Chronology of a Winding Love
197?: Born one week overdue, in a small town in Taiwan. Mom got to hospital at dawn, but I was breached. Finally came out around 11:30 pm. Still, my name means 'Orchid of Dawn'. Thankful loving parents didn't name me 'The Owl'.
1976: First art experience at kindergarten. Everybody had to draw a tree, like the one on the blackboard: a rounded head with 3 bumps of different height and an A-line trunk. I was so happily absorbed building my tree that the interruption of a rather strange voice paralyzed me: 'Where have you seen a tree with black leaves? And who draws leaf by leaf? Don't you want to go home...?' The Skinny Teacher's query made tender classmates giggle. Felt embarrassed. I was already on the quiet side, but that made me even more of an introvert. I knew I drew leaf by leaf because I was looking at a tree outside the window, not the blackboard. But why did I start coloring the leaves black? The Less Skinny Teacher looked at me with more compassion.
1978: Huge change in life. We immigrated to Argentina. For the next 2.5 decades saw parents worked very hard to raise us four, in a place they didn't speak the language. They made yummy spring rolls and sweet-and-sour sauce and Dad would deliver them to supermarkets. Everyday started at 4:45 am for them, while I snored.
1992: Siblings had left one by one to pursue further studies abroad or find work in Taiwan. Time of many other changes too. Felt great need to do something with my hands. Joined a neighborhood workshop, run by Argentine artist Fabiana Inglieri. Just once or twice a week I'd go there and was always at ease doing whatever I wanted. Fabiana was very open: she would ask 'what do you want to make today?' It could be oil painting, drawing, sculpture or ceramics and she would guide you. It was a playground. And if you didn't feel like doing anything, you could just watch others do their stuffs. I knew I was happy making art but had no possibilities by then, neither was I prepared to dive into it psychologically. Painting led me into a world of colors, shapes and mood; sculpting made me feel I could kind of fly. In 1995, Fabiana was asked to explain the plaster and chicken-wire technique for making sculpture on a TV program. She took two pieces to showcase. One was a classmate's cutest elephant and the other was my 'Baby Tree'. We were pretty glad.
2001: Parents gave me a treat for my birthday. A huge treat. Or maybe it was around my birthday and I took it so. They might not have known how much it meant to me: to take short courses at Central St. Martins in London after some years of complete separation with art. Sculpting, oil painting, metalwork, molding and casting were the courses taken. Tutors Jefford Horrigan and Jason Glasgow somehow reminded me that art has no boundaries, not restricted to any style, topic or school. Though they didn't actually say it, the idea that art is free seemed to have taken root in me. The courses were brief, but a turning point I guess. It was then that a wish was born: 'Someday I will make art... Someday.'
2013: The dive. I launched an art page on Facebook, called 'SeptArt'. It is an idea born years before: to join all the activities that I love doing into one project, by dividing them into sections of self-expression. In February I started painting after years of hiatus. Though not knowing where this could actually go, it felt good, like coming home. In October I started with Typography Art. The first shop I opened on Etsy in November was with 5 giclees and some typography art. It didn't work out though. They were on but I also found later that I had forgotten I had an online shop: no more listings and it was the holiday season, full of comings and goings.
2014: Re-focused to make art. Started with jewelry-making and watercolor. Studio 007 goes live on July 7, 2014. Now, in 2018, I am focusing on Anklet Design and planning to add more bridal pieces.
I don't know if I will be alive taking this path, but I am so pleased to be on this path. It is a big challenge. If I can do this for the rest of my life, I'll be thrilled. If I can't..., at least I tried to be the closest to my most vulnerable, genuine and happy part. We all have once to live.
