Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.
The gracious folks at Project Exposure magazine (independent arts magazine) published my mixed-media piece "The Raven" for their second issue alongside other new artists. Yay!
I was very humbled to partake in an Artist Spotlight for the month of February with the editor, Pete Morse. You could view the original article here.
Interview Text
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Where are you from?
Oakland, CA
Where are you currently working? In a studio or out of your home?
Freelancing from my home.
Are you working full time as an artist?
Yup, loving every moment of it. Bread-and-butter projects are graphic design-related, but my main passion is in illustration.
How did you get started - What lead you to art?
I’ve always appreciated art. Did a bit when I was young, but it wasn’t till high school that I took an art class and started loving it.
What is the long-term goal or plan for your work?
To have integrity in my work and continue growing/evolving as an artist through experimentation (and hopefully, innovation). For fine arts, I’d like to make an impact by changing perceptions of social issues/injustices through visual means.
Have you had to overcome any major obstacles in life or your work?
It’s having the confidence in my abilities and to find my own voice. Support from my family and friends have helped me along the way (so Thank You Guys!).
Where does your main source of inspiration come from?
Mythology.
Is there anything that influences your work? For example: family, heritage, religious beliefs, etc.
There are so many—it ranges depending on the project—family/friends, history, art styles (particularly Renaissance, Victorian, Art Nouveau, Surrealism, Gothic, Cubism, Tribal), alchemy, mysticism, ancient civilizations (Egyptians, Roman empire), literature, nature, various cultures (especially my Asian heritage), tattooing, sports (BMX and snowboarding), music (hip-hop, rock, electronica, classical), mythology, politics, religion, and films.
Are there any subtle messages in your work?
There’s inspiration in everything. . . and eat more chocolate. :)
We were really moved by the glass etching, "Dual Dragons". There was a tragic ending to that piece. As long as it doesn't bring up any bad memories, could you tell us about it?
Sure, no problem. “Dual Dragons” was a 18x24” large glass etching I did for a gallery a while back. It was at least 100 hours of work. Unfortunately, the piece was accidentally destroyed by another’s hand—from the gallery itself. It was the worst possible thing that could happen to the art piece, but I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. At the time, I was pretty distraught, but eventually, saw it as a sign that it wasn’t the right time or place for my work. The gallery wanted to mold my work in their vision and push something I wasn’t very comfortable with. When you do commercial pieces, you compromise and do what’s appropriate for the client/project, but for fine arts, it should be about personal intention, passion and vision; if it isn’t, then it’s just empty. It was truly a learning experience. Since then, I’ve grown artistically. I was glad to have saved the original design, and a few years later, the dragons were resurrected through a mixed media format.
The top dragon was created in an Eastern/Asian form, while the bottom dragon was done in a Western style. It was a sentimental piece because it was one of the first projects that became a personal commentary—growing up Chinese-American and being privy to the two cultures. It’s a duality, but never as one.
How much traveling have you done? Could you talk about art on the road and what materials you would bring to create art.
I don’t travel as much as I’d like to, just a couple of spots here and there. I do have a long list of places that I’m saving up for. Last trip was to Mexico and was really inspiring as it was right before my favorite holiday, Halloween and Dia de Los Muertos. My camera and sketchbook goes everywhere with me, even when I’m not on vacation. I love the SF Bay Area, so I take little day-trips, playing tourist. It’s a great way to get out of the daily routine and gain inspiration. I’ve met really interesting folks that way and had spontaneous photoshoots with lovely people.
Your abstract drawings are very original and unique. How does that work take shape?
“The Artist’s Way” book inspired me to capture every free moment and create, even if I don’t feel like it. I suppose it’s a form of visual meditation.
I’m on public transportation frequently, so I use that time to work on the abstract pieces. In the beginning, I don’t think about what they would look like. I just let the pen do the work. After a while (and on a good day), something starts taking shape like designs for apparel or other concepts. They’re essentially refined doodles.
Have you done any tattooing? Are there any art forms that you'd like to try?
Not really, but have designed tons of tats and the entire genre is a huge inspiration. I was a henna body artist for a few years and I credit that for expanding my artistic scope. I had to draw designs freehand onto the skin in a very limited time, so that forced me to look at art differently—breaking them down into bite-sized chunks and seeing nuances of art from various cultures. That’s when I starting loving the tribal style.
I’d love to adapt my art for different mediums—perhaps on metal and 3D sculptural pieces.
Tell us about Shaire Productions, and what do you think the future holds?
Shaireproductions.com is my art production company that I’ve developed for a little over a decade. It’s where I do graphic design, illustration, photography, and fine arts projects. I also use the name for my blog and retail products—tees, art prints, greeting cards and jewelry.
For the future, I’d like to expand my art to different mediums and retail products. Creating art for charity organizations and social projects is important to me, so I hope to continue that. Art events/shows are really fun to do as well. Whatever happens in the future, I’ll still keep creating.
