COLLECT

ART

IN THE MOOD FOR • ISSUE NO.10

SPECIAL EDITION

AUGUST . 2022

2, 3)
| WEAVING (1,
OLOFF
ART SOK
Collect Art/ Tbilisi, Georgia
www.collectartwork.org
info@collectartwork.org
collectartwork@gmail.com
 In The Mood For...

The mood is an affective state of emotions or feelings, it can be either

positive or negative, regardless of the passion and frame of mind. The
exhibition is about the expressions of different mood types of artists,
expressing their inner or outer side and personal traits which are long-lasting.
 CONTENT

Art Sokoloff
Elle Baker
Hugo Chan
Julien Van Middendorp
Mark Goodwin
Natalie Toplass
R.Prost
Tori Foster
Wenwen Liu
Xiao Faria da Cunha
ART
SOKOLOFF
Art Sokoloff is a multidisciplinary artist living and working in London, UK. His research and projects
center around the creation of structure-based abstraction.

He recently completed his MA in Print at the Royal College of Art. Previously he received a BA in
Architecture at the Moscow Architectural Institute, the Russian Federation (2018), and two
additional courses at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, the Russian Federation (2017,
2018). He has been awarded the ColexArt Website Prize 2021 and has been shortlisted for
the Signature Art Prize 2021 and Visual Art Open (2020, 2021). Recent shows include London Grads
Now. 21 at Saatchi, London, UK; RCA Degree Show at Cromwell Place, London, UK; Teachable
Moment at Stove Works Gallery, Chattanooga, USA; Intaglio at Megalo Print Gallery, Canberra, AU;
Mirror Project at 104GALERIE, Tokyo, JP; US; 36th Annual at Southwark Park Galleries, London, UK,
Perspectives at CICA Museum, Gimpo, KR; Dry Floor at Hoxton253 in London, UK.

His current work is being made around the influence of rules applied in the crafting of game-like
experiences. Taking on both the role of the rule-setter and the participant, Art is involved in the
process of making "situations" (strict conditions with clear rules) and their subsequent resolutions.

“Sequence mapping” as well as his previous projects investigate the theme of instructions and
visual patterns. They are individually hand stamped/drawn, in a time-consuming, laborious
repetition. Using simple shapes Art is creating orders, which are easily ruined by just one mistake,
and as easily changed by just one alteration in the instruction. Using bold figures and regulated
interactions related to them, such as multiplications and shift, rotation, and sequencing - Art aims
to reflect on rule-based conceptual art.

Working in the “task-execution” mode, decision-making is carried out long before the physical
making. Consciously implementing pattern esthetic and cross-disciplinary mode of making, Art is
trying to blur the line between generality and particularity in his visual language.

