East Meets West:
Unifying the cultures of the world, melding the East and the West to create a synergy…
Artist Statement
Structured yet free-spirited, my art reflects the tension between rigid Asian traditions and a flexible Western lifestyle. Born and raised in Korea before moving to the US as a teenager, I embody both cultures. Though I work intuitively and from imagination, I am often surprised by structure and lively, expressive lines that appear out of nowhere and lend a sense of vibrant stability.
I converse with my works. Life events, especially painful memories, persist as an initial inspiration. In the creative process of art making, life’s unpredictable major shifts and accompanying emotional impact evolve and take a surprising direction, leading to a new awareness or perspective. Art is part therapy and part discovery. Years of making art have helped me to be freer, to be more daring, and to trust my instincts. The discoveries keep me excited and continue my dialogue with my creations.
I enjoy oil paint, especially its expressive physicality. Torn Kozo paper or silk fabric collaged onto a substrate and combined with oil paint make up my mixed media works. They are a tribute to my double cultural identity, an Asian American. I also feel a natural affinity to monotype, a printmaking technique, especially suited to painters in its innate flexibility lending spontaneity and innovation during the process.
My goal is to create a work that appears fresh and spontaneous at first glance, yet provides a lingering visual impact for those who choose to probe further. https://www.gloriahuet.com
