Craig Kim - Creativity Patron

Daisy is sitting on her favorite spot, which is the third step on the stairs so that she can look outside.

“I am an engineer. I like straight lines. One would think that that would naturally make me stay away from Dawn’s artwork. Perhaps it was her music that steered me toward her paintings. I traveled much around the world. Wherever I went, Dawn’s music went along with me and kept me company. On many occasions, it was only thing that was familiar in some of the strange places I found myself. Then along came Dawn’s paintings. There was something magical about those wiggly lines. Somehow those lines appeared so well balanced, they didn’t even look wiggly any more. The background and foreground of the paintings blend in so well with the main object whether it is a house, car, or postal delivery truck.

I am an engineer. I have always believed that going from point A to point B is a straight line to yield the highest efficiency. Looking back, life rarely works that way although we try out best to make it as efficient as possible. Contemplating in front of Dawn’s paintings, I suddenly realize that nature is not about stringing together a bunch of straight lines. In fact, nature very seldom seeks straight lines. And yet the beauty it exhibits is astonishing. I think that’s what Dawn has  discovered and freely expresses. That’s a rare gift.

I am an engineer. My career took me from San Francisco Bay Area to Seattle Puget Sound area. While California has much influence from the Spanish culture, Seattle is very different in that there are many places named after Native American tribes, indicating the very strong influence of  Native American culture. I saw totem poles engraved with people, eagles, ravens, bears, and then there were the carvings of whales. The many Native American folk tales and legends about whales fascinated me. I feel so fortunate that Dawn allowed me to buy her drawing named “Dreaming of Vancouver” in ink on a vellum paper. It’s the one and only original artwork by Dawn done in such a way.

I am an engineer. I pride myself in paying attention to the details. Compared to Dawn’s “Dreaming of Vancouver,” my effort in engineering work looks rather minuscule. She  painstakingly puts so much detail into her work. At first glance, one may see only some trees and a whale. Take a closer look and you will see all the logs under the trees. The wavy lines around the whale truly envelope it within the ocean, wrapping it warmly and lovingly. Witness how nature and the whale share the space in a harmonious way. Being able to express nature in such meticulous detail is the highly admirable quality of Dawn’s work.”

Craig Kim

Seattle, United States.