Searching for the veiled beauty of a face

Human's being face reflects the mixture of their own unique character and identity with their life. Isn't it the reason every day we look at a mirror to see and check our face? At the same time, we paint in our minds the most ideal portraits of ourselves. I guess that is a human nature. I believe, therefore, a great portrait must contain and express the model's unique identity and their life journey as well as the likeness. I think this is the main difference and difficulty of portrait painting compared to other painting genre. 19th century's famous american portrait painter Frank Weston Benson (1862-1951) and Lilla Cabot Perry (1848-1933) produced many portraits of their families for this reason; to reflect the models' unique identities. I have painted many portraits so far, but I select the portraits of my family, my close friends and relatives for my first solo exhibition. In addition, there are several celebrities portraits and landscape paintings. Ten years ago, when I was dispatched to a small city branch office, I had a good chance to see and feel the beauty of mother nature. The city located in southern part of Korea and it was very close to seashore. Almost everyday, I saw beautiful sunrise and sunset with sea waves. Sometimes, I saw huge waves with thunder storm. Regardless a daily weather condition, mother nature's masterpieces were magnificent. I took lots of photos, but after for a while, I felt photo was not enough to express the depth of the mother nature's beauty. It was the starting point of my painting. Looking back on those days, I thanks for the chance to awake my artistic passion and instinct. Thus, my first period paintings were mostly landscape paintings. After several years later as being an amateur painter, portrait genre induced my artistic interests. I found that each men's face reflects his or her connotative character. Especially, elderly people's faces silently expose their long life journey they have been through. So, I was anxious to paint their portraits to express their comprehensive and unique identity on my canvas.As a member of ASOPA (American Society Of Portrait Artists), I have accessed to traditional and classical oil painting portrait technique. This technique was often used by Holland painters such as Rembrandt (1606-1669) and Rubens (1577-1640) as well as by Spanish painter Velazquez (1599-1660). They applied glazing technique which is that using transparent colors and opaque colors repeatedly to make a vivid color of human being's face. Also, they often used Damar resin to make many layers on their paintings, though it took a long time and many efforts. By this way, they could express in-depth and blending color tones in their portraits. I was also attracted to 19th-20th centuries' American Impressionism painters such as Guy Rose, Edgar Alwin Payne, Willard Metcalf, Theodore Robinson. They tried to combine Realism and Impressionism in their art works. When painters look at the great landscape, they sketch the beauty of mother natures in their minds with their own colors and they paint the landscape on their canvas. I tried to apply glazing technique on my landscape paintings as long as it represents mother natures own color tones. Famous American landscape painter Edgar Alwin Payne (1882-1947) said "When painters sketch mother nature's great landscape, they often encounter one serious issue which is Realism vs. Originality.  They ask to themselves which is a better way to sketch the landscape. Most painters pursue their own originality based on their imaginative ability, but it might disturb inducing an awesomeness for the great mother nature's beauty". (from Composition of Outdoor Painting) I tried to find out the most balanced feature of mixing Impressionism and Realism in my landscape paintings. As most people has some mystic feelings when they encounter mother nature, if painters can sketch the mother nature as Realism, it could be very exciting art works. In addition, if they add Impressionism on their paintings according to their paintings' topic and atmospheres, it must be the most balanced mixture of Realism and Impressionism. This could be my major objective which I have been pursuing so far. Finally, I send my special thanks to my family who encouraged me to continue paintings as my hobby for a long time. Also, I thank to professional painter Mr. Kim Gyeongr-Yeol who gave me a great teaching and encouragement and I thank to professional couple painters Mr. Park Ki-Ho and his wife Koo Heuns-Sook. and thank to  professional painter Mr. Chang Chul-Shik  who shared their valuable times with me in Dang-Jin, Chung-Nam. In addition, I thank to Mrs. Jae Ok Lee, the Chief Branch Officer of Ahn-Yang Artists Association and to members of Ahn-Yang Artists Association of KFAA(Korean Fine Arts Association)

Introduction    Education 1995 Completed College of Business Administration Advanced Management Program, Seoul National University 2004~2006 Completed Institute of Fine Arts &Design Education, The Hongik University    Solo Exhibition (2012) 10th Solo Exhibition : Choyeung Portrait &Landscape Invitational Exhibition (KEPCO Art center Gallery, Seoul) (2010) 9th Solo Exhibition : Choyeung Portrait Paintings of National Patriots, Invitational Exhibition (Pyeong Chon Art Hall) (2010) 8th Solo Exhibition : Choyeung Portrait Paintings of National Patriots, Invitational Exhibition (Ahn, Joong Keun Patriotic Memorial Hall, Seoul) (2009) 7th Solo Exhibition : Choyeung Portrait &Landscape Invitational Exhibition (Avenuel , Lotte Art Gallery,Seoul) (2008) 6th Solo Exhibition : Choyeung Portrait &Landscape Invitational Exhibition (Anyang, Lotte Gallery) (2008) 5th Solo Exhibition : Choyeung Portrait &Landscape Exhibition (Gallery La Mer, Seoul) (2006) 4th Solo Exhibition : Choyeung Portrait &Landscape Invitational Exhibition (KEPCO Plaza Gallery, Seoul) (2005) 3rd Solo Exhibition : Choyeung Portrait &Landscape Invitational Exhibition (KEPCO Plaza Gallery, Seoul) (2005) 2nd Solo Exhibition : Choyeung Portrait &Landscape Invitational Exhibition (Lotte Gallery, Busan) (2004) 1st Solo Exhibition : Choyeung Portrait &Landscape Invitational Exhibition (KEPCO Plaza Gallery, Seoul) Award (2012) Specially selected and received a prize from The 17th International DA-DUN Fine Arts Exhibition of Taichung City, Taiwan (2011) Specially selected and received a prize from International Figure Painting Competition (New York, Manhattan, Salmagundi Gallery) (2005) Specially selected and received a prize from the MPVA, Bohoon Art Competition (Seoul International Design Center) (2008,2002,2000,1999) Specially selected and received a prize from the KFAA, Gwanark Art Competition(Anyang City,Culture &Art center) Present KSOPA (Korean Society Of Portrait Artists) Director KFAA (Korean Fine Arts Association) Member AFAA (Anyang Fine Arts Association ) Member KPAA(Korea Professional Artists Association) Sucami (The Union Of Suwon Catholic Artist) Member          Recommended Artist of The Gwanark Contemporary Art Competition            Contact  (Choyeung Atelier)     Zip code 14109 MugoongWha, Tae Young Apartment, Commercial Building #302 31, Gyeongsu-daero, 610-beon-gil, Hogye-dong, Dongan-gu, Anyang-City  [E-Mail]  12hojung@hanmail.net  12hojung@naver.com   choever12@gmail.com [Telephone]  (Mobile phone) 010-8263-8151  (Atelier) 031 360 2334 (weekly)  (Korea Mobile Phone) 821082638151  [Web Site]  Homepage  < Choyeung Art Gallery>       https:// www.choyeung.com  Art & Publishing Blog  < Naver Blog>        https://blog.naver.com/12hojung