Hello, traveller. Welcome to Heart of Vermilion.
Since the times of the ancients, the colour vermilion has been regarded to symbolize lifeblood. Here, it represents the passion and creativity that I weave into the making of each of my fabrications. Accordingly, I use it as a signature — there will always be a thread of it somewhere.
This site itself serves as a repository and diary of my artistic endeavours. It’s where I keep records on past projects, journeys in current projects, brainstorms regarding future projects, and backlogs of put off projects that I really should get around to finishing rather than constantly embarking on yet another new venture. Alas.
Currently, my creations involve the following areas and mediums —
– illustration, primarily with ink or via digital mediums
– needlework, including:
– embroidery
– sewing
– quilting
– knitting
– crochet
– fibre arts & jewelry making, such as:
– huājié ( 花結 ), or decorative knot tying
– rónghuā ( 绒花 ), or velvet flower making
– chánhuā ( 绒花 ), or twisted flower making
– paper craftings, including:
– zhézhĭ ( 摺紙 ), or paper folding
– jiǎnzhĭ ( 剪紙 ), or paper cutting
– papier-mâché constructions
– sculpture, primarily with cold porcelain and other air-dry clays
– photography, mostly on the side
– eclectic handicrafts, as inspired by others
I occasionally also post about various diversions and pastimes of mine.
As a disclosure, I am — proudly at that — a complete and utter amateur. To quote Mozart in the Jungle,
You say ‘amateur’ as if it was a dirty word. ‘Amateur’ comes from the Latin word ‘amare’, which means to love. To do things for the love of it.
Indeed, all that resides here is a labour of love, despite the imperfection. And — as I have no formal training — I thank those who will point out the deficiencies in my technique that are sure to exist.
Updates are unperiodic and unpredictable ( just like life itself ).
About me to clarify that above statement — I work full time as a doctor in training. For at least the next several years, I’ve essentially indentured myself to dedicating — on average — 80+ hours per week for a salary that totals less than a pittance. I’ve gone more than a bit haywire as a result and so all that anxiety has to go somewhere.
Despite picking a career path that involves quite a bit of hands on time, I found that contrary to the expectation of getting thoroughly exhausted by needle and thread, I wished there was more opportunities for me to channel myself in this regard. That, compiled with the fact that suturing is for decidedly functional purposes rather than aesthetic ones, drove me to find a different outlet for stress in which I could make pretty things.
( Still practical though, if I can help it — consequences of my training and of pecuniary paucity alike, I suppose. )
Not quite sure what else to write about here, if I’m being honest. Ah well. Something will come to mind at the most inopportune of times only to be forgotten again, of that I can be assured.
