Santa Monica. USA

How it works via Facebook

2009-07-24T01:44:00.001-07:00

My name is Sue Ching You, an artist from Taiwan, currently with RBS-Malihom Artist in Residence Program of Wawasan Open University. Everyone is welcome to join this Project via Facebook. From the past, I did this project via my blog (http://suechingyou.blogspot.com/), but I have found using Facebook gives a broader freedom for the participants and anyone can be the creator and administrator.

Via this Project, you will have an opportunity to create something by other’s requests, and you are free to choose any types of media/materials to create an artwork/gift. However, you will have no control of topics, others' responses and reactions, and whom the receivers and destinations will be. In combination of web 2.0, Internet, tangible art objects and delivery, this project aims to discover the unexpected: topics, responses, destinations, occupations, human interaction, motivation, etc.

6 easy steps to participate:
1. Join the group.
2. Get an idea or subject to create from your friend.
3. Complete your artwork/gift within one day or 1 week.
4. Give your work to your friend, and let your friend decide who to give.
5. Exhibit your work on Facebook by uploading the image or video of your finishing work.
6. Anyone is welcome to leave comments.

11 paintings-Give+ Santa Monica

2008-11-25T16:16:00.000-08:00

November 30 will be my last day in Santa Monica. I have finished 11 paintings, found 22 Give+ Project participants, visited many galleries, museums, and tourist spots, and gained numerous amazing friendships.

To keep a record list of my finished paintings:
9/11- At the Beach
9/18-18th Street
9/26-Love and Freedom
9/28-At the Creek
9/30-Unlimited Love
10/19-Big River-Homage to Johnny Cash
10/26-Sasha
11/7-Wave
11/17-The Sky Having Fallen, Have Clouds for Breakfast
11/24-Anticipation
11/26-Father

For Ramla Roussel

2008-10-10T14:08:00.000-07:00

The Sky Having Fallen, Have Clouds for Breakfast
21.4 x 29.5 cm
acrylic on paper
sue-ching you © 2008

Ramla and I had lunch together at Fritto Mistro. I was very surprised that she had been lived in various places: Germany for 2 years, several trips to Nepal from the past 10 years , India, China...

Ramla is an Angelina, and she used to work as an legal consultant before she came to the 18th Street Arts Center. She is a Tibetan Buddhism, and that is the reason why she has been traveling and living in Asia for years. She also is interested in studying Fengshui.

She asked me to paint "The sky having fallen, have clouds for breakfast". Ramla has been wanted to paint this optimistic attitude for a long time, and this attitude matches her personality well. She is a warm and soft spoken mom. Whenever I am around her, I feel calm and delightful. She has a very magical aura around her.

When the viewers see the paintings, I hope you will realize that an optimistic attitude is within yourselves. You are the one who is capable to see the bright side of any challenge. The painting is just a hint of reminder.

Miguel R.

2008-10-05T14:19:00.002-07:00

Miguel came to the open studio for the first time with his family (wife and 4 children) on 9/27. This morning, he was trying to fix the Continuum's sky window, and he stopped by to borrow the switch and transmission in my studio.

Almost noon, I invited him for lunch, and we chatted a bit. Miguel's mom is from Oxaca, and his father is from Jalisco. They met in Yaqui, Sonora and got married there. His father is the only child in the family. It is not too hard to see why Miguel has 11 brothers and sisters. Each of them is 2 years apart -24 years age difference from the oldest sibling to the youngest.

Every year, a 7 days celebration of reunion takes place everywhere. Miguel told me that they would kill a cow in every hour to give a continuous feast for everyone. It was a celebration combining religion, tradition, feast, music, and dance, etc...

He visits Yaqui from time to time. It will take him driving 20 hours to get there from LA. He and his family usually leave at 3 am and arrive around 10 pm. Most of people in Yaqui seldom leave the place. It is a large closed community. A highway in between divides the people into two groups -east and west. People from the east do not do business, go to school, communicating with people from the west and vice versa. Miguel said during his elementary school years, he made some Native American friends, and they still keep in touch with each other. He visit them whenever he goes back to Yaqui.

He will let me know if he has a topic for me to paint and to participate this project.

note: He did not tell what to paint after that.