Weaving (1, 2, 3) - Acrylic on canvas, 15x15cm (each), 2022

What is your background?
I've been creating for as long as I can
remember. For the longest time, my primary
medium was photography; looking back,
that's one of the first signals of my interest
in space and architecture. Later I got into
the Moscow Architectural Institute, where I
received my BArch in 2018. The experience
was more than beneficial - it cleared a lot of
things and gave me all the tools and skills
I'm using today. Throughout my studies, I
continued developing my art portfolio, so by
graduation, I realized the need to adjust the
development vector. After an uneasy
fluctuation period, I got into the Royal
College of Art, where in 2021, I received my
MA in Print.
What type of art do you make and why?
My current work is being done around
structured geometric abstraction. I tend to
choose different mediums for different ideas Pattern studies
and series, so there are prints, paintings, Acrylic on canvas, 40,5x30,5cm (each), 2022
photographs, and sculptures coexisting in
my portfolio. An overarching pattern for
most of my projects in the last three years
was instructions and transcribed labor
attached to them. Because of the visual
language, I’m using - there are a lot of small
details and straight lines, which I like to do
slowly and only by hand. I’m interested in
selecting visual subjects and esthetics based
on their simplicity and potential to make
them complex by myself. That way, by the
end of the project, I’m inserting not only the
idea (of making complex out of simple) but
also the hours of precision, making it worth
it. When it comes to the question of "why," - I
am simply trying to multiply what is close to
me in the world, providing people with
subjects of reflection that will last.
What inspires you?
Many things inspire me; however, the most
straightforward answer would be - shapes,
and the best part is that you can find them
anywhere! Shadows, people, streets, nature,
music, everything contains forms in one way
or another. Nothing is better than a
balanced composition! I always found a lot of
joy in studying brutalist architecture for all its
ridiculousness in ergonomic solutions - I
can’t resist its overwhelming sculptural
appeal. For a significant portion of my work, I
dream of incorporating it into some building
and interior of that nature one day.
How do you work?
Everything starts with the task. Creative
solutions are much easier to find when the
choices are restricted, so I strive in a limited
environment. Because I tend to work with
series, I usually start by choosing one or
many elements that will guide the rest of the
process (like size, shapes I will use, etc.).
Planning is a crucial element, so it takes me a
long time from the first idea until the end of
the project. I meticulously try all the possible
variables until I am happy with my choices; I
try not to produce work that is not verified. I
work whenever I can; it doesn't matter what
time of the day it is (however, the afternoon
somehow always feels more productive). My
studio routine is pretty simple - don't wait for
a special invitation; sit down and work, let it
take you, and embrace the process,
especially if it is repetitive!
What themes do you pursue?
My practice centered around the influence of
rules applied in crafting game-like
experiences. Taking on both the role of the
rule-setter and the participant, I am involved
in the process of making "situations" (strict
conditions with clear rules) and their
subsequent resolutions. For me, almost
similar to the viewer, the investigation of
"how's this thing is
functioning, how's it's made, what is an
underlying pattern" becomes the central theme.
How has your practice changed over time?
As I mentioned previously, my work fluctuated,
and I was creating purely intuitively for the
longest time. This in itself led to the path of a
deeper search, to find what connects everything,
regardless of the medium and esthetic. In many
ways, during the pandemic, I reached a new
understanding of myself and my practice - I
discovered how dramatically dependent my work
is on the sets of tasks I’m giving myself. From
that point, I researched and continually engaged
with the theory behind the “Do it” movement and
the works of Sol LeWitt. Since then, I have
produced several projects purely within the
“rules” framework and subsequently tackled
generative art. For now, I’m working with the
autonomous systems of random numbers
applied to pattern-making. Although I’m happy
with the state of my current practice - I hope to
come back somehow to my intuitively built
compositions.
What are you doing except being an artist?
I currently work in a screen-printing studio,
which exclusively produces artists’ limited
editions. I decided that it’s a great learning curve
to deepen my knowledge and skills after finishing
RCA, as well as an exciting way to analyze the
works of other artists. I think it’s nice to work on
some craft actively; it provides structure and
benefits the overall attitude towards developing
skills. Besides that, from time to time, I photo-
documenting exhibitions and artworks for my
friends and colleagues.
Sequence
Mapping
Acrylic on
paper
(framed),
40x30cm,
2021
How do you know when a painting is done?
That is a delicate matter. On the one hand, I can argue that for my practice - the painting is done as
soon as the “rules” are put together because, after that point, the execution process is out of my
creative control and decision-making. Even though it’s technically accurate, the other side is that I
never start the execution in its final form unless I’m happy with the envision of how it will be. What I
mean by that is that my drafting process is relatively long. Months before starting a painting - I plan
and test my “rules” until I find what I’m looking for. So it is a constant balancing between “honesty,”
being true to the self-imposed limits, and being satisfied esthetically by selecting out of tens of
variables.
What is the hardest part of creating for you?
Experimenting (in the sense of following vast intuitive urges), without a doubt, is the most
challenging part of being an artist. Unknown territory, although exciting, can overwhelm by its
pressure. At the moment, I’m engaged in several battles - with the scale and with the color. My
comfort palette is muted shades of grey, and the size is not bigger than my table… So my current
body of work (a complete opposite of the previous description) is a challenging step in the right
direction.
What does your art mean to you?
Everything is about testing the limits and exercising creative power to overcome the boundaries.
While perusing that - the process is highly meditative, so while creating, I’m calmly “putting things in
order.” All in all - my art is about finding out how things work and trying to make sense of abstract
chaos. I like to think it does the same to people looking at my work.
In the end, It’s all a game about the unharmful occupation of the minds while looking at the
pleasantly balanced composition.

