We were lucky to catch up with Samson Huang recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Samson, thanks for joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
I dove into my art classes in High School where my works of art caught the attention of my teachers and won competitions and awards. Although my HS counselor encouraged me to apply to some of the best art schools in this country, I chose instead to study computer engineering in college to ease the concerns of my working class immigrant parents. Pursuing a career as an artist in a struggling immigrant family of 6 living below the poverty level was never an option for me on the table.
Nevertheless, I never abandoned my love for the arts. Throughout different stages of my life, I stuck to my commitment to continue drawing, painting and creating art regardless of the demands of my day-to-day job. I was always looking for “spare time” to practice my art. I carried a sketch book with me at all times, taught myself both Eastern and Western art history, and studied various techniques from library books, instructional videos, as well as attending exhibitions at galleries and museums.
As such, I would be considered a self-taught artist under conventional Western description because I taught myself the necessary skills and techniques to create award winning art. However in the East, the Western term of a “self-taught” artist is an odd concept. In some school of thought, artists who operate outside of any prescribed system are seen as more free to explore and experiment; and the set rules and formalities can be seen as stifling creativity altogether. Ultimately, the three most important things I use to create art are the hand, the eyes and the heart, as prescribed by Eastern philosophy on painting.
In addition to the above, one must practice, experiment, and take bold risks at all times.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
My name is Samson Huang and I am a creative artist working and living here in Tampa.
Specifically, I am a multimedia artist using a combination of oil paints, watercolors and ink along with digital tools to create pieces that have been exhibited nationally. I am also a sculptor using organic found materials. Closer to home, my pieces have been exhibited at the Tampa Museum of Art, and the Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts where I was recognized as one of 15 emerging artists exhibiting at the prestigious festival.
Additionally, I was awarded the Professional Development for Artists Grant in 2020 by the Art Council of Hillsborough County, and has recently been juried into the grand opening new art space curated by the Tempus Projects gallery.
Close to half a century ago, my mom, my three brothers and I packed up all our possessions, tearfully said good-bye to my grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, friends, and bravely immigrated from Taiwan to the Lower East Side of Manhattan. That stressful long journey on the plane and the anxiety of going through immigration processing will forever be imbedded in my memory.
I was only 9 when I arrived in NYC in September of 1973. Before I had a chance to get acclimated, I was immediately enrolled into the 3rd grade without knowing a single English word or phrase. Since I was completely illiterate of the English language, I had to quickly hone in on my observational skills in order to cope with the shock of my new environment.
For the first few months, I couldn’t understand anything the teacher was saying or writing on the chalk board. It took me months before I could engage in the smallest conversation and make friends in class.
As my English improved with the help of television and thankfully for Sesame Street and Big Bird, New York City became my playground offering a vast diversity of people, places and cultures. When the realization came that the United States of America would be my permanent home, I quickly became a human sponge learning every facet of this fascinating country. My comprehension and knowledge blossomed and so did my curiosity and imagination, which I believe had a profound impact on developing my strong affinity for the creative arts. Depicting and creating images became my expression of choice.
The subject of my images can come from my travels, the Internet, history, and my imagination. The images open “portals” on a 2D surface, allowing the viewer to be transported to another reality in time and space. The subject of my paintings are generally oriented toward our observable three dimensional space-time reality. However, my paintings can also include subject from my imagination containing images that are unfamiliar, incomplete and novel. The aim of my images is to mentally and/or emotionally “shift” the viewer to another state of being, pleasant or unpleasant.
The process is just as important as the finished painting itself. Following a set of predetermined steps in making a painting doesn’t interest me. I enjoy the challenge of “not knowing,” and reacting to the painting moment by moment relying only on my intuition to lead me to the next step. For example, the medium of oil paint contains qualities that allows me to experiment with different processes of applying pigments in interesting ways and achieving interesting effects. With watercolors, the loose application of the medium yields results that are full of happy surprises that cannot be replicated. It is important that my process leaves evidence of the artist’s hand for the viewer’s eyes to wander.
My artwork is the equivalent of a visual talisman or amulet imbued with magical powers bringing good luck to the owner and protect them from harm.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Many “self-taught” artists in art history such as Vincent Van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, Billy Traylor, Francis Bacon and Grandma Moses, to name just a few, succeeded in making their mark with little or no art school guidance. Their creative expressions have been recognized as masterpieces. The goal is to be among their company.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The sheer act of creating brings me closer to nirvana. I like the quiet solitude when I am in my studio working. It has a meditative quality of calming my mind from the fast-pace world we wake up to every day. When I am in my creative “state,” my sense of self disappears and I am one with the work of art. My body becomes the vehicle or tool for the purpose of a higher transcendent force.
In addition, working in my studio allows me to exercise my imagination and the pursuit of novelty. It is important for human beings to not relinquish our power of imagination because imagination is the first step to self transformation. We must first be able to imaging ourselves in a new state of being before it can be materialize. In addition, imagination and self transformation is the key to ushering in a world of peace and love, globally.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.TheArtofSamson.xyz
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartofsamson/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtofSamson
Image Credits
Image Credit: Samson Huang