For Yvette Gellis

2008-10-02T20:53:00.002-07:00

Wave

21 x 29.5 cm

acrylic on paper

Yvette is Vedran's neighbor, and we met at the Kim Light Gallery, a representative of Yvette's large scale paintings. The first impression that Yvette gave me was lively and warm. Since last month, she has showed us around the city and visited China Town, Beverly Hills, and the Getty Villa. Today we went to Torrance Art Museum (TAM) for a Curator's Talk with the Artist-Eric Johnson. TAM is a nice boutique like museum. Yvette would like to have an exhibition there someday.

Vedran said that Yvette is a curious person and she has great potential to be successful. Yvette used to be a dancer, actor, opera singer, and a model. She chose to be an artist because painting to her is an ultimate combination of performance, musical, and personal expression that can be last for a life time. She likes to talk about her family, especially her children. When she is around, it's never dull. She likes to laugh a lot, too.

She asked me to paint about "immigrant" from a female perspective. She is going to send the painting to her best friend in Napa, California. Her friend is also an artist, and she believes her friend will be able to contribute some great opinions to this project.

note from 11/7:

A few days ago, Yvette told me that she would create another painting for responding my painting for her, and she would submit our paintings to the Korean Cultural Center Art Gallery's Call for Participation-Women Artists on Immigration. I show her the finished painting today, and she likes it. I really think that she understands those unspoken words in it. A BEAUTIFUL collaboration project!

For Yumi Takayama

2008-10-01T00:12:00.000-07:00

Sasha
26 x 29.3 cm
acrylic on paper
sue-ching you © 2008

Yumi went to the same college with me. We have a mutual friend, Francoise. When Francoise knew that I was going to be in Santa Monica. She gave me Yumi's e-mail, and we met again for the very first time after graduation in 1999.

She now lives in Santa Monica, married and have a two-year-old daughter. We had lunch together for catching up updates from each other.

She asked me to paint her daughter and she will give the painting to a couple who made the announcement of husband and wife for them at the wedding ceremony.

For James Newitt

2008-09-22T22:07:00.000-07:00

Anticipation
28.7 x 26.3 cm
acrylic on paper
sue-ching you © 2008

When you visit James's website, you will be amazed and impressed by his achievement in art and academic studies.

As one of 18th Street International Studio Gang, he is my next door neighbor. James is the only person has car, Vedran is our GPS, and I am the passenger. Together, we have gone to quite a few gallery walks, exhibitions, and openings.

He always keeps his door wide open when he is in. When anyone knocks on his door to visit, he always likes to offer you something to drink (beer is usually on the first of the option list when he says that). He likes walking barefoot in his studio. In addition, his signature smile will make you feel welcome and delightful.

His mom is a teacher, teaching health psychology. Today is her birthday. If you are tired of waking your kids up in the morning for the school, he will suggest you to let them learn surfing. James goes surfing almost every morning around 6. He is very fond of that.

He has a very interesting project called A Dollar Story Shop. He will set up a stand in a place like Skid Row (downtown LA and around 4-5,000 homeless live there) and ask people to tell him a story, then he will offer them a dollar in return. Quotes from the stories will be "advertising" on the large billboards. He is very intelligent in words and language for expressions and contemplation.

note from 11/9:
Anticipation is what he wants me to paint. James told me stories about his mom. He is going to give the painting to her. Anticipation is a nice word; when we anticipate something or someone, before its proper time, we look forward to it; we think of it often and intensive sense of expectation and desire arouse in the air.

Inspired by Nintendo's video game-"Anticipation" which released in 1988, this painting directly projects every artist, home, land sale owner's happy moment-item "SOLD".

For Vedran Perkov

2008-09-22T21:10:00.000-07:00

Unlimited Love

29 x 21 cm

acrylic on paper

Vedran, James, and I, I call us- Gang from the 18th Street International Studio. Vedrean, sky without any clouds, is from Croatia.

He grew up in Split and for vocation, he often goes to Zlarin, an island with a population of 276 in the winter time. His mom helps people with Chinese medicine and herbs. His family grows olive trees for the oil and vine yard for the wine. Everyone on the island knows him as a designer for the sport competition T-shirt and an artist. In my opinion, he is also like an art historian, movie critique, music guide, and most of all, he is our super GPS to wherever we go.