Surface study Surface study

Acrylic on canvas,18x12,5cm, 2022 Acrylic on canvas, 40,5x30,5cm, 2022
 HUGO CHAN
Hugo Chan Ngo Fung is an interdisciplinary artist from Hong Kong. He is an alumni and a former
member of the Multimodal and Embodied Interaction (MEI) Laboratory, a Human-Computer-
Interaction(HCI) research group in the School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong. His
research interest lies in tangible media, multi-sensory experience, and interaction design. Recently
inspired by the prospective study in new media art, he started experiments on the unique
possibilities of fine arts as well as new media technology and seeks ideas beyond disciplinary
boundaries.

Strange
Moving Image (Video)

"In the Mood For ... Strange." "Seance III" ( 降靈會 III) is a "non-literal" poem written by Taiwanese
poet Hsia Yu. When I first read this poem, I struggled to understand its meaning. It was not until I
came across another poem by the same poet, "Missing Image" ( 失蹤的象 ), that I finally found out
what it meant. "Missing Image" ( 失蹤的象 ) is a reinterpretation of an ancient text with the author's
creative symbolic graffiti. The poem explores the relationship between words as a tool of
expression and the meaning they convey. In the poem, it is mentioned that " 存言者非得象者也，存
象者非得意者也 ", pointing out that in order to understand the meaning behind the words, one
must forget the words themselves as a tool of expression. Hsia Yu even transforms all the word
characters into various symbols, as if she wants the reader to forget the words themselves, hoping
that the reader can actually feel the meaning behind the words. This became the key to my
interpretation of the poem "Seance III" ( 降靈會 III). In re-reading it, I tried not to focus on the words
themselves, but to feel the imagery and feelings of the whole poem. I reinterpreted my feelings
about "Seance III" ( 降靈會 III) in a visual way. It is not as spiritual as the title suggested, but more like
a strange, unfamiliar, broken, and detached feeling to me. In the poem, different words are used as
a patchwork, while I use different daily objects and movements around me to create a montage. In
between movement and stillness, the objects derive a rhythm of their own; and what we have
called "the daily life" gradually becomes unfamiliar.
 Strange
(fragments)
''When I first chose to become an artist, or more precisely, when I first chose to study media art, I was
attracted by the unique nature of media art, which can fuse media technology with aesthetic expression.
Unlike traditional art, which gives people a dull impression, media art follows the trend of modern
technology and consistently seeks new possibilities and expressions. Later, I became interested in the
relationship between humans and technology and joined the University's Multimodal and Embodied
Interaction Laboratory to conduct research on human-computer interaction. During my time in the
research group, my work focused on tangible media devices for human interaction, including a prototype
device to help visually impaired people learn to program. This project and related research papers have
been published in academic journals.

From the year 2019, the social unrest in Hong Kong and the outbreak of the Covid19 pandemic affected
my life and emotions as much as anyone else's, and I even suffered from depression. As a result, I began
to re-examine the meaning of media art, not only as an exploration of technology and media itself but
also as a tool for emotional expression. Art creation has become a window for me to express my personal
feelings. Although I still create media-related works in the form of video and photography, the theme of
my works began to change from the exploration of technology to the expression of personal emotions
and their arrangement.

