Artist Statement
I started drawing when I was in kindergarten, I loved to draw anything and I drew in my home from paper to the walls. I love to draw because of how free I can be in expressing myself. My inspirations have largely been nature because nature makes me feel calm, and I work to transform my experience with nature onto my art. I am especially inspired by flowers because the distinct shapes and colors of petals remind me of how each of us is unique in our own ways and is celebrated in our beautiful differences. When I draw flowers, I often stay on a light color palette to convey a lighthearted and warm mood.
I like to explore different art media, and I feel connected to my Chinese culture when I use ink to make art. Chinese artists have a long-established tradition of depicting nature in ink. I love how the quality of ink can create transparency, how different values of washes can work together to produce an artwork that feels like it is breathing. Using ink during college reconnected me with my earlier experiences of art making, so it felt like a return to childhood and home. In addition to ink, I also used other media such as acrylics, color pastels, and color markers. Like ink, these media allow me to explore color in unique ways. When I apply light colors in my artwork, I feel in conversation with Claude Monet, in his ways of handling color and the effect he created. I admire how he captured light to create a tranquil atmosphere. A more contemporary artist who inspired me is Makoto Fujimura. His idea of “slow art”, which is taking the process of making slowly and deliberately to create space for empathy, has inspired me to do something similar in my art. I try to take my process of observing nature slowly and reflect on the impact I want my art to have. The artworks I include on this website consist of practices with inspirations drawn from my life experiences such as traveling and personal reflection. I work to express my experiences through art making to create something beautiful, meaningful, and worth remembering.
contact: estherchen7.ec@gmail.com
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