About — Conner J. Choi 최준

“The painting is that of the soul. One paints their soul in borrowing the object… Without the soul, what is black is only ink, what is white is only paper.” - The Bird With Golden Wings by Yi MunYol 이문열

For me, painting is equal parts worship and self expression. Through painting, I can not only create a relationship with the world around me, but borrow it on the canvas to convey emotion. Paint, like any creative medium, transforms basic materials into something that is greater than the sum of its parts. As a musician organizes notes and creates music, an artist compiles color and composition to create artwork. Painting allows me the luxury of being present with myself as a part of the natural world and the opportunity to express the beauty and feeling I experience.

I work primarily in gouache and oil paints, but also experiment with mixed media, including casein paints and colored pencils. In honor of my work’s relationship to nature, toxicity is a major concern from me. I have worked to eliminate many commonly used pigments containing cadmium and cobalt completely in my palette because of their effects on personal health and the water table. My subject matter primarily features landscapes, botanicals, and culturally focused figurative paintings with conceptual elements.

In my spare time I enjoy rock climbing, hiking, and gardening.