CreativPaper Issue No. 15

CREATIVPAPER Magazine

Issue 015

Welcome

While putting this issue together, we were lucky enough to witness the sheer beauty of the Indian Monsoons - the most prominent of the world’s monsoon systems. It typically affects India and its surrounding water bodies. The process brings huge amounts of rainfall to the region from June to September. This year however seemed to be much worse than previous years with regular cyclones and power outages causing havoc across the country, especially on the west coast. During the monsoon, it doesn’t take long before nature takes over the land again, plants and greenery that has laid dormant all summer long awakens overnight. You can see the local farmers tending to their land, taking full advantage of the abundant rains, a much-needed respite from the scorching summers. With Ganesh Chaturthi (A Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Ganesha) just around the corner, you can smell the locals making traditional sweets and treats for their family and friends.

The current issue of CreativPaper has allowed us to work with some of the most talented artists from around the globe. Individuals who are passionate about their beliefs, practice and message, pushing the boundaries of their chosen mediums. You will read Matthew Heimgartner’s story about breaking the iron grip of alcoholism and suppressing our feelings in the essay ‘Things Unsaid’. Art

by Japanese artist Chie Araki, who is using her work to try and bring joy using a bear motif. We also had a conversation with Moon Hee Kim, who talks about the dangerous consequences of Environmental issues she is passionate about and how we can get involved. From our first issue in late 2016, we have always strived to be a platform to address the environmental and social challenges we face as a civilization. We want to thank our readers and everyone who has believed in us in making this a reality and hope you enjoy reading this latest issue of CreativPaper.

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Contents

06 DAVID PD HYDE 12 GRACE ROGERS 16 DAVE CURTIS 20 SOPHIA GUNKEL 22 STEFFANY BRADY 24 MICHAL ASHKENASI 28 LARRY SIMON 32 JEROME CHIA-HORNG LIN 34 moholinushk 38 MATTHEW HEIMGARTNER 40 AGNESE D’ORAZIO 44 LAIS SAMBUGARO 46 LINDSAY PICKETT 48 NICK MEHEDIN 54 ELIZABETH MALAVE 58 MOON HEE KIM 66 GILBERT SALINAS 70 LAURENE KRASNY BROWN 72 CHIE ARAKI 78 CHO, HUI-CHIN 82 ERNESTO IBANEZ 84 GRO FOLKAN 86 DEVON GOVONI 90 MARTINA MANALO

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Cover Artist

DAVID PD HYDE davidpdhyde.com

Global warming is one of the biggest challenges we face as a civilisation these days. We have effectively driven our home planet into the Anthropocene Epoch. This is the first time a species has been responsible for global climatic catastrophe and devastation. London based artist David PD Hyde’s latest project titled “Tomorrow” hopes to raise awareness of the issue of global warming, leading to dialogue, responsibility and much-needed change. Simple acts such as a reduction in our energy consumption and awareness of our carbon footprint and plastic use goes a long way towards the welfare of our planet. Our only home.

It’s not like we have anywhere else to go.

Model: Ashley Gibbin

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Artist Feature

GRACE ROGERS grace-rogers.com

Traditional representations of landscape have always focused on the idealised notion of nature, this untouched wilderness away from civilisation. But as humans have altered the landscape, so has photography altered the meaning of landscape, challenging the conventional motifs of the genre by shifting focus to the cultural landscape instead of the natural.

My series, In Our Nature, explores the relationship between the beauty of nature and the man-made landscape. I am interested in the ways in which even the smallest natural elements create a significant, contrasting impact against the uncompromising backdrop of our urban environment, and how even in this modern, technological era, we still possess a desire to connect to the natural world. words and photography by Grace K. Rose

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Previous Page: Draped, C-Type Print, 2017-19 Above: Block, C-Type Print, 2017-19

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Above: Trunks, C-Type Print, 2017-19 Opposite: Surrounded, C-Type Print, 2017-19

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Artist Feature

DAVE CURTIS

davidcurtisart.weebly.com You don’t have to be a believer of climate change to realise that our planet is in a state of accelerated motion when it comes to the weather. All around the globe, we are observing reports of freak weather conditions and this is only going to get worse. This is not a new concept; over billions of years, our planet has been undergoing constant change through its various extinctions and physical variations. It’s just that there have been no other species that has had a drastic impact as we do. Artist David Curtis’s work acts as a link between time and change. Over the last three decades as an artist, his themes have ranged from the earth in its early days along with dystopia, history, religion and philosophy.

