300 days in China

I am innovative artist who has returned from teaching in China, for one year. While teaching western philosophies in art, via abstraction to eastern traditional Chinese painting; pleasantly a spiritual exchange developed. A deeper connotation within my work that has grown into a new body of work.

When I arrived in China in August 2005, I did not know how to read, nor speak the Chinese language (Mandarin). And arriving from my native country the USA to China, (where English is not the primary language). I found myself adjusting to the challenges of communication. I wanted to trade ideas, facts, well wishes, and yet basic requests but without an interpreter I found it was very difficult to realize.

Because of this trial, it has prompted my vision quite a bit. A sense of simplicity, unfussiness, and minimal effects have sustained the work. Corresponding to the idea of “getting back to basics” learning to be in touch with others in a different way; has become an inspired course or encounter. I began to create the recent gestural work (with an stress on line, emphasis, harmony, restrained color and composition), I found the ancient Calligraphy of the Tang Dynasty had stimulating impact. Prior to arriving in China, I was creating. (never having the chance to see this ancient text before) my work to this ancient Chinese writing style.

My latest work is about breach in communication, and how the vital exchange of ideas is significant to all of us. Thriving communication becomes imperative to express views and beliefs to one another. These paintings are personal, mystical they carry with it my cultural heritage (the rhythmic movements, style, and effect needed to create these paintings and the feelings my ancestors may have felt during a time when literacy was illegal for my culture), my homeland, (the USA through western influences), and the sense of isolation/frustration which occurs when communication is broken. The paintings are inspirational to the eastern viewers because they see that a form, (character) may be present but then it changes into something unexpected.

Nicole Woodford,MFA