I think artists are observers. Their uniqueness lies in their ability to see things that people cannot see.
Depending on the interest of the artist, the object of their observation can be anything. For example,
political artists observe the unique phenomena of society, and media artists explore the possibilities of
technology. More generally, artists observe human emotions. Although there are various words in our
language to describe emotions, they are not sufficient to express such complex human feelings, and
sometimes even lead to a flattening of the meaning of these emotions. As an observer, the artist re-
examines human emotions, discarding the conventional descriptions of emotions in language, and tries
to reconstruct a space in the form of artworks or literary creations, so that these complex emotions can
be seen in real life. Artists create in order to make complex emotions visible. And sometimes they do it not
just to make their emotions visible to the public, but to make them visible to themselves. That's exactly
what art means to me. Art for me is an escape hatch. When I am caught in a heavy and complicated
emotional fog, I try to create in order to re-examine my emotions and find an exit. However, this is also
one of the most difficult parts of creating: you have to be honest with yourself. Being true to yourself
could be painful, but it is necessary for creating. I can't explain to you how important art is to me, but it
has saved me countless times. So no matter who you are, you don't have to be an artist, I think everyone
should try to create.

In recent years, my media artworks have shown an exploration of media and expressed the sense of
dissociation I experienced during my emotional distress and depression in the past decade.''
JULIEN VAN
MIDDENDORP
Julien van Middendorp is a Dutch painter, renowned for his large-scale oil paintings, in which the
colours combine and mingle to form relationships and create thoughts, fantasies and messages.
Colours, basically, are only labels for different wavelengths of light. In that sense, colours “only”
represent degrees of quantity. However, in Middendorp’s paintings, colours became essential
qualities.
A colour, not a line, is the primary constitutive moment of the (ever-changing) structure of the
world. This is a crucial discovery made by Cézanne, van Gogh, Monet and others in the 19th
century, and very thoroughly investigated by artists of the 20th century. And this discovery has kept
its relevance until now. Julien van Middendorp has always been aware of and has reflected on this
challenging journey of liberating colour from shapes and figures and, in fact, dissociating a painting
from the representation of things.
His works are based on a perfectly constructed composition and the use of primary colours. This
leads to the engagement of the viewer’s sight, where colours are processed to form the resulting
perceptions, emotions, and, possibly, even some kind of behaviour. To paraphrase Shakespeare,
“the painting created by an artist is in the eye of the beholder.”
As far as the topic is concerned, Julien is bountifully inspired by urban life, its movements, flows and
changes. The urban universe provides his paintings with strong organic dynamics.
What is very optimistic about Julien’s works is their friendliness to those viewers who have not yet
made their essential decision to try to step (or rather jump) across the abyss between the concrete
and the abstract. While Julien’s paintings are basically abstract, a viewer, standing in front of them,
can mitigate his or her feeling lost or baffled by anchoring in the safe haven of the concrete: figures,
landscapes, harmonies and music. But with the bonus of seeing and appreciating abstraction at the
same time.
Julien’s style has been influenced by the world-renown artistic movement “Cobra” (1948–1951), with
members such as Karel Appel, Pierre Alechinsky and Asger Jorn. Julien uses primary colours as
constitutive elements of his artistic architecture. His paintings refer also to the Dutch artistic
movement “De Stijl”, which was founded by such renowned artists as Piet Mondrian, Vilmos Huszár
and Theo van Doesburg, in 1917.
Already since his childhood, Julien van Middendorp has experimented with large-scale drawings
and watercolours. Later, he studied at the Nimeto, school of design in Utrecht, Netherlands. He has
been living and working in Prague for a couple of years now, finding fresh inspiration in the local
culture. This inspiration has led to a new collection of oil paintings, which are now presented to the
public.
The style that Julien is painting is abstract, painted with oil in primary colors on canvas in multiple
layers and as less as possible the use of synthetics. Key themes and messages are hidden in the
titles of his painting.
Why did you decide to be an
artist?
I don't think one can choose. Either
you are or you aren't, it's all in you
from the start.
What kind of art do you make
and why?
I paint something between
abstraction and printmaking, very
structured. I like when you have to
engage your imagination to figure
out what the painting is about. As
opposed to landscape or portrait
painting where it's clear what you're
looking at.
Do you follow any current art
trends?
Midway Through Infinity
I think art that is trendy or tries to be
Oil on canvas, 100 x 100,2020
isn’t art, because it’s missing a soul
when created, as the aim was to be
trendy and nothing else. Demension
What does your art represent? Oil on canvas,135x100, 2020
Me, I hope.
What themes do you pursue?
Life is my theme, and all that is
connected to it in all its emotions.
What do you like/dislike about
the art world?
I dislike the conservative way of the
artist/gallery setup, a very closed and
unapproachable environment. So, I
do like that more and more artists
see the same and take it into their
own hands.
Does your work comment on
current social or political issues
and how?
My paintings are about life, so a
certain connection can be made, but
more about what these social or
political issues can mean for you as a
person, rather than point out specific
current issues, which makes art time
bounded.
 100x130
Oil on canvas
Out of the Shadows