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Above: Druid Ruins”, acrylic on canvas, 16” x 20”, 2019

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Above: Creation With Pan-Seared Flounder And Eggs”, Acrylic on Canvas, 24” x 24”, 2019

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Above: Ringo, I Don’t Think We Are In Pepperland Anymore”, acrylic on canvas, 24” x 24”, 2019

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Artist Feature

SOPHIA GUNKEL sophiagunkel.com

An abstract and landscape painter with German and Malaysian roots, artist Sophia Gunkel, tries to capture the conversation between light, colour and structure in her work. Not limiting herself to one medium, she is known to combine different media and develop each piece using a multitude of layers. A fluid and organic process, her pieces are a glimpse into the subconscious reflections of the beauty she is surrounded by. She wants her viewers to question their perceptions and evoke an emotional response. This, to her, is the beauty of creativity. She currently lives and works in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

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Above: Crash into Me, Mixed Media on Canvas, 30” x 30”, 2018

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Artist Feature

STEFFANY BRADY steffanybrady.com

An experimental graphic designer by profession, it is within the realm of paints, oils, acrylics and mixed media that artist Steffany Brady chooses to lose herself. Currently based in Dallas, Texas, she experiments with geometric forms trying to find a balance in between the fluidity of nature and rigidity of complex geometric structures. She is currently developing her fifth art series titled; Singularities, further playing with geometric shapes and vivid colours, using a circle as the focal point of her work. Using a palette knife, bright colours are placed alongside contrasting tones, drawing the viewer further into the paintings.

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Above: Admosphere Painted, Acrylic on Canvas, 16” x 20”, 2019

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Interview

MICHAL ASHKENASI michalsart.net

Recently, artist Michal Ashkenasi decided to incorporate three-dimensionality in her work.

No stranger to experimenting with this in the past, Michal, born initially in the Netherlands, spent over a decade and a half living on the edge of the beautiful Negev Desert in Southern Israel. It’s sheer scale and beauty continues to influence her work till this day.

Not limiting herself to one medium. Michal experiments with photography and digital manipulation to create entirely new dialogues for her work. In her most recent project ‘The Glass People’, first was inspired by three little perfume bottles in her friends bathroom.

The project consists of a multitude of variants which can be manipulated by the buyer to create a unique piece of art. In our chat with Michal, she talks about the cultivation of art as a skill, the joys of experimentation and her legacy.

We believe you are a member of the Israeli Association of Painters and Sculptors since 1987, how has the community changed since you first joined them?

I joined in 1987 when the association was still young and very dedicated to “Good Art”. One had to bring several artworks to the association, and there was a jury who decided to accept or not! I just finished my studies and didn’t expect too much. But they surprised me, and I was accepted. There were trips together and lectures. Nowadays, almost everyone is allowed because there is more than one association, and it became a kind of business. There is not a feeling of community, more a practical way to get some chance to be seen.

You recently started incorporating three-dimensional elements in your work, could you tell us how that came about?

It was a strange occurrence as I was looking for something else, but when I get on the Internet, most of the time, I diverse and come out somewhere else which catches my eye. That was the case with 3D too. I was drawn towards it and gave it a shot, but I don’t usually know which direction to go in. I had no formal training with computers. What I know, I learned the hard way, by myself, with trying again and again. And so it shall also come about with 3D I suppose.

What are you working on at the moment?

As I was ill for a long time, there were 3-4 months that I didn’t paint at all. When I was able to work again, I had some trouble to 24

Above: Glass People, Tricolor

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Above: Glass People, Pearly Rose

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begin and worked randomly whatever I was thinking about. But then I decided to change the strategy, and I started a series of black paintings, very minimal. I made three, and the fourth already was a coloured one with much structure on the canvas. I like working on this rough canvas, and I go on with it for now.

How vital is downtime to you as an artist?

In the beginning, I didn’t usually mind spending time experimenting with different apps and on the computer. But after a while, it begins to hinder me, and I became frustrated. Lucky for me those periods never take too long.

What would Michal like her legacy to be?

