Sunga Park is a Korean artist, graphic designer and illustrator. She is a “self-taught” artist, who is not following the realistic colors in her watercolor architecture. Sunga challenges viewers to finalize her artwork with their imagination.
Impakter Magazine: Sunga, tell us, when and how did you discover your passion to the art? What is your story?
Sunga Park: My story starts with traveling and before that, I was a graphic designer working at the office. Getting me out of the limited space of the office building was the biggest motivation to start thinking of art in my life. To feel something different from my routine of my day, I needed to leave my place in my country and it gave me a lot of energy to have the right passion towards the art. It has already been 10 years and still going on.
You paint with oil and watercolor, and you paint also architecture and draw portraits. Why are you focused on this direction?
Since I arrived in Europe and India, I have been thinking what is really different from where I used to be. The things that made me feel in places far away from home were people and anything I saw on the street. Especially the way that the view on the street gives visitors new ideas and feelings about the atmosphere. These inspire me and so many people to fly around the world.
When I look at your paintings I feel how magically they appear on the canvas and at the same time they disappear in the watercolor. How did you come to the style you have right now?
When I tried to sketch architecture for the first time, I wasn’t traveling but I was just eager to wander the streets I’d been to before. For me at that time, thinking of traveling was just a dream, like my paintings. I brought the memory of the places I was missing to the canvas.
You have a wonderful combination of colors. Does color have a meaning in your paintings? What do you think how important the color for telling the story in your paintings?
Most of all, I look at each color in terms of its relationships, and how well it goes with the others. I try to avoid following the realistic colors of architecture. I like people to imagine whatever they want to see and feel. I’m just giving them some hints of it.
Starting painting at the blank canvas is a huge challenge for most of the artists. What about you? How do you start drawing? and how do you handle your fear?
There is a certain moment that pushes me to sit on a chair and my hand to grab my brush. It comes from deep inside of my heart, and I try not to think so much when my heart drives me to create something. It is the most magical thing about art in my life. My head doesn’t really control my body while my heart is working on the canvas, and my body doesn’t feel tired at all. I’m also afraid of starting on a blank canvas, but we all know the quote, “never try, never know”. If we don’t start something, we won’t know how it will work out. We’re always learning from everything we do, even if the results aren’t what we expected.
Where do you usually find inspiration?
I’m looking for anything I’ve never seen all around the world. To be honest, he inspiration is coming from everywhere, but I get more of it when I refresh myself.
What is your favorite series of paintings?
Of course I love my architectural watercolor artworks. And I also like my food drawings and travel journals. These take much of my time during my trip, because I need to keep developing my way to draw and write what happened. I made a handmade map sketchbook to share precious memories with people now and I’m really proud of this journal already.
What message are you sending to the world through your paintings?
Art isn’t completed by the artist. I need viewers to finalize my artwork with their imagination and their appreciation makes art something very unique and valuable regardless of the price and cost.
What is your philosophy regarding fine art?
Art needs to engage with the viewer, their experiences and their emotions.
If there’s nothing for the viewer to connect with, I feel that the artist hasn’t done her job
What are your plans?
I’m still traveling until early next year, but I would like to think about an exhibition after that, when I can go back to my own routine, and I can sit and think enough to create a new and meaningful vision for my work.
