Oh, how long has it been since my last published work! Yet, this time it is different. Not my writings that got published but my paintings!
This is my second art show this year, and I am very happy for the opportunities I was able to be part of. The first two months, I submitted my paintings to 4 galleries. I got selected by 2 and rejected by the other 2 galleries. This printed publication is run and produced by MetaSpace Gallery.
There is more I want to share about this publication and my art journey so far. Do you know that I will be sending my first quarterly newsletter on 24th of March? If you would like to receive my exciting news, behind the scenes, and studio offers, you can sign-up HERE.
My Appreciation for Josh the Curator
I was perhaps the most inexperience artist among all in this art show, and am grateful for the curator to give me this opportunity to showcase a few of my works.
Josh was able to capture the message of my paintings. He also formulated awesome interview questions to explore more of my what and why, which helped me to expose more of my art philosophy, and share my faith! Communication with Josh was brilliant. He was very organised and kept me informed of every step of the project; from the selection to the print posting. Not only that, he featured each artist in his pages, which is helpful for a new artist like me that need more exposure to the art world.
Interview Questions & Answers
1. As a Christian artist, how does your faith shape the way you approach art and your work? Especially in She Considers a Field (2024).
My artwork and the process of creating them are intertwined with the reality that I am — as Martin Luther the Reformer said — simul iustus et pecattor. Which means that I am at the same time justified (through Christ) and a sinner (in the flesh). The work of grace and the freedom I have in Christ have shaped my approach to art. My work is an outpouring of thankfulness and is a form of doxology. In She Considers a Field, I portray my desire to work with my hands and to bear fruit with eternity and family in mind.
2. Can you explain the creative process behind your work- do you use a sketch, start painting or something else?
Most of my works begin with days/weeks of pondering and reflecting upon specific things I have personally encountered. After that I establish the concept and gather references. Sometimes I make collages or thumbnails, but most of the time I start painting loosely once I am happy with the concept and references I have found.
3. What inspired you to create Testimony in the New Dawn (2024)?
Testimony in the New Dawn is part of my first oil painting series called “New Dawn”. The series itself was inspired by the Proverbs 31 woman. But the making of Testimony in the New Dawn is one of the fruits of my longing to know God more. It is cultivated from my grateful heart that God has revealed Himself to mankind in a way that we can understand. Oh, how often we take it for granted that we have the very Testimony of God in our hands.
4. What role does early morning solitude play in your life and how do you reflect this in your paintings?
It gives me room to read and to meditate upon God’s word; to pray and to commit the day to Him. This is reflected in the choices of subject and setting of my paintings as well as the message I want to draw in each of them.
5. How do you think solitude contributes to spiritual growth; both within paintings and life?
In our fast-paced culture filled with striving, we barely have time to be in solitude. Maybe we forget our need for solitude. As a Christian I view solitude more than just separation from other people and it is NOT mystical in a sense. Solitude that rejuvenates the soul is in itself a discipline to be away from distractions so that I may be able to practice other spiritual disciplines such as reading and studying the Scripture (where I engage intellectually with what I read and study) and also praying. The same principle applies to my life and art. Solitude, as being away from distractions to utilise God-given intelligence and creativity, helps me to approach life and how I create for the glory of God.
6. How do you hope people will react to your works emotionally?
With these two works specifically, I hope that those engaging with them would be able to glean the message of joy and contentment in the simplest and often overlooked things in life. In general, I hope that my works will remind us once again of the sanctity of life, to appreciate every life season, and to treasure its significance.
7. Do you see your work as a form of service to God (as in a form of preaching/proselytising) or a form of storytelling? Or perhaps both?
That is a really great question, which honestly I’ve pondered on before. All of life to the glory of God is my principle. My work indeed is a form of service and worship. It doesn’t mean I am using it for preaching or evangelising, but it is certainly storytelling. However it can’t be denied that my faith and worldview will be reflected in all my works. Thus, it gives the impression that I am proselytising. But I believe every artist is in this way proselytising for their own beliefs and worldview in their work.
8. What’s next for you as an artist; do you have anything upcoming you’d like to share?
My goal is improving my art. I am still not where I want to be regarding my art style and certainly will learn to upskill my techniques. I have a few things coming up. I am currently working on a new series called “Seed of Hope” that will be launched in mid March on my website. I also have a collaboration project with a few artists in April where we will do art activities for street children in Jakarta, Indonesia.