I’m not an outstanding artist, and I don’t know if there would be any artistic legacy. I can only hope that the people who bought my paintings, enjoy them. My second hope is that my paintings in storage will go to someplace where they can bring some joy and colour, and shall not end up in the bin.

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Is experimentation a key component of your artistic practice?

I have a significant amount of curiosity and a technical mind. Aside from those, I love to try and prove myself that I’m able to do things and am not afraid of failure. And with all the possibilities that computers and other gadgets give us, I enjoy experimentation!

If you had to choose one medium from photography and painting, what would it be and why?

Both media are vital to me, but I suppose I would choose painting. It gives me some extra feeling, one that I don’t have with photography. I think painting is a holistic and all “Body and Mind” affair, whereas photography is more technical and spontaneous.

Do you think that being an artist is something you are born with or something you can cultivate?

One is not born being an artist. One is born with (maybe ) some talent, but to be an artist, one needs to exercise and have a drive! The skill, however significant, requires cultivation, imagination and endurance.

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Artist Feature

LARRY SIMON larrysimonphotographer.com

Exploring the streets of Lisbon, a bus stop caught my eye.

Actually, it was the textured surface of the bus shelter that stopped me. As the sunlight filtered through the pebbled surface, I noticed people gathering as the time for the next bus arrival drew closer. This surface would become my blank canvas for several days. Through my lens, these people whom I would never meet, and who might never know each other, became painterly figures frozen together in a quotidian moment: something many do every day, but for me, were doing for the very first time. words and photos: Larry Simon

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Above: Bus Stop 1, unmanipulated digital photography, Lisbon, 2019

Above: Bus Stop 2, unmanipulated digital photography, 16�x24�, matte finish archival paper, Lisbon, 2019

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Above: Bus Stop 3, unmanipulated digital photography, 16”x24”, matte finish archival paper, Lisbon, 2019

Above: Bus Stop 4, unmanipulated digital photography, 16”x24”, matte finish archival paper, Lisbon, 2019

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Above: Bus Stop 5, unmanipulated digital photography, 16”x24”, matte finish archival paper, Lisbon, 2019

Above: Bus Stop 6, unmanipulated digital photography, 16”x24”, matte finish archival paper, Lisbon, 2019

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Artist Feature

JEROME CHIA-HORNG LIN jeromelin.net

Fascinated by the vastness of the human mind and the wonders of mother nature, Taiwanese artist Jerome Chia-Horng Lin believes his artistic practice is an amalgamation of the two with emphasis placed on the exploration of images created in the human mind. He has spent the last decade working on his series titled “Water,� a topic that continues to fascinate him till this day. He believes he is on a spiritual journey with a path that changes organically as he creates. Letting the spiritual and spontaneous aspects of being an artist guide his next steps. We are excited to see where they lead him next.

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Artist Feature

moholinushk moholinushk.com

The circle is one of the most ancient forms known to man.

The discovery of the potential of the humble wheel, an invention that revolutionalised our life as we know it is attributed to the development of the properties of the circle and its subsequent applications. From science to astrology and geometry, the circle has proven itself indispensable. Artist moholinushk, who is based just outside Zurich, Switzerland strives to make this ubiquitous shape visible through her work, highlighting its presence in the mundanity of everyday life. After spending considerable time abroad in countries like India and Japan. moholinushk’s work reflects the inspiration she has drawn from her travels, which range from Japanese graphic art to Islamic geometric patterns.

After re-discovering the drawings and photographic essays of the Hungarian artist and photographer LĂĄszlĂł Moholy-Nagy, who also happened to be a professor in the Bauhaus school, moholinushk started to play with circles on paper using a variety of mediums ranging from ink to pastel chalks and aquarells, while at the same time experimenting with different papers in the quest for the perfect foundation medium for her work. In the end, the square format with an interesting structure was the clear winner. She also pays homage to Japanese artist Toko Shinoda, who at the age of 103 this year, continues to create using her hands proving that a career in art is timeless.

