"The Power of Plants" When I look at the shapes and colors of plants, when I look inside them, what I see is the shape of my own mind. The power of plants, the power to observe and nurture myself through them.
The plants in "Fire, Water, and the Shape of the Heart" come alive as me. I draw my chaotic emotions with quick brushstrokes, and their shapes sometimes form forests, sometimes fire and water. The act of 'setting fire' is impossible in real life. If you get it wrong, it burns everything down. But fire as an expression of the heart can take many forms. In my recent work, the fire resembles a green, roaring tree. It burns hot, but it's an energy that nurtures, not reduces everything to ashes. It is also energized by the sun's rays and the sparks of shooting stars.
Even running water and pools of stagnant water are alive. It nurtures the leaves and roots of plants, sheds the rotten parts, and brings new life.
"May your day be alive" There are days when I really don't want to watch the news. More heartbreaking and upsetting things than good things keep popping up. I don't know where to find solace for my disoriented anger and sadness. I hide in the rain or use onion slicing as an excuse to cry. And then I look at a plant that looks a little different every day. This seemingly insignificant act, which I named Sikhung, has great power in my daily life. I hope that the viewers of my paintings will be able to rest for a while, just like I do. "Why don't we play hide-and-seek in the forest of colors, with the brush bristles bending and the paint dribbling, and we'll play hide-and-seek together? Let's light a green fire in your heart, and may your day come alive!"
