to Fletcher,
Back to the days when I was still pursuing my master’s degree at MICA. It was my second year in Baltimore and was the semester that I had my painting class with undergrad students.
Fletcher joined our program as one of the faculty team.
At that time, I made the painting “False Freedom” for my mid-term assignment, telling about my self-identity as a foreigner from Taiwan, facing potential risks of self-disclosure on public occasions a lot of times. I did my best to present my voice through that painting with a Taiwan Blue Magpie, which people usually recognize as our national bird.
Compared to the bird itself, the composition and the colors of the painting received more praise from the class. Someone even suggested, “the painting will be better without the bird.” That was hurt, or I will say shocking. Because I know that without the magpie, the representative of my identity and my motivation, this painting will not exist.
I was thinking that maybe it was my painting skills were not professional enough to paint a vivid bird. But beyond that part, was that me lacking the ability to compose a greater painting? After the critique, staring at my artwork at my studio, I couldn’t find the answer, and of course, there was no “correct answer.”
The next day, I brought up this topic to Fletcher, although I could not remember if it was in our weekly course or just a conversation that happened randomly because I bumped into him around the campus.
“What are you trying to tell?” He asked. “You see, there is a lot of paintings with only colors, lines, and shapes. A part of painters is looking for making high-technique paintings. They are beautiful as decorative art, or commercial art. But is that the way you want to develop your career? Or?”
“Art can serve as different roles and be critiqued in different aspects.”
I think Fletcher helped me find out the reason why those comments stuck in my head.
So that blue magpie is still in the painting.
It might look silly (to be honest Taiwan Blue Magpie really looks kind of silly) but it is still there, helping me advocate for myself and my community.
This painting emphasizes our tough situation now but forecasts we will eventually be free.
Thank you for seeing my value, Fletcher Mackey.
Miss you sincerely, Hsiao-Chu.