Alien Blueprint - oil on canvas, 90 x 185, 2017

And the Circus Leaves Town Light in the Dark
Oil on Canvas, 100x100 Oil on canvas, 90x100, 2016
ELLE
BAKER
Elle Baker is an artist from Sunderland, UK. She's currently studying for a degree in
illustration and design and is about to start her second year In a few weeks. In the past, Elle
has worked for age UK. She's also learned many skills, including knitting, filmmaking,
drama, poetry, yoga, and crafts. ''The work in the exhibition has come from a meditative and
peaceful place of gratitude for nature in all its Beauty. I have used watercolor paint and ink.
Many themes I use are the shape and form of the natural world and its creatures. Art for me is
breathing life into a canvas. It’s my solace and my joy. It’s one of the best forms of expression
when you need to be productive or feel lost.''

Flowers in a vase
Why did u choose to be an artist?
Everyone in my family likes art, it seemed like a
natural pathway. My mother is a textile artist
which she came to later in life. I developed a
talent for art at school and I’m constantly
defining and redefining that. Now I’m doing a
degree and it’s so challenging and tiring but
rewarding.
Who are your biggest artistic influences?
Apart from my family, I like lots of different
styles, psychedelic art of the 1960s, pop art,
cubism, sculpture, tapestry, impressionists, pre
raphaelites, anything that has soul and skill, and
coveys a message: peace, solidarity, love,
equality.
Where do you find inspiration?
In nature, it is rare that I get out of the city and
I’m presented with an urban landscape, I prefer Open window
to sketch and paint the countryside. I find
freedom in the vast open spaces. The night sky
is beautiful it’s very clear at the moment.
What motivates you to create? How do you define success as an artist?
My home, my partner, my parents, and my I think it is a personal thing. I’m professionally
animals. They keep me going. I like to show just starting out but I’ve done art my whole life
them what I’m creating in my studio. When your and to me, it’s just a continuation of that. When
content it’s easy to create. It’s like a natural flow. I look back on past projects I get a feeling of
self-worth.
How has your style changed over time?
As you change your work changes with you, it
never stays the same. Sometimes it can be
more dreamlike sometimes more realistic.
Sometimes the ideas are more conceptual
sometimes more straightforward.
What are your favorite and least favorite
parts of professional art?
The creative process, getting involved in the
subject and materials, visual storytelling,
challenging stereotypes, and making a
difference. My least favorite is irregular work or
not having time for other things.
How useful has social media been for you?
Social media has really changed the way people
interact. You can do as little or as much as you
like. It brings your work to a wider audience.
Swan
WENWEN
LIU
Wenwen Liu finished her bachelor’s degree at Huber University of Economics (2013-
2017) in China and her master’s degree at Teesside University (2017-2018) in the UK.
At present, she is doing her Ph.D. study at Teesside University. Her work involves
data visualization, digital art, concept art, and game design. Wenwen has recently
released her artwork online and offline from London galleries to international
exhibitions on visual culture .
Real-Time Climate Coding
Real-Time Climate Coding is a time-based artwork. It integrates algorithm coding,
Arduino, and digital technology to display temperature data in real-time. It mainly
consists of two digital screens and an online website. The irregular dynamic shape is
displayed on digital screen 1, and its colour and motion are visualized by real-time
temperature data. Digital screen two is divided into 1440 digital squares
representing 24 hours daily, i.e., 1440 minutes. The colour data per minute obtained
from screen one is displayed from left to right and from top to bottom on screen 2.
When all squares of screen two are filled with colour blocks representing different
temperatures, it will reset and start filling colour again. At the same time as
resetting, the 24- hour colour data of this day will be uploaded to the online website
for recording climate change. Through it, people can intuitively see the process of
climate change in the past. In short, screen 1 shows the real-time observation of
