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| Made from branches and milkweed fibers during my York Region Artist in Residence program. |
As a Chinese born Canadian, making lanterns is a way for me to connect to my Chinese Culture. Lanterns play a dominate role in all Chinese festival and celebrations. Colourful lanterns represents happiness, reunion, best wishes, and prosperity. White lanterns represents death and morning.
After graduating from Ontario College of Art & Design, I worked as an art director in major advertising agencies. While I enjoyed the challenge of applying my creativity to branding products, I was troubled that in the end, I was selling mass production.
Perhaps my lanterns are a reaction against my earlier career. Turning to my garden for inspiration, I decided to make my own materials. By making my own material, paper, it is my way of side stepping mass consumption, mass production, and corporate greed; while unexpectedly discovered a symbiotic relationship with nature and a history of papermaking connected to my culture.
In the final stage, the lantern is lit. Light, a symbol of truth, knowledge, and guidance, shines through the materials, highlighting all the wonderful imperfections found in the material nature creates.
With support from the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts, I continue to teach workshops in high schools throughout Ontario and to continue discovering the wonderful gifts growing in my garden.
Supported by:
