Gyuhye Yeon: Nature and Figures

Hi Gyuhye, thanks for the opportunity to talk. Please tell us about your artistic background story and if there was a pivotal moment when you decided to follow your path as a visual artist?
I think I drew well since I was young. I got a lot of compliments. Despite the financial difficulties, I entered the art college, and was a student who only painted like a fool. That's what it is now. Around the third year of college, I had a lot of worries about life and painting. Then I got married and almost never painted. The paintings were abstract art. I got to teach painting professionally to students who wanted to go to art college, practiced a lot of realistic painting to teach, aimed at professional painting, aimed at professional writers, and came all the way here.

Take us through your process of making your artworks. How do you move from an idea to an artwork? Where does an artwork begin for you? How do you seek and use inspiration for your works?
I choose the subject I want to draw, then explore the field and take a lot of photographs, carefully select photos, sketch in detail, color. I draw the scenery, flowers, and people I saw on a trip. It's all nature. I usually take a lot of pictures. I go on a trip to take pictures. Then, I choose the pictures I like and work on them, and the ones I like are like inspiration to me. In addition, I think I have a lot of affection for Korea, which I was born in my old age. I like all kinds of Korean things, so I draw Korean landscapes, people, and stills.

Is there an artwork or series that you would like to be remembered for? And if yes, what is it?
I have a lot of interest in the "Character Series." Life is tough. So am I. There are "Japanese military sexual slavery victims" of a painting by my grandmother. As such, there seems to be affection for human beings, such as those who need consolation, attention, parents, me, those who give strength, and those we know.

You have presented a set of figurative, landscape and nature (flowers) artworks for our readers. This set shows your wide interest and ability which our readers admire. Would you please name the series that these artworks belong to, for our readers?
Initially, it was not divided into series. But there were more works, so each series became. However, "Mother, Rose, Tulip" was planned as a series from the beginning. The series are: Landscape painting series, Rose series, Tulip series, Portrait (including mother series) series, Street flower series, etc.

It seems that you choose your subjects mainly from the real world by taking photos. You have presented figurative artworks, for instance "Dandy grandfather" which is large and tall. Please explain for our readers that how such process enhances your creative process.
"Grandpa"'s model is someone who happened to meet at an exhibition When I meet someone I want to draw like this by chance, I ask a model to take pictures and draw. Most are drawn like this. It is drawn quickly to the desire to draw.

"Nameless Flower" is a unique piece with a prominent coloring. And you have a Rose series. What kind of flowers do you usually choose to paint? When choosing flowers for your model, what are the important factors you seek in a particular flower?
It's mostly a feeling. "Ah! I want to draw this flower." The rose and tulip series went to the festival and planned to draw it as a series. Aiming for 20 works. I like to draw a flower in detail. Like drawing only one person. Also a lot of flowers to describe (slightly withered flowers) and unusual composition. Something that feels like a story (e.g. rose family, mother and baby, etc.)

You made a very realistic visual reproduction of Korean culture and nature. The trees seem very real and alive. Our readers love to know more about these reproduction artworks. Please explain further.
That tree is my favorite "Korean Yew Tree". I love it very much, very very, I draw, redraw and redraw the picture until I like it. I am 55 years old. This age seems to be the age to love the culture of my country. I like landscape paintings with Korean traditional houses,'Hanok'. So I draw often. I think I like Korean culture a lot.

Why do some of your presented paintings take so long according to their duration like Landscape Series: Korea's UNESCO Heritage Site "Gongsanseng". Is there any research or study involved? This is why some of the photos you presented take a long time depending on the times, like the landscape series. Korea's UNESCO heritage "communist"? Do you have any research or research related?
I want to keep drawing, but I have a break in the middle because my skills are insufficient. Then take a break and draw again and again. So it took a long time. After all, because painting is difficult. There is no other reason. So I usually draw three or so together.