazing experience for me to be able to live here in the US. After going to a two year college, I continued and completed a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering from San Jose State University.
During my schooling here, I met a few important people in my life. One of them is Grace, she was an supportive person who have taught me how to knit after seeing my passion for needle pointing. I was reluctant in the beginning because of my bad experience learning from my mom when I was 15. She encouraged me to move to knitting to save my eyes. She is an amazing knitter. Her networking skills found me a sales associate job in a yarn store. There was the begining of my journey into this arena. The yarn store experience brought to me an education about fibers, teaching methodologies to beginners and refine my colorist eye. This was all the great beginings of what is yet to evolve.
Through Grace, I was meet many great people including a wonderful woman named Darlene. She is an energetic retired seamtress who is a very advent knitter. I have learned a lot from her and she has encouraged me down this path every possible way she could. She was my mentor in fiber arts.
From then, two years passed working as a sales associate in the yarn store and multiple attendence to yearly knitting conventions, I finally had the courage to start teaching knitting classes and continued teaching in another yarn store which lasted until last December 2008.
At the same time, I was immersing myself into weaving by taking my first weaving class with Consuelo Underwood who is a renowned fiber artist. She had gave me a gift and wonderful opportunities by serving as a Teaching Assistant for her class and also opportunities to grow by exhibiting with other artist and last but not least a volunteer position to assist the curator Deborah Corsini in the San Jose Quilts and Textiles Museum. I had learn a lot from Deborah and Joyce in the museum. Finally, I was offered a position to sit on the board of the museum. I have been serving for almost a year now.
I have had one joint show with artist Eric Baral which is entitled "The Delineation of Light and Prophecy." It went well.
At this point, I have already submitted my artwork to be sold in two different charity auctions in WORKS San Jose in 2006 and 2008. I am preparing new work for the new 2009 auction. At this moment, I am working on one solo show and another art idea.
To end this note, may people has touched my life including family, past lovers, friends and artist friends who had encouraged me to keep moving. I am grateful and thankful for those who have walked into my life and share personal experiences with me. You all mean a lot to me. Thank you.
At this point, there had been many events and possible experiences for me. It all started when I was younger at around 12-13 years old, I was watching an older man weaving "Songket" cloth(traditional Malay cloth used mainly by man for Muslim prayers) in Central Market, Kuala Lumpur. He was using a 20 shaft loom with three different rollers on the back beam. This loom was amazing as he was using three shuttles and weaving three different cloths at the same time with different patterns. I just sat and stared at it forever. From that point on, I knew I would want to weave.
Growing up in a upper middle class household, I was dictated a path of education due to my parent's legacy of being poor. Being a hardworking youngest kid of a family of four, I made good progress in school. I never would even imagine being an artist.
Fast forward a few more years, I found myself going to the US to further my education due to lower educational standards and racial quotas in the educational system in my country. It was an amazing experience for me to be able to live here in the US. After going to a two year college, I continued and completed a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering from San Jose State University.
During my schooling here, I met a few important people in my life. One of them is Grace, she was an supportive person who have taught me how to knit after seeing my passion for needle pointing. I was reluctant in the beginning because of my bad experience learning from my mom when I was 15. She encouraged me to move to knitting to save my eyes. She is an amazing knitter. Her networking skills found me a sales associate job in a yarn store. There was the begining of my journey into this arena. The yarn store experience brought to me an education about fibers, teaching methodologies to beginners and refine my colorist eye. This was all the great beginings of what is yet to evolve.
Through Grace, I was meet many great people including a wonderful woman named Darlene. She is an energetic retired seamtress who is a very advent knitter. I have learned a lot from her and she has encouraged me down this path every possible way she could. She was my mentor in fiber arts.
From then, two years passed working as a sales associate in the yarn store and multiple attendence to yearly knitting conventions, I finally had the courage to start teaching knitting classes and continued teaching in another yarn store which lasted until last December 2008.
At the same time, I was immersing myself into weaving by taking my first weaving class with Consuelo Underwood who is a renowned fiber artist. She had gave me a gift and wonderful opportunities by serving as a Teaching Assistant for her class and also opportunities to grow by exhibiting with other artist and last but not least a volunteer position to assist the curator Deborah Corsini in the San Jose Quilts and Textiles Museum. I had learn a lot from Deborah and Joyce in the museum. Finally, I was offered a position to sit on the board of the museum. I have been serving for almost a year now.
I have had one joint show with artist Eric Baral which is entitled "The Delineation of Light and Prophecy." It went well.
At this point, I have already submitted my artwork to be sold in two different charity auctions in WORKS San Jose in 2006 and 2008. I am preparing new work for the new 2009 auction. At this moment, I am working on one solo show and another art idea.
To end this note, may people has touched my life including family, past lovers, friends and artist friends who had encouraged me to keep moving. I am grateful and thankful for those who have walked into my life and share personal experiences with me. You all mean a lot to me. Thank you.
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