Review by Serena Kovalosky

"Art and Artists' Mind" is a 365 day project on the Artful Vagabond website by Serena Kovalosky.  Serena is an artist, curator, and cultural project developer in New York.  My work is included in this project for the 348th day.  She wrote a beautiful article about my work.  Thank you so much, Serena!
Check out the article at the link below.

Creating with a Sojourner's Heart - Day 348

The Bomb Shelter Show

I enjoyed seeing a lot of artworks by many local artists and meeting people at the Bomb Shelter Show yesterday. Here are some photos, so you can get a glimpse of it.  I checked the streaming video after I came back home and had a fun watching me and my works shown in the video.

 Live music was going on...

I took some photos from the recorded streaming video on YouTube.

This is one of my works.

 This beautiful lady seems to be looking at my work.

Thanks to the people who organized it!  I am so grateful to be invited to participate in the show and to be a part of such an lively art scene in Wichita.  The show will be up for one month.

The Bomb Shelter Show
R Coffeehouse, 1144, N. Bitting, Wichtia, KS

Upcoming... The Bomb Shelter Show

My drawings are included in this show.
This is an eclectic salon style show with many local artists.

The Bomb Shelter Show
Date: For a month from Nov. 30th, 2012
Opening Reception: Nov. 30th, 7:00pm - 12:00am
Place: R Coffeehouse, 1144 N. Bitting, Wichita, KS

The opening reception will be streaming live online.
Artist interviews, music, and artworks will be seen.  The streaming will start at 7:00pm.

http://www.youtube.com/user/yenracm

B & A + C 2012 Show in Yokohama, Japan

     I just received the photos of the show in Yokohama, Japan. I am going to post these photos here with their permission.  I am so grateful to be able to participate in this show!  Big thanks to Rev. Machida, the representative from Bible & Art Ministries, and many people who were involved with the show.  

  'Sojourning #12' exhibited at the show  (photo: B & A Ministries)

   The members and the artists at the show (photo: B & A Ministries)

     About 70 postcards with printed images of my paintings for sale were sold out.  The profits will be used to support the recovery efforts from the Great East Japan Earthquake.  It was a blessing for me to be a small part of these efforts through my art even though I am many miles away.  My prayer is that people in this area are protected and the day will come that they will fully have their lives back.

　横浜での展示会の写真を受け取りました。許可を得て、写真をこちらで掲載させていただきます。このように今回の展示会に参加できて、感謝でした。B & A ミニストリーズ代表の町田先生はじめ、お働きに携わった多くの方々に感謝します。

　販売用として置かせて頂いた私の絵を印刷した約７０枚のポストカードは完売したそうです。収益金は東日本大震災の復興支援として用いられます。アートを通して、このような支援にささやかながらも協力させて頂けたことを感謝しています。この地域の人達が守られ、日常の生活が戻ってくる日が一日も早く来ますように、お祈りします。

B&A 2012 + C Show in Yokohama, Japan

My painting is included in  'B&A 2012 + C Show' in Yokohama, Japan this week.

Place:  Mission Hall, Shimizugaoka-kyokai, 1-37-10, Minami Ota, Minami-ku, Yokohama, Japan
Date:   Oct. 22 - 27, 2012
           11:00am - 6:00pm
           The final day 11:00am - 4:00pm

This is the annual show organized by B&A (Bible & Art) Ministries in Japan.
At this show, the artworks by 42 artists are exhibited.  My painting 'Sojourning #12' is exhibited and the postcards of my paintings are available to purchase.  All the profits will go to support the recovery efforts for the Great East Japan Earthquake.

I hope you can enjoy the show if you are in this area.

