BeachStyle – art

Artists strive to be original. From writers to painters to musicians to photographers, we are constantly pushing ourselves to create something unique in the world.

This weekend, I attended the opening reception for an exhibit called “Hanji ‘Reborn’” by Ham Sup. The artist, who hails from Korea, began his career working in oils like the masters he studied as an undergraduate. But Ham found he couldn’t avoid producing works similar to other artists. In his quest to be different, he began experimenting with hanji, traditional handmade Korean mulberry paper. Hanji is reported to be durable and last 1,000 years—which is a plus for those who want their artwork to last more than a human lifetime.

Ham soaks pieces of hanji in water. Then he tears, kneads and throws the pieces onto canvas to create a rich array of textures. The hanji ranges in color from parchment to taupe, similar to the neutral shades of sand. Ham uses natural dyes to create his palette of colors like red, golden yellow, blue, black, white and green.

In each piece, the handmade paper, colors and textures blend the traditional and the modern with the abstract to create something…original.

The exhibit runs through the end of April at The Marjorie Evans Gallery at the Sunset Center in Carmel, Calif. The artwork is on loan to the Sunset Center from Westbrook Modern, also located in Carmel.