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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