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Above: Playing Beach Volley can be hazardous, No. 2 Pencil drawing on paper, 30 x 30cm, 2018

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Above: Tokyo – Shibuya Crossing, Pencil drawing on paper, 30 x 30cm, 2019

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Above: Wednesday – back to the port after the storm.. Pencil drawing on paper, 30 x 30cm 2019

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Essay

THINGS UNSAID

By Matthew Heimgartner matthewheimgartner.com

Every party-goer in “Things Unsaid,” has a bottle, cup or glass that has text written inside of it. Their alcohol has been replaced with the words that they are so carefully suppressing. Some of the stories are funny and light-hearted while others run a little deeper and understandably would lead someone to drink. My idea for this party scene came from my observations of people drinking after I had quit. I was a problem drinker throughout most of college, but I gave it up just before my last semester.

Still wanting to be a part of the crowd, I continued to attend parties and get-togethers, sometimes being the only person not drinking. To distract my introverted anxieties, I would people watch and pretend like I knew why the people around me would get so drunk that they couldn’t stand, hold their phone, stay awake, etc. It was my way of staying attached when I really had nothing else to hold on to. Eventually, I stopped going to parties like that. “Things Unsaid,” is a tribute to the little game that I used to play with my sober self.

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Above: Things Unsaid, Watercolor and Ink on Paper, 20� x 16�, 2018

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Artist Feature

AGNESE D’ORAZIO agnesedorazio.com

In a world that is defined by unpredictability, it is not unusual to have to choose between following your passion and a more stable, dependable profession. Artist Agnese D’Orazio made a choice to pursue a career as an architect, but art is where she finds her freedom. Although architecture gave her the opportunity to experiment with colour, shades and shadows on a much larger, three-dimensional scale, painting is a way for her to voice all that escapes the codes of society. Highlighting all the nuances that make us unique. She cites artists such as Mark Rothco, Friedensreich Hundertwasser, Edmund Husserl and Georges Seurat as her influences.

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Artist Feature

LAIS SAMBUGARO behance.net/laissambugaro

A Brazilian filmmaker and visual artist, Lais Samburago uses her work to push the boundaries of social archetypes imposed on us as a species. Using dance, movement colour and lighting, Lais delves deeper into sexuality, tackling themes ranging from the erotic to the gift of motherhood. Growing up in her home country, she was, like many other women, forced to repress her sexuality.

Social stereotypes forced women to behave in a certain way, a story that’s repeated all around the globe. Through her work, Lais wants women to take control of this visceral force that exists within them and remind them that they are the real owners of this vital energy.

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Artist Feature

LINDSAY PICKETT lindsaypickett.co.uk

Artist Lindsay Pickett’s primary practice involves painting with oils on canvas, linen and board. His creative process starts with a fundamental study of a composition idea, The next step is a small watercolour painting, and finally, it’s developed using oils. Drawn to cityscapes, his paintings often predict them warped to create an impossible reality.

He uses photographs to create a visual reality and as a way to hone his observational skills. Hieronymus Bosch, Pieter Brueghel, Rene Magritte, M. C. Escher and Salvador Dali have inspired him through the years.

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Encounter

NICK MEHEDIN nickmehedin.com

I traveled to the opposite end of the world to be alone. But, for an expected loneliness, one relieved of societal pressures. In the digital age where communication has never been easier, we’ve never been more alone. Our collective detachment from the physical world has left young Americans castrated by feelings of existential dread, nostalgia, and cynicism. Japan’s western personification often depicts a stark duality between the synthesis of capitalism and consumerism in its cities and the appreciation of nature and altruistic living in its countryside.

From a volatile and polarized America I wondered: what does loneliness feel like in such a place? words and photos: Nick Mehedin

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Above: Untitled (409 496), Color Negative Film, 11’ x 14’, 2019

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Above: Untitled (409 174), Color Negative Film, 11’ x 14’, 2019

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Above: Untitled (409 194), Color Negative Film, 11’ x 14’, 2019 Next Page: Untitled (409 206), Color Negative Film, 11’ x 14’, 2019

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Artist Feature

ELIZABETH MALAVE behance.net/elizabethm3f9c

As humans, we seek validation in one form or another in most aspects of our life. This can be particularly tough if you are an artist. The personal nature of the work we create can make feedback, both positive and formative, challenging to process. But, we must stay true to our message and authentic to our artistic identity as there is only ever one of us. Artist Elizabeth Malave struggled with the thought of sharing her work with the world, never thinking it would be good enough. Something we can all relate to. Then one day, she shared her work, which was a huge leap forward, artistically and personally. She has since exhibited in London and Italy and is hoping to travel the world and see her work displayed everywhere!