バイブル＆アート　２０１２ ＋ チャリティー展
日時　１０月２２日（月）－　１０月２７日（土）
　　　１１:００－１８:００
　　　最終日は１３:００－１６:００

場所　横浜市南区南太田１－３７－１０
京浜急行「南太田」駅下車改札を出てすぐ左山側へ徒歩約３分

バイブル・アンド・アートミニストリーズによる定期展示会です。すべての収益金は東日本大震災の復興支援として用いられます。
私は油絵一点の展示とポストカードの販売をさせてもらっています。
お近くの方は是非、ご来場ください。

Trish Higgins Fine Art 'Artist Spotlight Interview'

From the October 2011 issue of News from Trish Higgins Fine Art

Studio Visit with Chiyoko Myose

1. Tell me about your latest project.

     I have been working on a series of paintings with the title of ‘Sojourning’.  I am expressing my longing for a place to fully call home, suggesting aspects like place, memory, and seeking.  I am also exploring installation art which I will mention later.

2.  Give me three adjectives that sum up your current work or studio experiences.

      Evocative, Close to my heart, Contemplative.

3. How does this relate to your earlier work?

     All the paintings of this body of work have the same system of three layers. Each layer expresses a different facet of the reality of my life as a sojourner.  The overall image is a conceptual landscape reflecting the map of my own journey.  Although I keep the specific meanings of the elements enigmatic, I hope the viewers relate to the broader theme, interpret the images themselves and make their own journey, or enjoy the images just like listening to their own favorite music.

4. What artists are currently influencing your work?

     I am influenced by different types of artists for this current work.  They include Hiroshi Sugito with stage-like landscape, Reed Danziger with decorative motifs, and Thomas Nozkowski with inventive and enigmatic abstraction.  I always like Paul Klee.  Also, I don’t want to forget basic color theory such as Hans Hofmann’s color push and pull, and Joseph Albers’ color relativity / interaction.  These color effects remind me of some personal meanings to me.  I love color, and am fascinated by the mystery of color every time I paint.

5. What other (visual, conceptual, technical) influences inform your artistic practice?

     My everyday experiences as a ‘sojourner’ inspire the concept of this work.  Also, conversations with other people who share a similar situation inspire me, too. 

     I am also exploring installation art for the same theme.  With my installation art, rather than deciding on a specific concept beforehand, I try to be responsive to the site and the materials first.  I sometimes start working without knowing what the finished image will be like.  While I am executing, I often gain insight into the life of a sojourner, which can be eye-opening and rewarding.

6.   If you were not maintaining your artistic practice, what would you be doing instead?

     I would be doing blogging heavily.

Yarn Bombing at Wichita State University

I graduated from Wichita State University (WSU), Wichita, KS in 2011, but I am still involved in some art activities on campus.  The WSU Ulrich Museum of Art organized "yarn bombing", and dozens of sculpture on campus were covered in yarn this week.  The Ulrich Museum has a great outdoor sculpture collection and it is rated one of the top ten campus sculpture collections in the U.S.  There are more than 75 pieces of sculpture on the 330-acre campus.  These pages introduce the sculpture collection:  

http://webs.wichita.edu/?u=MARK2&p=/millipede/

The yarn bombing makes people take a second look at these sculptures.  More than 100 local knitters, crocheters, and artists worked on this project since May.  I was involved in it, too, by contributing some crochet and helping to install them. 

These are the  squares and  the circles that I contributed.    It was a good color study, and it reminded me of Josef Albers' "Homeage to Squrare" series when I was making them.  

Among many sculptures that they worked on,  I will post photos of eleven of them. 

Yarn bombed Andy Goldsworthy's 'Wichita Arch'

     The three columns, the remnant of the Carnegie Library building is now yarn bombed.

Yarn bombed Tom Otterness' 'Millipede'

Detail

Yarn bombed Francisco Zuniga's 'Tres Mujeres Caminando'

Yarn bombed Auguste Rodin's 'La Cathedrale'

 Yarn bombed Fernando Botero's 'Man with Cane, Woman with Umbrella'

 Yarn bombed Dame Barbara Hepworth's 'Figure'

 Yarn bombed William Zorach's 'Kneeling Figure'

Luis Jimenez, Jr. 's 'Howl' is yarn bombed.  I think this is my favorite!

Yarn bombed Charles Grafly's sculptures

'Thomas Jefferson' by Donald De Lue is yarn bombed.

