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Uryel Cho
Painter
Vancouver, BC, Canada
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I am a genuine descendant of KwangYun Zhao, the founder emperor of Song dynasty in China in 960. I was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, and I immigrated to Vancouver in Canada with my family when I was nineteen. I started to study Chinese art and Calligraphy with a renowned master Chinese calligrapher, Harrison Xinshi Tu, and the western art history and painting for a B.A in visual arts at Naropa University in Boulder, CO. At that time, my art was mostly inspired by intensive Zen meditation practices and transpersonal psychology studies in Tibetan Buddhist perspective.
In 2003, I was accepted to the undergraduate sculpture program at Arizona State University. I was eager to learn every possible art making for that I might be teaching at school someday. Mostly, I acquired practical skills for fine wood carving and various metal welding. Unlike my contemplative life in Boulder, my energy was transformed for passion and desire for achievements in making three dimensional art. I have successfully completed the B.F. A program in 2005, and quite a few pieces of mine were selected and exhibited at the college galleries, local art shows, and the Youth Museum in Arizona. Then I moved back to Vancouver and joined the South Surrey White Rock Art Society and the Federation of Canadian Artists in 2009. I have been participated many art society activities and exhibited my abstract oil paintings in White Rock, Granville Island, and Vancouver. I will be also teaching traditional Chinese calligraphy classes at the Gallery in the central plaza in White Rock, B.C from January 2010.
Living as a painter in Canada, I have been focused on creating something stimulating with primary colors in a high contrast. Since art schools, I have been always fascinated by Wassily Kandinsky's style, his way of using primary colors followed by a unique combination of the geometric shapes. Also, Francesco Clemente's pure and subliminal approach to art has been another good influence to my art. Later on, I tried to take more challenges creating abstract figures reflected on significant historical evidences. For example, last year, I started a oil paintings series which have been inspired by one of my ancestors, the prince of the second emperor of Song dynasty. In fact, his family had immigrated to BaeChun in Korea in 979, 999 years before my birth. I was irresistibly attracted and excited to their courage and promise moving in a new territory.
For its similarity of my current social life in Vancouver as a martial artist leader, I found myself easily involved as if I were a reincarnation of the prince. Completing this series, I was satisfied to re-define my honorable identity, and I was able to find a new spiritual connection and mutual respect with my legendary ancestors. This awakening experience was like witnessing the dawn followed by so many neon light beams breaking the darkness through. Each piece took me about three weeks to complete and there have been no extraordinary medium or tools used in the process. My current interest has been leaned towards a question about the meaning of our true existence as social beings, and I came to think more about the real value of human beings and the nature of innate identity in our society. So, I have been drawing life figures as relatively short time sketches with terracotta color pencils on craft papers, and I borrowed the style from Leonard Da Vinci's drawing notes. My drawings will be likely combined into my new abstract paintings in some ways later.
Profession:
ACTIVE MEMBER OF FEDERATION OF CANADIAN ARTISTS
Member of Craft Council of British Columbia
MEMBER OF SURREY ARTS COUNCIL
MEMBER OF SOUTH SURREY WHITE ROCK ART SOCIETY
Chinese Calligraphy And Art Instructor
Painter And Sculptor
Publication:
- SPOT LIGHT ON THE ARTS MAGAZINE. SURREY ARTS COUNCIL, Jan 2010
- listed one painting image as a Christmas card contest nominee
- SOUTH SURREY WHITE ROCK ART SOCIETY MONTHLY NEWS LETTER
- Issue on Oct. and Nov. 2009
- introduced as a selected member and for art demonstration
- ART AVENUE : THE FEDERATION OF CANADIAN ARTISTS
- Vol. 9 - No. 5 Sep/Oct 2009
- listed as juried artist's work for the abstract painting show
- 7th ANNUAL OPEN INTERNATIONAL JURIED EXHIBITION: PAINTING ON THE EDGE, Aug 18 - Sep 6. 2009
- listed as a selected artist's work
Juried and Professional Exhibitions:
- Caroun Art Gallery, Group Exhibition, 2011
- FIRST SOLO EXHIBITION: Jan 3 - Jan 31. 2011 (Juried), New Surrey Arts Centre, 2009
- SMALL GROUP SHOW, Canadian Memorial Church and Centre for Peace, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- THE RED DOT AFFAIR (Juried), Maple Ridge Arts Centre & Theatre, Maple Ridge, BC, Canada.
- SOUTH SURREY AND WHITE ROCK ART SOCIETY ART MEMBER SHOW, Semiahmoo House, Surrey, BC, Canada
- THE FIRST ANNUAL ART IN THE PARK FESTIVAL (Juried), Vancouver Regional District, Minnekhada Park, BC.
- INTERNATIONAL PAINTING ON THE EDGE (Juried), Federation of Canadian Artists, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- CANVAS UNBOUND (Juried), Federation of Canadian Artists, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2008
-SOUTH SURREY AND WHITE ROCK ART SOCIETY ART MEMBER SHOW, Semiahmoo House, Surrey, BC, Canada, 2005
- ARIZONA STUDENT SCULPTURE COMPETITION (Juried), The 3rd Annual Spanish Village Sculpture Garden, Cave Creek, AZ, USA, 2004
- AGAINST GRAINS (Juried), Step Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
- SHOW OF COLOUR (Juried), Arizona Museum for Youth, Mesa, AZ, USA, 2003
- ASU UNDERGRADUATE SHOW (Juried), Step Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
- INTERNATIONAL ASIAN CALLIGRAPHY SHOW, New York, NY, USA, 2002
- INTERNATIONAL ASIAN CALLIGRAPHY SHOW, New York, NY, USA
Education:
- BFA SCULPTURE (2003 - 2005), Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
- BA VISUAL ART with Psychology Minor (2002-2003), Naropa University, Boulder, CO
- DIPLOMA GENERAL STUDIES :Concentration on Natural Sciences (1997-2001), Douglas College, New Westminster, BC, Canada
Academic Awards:
- THE KATHERINE K. HERBERGER COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS SCHOLARSHIP (2004-2005)
- ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENT SCHOLARSHIPS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS(2003-2005)
- DEAN'S HONOUR (2003-2005)
- NAROPA UNIVERSITY GRANT (2002-2003)
Volunteer Experience:
- Art show gallery assistance HOST (oct. 2009), Semiahmoo House, White Rock, BC, Canada
- SCULPTURE SHOP MONITOR (SEP. 2004 - MAY. 2005), Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
- DOCENT, MUSEUM TOUR GUIDE (JAN. - MAY. 2005), Arizona State University Museum, Tempe, AZ, USA
- GALLERY INSTALLATION ASSISTANCE (JAN. - NOV. 2004), Tempe Historical Museum, Tempe, AZ, USA
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