Patsy Surh O'Connell

In my mature understanding of my role as an artist, through using different media, I now focus primarily on painting in ink on rice paper. My creative work constitutes a promise to myself to continue exploring my heritage while becoming American. I was born in China of Korean parents and lived my early life in Korea until I came to the United States in 1963. I also lived in and traveled to many Asian Pacific countries. In my art, I like to juxtapose something American with something from my heritage that shows layers of color in varying degrees of value. Cultural icons, patterns, metaphors and symbolism are the visual languages I use to explore the perception of life and the transitory nature of the human condition.