2D Final Cuts (01): Personal History in Line Creation

Although I never had an official arts education, I have always been passionately curious about exploring the realm of visual-to-mind stimulation. Some of my works (done solely on my phone with my finger since I’m a poorly-equipped artist for now) are shown below. These were made in my free time during the June – July period, and submitted as part of my portfolio to La Salle and ADM. I was granted admission to both schools.

I like to make huge contrasts by playing with the size of the imprints, with a relatively smooth, gradual transition rather than erratically placed marks. Some are lighter and some, noticeably darker. I like my lines bold and expressive when creating darker moods, e.g. Bizarre, Anxious, Psychotics, Aggressive . . . Perhaps it reflects on how I express my darker emotions; Powerful, invasive & overwhelming. -01: Mad man in Red

01: Turbulent

01: Systematic

I may have used a black background and worked from there in this piece, but in traditional practice, it would be employing the reductive approach of creating the patterns I desire. It creates a passive setting for a more distant emotion e.g. distracted, exhausted, lyrical. -02: Highway to the Unknown

02: Distracted

Packing lots of lines in different directions and textures (created by contrasting sizes in dots) in one frame may create a busy atmosphere, which is perfect for moods that veer towards moods that are more complicated with multiple implications e.g. indecisive, nonsensical, ambiguous. -03: Childhood Lovers

03: Indecisive

By varying the sizes of the imprints to give an illusion of one being in the foreground or background, we establish a multi-planar space. Some shapes are more obvious than others, and this helps create focus in an image. Thus, it is much like the feeling of making a spontaneous decision in spite of the many choices available to us. -04: Illusion of the Give or Take

04: Spontaneous

By drawing clear borders and directions, we create movement which are similar to moods that are more dynamic and easy to identify e.g. embarrassed, awkward, aggressive. -05: Lasso-ing Dreams

05: Embarrassed

05: Awkward

Layering one picture over another like a collage is almost like a build-up of emotions and experiences e.g. exhausted, psychotic. Sometimes it can be overwhelming and tiring to hold it within, leading to a lapse in control e.g. sloven. -06: The Castle of Dreams

06: Sloven

06: Exhausted

Poetry Collection 2014: Things I do for Fun

Cover Page

Foreword

Mathematical Delusions

Pretense, Identity-Forging

To the solemn Transgressor

The Final Red

Homebound

Portfolio entry last July 2015.

2D: The Blue Ink Girl’s MonoPrints

Swiper no swiping. Of brushes.

Dusting the paper. Made it dirtier than cleaner. Irony.

Press the Paintbrush for a free . . . style pattern.

So this is what you’re doing to your car windows everytime you clean it with that bristly thing.

First attempt @ Reductive method by making patterns on the inked sheet.

Let’s be economical and make 3 in 1. Use of various materials from the basket.

Swirl it like Van Gogh part 2.

This looks like an amateur Mr James R.eads work.

Van Gogh try-hard part 1.

I like them astronomical prints!

Multiple bark strips.

Too ambitious. Tried creating 5 patterns on 1 sheet.

Minimalistic . . . But then! What’s that thing under the mat-

Let’s keep it light to make it bright.

Fluid floating shapes which captures so much movement ! Oddly it looks like a chinese painting.

Why not vertical.

Let’s try different amounts of ink, and different ways of rolling the ink on, under or above the paper.

More experiments with the under/above paper method.

Unacceptable blue ink over vines and fragrance beads and roots.

Scratch the ink surface, put textures at different areas, roll ink on top with varying pressures.

Pressure playing.

Smack the ink on.

Roll in many directions, overlapping is fine.

Directional brush strokes.

4D: The αppleBy Self

Lum Renee’s

Self-Portrait of The αppleBy

Brief Introduction

Nature is simple to absorb, but difficult to process.

My personal life, much like anybody else’s, has had its fair share of tragedies and mistakes. What’s intriguing is how I found solace in Nature’s embrace from each incident and fluidly converted what was initially terrible to something almost glorious. Isn’t it fascinating how the mere scent of petrichor imbibes one’s negativity as if absorbing moisture? This simplicity of supporting someone or something by mere existence, like Nature herself, is a concept I want to explore with my soul.

On the other hand, it is difficult to fully understand one’s surroundings no matter one’s age. There are always an infinite number of things to learn, always something foreign to our limited knowledge base. We may have the Internet now to source for information, but before the digital age we had only our human resources – texts and scripts that people wrote and published. Perhaps the most valuable instructors in life are the people closest to us, for they hold the greatest influence over the longest period of our lives. We pick up habits, beliefs, ideas from them and these influences shape the way we perceive the world.

The merging of the theme of nature and the people I love thus effectively describes my artistic vision for the world: supportive of all regardless of gender, race or other differences and spiritual an experience.

Individual Description of Photographs

Since we are unable to look at ourselves concisely, the only true reflection of ourselves is our perspective.

Title: Self-Shot

DESCRIPTION

-Cave frames our perspective as the individual by replicating shape of an eye looking out at the open world.

-Little colour present within the cave, mostly outside, forming a huge contrast.

– Light enters the cave to help us look at ourselves (from the perspective within the cave).

ANALYSIS

-Although we like to believe we are original, our ideas are mere thoughtful linkages we made through interactions with our environment.

-Emotion is mostly felt when we contrast our inner selves with the world out there, and not alone as an individual.

-Although the darkness may be comforting, we are enlightened by our outer reality even about ourselves, be it identity, weaknesses or strengths.

When the littlest occurence means much more than the space it occupies.

Title: Presence

DESCRIPTION

-Faraway in the distance; surrounded by shrubs and trees that frame the shot-Light falls only on the strip of land where she stands on

-She is cooped up in her own world, whilst being the focus of the beholder

ANALYSIS

-The presence of my older sister in itself warms the situation, and allow one to be feel fearless even when she’s faraway (in Australia)

-You can trust in her

-Has her own life to lead, but she holds a major influence in mine

Did you think you are really all alone in this universe?

Did you really think you are all alone in this universe?

Title: Maternal Cradle

DESCRIPTION

–Perspective: Transition from manmade environment into nature’s embrace, guided and supported by family members.

–Feeling: Sense of being in the shadow and shade, more cooling and comfortable spot

ANALYSIS

-Moving on from an overprotected “artificial” environment into the real world isn’t necessarily a one-man journey. The people you love will continue to play their roles in your lives, if less crucial to your survival than before.

– Protection from the frontline, gradual comfortable change cushioned by familial support

Destiny is maneuvered by your actions, but who is to say that it won't always turn out the way you planned it to be.

Destiny can be maneuvered by your actions, but it won’t always unfold exactly as you planned.

Title: The Unseen Guidance

DESCRIPTION

–Symbolism: Looks up towards the light, object of interest is out of vision in shot-Frame: Rail trails upward sloping and Trees form a path up

ANALYSIS

-Okay to acknowledge that you do not know everything; that what guides you may seem random/unpredictable/unknown for now; trust in the process-Move on with life