He is a thinker, and it reflects on his works. Those instant monuments, luxury beds, game machines, etc...are simple presentations of installations, but when you look and read closer, something further and beyond of those simple presentations will gradually reveal layers by layers or just hit you with a great surprise. Penalty Kicks is the piece has been on my mind lately.

Vedran is leaving on 9/30. I was thinking about just giving him a painting as a farewell gift, but I decided to ask him to participate this project.

Today (9/24), he told me to paint "unlimited". He thinks anything is possible in life, and he asks me to paint without any boundary. He is going to give the painting to his niece, a lady whom has been through a lot of rough time in life. To him, she is more than just a niece; They understand each other very well, and one of her daughters is his favorite. "You can paint it all blue"-I agree that blue sky = unlimited space, but I want more than that.

I wrote a poem called Unlimited Love together as a package to Vedran. Here I will only show you a section of my writing.

"Unlimited love, unlimited life

Limited love, limited life

Light is life

Love is never light"

For Jean Jou

2008-09-17T18:20:00.000-07:00

Father
22 x 31 cm
acrylic on paper
sue-ching you © 2008

Jean lives at the east side of LA. She picked me up on Moon Festival, and I spent a couple days with her and her family. She was my English teacher when I was a high school student in Taiwan.

She asks me to paint "father", and it is going to be a gift for her son. Suddenly, I feel a great resposibility for the painting.

"Father" is the word or figure that has been had a great influence on expression and expectation in family, career, personality, and society, etc...Lee Ang, the director of Lust, Caution, now is a well known figure worldwide. Quote from Taipei Times, "Years of hard work have earned Ang Lee international fame. But, perhaps, the ultimate validation came from his father, who, on his death bed, told his son to keep on doing what he loves without fear."

This painting is scheduled to be finished on November 27.

For Sara Kulaski

2008-09-13T09:02:00.000-07:00

Big River: Homage to Johnny Cash
28.3 x 26.4 cm
acrylic on paper
sue-ching you © 2008

Sara is Shane's girlfriend. Shane and his gang go surfing with my next door neighbor James Newitt almost every morning. James, Vedran and I often go to the gallery walks and openings in Santa Monica and downtown LA. I met Sara last Saturday during the gallery walk at Washington and La Cienega. She is an elementary school teacher. I mentioned the project to her, and she said that it would be a nice project for her students. When I spoke to her, I changed my plan a little. However, I've decided to stick with my original plan instead.

We met last night again in James's studio party. I told her my original plan, and she will tell me later what to paint.

Today (9/22), got an e-mail from Sara. She wrote, "I have been thinking about the subject for the painting and I would like you to paint about music. The painting will be for my brother John who is a musician-a guitar player. His style is a mixture of rock n roll, folk, some blues and country.... (cool country, think johnny cash and bob dylan) ."

The finished painting is giving homage to Johnny Cash, a legend always dressed in black. It took me days to think about how to paint. When I saw Johnny Cash's bio on Ovation TV, I immediately knew what and how to start the painting. Hope you will see the rhythm of Big River when you are enjoying the painting.

For Anna Z.

2008-09-12T12:03:00.000-07:00

Ralphs on Cloverfield Avenue is where I get grocery. Second day after my arrival, I met Anna. She is a cashier at Ralphs. Today, I left a note to her at Ralphs, and I hope that she will contact me for participating this project.

I went to Ralphs yesterday (9/18), the manager told me that he had already passed the word to Anna. However, until today (9/19) I still have not yet heard from Anna.

For Jan Williamson

2008-09-11T15:01:00.000-07:00

18th Street
21.2 x 29 cm
acrylic on paper
sue-ching you © 2008

Jan has been working at the 18th Street Arts Center for 14-15 years. We went to Tacos Por Favors this afternoon. I asked her to participate my project. Surely I could have picked someone more distance than the staff from the Center. But I think the distance from Taipei to Santa Monica is long enough, isn't it?

Jan asked me to paint either a favorite street corner here or a plant that I have never seen in Taiwan. She is going to send the painting to a friend of her in Minnesota. Before Jan works at the Center, they were colleagues and became close friends. Now her friend is one of the donors of the Center. Jan told me that the painting would be a nice gift to thank to her support.