Many of them make me gasp and giggle.  I am amazed by creativity and playfulness of the people here.  They are going to stay up there till 5:00pm, September 23rd.  Hope you can check them out!  For more information, go to:  http://webs.wichita.edu/?u=ulrichmuseum&p=/Art/Exhibitions/YarnBombing/

Art & Faith 2012 Catalogue from White Stone Gallery

My painting Sojourning #4 was included in the publication of 2012 Art & Faith Catalogue from White Stone Gallery, Philadelphia, PA.  In this catalogue, nealy 70 diverse national and international artists' works associated with Biblical faith were selected and printed.  The commentary section has comments from each artist about their specific images.  The artists include renowned NY artist Sandra Bowden and NY artist and worldwide recognized art advocator Makoto Fujimura.

    

Back in January, I received an award of Honorable Mention for Execution through the juried review of the 2012 Fine Art & Faith Exhibit at White Stone Gallery.  This review brought me this publication opportunity.

I feel honored to be included in the catalogue!  Big thank you to the staffs of White Stone Gallery who worked on the publication.  For more informaiton, go to http://whitestonegallery.com/

2012 Arts Council Juried Exhibit

My painting 'Sojourning #10' has been exhibited at the Arts Council Juried Exhibit at main gallery of CityArts, Wichita, KS.  The show is going to be up through August 25th.  I hope you can check it out!

CityArts
334 N. Mead St. Wichita, KS 67202
July 25 - Aug 25
Mon. - Thu.  10:00am-9:00pm
Fri.              10:00am-5:00pm
Sat.             10:00am-4:00pm

Here are a couple of photos from the opening reception.

    

'Sojourning' YouTube Video

I made a YouTube video with the images of my paintings from 'Sojourning' series.  It is including a couple of photos of me as well.  I hope it will introduce my paintings and show how I look like.  Enjoy!

Photos of the paintings by Jim Meyer
Photos of the artist by Sarah Myose
Music: 'Reminiscence' by Debbie Wiseman from YouTube Audio Library

Upcoming...

My painting 'Sojourning #10' has been accepted to the 2012 Arts Council Juried Art Exhibit at CityArts, Wichita, KS.  The Juror was a photographer, Gerald Hill.  This is the second consecutive year that my painting has been accepted to this juried show.

CityArts
334 N. Mead St. Wichita, KS 67202
July 25 - Aug 25
Mon. - Thu.  10:00am-9:00pm
Fri.              10:00am-5:00pm
Sat.             10:00am-4:00pm
Opening reception:  July 27, 2012  5:00pm-9:00pm

Also, my work has been selected to the publication for the 2012 Winter Edition of Studio Visit Magazine from Open Studios Press.  The magazine will be distributed to 2,000 of the nation's top galleries and curators.  Also, it will be introduced online with the link to my webpage.  It's pretty exciting!

White Bird Parabola at the Diver Studio

The opening reception for the Sculpture Guild Annual Show, 'Fondle, Please' was a blast!  I enjoyed seeing a lot of people interacting with my piece and taking photos of it.  My daughter and I enjoyed touching other artists' works, too.  In case you missed it, there is going to be a closing reception.

Date:  May 10th.  5:00-9:00pm

The Diver Studio, 424 S.Commerce Street, Wichtia, KS

The title of my installation art piece is called 'White Bird Parabola'.  See more images and the artist statement here: http://chiyokomyose.com/section/306544_White_Bird_Parabola.html

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Fondle, Please Show

Upcoming show -- "Fondle, Please"    2012 Annual Sculpture Guild Show
Place:  The Diver Studio 424 S. Commerce, Wichita, KS 67202
Date:  April 27- May 10, 2012
Opening Reception:   April 27,  2012  5:00pm - 10:00pm

       Recently, I joined Sculpture Guild and am going to show my installation art piece in their annual show at the Diver Studio in downtown Wichita for this coming Final Friday.
    

The idea developed while I was working at the site.  With the help of Guild members and the staffs and house artists at the Diver studio, I was able to tackle this space with 14' high ceiling. 

Because the theme of the show is 'touchable arts' and the title is 'Fondle, Please.", I came up with the idea of this kind of 'feather balls'.   

 The work in progress

Trying different light settings

     This is the first time to show my work at S. Commerce Street which is known as Wichita's art district.  

