Born in Seoul, Korea, 1954
Studied Fine Art at the Institute of the National Museum of Modern Art, Seoul, Korea, 1981 - 1982
Majored in Fine Art at Otterbein College, Westerville, OH, 1978

Moming Calm Gallery, New York, May 2000
Art Miami, represented by MJ International, 1992

Christian Artists Exhibition New York, summer, 1999
Institute of the National Museum of Modem Art, Seoul, Korea, 1982

Even as a child, the beauty and harmony of nature has fascinated my whole being. The infinite variation of shapes and colors captivates not only my eyes but the innermost regions of my soul. But one must not be limited by the boundaries of the senses or the governing laws of nature. This allows the artist to blend together heaven and earth, past and present, life and death into a harmonious union without altering the unique components of each.

I believe as an artist, I must transform the world around me, in a most beautiful and natural way, into my own vision on canvas What Ifeel I let flow through my paintbrush and into my creation. Along with this sort of "freepainting", symbolism plays an integral part in my work The empty chairs that are scattered throughout some of my pieces represent a certain loneliness, windows represent a passage into another realm, and the ladders lead us into the kingdom of heaven. Trees are of special significance in, my paintings. Even to look at a tree gives me joyful energy which rejuvenates my yearning for life.

I choose to paint with oil because of the depth and richness of its colors, which to do without would do an injustice to the magnificence of nature. I also use oil sticks because of the playful and childlike quality that it brings into my work. I cherish the innocence that only a child has. The ultimate end I strivefor as an artist is the perfect union of the dimensions that make up our world; the spiritual world, the physical world as seen through our mind's eye, and the world within ourselves.

By Soojung Cho

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