For Lola del Fresno

2008-09-11T14:53:00.000-07:00

Love and Freedom

21.5 x 29.2 cm
acrylic on paper
sue-ching you © 2008

I met Lola at the Tacos Por Favor on Olympic and 14th. She was with Yoshi, Director of Santa Monica Art Studios. She is an artist, too. She creates large scale paintings on paper and mounted on cavas over wooden panel. I might see her on the open studio night this coming Saturday.

Lola wants me to paint something related to a heart and love, love + freedom.

Lola called and asked about why I painted her request as a woman in a pool. I told her that heart for expression of love has been used too often. If I paint a figure and you can feel her heart for love and freedom, then I think I have achieved what I want to deliver.

note from 11/11:
Lola came and picked up her painting on Sunday 11/9. We chat a bit. She is from Spain and has been living in Santa Monica for 3 years. She also lived in NYC for 3.5 years before she came to LA. Her projects are just like a projection of herself-elegant, delicate, spiritual; ambitious but remain low profile. Like Yvette, Lola creates large scale paintings, and I think it would be great to introduce them to know each other.

Phone

2008-09-11T10:35:00.000-07:00

Phone
21.5 x 29cm
acrylic on paper
sue-ching you © 2008

For Ed Rockett

2008-09-10T13:37:00.000-07:00

At the Creek
29 x 21.7 cm
acrylic on paper
sue-ching you © 2008

" Good morning, oh! I guess it is good afternoon!"
I run into Ed 10 to 12pm today on the parking lot. Ed is from Knockinclash Productions, and he is at the 18th Street Studio participating project from Continuum Movement. He is going to think about what to paint and tell me later.

Today, 9/13, I got a note from Ed. He wants me to paint "an impression of a dragonfly flying through a heartiful, natural creekside."

For Ed Evans

2008-09-10T13:26:00.000-07:00

At the Beach
28.8 x 21.5 cm
acrylic on paper
sue-ching you © 2008

Two days ago when I was biking back from the beach, I saw an elegant classic black car at the alley. It was parking at the garage waiting for its regular maintenance. I walked in to the garage this morning, and I met Ed. He is a car expert specializing in Cadillacs. He told me that it was a 1934 Plymouth, and it still ran very fast. I proposed him participating Give+ Project, so then he asked me to paint butterfly and Puerto Rico/Rican in a pleasant atmosphere for a female friend of him.

Man with Dog Reading

2008-09-08T12:05:00.000-07:00

Man with Dog Reading
29 x 21.5cm
acrylic on paper
sue-ching you © 2008
Private Collection- JJ

Man with Dog

2008-09-07T14:36:00.001-07:00

Man with Dog
21.3 x 29cm
acrylic on paper
sue-ching you © 2008

18th Street Arts Event-9/5

2008-09-03T23:18:00.005-07:00

"Friday, September 5th, 7:30pm

Echo Park Film Center to showcase “Sustainable LA” In conjunction with Citizen Artists Making Emphatic Arguments

Santa Monica, CA – In conjunction with Citizen Artists Making Emphatic Arguments, Echo Park Film Center will set up their film mobile that runs on veggie oil and will use their bicycle generator powered projector to present us with "Sustainable LA" in our parking lot. For more info…

Gallery hours are Monday – Friday 10am-6pm. 18th Street Arts Center is located at 1639 18th Street, Santa Monica. For further information and images please visit our pressroom/gallery at www.18thstreet.org/pressroom.html."

9/27 open studio e-postcard

2008-09-03T22:35:00.005-07:00

Saturday, 9/27, 6-9pm

18th Street Arts Center

For Sherry Tu

2008-08-26T23:53:00.002-07:00

Lily

21x30 cm

acrylic on panel

For Mindy Wang

2008-08-24T19:05:00.004-07:00

For Seattle Yu

2008-08-23T06:13:00.015-07:00

Give+ Santa Monica

2008-08-21T20:04:00.003-07:00

"Taiwanese artist Sue-Ching You works with various mediums that exploit words and creates humorous installations that not only seem obvious but alter the way you see imagery. You will be creating a new project while in residency at 18th Street called, GIVE+ PROJECT, a worldwide plan. Following the concept of Web 2.0, this project can be participated by anyone, anywhere. A web based and interactive piece that will begin in September 2008 and can be viewed on her blog at http://suechingyou.blogspot.com and she can also be visited at her studio."

