artist  statement

 



                                        


 



                                              Painter


                         







                        































































 

  I  Imagine ... I  Create ... Therefore I am Free !

 My Chinese-American cultural roots were the early inspiration for my artwork, as a child. It is natural, therefore, that over the past fifteen years my painting would embrace Chinese cult- ure subjects and evolve into a multi-media style that uses strong colors, complex textures and Asian motifs flowering into my own unique expression. Examples of such personal crea- tive works are seen in my paintings “Little Buddha:, “Moon- Cakes, Tea and Happy Spirits”, “Shadow of My Ancestors”, and “Chinese Matzo Ball Soup”, and others of this “Asian Culture” genre. All of these works were inspired by a deep sense of the spiritual, the sanctity of place and tradition, as well as by an appreciation of, and a reflection upon, external and in- ternal balance and harmony. However, returning to the subject of my earliest inspirations and influences as an Artist and Painter--it is important to revisit my influences even as a young girl doing Art in many forms while growing up in Detroit. Consider the period in which my creativity evolved: Detroit, Michigan-U.S.A. of the Seventies: the Vietnam War, Peace Movements, Segregation, Political and Sexual Libe- ration, Self-Expression, Meditation. If ever there was a time that would produce angst and conflicts and a rebellious spirit-for a young Chinese-American female Artist growing up in a strongly traditional nuclear Chinese family--this was it! You can see such social and psychic tensions explored through-out my work. Color, energy, drama, spontaneity, wit and humor are the inspirations that keep my creative passions flowing. CURRENT BODY OF WORK IN PAINTINGS: To date, I have amassed a body of Thirty Major Paintings, which fall into two general categories. The first category is the above-described “Asian Culture” genre. The second category is my “Expressive-Surreal-Theatrical” genre satirizing the sexes and challenging modern society. Examples of these are such paintings as: “Bozo’s Health Plan”, “The Heavenly Pleasures of Madame X”, “Les Misérables”, (satirizing clowns), and “Tales of the Naked City”. SEE: WongsArtWorld.com My Paintings are like Storyboards: complex and visually charged, dramatically showing Life’s contradictions and polarities at play. In addition to being a Painter, I am also an active Jewelry Design Artist. SEE: AdornmentsfortheBodyandSpirit.com , my Collection of One-of-A-Kind Jewelry Creations. And please check my latest line of wearable, whimsical altered art: mCURIOSnMUSES.com BACKGROUND & EDUCATION: My Art Background has included independent studies at the San Francisco Art Institute, and at the College of Marin-Indian Valley Campus, the latter for some seven years under renowed iconic Beat Painter Wally Hedrick. Wally Hedrick inspired me to tap into my pure imagination, to always be original and to per- severe on my individual artistic path. It was an honor for me to be invited to speak at his Memorial. My Paintings have also been selected for exhibition by the Falkirk Cultural Center of San Rafael and for the CBS Market- watch.com Headquarters represented by AAWAA. Over the past seven years, my Paintings have been selected on six occa- sions by the Jury of the Marin County Arts Fair, and by the Jury of the Kentfield Fine Arts Gallery. Several of my Paintings were also selected by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Rental Gallery. In addition, I have participated in San Francisco Hunter’s Point Shipyard Open Studios for the past many years. CURRENT VENUES & DIRECTION: I have now reached a position of having established a large body of Paintings worthy of presentation as a One-Woman Show. For any questions, or inquiries as to pricing of my Artworks, which are available both as originals as well as giclées, please feel free to contact me at YearoftheSerpentPhoenix@verizon.com http://WongsArtWorld.comhttp://AdornmentsfortheBodyandSpirit.comhttp://mCuriosnMuses.commailto:YearoftheSerpentPhoenix@verizon.comshapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1shapeimage_2_link_2shapeimage_2_link_3
~ Imagine a Society Without The Arts; Music, Literature and Film ... What a Sad World it would be ~ * Copyright 2009 Maree J. Wong
Maree J. Wong