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Interview

MOON HEE KIM moonheekimart.com

Environmental protection and mass migration are two of the biggest challenges we face as a species. The strains that we have placed on our home planet are causing changes on a global scale. One that neither of us is immune from. Plastic pollution, dwindling species leading to a collapse of the ecosystem are not problems from the future. These are issues that are very real and visceral. Artist Moon Hee Kim evokes the relationship between humans and objects affected by the problems of climate change.

In many of your pieces, you tackle the subject of climate change and its entanglement with humanity. Do you think this is what makes it challenging to address as a pressing issue?

Yes, I feel challenged to tackle the subject of climate change as an urgent issue because we are turning the shift from a life-sustaining civilized society to the economic growth-focused culture. And that economic growth is driven by consumer spending and business investment.

Exogenous factors such as governments and capitalist markets are encouraging pervasive consumerism that stimulates the acquisitions of goods and services. These institutions persist despite their potentially catastrophic failure to respond to the challenges of the climate. The full extent of changing climate effects on each of us is

underestimated and ignored.

Expanded politics capable of providing effective climate action to address sustainability requires re-thought in response to the challenges of the human-induced instability in the environment. Consumption’s pervasive nature in American life also plays a role in our collective predicaments. Consumption allows those of lower socio-economic status to emulate those above them and relieves the psychological distress caused by growing income inequality.

When did you first start creating art?

I enjoyed making hand-painted Christmas cards when I was growing up, it was quite an effort to make different cards for different recipients, but a special way to thank loved ones at the end of the year.

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Above: Playing the Hypocrisy, Oil on Canvas, 20” x 24”, 2018

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Above: Plastic Pearl 1, Oil on Canvas, 48” x 36”, 2018

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What are your thoughts on the mass migration of humans as an artist?

Migration is a complex phenomenon that is affected by the socio-economic, environmental, and political factors. Current climate conditions and trends are affecting increasingly frequent natural disasters resulting in growing numbers of people having to leave their homes in search of a better life.

Climate change affects a variety of factors associated with costly storms and flooding, succumbing to the heat, rising seas, and seawater temperature. Most obvious migration in coastal areas is due to warming water in the oceans, rivers, and lakes changing the habitats and behaviour of fish, and resulting in a wide range of impacts in different parts of the world. As an interdisciplinary artist, my works evoke the relationship between climate change and those affected by it through the notion of environment-society entanglements. My current artistic practices involve plastic, wood and metal sculptural objects arranged into an installation informing the viewers the standpoint of the socio-environmental and cultural movements.

I am interested in finding solutions rather than describing problems. Since the mid-twentieth century, the environmental impact on society has become significant, and we have not been considering a sustainable life on a global scale.

Sustainable living involves changes in lifestyle and attitudes among individuals, communities, and states.

How can we make significant changes as an individual towards environmental conservation?

One of the actions we can initiate is having a sense of responsiveness and responsibility by understanding the factors that influence climate changes. In our daily life, whether at home or work, the use of renewable energy reduces carbon dioxide

emissions, which is an important heat-trapping greenhouse gas that is released through our activities burning fossil fuels.

Using public transportations and public spaces, reducing indoor and outdoor water consumption, refurbishing and recycling used goods are also important ways to go ‘zero carbon.’ Understanding the impacts of travel on the environment is more significant than ever due to the increasing number of travellers worldwide. Conscious use of reusable water bottles, towels, and air-conditioner, they all have an impact on environmental conservation. And importantly, the use of all the exciting apps and social media from smartphones contribute to significant carbon footprint because of its battery charging and manufacturing its electronics and mining the metals that go into them is energy-intensive.

You’ve lived in different parts of the world, ranging from South Korea to the Caribbean. Has one particular place stood out with its attitude towards the environment?

Several decades ago, my hometown Akumal in the Mexican Caribbean was mostly untouched, a fishing village with a small indigenous Maya community. Sea turtles laid their eggs undisturbed on endless miles of empty beaches. All has changed since the uncontrolled development has placed incredible pressure on the local community and environment. The problems are intense due to the limited water and waste management system. Untreated sewage water is polluting the ocean and threatening the health of the marine ecosystem. Garbage collection is not sufficiently organized at a municipal level. Recyclables are not separated into types and compressed before disposal. There are efforts to increase the share of renewable electricity generations but insufficient to minimize greenhouse gas emissions by the tourism industry.

