Mission in Matrilineage Symposium

Had very good luck bringing some warmth to Syracuse, breaking the record long freezing temperature; Chicago stopped snowing and Syracuse raised to 30 degree!

Just finished the lecture, I wasn't sure if I offered enough to the audience. Perhaps I didn't give them enough what they really needed, or perhaps the topic was too far ahead for them, or it was too much of a mental game that they couldn't relate to it...


My conclusion is that I care too much about people's response. I should just focus on doing what I am doing.
Could I have done better?
No, I couldn't.
I did my best to arrange the lecture and put out what I see as priority in young artists' life. What we create is in our mind, not in the material world. Because thoughts become things.
How much does this mean to a fresh out-of-school artist when she has to find a job to pay her rent?
I am a very fortunate artist. Most of the times I wish I know how to make the world love artists more, not in a distant appreciating way, but a genuine supporting way...



Night are falling into the dark with a flurry. The cold fresh air feels so crispy compare to downtown LA's warm truck smuge pollution.
I found a lampost in front of the hotel. I think this is the way to enter Narnia. Will I meet Tamnus tonight?

Vancouver Sculpture Biennale

Gertrud Kohler-Aeschlimann and I had short conversations on emails these days, don't I wish I had visited Gertrud and Heinz in Lucerne while I was there in 2003. But another visit to Switzerland will be a super delight to keep me smile in sparkle for months.

Gertrud and Heinz Aeschlimann are renowned artists and art patrons themselves, also run the art-st-urban community in Lucerne, Switzerland. They support International Sculpture Center's Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Awards to sponsor young artists' residency, also show some really amazing artworks and art events on site. Plus the history of the land and the building just kept my goose bump dancing in joy, do you want to live and create art in an isolation cell in the former "Psychiatric Clinic for Unruly Male Patients." Sounds like somewhere some politicians should be. "Unruly?" Does that mean "Creative?"

Heinz Aeschlimann invites a beautiful "Composer" to Vancouver Sculpture Biennale, so poetic that birds whistle thru it! I also enjoy the Engagement by Dennis Oppenheim, the kind of sculpture I love to create. I wish Sophie Ryder's "Minotaur With Hare" was made with willow twigs, but that would probably be too Patrick Dougherty, I think... I love her works, very contemporary English, sweet but tough! Of course, I am glad to see the senior sculptor all Taiwanese kids grew up with, Ju Ming has one of his signature Tai-Chi series in the Biennale, too.
If you live in the Vancouver region, don't miss it. The biennale runs til April 2007, also go online and vote for your favorite piece!

Ding-Ding-Ding

It's a charm!
Had a lovely dinner with dear friend Trine last night, before heading for the South Biannual show. I would not tell you what we ate for dinner because it might freak you out... But I learned a little secret that Trine's paintings may fly to NYC very soon. woo-hoo! Very excited and bravo on smart-eyes me, I have a painting of Trine's in my studio, indeed an important investment!! Collectors out there, don't you hurry?

As I was preparing for the lecture for the Matrilineage Symposium in Syracuse university, I couldn't emphasize enough how important it is to help and celebrate each other in the art world. Seeing friends make a step higher and truly be happy for them is to allow ourselves to shine like they do, and to follow their steps to receive more good news for ourselves.
I believe in a win-win situation and mutual benefit. Therefore I continue to prove it by a piece of news coming in this morning that I got in a group show in Chicago's Woman Made Gallery, a place I've eyed for a long time.
Having a chance to show with other great women seems to always make me more joyous than showing in a cold-white-wall gallery dominated by celebrity male artists. It is a different kind of feeling, you know. One is joy like going to the park with Mom, having a picnic and draw birds in the whole afternoon; the other is cheer like having a promotion. Somehow something is lost when we increase our experience and body sizes; more money or fame simply can't afford the blissful memory from childhood (that is if one has blissful childhood). Anyway, I love the energy emitting from female artists. Perhaps it's because I live too far away from Mom and I miss her much.

Mom, a young Taiwanese lady in her army uniform in 1958.

Joy-Coated

Finally, after some days of nausea and toxic fume inhaling, I learned to open the window, had both the fan and air filter on high and finish 99% of the new gummi piece. The last one, I think, to put an end to the gummi bear series. But somewhat feel addicted to melting and gluing the gummi bears... The poor baby has to endure my "branding" him with hot sizzling gummis, yet we seem to have cutivated an intimate relationship... Yes, we hug each other every day.