climate change, screen two records climate change in a day, and the online website
stores long- term climate data. Through this work, people can better understand the
relationship between man and the climate around them. In this work, the future is
the critical point. What is the future? It is a concept that does “not-yet-exist” but is
about to appear (Bloch, 2000); tomorrow is the future of today, while the present is
the future of the past. Real-Time Climate Coding, as a metaphor for the future, is the
future of the past. Throughout the development of human history, man has tried to
attain a better life that is constantly becoming and revealing, and people have
created various possibilities that did not exist at the beginning. Indeed, these
possibilities are a state in which the world itself exists and a state of existence in the
future of new things (Han, 2012). To meet the requirement of life, humans must
constantly surpass existing social conditions. As a result, the requirement has
become a drive that promotes the development of society and generates various
possibilities, making humans never satisfied with the status quo (Han, 2012). Shortly,
as a ‘not-yet- being’, the future awakens the hope for a better life instead of
describing the existing. Real-Time Climate Coding depicts a future picture. Through
it, people can directly see their contribution to climate change, thereby encouraging
them to take action for a speculative and sustainable future. Simultaneously, it
records the process by that humans must constantly surpass the existing social
conditions and pursue a better life. Indeed, people also can see the negative side of
the future by Real-Time Climate Coding.That is, a future of inaction. Climate change
is seriously threatening human security and development. Research shows that the
GHG concentrations are expected to increase further by 2019. At this rate, GHG
concentrations will force global temperatures to rise to dangerous levels (WMO,
2019). Through Real-Time Climate Coding, people can intuitively see the terrible
pictures caused by the change of temperature rise and its impact on themselves.
Concisely, everything is interconnected, what you have done will not only affect the
ecosystem but yourself. This work develops a real-time discourse space related to
daily life, where people can intuitively see the process of climate change. It connects
human emotions with the surrounding environment, helps people observe and
reflect on their impact on the environment, calls on people to pay attention to
global warming and dialectically think about the relationship between humans and
ecosystems. At the same time, as an alternative social imagination, it affects
problem-based concepts and ideology through visual art display, redisplay and
interpretation, responds to climate change and readjusts society to a sustainable
future.
MARK
GOODWIN

Boats cropped

· The Grand canal,Vencie-my own version of a Canaletto masterpiece

R.PROST

Cadeau

Book, tacks,
m/m 7.5" x 5" x 1.5"
My work deals with language and it has its roots in visual poetry rather than
conceptual art. The sensibility in my work is a literary sensibility and I use language
as language.
Kitasono Katue, a seminal figure in Japanese visual poetry has said, “Words are the
most uncertain signals devised by human beings for communication.” This
uncertainty parallels the uncertainty of experience and opens up work to many
interpretations thereby broadening its potential scope.
I am interested in this opening up, in the inductive possibilities of language. For me,
language exists between its source (be it a page, computer screen, billboard,
speaker, etc.) and its receptor. Because it is outside of both source and receptor, it
requires both to activate meaning. A relationship is needed for language to function.
Traditionally, language appears as black letters on white. This format appeals to me.
It injects the world of opposites. Mallarme interpreted printed texts as precincts of
sound (words) and silence (white areas). prefer I to view this arrangement as more
complementary, each component is
dependent upon the other in a natural balance. My work’s ultimate goal is simple
communication made possible by the intrinsic poetry of words. There is an old
Chinese adage to which I subscribe:
“Only plain food has real taste.”
Book, cutting board m/m 13" x 10" x
Veritas No. 47