     The Entrance of the Diver Studio

    

      There is a bus like this on the street.

     Several galleries, artists' studios, and art related companies and stores are located on this street.  It is just south of  an arena where big sport games and concerts are held.  Actually, when the planning for this arena was happening, there was a word that this Commerce Street district could be demolished and become a parking lot for this new arena.  The Commerce Street Art District Association tried to make it politically impossible by having as many art events possible.  They survived and now the Commerce Street is a thriving art district.  In evenings of Final Friday event, this street gets packed with many art gallery crawlers.  My work is going to be a part of it this time.  I am very excited!

'Hisakatano' in Insular Habitat Show

     I exhibited an installation art piece titled 'Hisakatano' in a show together with works by other five artists in the 'Alternative Media Process' class that I am auditing at WSU.

      This is a mixed media installation with lights, mirrors, paper, and thread.  The image of this work was inspired by cherry blossoms and the shoji window of a Japanese house.  I cut each petal of the cherry blossom out of the paper using an exacto knife and created another kind of flower on the floor.  The paper and their images are visible in the mirrors and their reflection are visible on the walls as well as on the papers.  This exchange continues in a loop.  I am using these effects and multiple layers of light and shadow to express my thoughts as a sojourner who keeps sending her thoughts to her original place as well as her current place.  I really like how it turned out with a lot of unexpected interesting happenings.  It works very well conceptually as well.

     The title of this piece, 'Hisakatano' is from a waka, a Japanese short poem, by Kino Tomonori from the 9th century.  The word hisakatano itself does not have a meaning, but it is a word that goes with the word 'the light'.  The poem goes like this:

Hisakatano hikarinodokeki harunohini
Shizukokoronaku hananochiruramu
ひさかたの　光のどけき春の日に
しづ心なく　花の散るらむ
It translates to:
On such a light tranquil spring day,
Why do the cherry blossoms fall like restless thoughts?

     The poem can be interpreted in several ways, but when I finished this piece, it reminded me of this poem.  I think it is a very beautiful and emotional poem.
 
     The color changes depending on different light settings although the color of the light itself is the same, just like cherry blossoms slightly change their colors depending on the time of day and the weather.

      See some more images and the artist statement here. 

http://chiyokomyose.com/section/298717_Hisakatano_Installation_3.html

     As a group exhibition, we had good variety and I think the show was pretty impressive.  Installing works together in the gallery with live webcam and watching the opening reception online were also fun.

Insular Habitat Show

I am showing an installation art piece at this show.

Insular Habitat
WSU Shiftspace Gallery
800 E. 3rd Street Wichita, KS
Wed, Fri, Sat 4-7pm
Opening reception:  Final Friday March 30th 6-10pm

Online Live Installation is going on now at
http://www.shiftspacegallery.com/
3/26 through 3/30

Six students of WSU's 'Alternative Media Process class are working on the installation art and new media works.

Come to Your Senses: Multi-Sensory Art Event Show

My Painting 'Sojourning #11' was included in this show at WSU Shiftspace Gallery for Wichita's Final Friday event in January.

                                                                                      Wall art by Keegan Rogers
WSU Shiftspace Gallery is usually for showcasing WSU students' works, but this time, it was open to artists working in the community.  The show included 'multi-sensory' works such as 2D and 3D visual works, performance, poetry reading, video, technologies, tasting cuisine, electronica, etc.

 Shiftspace Gallery has made a big makeover with the curved wall dividing the space for this show and I think this partition will enable showing more WSU students' works in the future exhibitions as well.

                                                                 Mirror installation by Seth Blume on the left
Individual works were connected by the wall drawing by Keegan Rogers which gave a sense of inviting, and unity to the show as a whole.  In front of my painting, across the walk way, a mirror installation by Seth Blume was installed.  The reflection of the mirrors with geometric square and rectangular shapes was on the wall before my painting and the fragmented images of my painting with geometric shapes were in the mirrors, which I found amusing and interactive to each other.

                                                         "Touch" interactive touch wall by John Harrison

This is a projected installation by John Harrison.  When the viewers touch the wall, the projected image was altered and moved by the sensor.