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“Sometimes when I’m drawing, I feel like I’m trying to create a really epic rock poster.”
Chris Huang draws creative freedom from his love of nature. His elaborate art designs are a testament to our connectivity with the planet. He finds kinship with the earth by exploring his wild surroundings, which supply both inspiration and grounding for his rich imagination. Woven into his pieces, you will spy treasures of the Colorado landscape where mountain alpine, hot springs, and desert colors provide a background for his work. Complimenting his reverence for nature, Huang is encouraged by native folk art, emboldened by the fearless pattern and color found in art from around the world. Courage is a common thread for “those who live closer to the earth.”
Chris’s generous use of strong visual elements is a distinguishing characteristic of his work. He considers his imagery largely symbolic in its presentation of our natural world, but it is also girded with fact. With a degree in Environmental Policy from the University of Michigan, his work hails from both a spiritual place of worldly reverence and a deep understanding of environmental principles. At U of M, Chris took an art class that reawakened his creativity. He set off on a new journey of self-expression with nature as his muse.
“…it sort of woke up all of these memories and feelings and inspirations. That was really eye-opening for me. I was like, ‘This feels really good to express myself in this way.’ I credit that time in my life as putting me on this artistic path.”
Though his work reflects the natural world, his style exudes exceptional influences. Viewing his art for the first time, you might sense the nostalgia of legendary 1960s and 70s rock posters, or the quiet pleasure of perusing a comic book. Comics were largely influential for Huang. He credits artists, like Todd McFarlane and Jim Lee of Marvel Comics, as childhood inspirations.
“Some of my earliest drawings were comic book characters.
My interest from an early age informed my sense of composition.
In comic books, each individual panel was like its own little work of art.”
“Sometimes when I’m drawing, I feel like I’m trying to create a really epic rock poster.”
The iconic energy of rock music contributed to the artist’s developing aesthetic. Listening to psychedelic rockers like Stanely Mouse and Rick Griffin certainly didn’t hurt the cause toward an open mind and vivid visualizations.
Many of the stylized shapes from such posters permeate his drawings and add a nostalgic spirit. These overall graphic impulses are part of what gives Chris’s work its bold charm. Other visual inspirations include the stained glass of Frank Lloyd Wright; the work of Austrian painter, Hundertwasser; and the craft of woven textiles and basketry. Although the artist’s influences are many, he maintains that the message is what really drives his creation.
“The number one inspiration and message is the underlying idea that we’re all connected and we’re all living in this cosmic space.”
These connections are depicted with geometric mosaics, bold shades, strong lines and magic carpet ride compositions.
He packs it in, leaving the viewer wanting for nothing.
When moving the eye through one of his works, you will encounter storied landscapes, tree root systems reaching to underground hearts, animals in stained glass habitats, satisfying mandalas, whimsical botanicals and kaleidoscope skies. Occasional cityscapes work their way in, and figures find their place within the geography of certain pieces. References are made to iconic portraiture with images of Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus,” Mexico’s patron saint, “Our Lady of Guadalupe,” and American songwriting legend Bob Dylan (which perhaps could double as an epic rock poster in its own right).
Huang’s ornate wonderlands are created on wood with colored pencil and ink. His process is both free and measured. He begins by drawing everything out in pencil on a wood framework. There is freedom in this stage as he pieces together, almost like a collage from his array of images, a composition via drawing.
“I’m kind of like a collage artist, kind of using my palette.
I’m putting together something that has existed before, it almost feels like I’m putting a puzzle together.”
Once he has composed the various elements, he adds color–a more laborious process. His choices continue to evolve as he layers the vibrant schemes until the image is brought to finality. The wood grain peeks through the designs, complimenting their organic aesthetic.
“Hope, courage, joy, and gratitude...”
these are all words that Chris uses to describe his relationship to his work.
“I do try to create stuff that instills hope in people. I do it for myself as well; it’s therapeutic for me. I just can't think of a better thing to do than to express something to inspire people–or lift them up–so that we can all rise out of our
everyday existence and perception of things, and try to realize a deeper existence.
I just hope I can live up to the message that I’m trying to convey. I guess my art gives me the courage to try to be that person.”
One of the most affirming feelings you can glean from the work of Chris Huang is that your environment is rich with resources, relationships, and everything that life needs to thrive. Your pure and raw roots in the earth overflow with promise. You can take heart and have courage. This courage is reflected in each one of Huang’s plentiful labyrinths. His visual interpretation of our world becomes a saturant source of encouragement,
an affirmation:
Yes, everything we need is right here.
Chris Huang’s arresting pieces can be purchased in pop-up galleries, cafes, farmers markets and at yoga and music events. They also can be found as murals in private residences and at the main library in downtown Boulder. He offers various art shows in the region and prints of his works are available on his website at yellowlotusdesigns.com