1"
Who are you?
My name is R. Prost.
What type of art do you make and why?
I make work out of language.
Language is the most human of inventions.
What inspires you?
Inspiration does not play a significant role
in what I do. I simply do what I do. There is
a small necessity in it.
What does your work aim to say?
This is what I have made of what I've found
while wandering around on earth.
What does your art represent?
A small remark whispered into the ear of
the world.
Who are your biggest influences?
Ed Dorn and Ted Berrigan -- poets I have
known.
13. What themes do you pursue? Generally,
simplicity.
How has your practice changed over time?
I have a better understanding of what I
want to do. Also, a better understanding of
what I don't want to do.
NATALIE
TOPLASS
Natalie started painting professionally shortly after moving to Shropshire in 2003, following
her earlier formal training in fine art and later, stage and set design. Â She began working on
a series of intricate flower and bird portraits, which she feels that Georgia O’Keefe, Karl
Blossfeldt and early 17th-century Dutch painters such as Ambrosius Bosschaert have
heavily influenced. She has had several well-received exhibitions throughout Great Britain,
for example; the Judith Blacklock Gallery in Knightsbridge, several Cork Street galleries in
London, Birmingham City Art Gallery and the Royal Academy. The flower or bird itself is just
the starting point for an abstract study of transparency, colour and form. The effects of
sunlight and shadows are having an increasing effect on my work; the subtlety of colours
becomes a unique moment in time. Each subject is so different, offering delicacy and detail
but at the same time strength and vitality. It’s these differences that fascinate me and I try
to capture that essence in my work. I want the viewer to have an experience that is beyond
that of the image in nature; therefore, the scale of my work is important. By enlarging the
scale, the nature of the subject is intensified and enables the viewer to become surrounded
by the beauty of the subject. I often work from photographs translated onto a large-scale
canvas. Â The focus

is then increased to enable the

viewer to be surrounded and
drawn into what becomes an
abstract concept of colour and
shape. The subject is intensely
studied to identify the form
and movement derived from
the use of colour. My interest
ranges from capturing the
delicacy of a petal or feather
while also showing the strength
within the subject; this is then
emphasized by the background
where a minimum distraction is
sought. The canvases range in
size but start from 30x30
inches increasing to 50x70
inches for some of the later
studies. The medium is oil built
up in layers over a number of
weeks to create a vivid and
translucent finish.
Beady Eye
 The dive
I love the drama of this painting, its so dynamic- definatly a challenge to paint too. The feeling of depth is also something I wanted to
investigate as how to show this feeling visually.
Little room of curiosities
I enjoy having a little imaginary story while thinking about what
I'm painting and this one was great! A house left suddenly so that
nature is slowly creeping back in. The former family interested in
all sorts of interesting things including the anatomy of birds.
TORY
FORSTER
Tori Foster (she/they) is a new media artist seeking to extract the invisible from the
visible. She works in the areas of emergent behavior, neurodivergence, and quantum
consciousness. Much of her work literally or metaphorically describes things we
cannot see with the naked eye but nonetheless can intuit or experience viscerally.
Foster earned an MFA and a BFA from Ryerson University in Toronto Canada and is
currently an Assistant Professor in New Media at the University of North Carolina at
Greensboro. She was previously based in Los Angeles California as an Assistant
Professor and the Head of Video/Digital Art at California State University,
Northridge.
She has received dozens of grants and awards including two current grants from the
Canada Council for the Arts, and the Ontario Arts Council for the production of
Conversations with Fate, a generative performance piece exploring the emergent
behaviors of a herd of autonomous robots. Her work has been presented in 16
countries worldwide, including Germany, India, China, Australia, Brazil, and the USA,
and is held in numerous private and corporate collections.
Foster is based in the USA and Canada.

