We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ahn Hee Strain a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ahn Hee, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Last year was my first real year trying to be a full time artist. I had smaller goals to achieve and one was to apply for a group showcase to take a small baby step into the artist world. The year started slow however in May I was accepted to my first group showcase called, “Rituals”. AAPI artists were asked to interpret the word and meaning as we see fit. Over there years I have been processing my adoption journey and challenges that have emerged over time. This seemed daunting but the very right time to dive in and explore. I grew up with in a large, loving and warm Irish household with deep proud Irish roots. In the last decade I have been more nervous and cautiously exploring my South Korean heritage. I say cautiously, only because I want to protect myself and I am freshly learning like a child. This project was a perfect exploration to honor both my Irish and Korean ancestors and roots. I stared at a blank 40″X40″ hand built canvas and like most of my process just began the process. Using only two colors, green and purple, it was unknown to me how they would coexist on the canvas. My goal was to develop the composition over time and where their may be an imbalance, I used colored thread to represent the metaphoric healing and converging of the two heritages. While this piece had a completely different journey than most of my work, it was a stand alone piece that brought peace and harmony to perhaps a completely weighted underlying trauma that needed some resolution. My family visited me from out of town for the opening of the showcase and it was a scary however proud vulnerability that i was able to convey to my new asian community and family. Much of my work does focused on my healing process and does not stylistically match the process of this piece called, “Walk with Me”, but I am proud to have it in my collection and have gained insight and better understanding of identity and practice as an artist.

Ahn Hee, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I believe I have come full circle in alot of ways. I am an abstract painter based in Austin, TX. I received her BFA in graphic design and later my MPS in Art Therapy. After college, I moved to NYC to pursue an art therapy degree and stayed for 8 plus years working as an art therapist and reiki (energy) practitioner, specializing in trauma. During the beginning of the pandemic, I took time to work on my own mental health and finally decided that my next chapter moved me out of that familiar space. After spending time with family, I decided that Austin was the best move in the fall of 2020. I drove across country with a small uhaul, jobless during COVID and decided to start painting again. Painting has been a part of me since I was young. Something so soothing and independent about being able to express what was going for me at the time onto something tangible.

My understanding of trauma, process of healing and experience with energy in the body has informed my ability to have free-flowing energy that allows for vulnerability and openness while I create. I use my art as a platform for working through and expressing emotions to create an inner calm and balance. I have chosen to express through acrylic on canvas as well as watercolor, to convey my healing message. I use bright colors and texture to elicit a warm and calming focal point, aiming for a safe space for the viewer to settle the eye. My collection is meant to display rhythmic movement, recovery, warmth, calming and free flowing energy inspired by nature. Throughout my creative process of a piece there is unrest, obstacles and feelings of discomfort much like in life. However, when I feel a piece is complete when there is an breath release that is reminiscent of ease and peace. The added texture adds a dimensional texture and gestures to the expression of the energy and emotional flow.

Something I am proud of this past year is that I collaborated with Yeti in their artist series, hand-painting over 60 tumblers, sales going towards a veterans charity. Community is very important to me and connecting with others contributes to my healing journey. I make collaborative commissions for collectors who feel resonant to my work.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect as a creative is being able to represent an emotion or feeling that someone may feel and doesnt have the outlet to release it that they are aware of. I believe that art and being creative brings community together. In my small, but growing community of creatives and support, I feel a mutual understanding between us, that we speak almost the same language. I hope that my journey can encourage someone to take a risk or begin to process something they hadnt wanted to.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Becoming a full time artist was a huge risk during COVID. I had almost a decades worth of work that pretty much disappeared when I moved states because TX doesn’t have a license. I do not blame the state for that, I could of worked around it and done tele-health, but a huge part of me needed a break. I took that time to be selfish and focus on me and my own health as an individual. Pivoting to becoming a painter is rewarding but hard work. Being a creative in a massive field and extremely daunting and competitive. There are alot of “no’s” in this journey and arent even enough hours in a day to get it all done sometimes but my mission drives me forward. Most people ask if I will get back to art therapy and the answer is yes, part time for sure and I hope to have that in the works soon. But in the meantime, I am getting affirmation that whatever method and wave I have flowing is something worth riding til the end. Transition can be hard but I encourage affordable risks when you can, wonderful things can happen.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.artfulpeaks.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/artfulpeaks

Image Credits
3 personal shots – taken by Joi Conti Photography