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Ting Huang Waddles • Indianapolis, IN • Acrylic Painting
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On the canvas, I paint lines and shapes with no plans and keep building the paint up with hand scrabbling or brush strokes until a composition appears to me. I work intensively for a period of time, then lean back to observe it for a period of time, observing the composition and interacting with the mind: “Taking action to be active, to become one with the canvas. Take non-action to be passive, to let the canvas become one with me.”
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The process of action and non-action, of aggressiveness and passivity unconsciously formed and harmonized each other. It became the main significance in my work. Recreating and destroying take place at the same time on the canvas, and they continue to happen until the image reaches a balance in color and form. I learn more about the nature of paint; I give up control and enjoy the accidents that it brings to me. |
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Tao has a strong influence toward my thinking of the way of life. Through my works, I've learned more of what I was not aware of. Tao asks for no expectation, no intention and no forcing. I work in compositions and try to reach the point where everything is in balanced: dark colors and light colors, large shapes and small shapes, thick lines and thin lines, which all represent Ying and Yang of the ten thousand things that supplement each other. |
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At the same time, I keep working until this point reaches itself. Becoming Wu-Wei , which in the Chinese language means “non-action”, and yet nothing is left undone. Let the positive and the negative supplement each other. To accept negative things doesn't mean that to turn the negative things positive. Trying to work with colors I don't like or compositions that I'm not used to, makes me realized that there still will be a balance eventually. If there weren't sadness, fear, anxiety and depression, then life would meaningless. |
Following what is natural, is what I've always believed in. My own life philosophy is trying to find the balance between the emotions – It's not necessary to reach Lao-Tsu ''s level of “Empty yourself of everything and let the mind rest at peace.” To find a balance in emotions is just like searching for balance in composition of my paintings. Therefore, it's alright to have anger; it's alright to be afraid, because that's part of life.
I've always liked these words from Keith Haring and it says something for me: “The best reason to paint is that there is no reason to paint. I'd like to pretend that I've never seen anything, never read anything, never heard anything……..and then make something.” It's truly a Taoist statement: to return to the state of the un-carved block. It is also my goal to have some of this empty fullness in life and my own work.
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