Downtown
 XIAO FARIA
DACUNHA
Xiao Faria daCunha was born and raised in China and eventually came to the United
States to chase her dream of art. She is currently based out of Kansas City, MO.
Through her seven years in the States, she navigated through the ups and downs of
life as someone with a multicultural background. The challenges she faced as a
woman, a foreigner, and a young artist channeled back into her creation and allowed
her continued progress on her path as an artist.
Xiao’s works are mostly watercolor and mixed media illustrations and were heavily
influenced taken from traditional Asian literature, theater, and mythologies. She
reinterprets classic lores, symbolism, and tales in order to make sense of the world
and the happenings around her. Her works have been exhibited locally, regionally,
and nationally across the States.
Xiao is a writer, a researcher, and a painter, at the same time an avid crafter. She is
currently represented by Agora Gallery in New York City. In the future, she wants to
explore the realm of visual installation, printmaking, and 3D art as she believes
medium and discipline should not restrict an artist’s creation but rather aids an
artist to manifest his or her philosophy and ideology.
Who are you?
My name is Xiao and I’m an artist currently
based in Kansas City. I came to the States
from China about eight years ago. Life has
been crazy — and that’s an understatement.
Anywho, I’m glad I finally get to stay and
become the person I’ve always wanted to
be.
Why did you choose to be an artist?
My original degree was in Creative Writing,
and I only took art classes for my studio
minor out of pure curiosity. For the past five
years, I struggled heavily with depression
and other mental health issues, and to one
point I was completely unable to write (I
frankly don’t even know how I managed to
complete my degree). In a desperate search
for an alternative outlet of my creativity and
emotions, I remembered how I used to love
drawing and painting growing up and
decided to give art a shot. I wouldn’t call
myself an artist, though. I just like to paint
and would like to get better at it as time
goes by.
What inspires you?
Literature, theater, and music, for the most
part. I’m a super nerd who enjoys everything
from fiction to nonfiction, poetry to a stage
play. Since I work from home, I’m basically a
part-time music collector on Spotify. And I’d
just make playlists based on tunes that gave
me similar vibes and use them later when I
want to paint.
What does your work aim to say?
“It’s okay to not be okay.” I know it’s kinda
cliché. But I feel like it’s not said enough,
especially among us immigrants with Asian
heritages, because our culture is so
reserved and private. For example, China
has this proverb that basically means you
don’t show the world your dirty laundries
(at home). But if you never do that, nobody
will ever find out if something’s wrong, and
you’ll never be able to move forward from
your trauma.
Who are your biggest influences?
Artist wise… Vicky Lee, Nao Tsukiji,
Takamatsu Kazuki. These are definitely my
top 3. And of course, my partner who is a
brilliant oil painter. That’s the perk of living
with a great artist, I get to stare at his
paintings and steal techniques, lol.
Do you follow any current art trends?
Nope. Nope nope nope. Say it three times to
emphasize. Honestly, I’ve kinda
disconnected from trends altogether. As an
artist, I believe it’s important to paint what
we want to paint. Like I said earlier, I’m
nerdy so I research all the time and dabble
with new technologies. But I don’t think that
counts as following trends (like NFTs).
What does generosity mean to you as an
artist?
Keep creating without worrying about sales
or fame or anything along that line. My art is
my legacy, and the best thing I can give to
this world.
Does your work comment on current social
or political issues and how?
They do, but not in the typical gaudy
daunting way. I use a lot of symbolism and
tell all stories from a private angle. Let’s not
forget that we’re all embedded with our
society’s DNA. Our personal stories and
experiences are, inevitably, a reflection of
the current social and political issues. I
don’t need to write AAPI love to call
attention to racial justice, nor do I need to
paint a vagina to talk about gender
inequality. I work in the media industry. I’m
all about speaking up and sharing our
voices. I just prefer to share my thoughts
without sacrificing the artistic quality of my
work. Angry screams won’t last. But calm,
wise words will prevail.
How important are titles for you?
Both important and insignificant. I use titles
to play games. They’re often translations of
old Chinese poetry, song lyrics, or proses
I’ve written.