Metamorphosis: Carolyn Jao

"People aren't static, and you have to capture their essence."

Carolyn Jao believes that art is all about capturing dynamism packaged within human beings. Both in motion and in stagnation, the purpose is to capture the subject's inherent energy. 

Moss

Working as a professional graphic designer, Carolyn uses her abilities and creativity to accurately project her client's artistic vision in the form of a website. Even though she loves the graphic design aspect of her artistic profile, she would rather indulge more in illustration and printmaking. 

Tunnel

Born in California, USA, and raised in Taiwan till she was 13-years-old, Carolyn moved to New York for illustration and printmaking. She focusses on printmaking more because printed items have a quality about them that makes them different. She uses oil-based ink for printmaking, and it possesses acids that can seep into the metal plate being used for etching a print: leaving its own marks in the work.

Bowie

In her pursuit of the dynamism within her subjects, Carolyn created a series of prints, 'Reptile,' presenting animals as people. Her focus: hands. She chose amphibians, because they, among nature's creatures, provide a versatile palette for features that will later appear in the print. Their scaling , colours, texture, and the fact that they are primeval make them valuable ingredients of the 'Reptile' series.

Reptile

Hands clasped and bound behind the back, the human presented in its animal form, is constrained. Tied up and helpless to do anything about the compelling factors around him, the human can all but plead for help. Whether it's tradition, customs, religion, government, or the economy that binds us and holds us back, most if not all, can do nothing more than implore those in power, holding the strings, to set us loose. 

Nightingale

The 'Nightingale' is another print that bleeds its innocence out for the world to see. Pierced by the ever-changing circumstances, the song of this inherently peaceful songbird changes into lament. Or to some, it sings a song of cheerfulness and hope for the days to come.

On the Heights of Despair

On one of Carolyn's walks through the historically rich New York City, she came across a series of buildings that were being abandoned because of their failing conditions. To her it was an opportunity to preserve not destroy. So she took pictures of the buildings and produced prints that ooze a deep sense of sorrow.

Lower East Side

In the next few years, the buildings may not longer be available, but the prints have helped preserve them for times to come. Abandoned and forlorn, Carolyn's prints have regenerated and given the buildings a new birth. 

The darkness and depth in Carolyn's art is evidence of a maturity that very few artists have reached at such an early stage in their careers. The ease with which she handles themes that would most certainly invoke deep-seated human fears is no less than charming. 

Flatiron

And in Carolyn's view, it is the fears, the imperfections, and the irregularities in art that make it perfect. 

"Leaving a little bit of imperfection is what makes it so important and artful. Perfection to me is actually imperfection in the work. The imperfection is what makes the art interesting and gives it spontaneity."

Piggy

Another medium of art Carolyn has experimented with is clay. She prepared clay figurines and used stills to create a motion picture. 

Eye

For a children's book project, aimed at presenting stories with a lesson, Carolyn contributed one of her dark-art pictures of a child lying on a sofa. As artistic as the picture is, the purpose of the darkness instilled in the print is to jolt the reader to attention. And that is exactly what it does. 

Leggity

Love Art, Live Art: Diane Fine

In Diane Fine's world of art, if you can create art, why not make your life a work of art. 


The best example of this philosophy is Diane's own house. She has surrounded herself with colours and beauty in the forms of her paintings, cushions, rugs, lamps, tapestries, furniture, sculptures, quilts, etc. to create a stimulating and uplifting environment.

Rya Rug

Rya Rug (above) is the fifth rug she has created. The first was at 19, when she fell in love with the vibrant Scandinavian rya wool on display at a CNE booth. Her first rug (10' x 6') became a three-year project. Skeins of leftover wool turned into pillows, ottomans, paintings, door frames, upholstery, mirror frames, sculptures, and other rugs.

Staccato, acrylic collage

 

Jigsaw, needlepoint

Diane attended art schools at Concordia University and University of Toronto. She studied with many illustrious teachers from the post-Plasticien abstract movement in Quebec --- Guido Molinari, Yves Gaucher, and Charles Gagnons. Later, she studied at The Three Schools of Art with multi-disciplinary artist Vera Frankel followed by the Toronto School of Art.

Arabesque Tapestry

Diane originally set out to become a modern dancer, but starting a family early forced her to reconsider her plans. In her twenties, she had a Eureka moment when she noticed how out of breath she became after lugging groceries and children up the stairs. From that point on, fitness became a priority that has lasted a lifetime.


She joined a local fitness centre. When she complained about the low standards of aerobic instructors, the management dared her to come up with something better. A week later she did. And thus, a fitness professional was born. This career has allowed Diane to pursue her first love: art, and remain true to her instincts.


Always fascinated by nature and its elements, Diane has effectively used materials collected from her surroundings in her collages.

Costwold Hills, mixed media collage

"I was cycling down a country lane and noticed the endless patterns of grasses all along the road. I plucked them out and put them in my basket to be pressed into my next collages."

Wake Up Call, charcoal drawing

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, along with her fitness business, Diane worked as a commercial artist, art teacher, and an editorial illustrator. In the 1980s, she wrote and illustrated two health-oriented cookbooks: The Cookie Bookie and Perfect Pies. 