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Above: Caribbean Sea Today, Photography, 18” x 14”, 2019

Are you an open water scuba diver?

I’ve obtained PADI open water scuba diver certificate from my home town in Akumal, Mexican Caribbean more than ten years ago. Back then, diving in the neighbourhood underwater was exciting with many sea turtles, fishes and, coral reefs. Things have changed negatively so much in recent years, and I am very concerned about the health of the Mexican Caribbean Sea.

Primary ocean pollution comes from garbage dumping and sewage water.

Pesticide and fertilizer runoff from hotel and golf courses are also creating oxygen-depleted areas. Plastics are another major ocean problem; modern materials are left behind and spread to stand as a broad indicator of plastic consumption activity.

Ghost nets are plastic fishing nets that have been left in the ocean by fishermen; they continue to be a menace to marine Could you tell us a bit about your life for many years. Sea animals swim into installations made from ocean debris? it and are often tangled. Early fishing nets My current installations involve plastic, were woven from natural materials such as wood, and metal sculptural objects grasses and fibrous plant material. Today, arranged into an installation informing the our oceans have become more acidic than viewers the standpoint of the socio-environmental and cultural movement was before because they are absorbing carbon dioxide. Marine ecosystems are of the period from “Great Acceleration” to significantly affected, and some of them are the present day. By using these objects’ close to becoming an endangered species. ubiquity, my works extend to its discarded forms in the ocean, the need to refurbish and alter dwelling space due to climate change in coastal areas.

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Above: Dead Coral, Site Specific Installation, 18” x 14”, 2018

Do you think it is too late for us to undo the damage we have caused to our planet?

I think it is very close to being too late, but worthwhile to try. The great turning shift from the industrial growth society to sustainable living to achieve decarbonization of the economy faces headwinds due to special interest groups such as some governments and capitalist markets. Despite the progress we are making concerning the decarbonization, the initiative is still not globally enough.

environmental issues. Through my art, I hope to bring awareness to the problems of climate change and its adverse impacts that lead to significant behavioural change amongst the public.

How does Moon Hee relax after a long day in the studio?

I like to run along the Charles River, go to the gym for an hour or so to relax my mind and body. I also enjoy mountain climbing and swimming, although I am hoping for better accessibility to engage in such activities. END

A change in relationship towards ourselves and the environment is challenging issues as we struggle with pervasive consumerism to adopt sustainable lifestyles and attitudes. We are standing at the “crossroads” to separate current climate conditions from hope to despair. So far, artistic practice has become an increasingly important set of resources used for public engagement related to complex 63

Artist Feature

FU WENJUN fuwenjun.com

With a list of venues for solo exhibitions that include the Museu Europeu de Arte Moderno, the National Art Museum of China and the United Nations Headquarters in New York, Chinese artist Fu Wenjun has, without doubt, established himself in the contemporary world of art. The relationships our cultures have in this highly commercialised world we live in along with the rapidly evolving culture, industrialisation and urbanisation in Chinese cities play a crucial part in his work. He has gained numerous accolades including the first prize from the International Biennial of Contemporary Art in Argentina and “The Best Artist in the World� at Tour Eiffel La Grande Exposition Universelle.

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Artist Feature

GILBERT SALINAS gilbertsalinas.com

Born in 1972 in Boston, Massachusetts, artist Gilbert Salinas moved to Puerto Rico at the age of seven. A keen interest in the arts leads to him taking art classes at the Academy of Central Arts in Arecibo. His primary practice revolves around the organic forms in nature and its constant evolution through art, the natural patina of our home planet and its manifestation. Using a plethora of mixed media, Gilbert investigates the intricacies and complex relationships between human beings. He has participated in International Art Fairs like SCOPE Miami Beach and Clio Art Fair in New York among others. Gilbert’s art played an active role in the political protests of his home country, creating protest posters and banners against his governor.

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Above: T.E. 74, Mixed Media on Canvas, 10” x 10”, 2019

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Above: T.E. 75, Mixed Media on Canvas, 10” x 10”, 2019

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Above: T.E.76, Mixed Media on Canvas, 10” x 10”, 2019

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Artist Feature

LAURENE KRASNY BROWN laurenekrasnybrown.com

A native New Yorker through and through, artist Laurene Krasny Brown grew up in the city that continues to inspire millions around the globe, a bastion of multiculturalism and creativity, the city has produced some of the finest creatives ranging from the world of music to art in its various forms.

Laurene has broad academic and professional experience in education, the arts and children’s cognitive development.

She has also previously authored sixteen popular children’s picture books. Inspired by her time in Rome earlier this year, her series titled “Roman Stripes” is a direct reflection of the colours and textures she was exposed to in the historic city.

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Artist Feature

CHIE ARAKI bearomixx.com

Born in Osaka, Japan, artist Chie Araki moved to New York City to study graphic design at the School of Visual Arts from 1998 to 2001. After that, she worked at MTV Network for five years. Wanting to expand her creativity beyond graphic design, Chie returned to university and obtained her masters in 2012. She has exhibited in many art fairs and galleries around the world. Her work is influenced by design from the 1970s like Japan’s homegrown Kawai culture along with Animism, Bauhaus and Swiss Design, to name a few.

When asked about her artistic processes, Chie spoke of a time when she was dealing with depression and how stumbling across the word ‘believe’ in neon lights temporary cheered her up. Since then, Chie, has been exploring her creativity, which is centred around a single bear face with the hope of bringing happiness and joy to the people viewing her art.

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Bearification YY, Ongoning project dedicated to ‘bearifying’ cities around the world.

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Artist Feature

CHO, HUI-CHIN chin.art

At CreativPaper, we often work with artists who have been exposed to a multitude of cultures growing up. Usually within the same home. These scenarios can have a lasting impact on any person, but as an artist, it can culminate into new and exciting ideas drawing strengths from each culture. Artist Hui-Chin Cho grew up in a traditional Taiwanese family which also incorporated a culture of Japanese anime, manga and Chinese aesthetics.

Sugar-courted intimacy, sweet nerves and unconscious desires are a prominent theme through her work.

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Artist Feature

ERNESTO IBANEZ ernestoli.com

Nature has always served as a source of inspiration for as long as we can remember. Some of the earliest cave paintings depict animals, the lives of early humans and their relationship with the environment. Drawing on this bounty of inspiration is artist Ernesto Ibañez, his creations include dogs, rabbits, panthers, owls and a mammoth with thousands of metal nails simulating fur. Encompassed under his series titled “The Forest,” which is a direct reference to the forests where the animals would go about with their daily lives. His largest sculpture to date is “Curcuma,” the elephant who is four feet tall and his coat is made up of 140,000 nails.

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Artist Feature

GRO FOLKAN grofolkan.no

In a world increasingly defined by borders and labels, artist Gro Folkan strives to break stereotypes and boundaries with her work. Highlighting the spaces in between that are often missed in the bustle of everyday life.

Her passion for the arts started in her early teens, which was further fuelled by formal education. She often uses oxidised metals to add layer and substance to her pieces.

Allowing underlying elements to shine through. Years spent travelling have given her valuable exposure to a multitude of cultures, colours, nature and ideologies that have added to her unique outlook as an artist.

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Above: RESTS IN ITSELF, Female Rune Project, Acrylic, Copper, Aluminium, Interference Colour, 150 x 110cm, 2019

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Artist Feature

DEVON GOVONI devongovoni.com

“Conversation before confrontation�. A phrase that artist Devon Govoni is no stranger to. I think we can all agree that it is much easier to resolve and even avoid disputes if we take some time out to talk things through. Unfortunately, this does not always translate well into everyday life. But we can always try. Devon believes that art can be the medium to have those conversations, tackling the issues that we face in our communities across the world. Stepping into the world of art at a young age with the support and love of her family, Devon began entering contests in grade school and winning competitions. She is also a licensed mental health counsellor and registered art therapist.

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Artist Feature

MARTINA MANALO martinamanalo.com

Professionally trained under the Russian-Vaganova method, great movement comes naturally to artist Martina Manalo. A self-taught visual artist, she graduated from Commonwealth Society of Teachers of Dancing and has gained several awards from different international dance competitions from around the globe. Based in Hong Kong, Martina continues to teach dance to children and adults. An avid photographer, her images are captures of everyday scenes, full of detail and personality. She recently completed a choreographic residency in Wales, the United Kingdom where she created works integrating dance and humanism.

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