-18th Street Arts Center

count down 13 days to official launch

2008-08-20T20:00:00.003-07:00

check list
visa v
airplane ticket v
pick-up v
studio equipment v
review contract v
insurance v
us $ exchange v
painting materials v
portfolio
open studio on 9/27 in 2008
cut paper
e-dms
preparation trials among few friends in taipei v

what is Give+ Project

2008-07-04T22:34:00.014-07:00

This is an art project via blog.

During the residency, I will ask new friends or people I have encountered to participate this project. They will be asked to provide a subject for me to paint, the finished painting will be given to someone they know. The subject of the painting, by participants' requests, can be anything. After a painting is done, it will be sent via post mail to the receiver.

All participants and receivers of this project then can visit this blog and leave their comments. When I am in Santa Monica, the title is Give+ Santa Monica. When I am in Taipei, the title will be Give+ Taipei. This Project will travel with me for 2years. The ultimate plan is to complete this Project worldwide.

6 easy steps to participate:
1. think of an idea or subject to paint.
2. receive new work within one to two weeks.
3. send the work to the receiver via post mail.
4. visit this blog and leave the comments.
5. leave also videos and photographs will be wonderful as well.
6. come back anytime to add more comments.

The artist as an author will follow participants' requests to paint a new painting. The author has no control of topics, participants' responses and reactions, and whom the receivers and destinations will be. In combination of web 2.0, Internet, and tangible art objects and delivery, this project aims to discover the unexpected: topics, responses, destinations, occupations, human interaction, motivation, etc...

note: thanks to Vedran Perkov, Clayton Campbell, Jan Williamson, and Ronald Lopez contribute some suggestions to this project.

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這是一個網路部落格創作計畫。

出國之前我會先讓我在台北的朋友試試看簡易版。
國外我會邀請在當地認識的新朋友參加這個 Project。
在台灣的時候，我會持續的進行此計畫。
我在 Santa Monica 時，此計畫為 Give+ Santa Monica；
我在台北時，此計畫稱為 Give+ Taipei。
預定以2年的時間，於世界各地進行。

參與 Give+ Project 的辦法如下:
1. Project 參與者想一個創作的題目，告訴我她要將完成的作品送給誰。
2. 作品將於1-2個禮拜內完成。
3. 參與者必須專程前來我的工作是取件(完成的畫作)。
4. 收到作品後，參與者負責將作品寄出去。
5. 無論寄件人或收件人是誰，請上我的部落格，找到收到的日期及作品的位置，寫下任何的留言；例如 : 為何來參加此 Project。留言最好是用英文，如果真的英文不行，中文也okay。
6. 當然也可以分享相關的video 及照片。
7. 之後都可以不定期的來留言。

藝術家亦是作者會按照參與計畫者的要求，畫出指定的題目。創作者無法預期題目為何、參與者收到作品的反應為何、收件人及作品會流向何處。Give+ Project 企圖結合 Web 2.0、網路、以及實際作品的寄送，來發現一連串的不能預期的因素；例如 : 創作題目、反應、目的地、職業、動機、人與人之間的互動交流等等...

18th Street Arts Center

2008-03-28T04:00:00.005-07:00

18th Street Arts Center is in Santa Monica. My friend, Monica, told me that it has nice studio and beach. Monica told me about Sainta Monica. Ha Ha Ha. I feel like it should be a place with warm sunshine and passionate dance scense. I have not met with Clayton yet, but I think he has a delicate taste in art.

Council for Cultural Affairs

2008-03-26T23:17:00.001-07:00

I would like to express my gratitude here to Director Huang Tsai-Lang and the Council for the Cultural Affairs, Taiwan. With their sposorship, Give+ Project becomes a reality.

Taipei Artist Village

2008-03-26T22:37:00.000-07:00

I was in the TAV in 2005. Click to see my studio there.
I like sitting next to the window and let the sun shines on my face. The warmth gently covers me, from the front slowly to the back. Take a deep breathe, it smells like heaven.

Blog Launch

2008-03-24T18:11:00.000-07:00

From September to November, for the very first time, Give+ Project will be launched at the 18th Street Arts Center. This blog will be my second home. If you are interested, you can know more about me at the Taipei Artist Village and the Safulak Art District (find me in 2002). Welcome to come by often and leave your mark.