Garden Cottage, charcoal drawing

James Hunt, charcoal drawing

Diane's eyes and the sparkle in them, are what captivate one the most. She exudes an energy that can put twentysomethings to shame. When she speaks about her artwork, she radiates excitement, and one look at the artwork makes it clear that parts of her animated personality have stolen their way into it. 

Youth, acrylic collage

"I prefer the medium of collage as it forces one to abstract and exaggerate. There is an element of play as you viscerally assemble your puzzle."

Diane, acrylic collage

Diane's subject matter is varied. Her landscapes and still lives have been inspired by English gardens, her nudes from years of first hand experience with the body and movement from her dance and fitness disciplines and her portraits from a lifelong fascination with characters and the human psyche. Over the last year she has concentrated on working in abstract acrylic collages.

Hymie, acrylic collage

Up Close and Personal

In Diane's view the creative process has to be liberated from logical interference.

Evanescence, mixed media collage

Repose, acrylic collage

"One must detach the logical brain from the creative process. It's a no-holds-barred approach, almost like an out-of-body experience."

Recline, acrylic collage

All manner of objects, such as decayed organic matter, glasses, textile, sugar, tea bags, scissors, buttons, feathers, and gloves have ended up as elements in her collages, often adding whimsy and humour. 

"I have always loved the freedom of Matisse cutouts and been influenced by the great mixed media collagist Norman Laliberte who glued all manners of objects into his riotously colourful pieces."

Floral Arrangement, mixed media collage

Diane's art allows her to be a child; it allows her to satisfy her sense of wonderment.

London Map and Glasses, mixed media collage

White Glove,mixed media collage

"Art is my salvation. When I am creating art time stops, and I can escape." 

Flowers and Dreams, mixed media collage

In Diane's world of art, creativity is unbridled. Every creation begins from a point of mystery and little is known about the path it will take until it reaches the point when the process culminates into a piece that gives way to a delightful surprise. 

Orchestra, acrylic collage

"The process of creating art is a gift that everyone and anyone can take advantage of." 

Concert, acrylic collage

For more on Diane's work visit: http://diane-fine.fineartamerica.com/ and http://painterskeys.com/pal/diane_fine/ 

Through The Looking Glass: Wesley Neal Rasko

Swirling colours, emotions, nature, and awe-inspiring fascination, this is what Wesley Neal Rasko captures in his unique pieces of glass work.  Glass, a medium most cannot associate fluidity and flexibility with, is what Wesley finds to be the most romantic. It was always this way. He was always attracted towards art in some form or manner. Humble beginnings are what help Wesley make pieces of art that people are able to connect so well with. As a child he was always doodling, drawing, or creating one thing or the other. 

“I didn’t have many friends and as such the avenue of art gave me a way to escape into my own ‛world.’ ”

Through Time

His escape to the world of art became not only a way for him to channel his energies in an effective manner; it also became an important connection with nature and people. His father’s influence in shaping his love and passion for art is undoubtedly great. He reminisces about the times his father would take him on the road with him and buy unique pieces of art directly from the artists. This helped set a precedent for when Wesley himself would become a well-known artist. On a memorable trip Wesley walked into Bohumil Elias’s studio; he was mesmerized by the Master at work. It is still a mystery to Wesley, exactly what it was that compelled Bohumil to offer him an apprenticeship, but it was time for Wesley to be preened for the world of art.

“I’ll never know why Bohumil offered me to stay and learn with him, it could have something to do with the jaw-dropping reaction I had to his work upon first seeing it, like a child in a candy store or the first time a little boy sees a porno magazine…AMAZED!”

Formal education served as a stepping stone for Wesley, but it was his apprenticeship with Bohumil that helped him find his unique flare in creating art. He learned and learned as much as he could about the magical medium of glass, finding a friend, a painter, a teacher, and a mentor in his Master. The next thirteen years Welsey spent learning from trial and error, painful as it was, at the end of it all, his art was able to leave a blazing mark. 

Erotic

The process of creating a single piece of unique art can span over 4 - 6 weeks. From a simple idea that sparks the basis for a piece of art, it takes creating sketches again and again and being meticulous enough to note down even the slightest of detail for materials to be used in the piece to complete an exclusive piece of art. The idea can spring forth from anything present in emotions, nature, memories, and feelings. The piece above symbolizes the sensuality of nature’s most romantic creatures: women. 

At some point in his artistic career Wesley would love to partner with great artists such as Janice Taylor, because her use of bright, vivid, and contrasting colours attracts him; Jules Slangen (Holland) and Takeshi Ito (Japan), because of their expertise in the use of the magical medium: glass. Wesley loves exhibiting his work and finds great joy in how easily people are able to connect with glass as an art medium. 

Chameleon

“Many of my sculptural ideas evolved around emotions, and it is not a medium that is seen commonly. Especially the combination of glass and stone has a powerful presence. If I am blown away during the creative process, I can expect the viewer to have a similar reaction.”