We caught up with the brilliant and insightful ChanMi Jung Pyles a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
ChanMi , 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.
In 2021, I released my first abstract original art collection, Imperfect Splendor, and it is one of the most significant projects I worked on during my artistic career. Imperfect Splendor paintings are created without traditional brushes. They are created with “spatulas or shapers” to create rugged, textured layers and depth. They are not clean-cut paintings. They are not traditional paintings. Instead, they are created with lots of layers and blemishes to reflect our imperfect journey. As our journey is often marred with mistakes, disappointments, sorrows, and brokenness, these paintings are painted to reflect our imperfect journey. However, beauty can still be found in the midst of all the imperfect places of life as we allow God to redeem, restore, and rewrite our story in His great mercy and love. Thus, imperfectly splendid beauty is captured and celebrated in these “imperfectly splendid pieces.” Many have been encouraged and inspired by these paintings. The Imperfect Splendor paintings remind people that it is ok to be imperfect and broken. And they call people to remember there is a deeper beauty that can be re-built and cherished as we let the Creator and Redeemer God redefine and re-purpose our journey. Even to this day, in my creative process, I keep going back to this theme of “Imperfect Splendor” because it is a daily reminder about who we are in Christ. Our life may be “messy” and “imperfect,” but our loving Heavenly Father delights in His children – who are imperfect yet splendid in His eyes. And the painting process itself is absolutely fun and freeing as I can completely “let go” of my control and perfectionism. In these pieces, I experience the freedom and loving touch God has for me.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea. My love for creating began early on. I wrote my first song when I was seven on piano. I loved writing poems and drawing as a young child. I loved being at my grandfather’s art studio, learning traditional Korean calligraphy, smelling the ink, and touching the paper. Creativity was a big part of my childhood. But I did not end up majoring in art as my interests in other areas grew. I majored in English and Spanish Language and Literature at Korea University. I earned my masters degree in Intercultural Communication at University of Pennsylvania’s School of Education. Upon graduation, I worked in non-profit organizations for a number of years. But when my husband, Brian, and I had our first child in 2015, after juggling to find a “balance” in motherhood and work, I decided that I wanted to devote my time to raising my little one for the time being. That’s when I picked up my paint brushes again. In small pockets of time, I began to paint what God was putting on my heart – florals, animal art, and landscapes, often with bible verses. In 2018, I began to share my art on social media as a way to encourage people under the name, “ChanMi’s Art Journey.” I grew in my crafts, and people seemed to respond well to my art and the message behind it. In 2021, I decided to fully step out in faith and work on my own site to take ownership of the gift God gave me. Around this time, I also felt called to step out of my comfort zone and start creating abstract art. In being faithful to this calling and leading, I experienced so much joy and freedom in my creative processes. My art began to grow. And I started getting invited to participate in various contemporary art exhibitions and also to collaborate with other creative spaces with my art and writing. My art and poems have been published in magazines and exhibited in a number of places around the world. And the number of opportunities to share my art continues to grow.
I believe there are currently 3 words that describe “ChanMi’s Art Journey.” Timeless, life-giving, and heaven-inspired. First, timeless. My art doesn’t follow “trends” or “fads.” Instead, my art aims to capture timeless truth that can speak to generations, time after time, season after season. Second, life-giving. As art and faith have become separated over the last few hundred years, many art pieces in the last few centuries are filled with hopelessness and despair of human life. But I believe my art is different. My art seeks to be life-giving. It talks about where true, satisfying life is found. My art reminds the audience of the hope, grace, and strength that we can live by. It uplifts and fuels the hearts and souls with life-giving messages. Lastly, heaven-inspired. My art doesn’t just communicate the reality we live in. Instead, it speaks further. We are not created to live for transient things. We are created for deeper, lasting satisfaction and relationship with God. That is why transient, worldly things quickly run out and do not satisfy our deepest desires. My heaven-inspired art seeks to convey that there is this heavenly reality that will satisfy our deepest longing and thirst.
It has been an incredible journey, indeed. The name, ChanMi’s Art Journey, seems so fitting to my creative journey. It is a growing one despite challenges, and it has encouraged a number of people over the years and the impact is growing nationally and also internationally. I believe it still is an evolving one. But I can enjoy this ever-evolving journey because I firmly know that it is in the trustworthy hands of the Author and Perfecter of my journey (Hebrews 12:1-3).
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I would call today’s world, a “Light-deficient” world. John 1:5 says, “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” I want my art to be like a beacon of hope-filled Light in this trouble-filled world. Light that speaks hope, grace, restoration, and unfailing, lasting love of the Heavenly Father. And He is in the business of making all things new (Revelations 21:5) – in my life, in your life, in our communities, in our workplaces, in our relationships, and in our world. And this Light doesn’t want to give us just an “okay” life. He wants to give us an abundant, overflowing, unshakable, ever-satisfying life. Especially now, with my contemporary abstract art, I have been given the unique opportunity to share this message of hope with the world even more widely across the globe.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
One of the “mottos” of my art journey is “one home at a time, one heart at a time.” I love whenever people who have or see my art share with me how encouraging and helpful my art is for their own journey. I believe my art is like a companion for people’s various, challenged-filled journeys. I so believe that what you behold daily with your physical eyes affects what your mind and heart dwells on. Uplifting art with its life-giving messages can be powerful in times of trial, confusion, or disappointment, which are natural parts of our lives. People being encouraged in their own journey by my creative journey is certainly one of the most rewarding parts of being an artist.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.chanmisartjourney.com
- Instagram: @chanmisartjourney
- Facebook: @chanmisartjourney
Image Credits
Photography Credit: Bora Yom Photography