Eric Nykamp

Preparation …

In one month I am leaving with my family to go to Hong Kong.  It has been a little over four years since I have been there.  My wife and I used to go every year to visit her family there … but three kids later, things have changed a bit in our travel-ability. 

 As I am sitting in my studio, I am preparing to leave.  I will be bringing paintings as gifts to family members I have not seen in some time.  I am also preparing to visit a number of galleries in the city, seeing if any would be interested in representing me.  When I was there 4 years ago, a gallery I took images to told me that my work was not “Chinese enough” and at the time, I did not know what she meant.  But since then, I have had an artistic transformation and am paiting with a heavy Chinese influence in my work.  I have no idea if her comment brought this on or not, but I am hopeful that someone may want to take a chance on my work.  I know artists are supposed to have a thick skin, but like my favorite drums, my skin is very thin.  I think some of the most beautiful rhythms come from drums with thin skins.  I think some of the beauty I experience while painting also come precisely from being ”too sensative” to things.  It is both a blessing and a curse to be like this.  I will go with boldness, and also brace for disapointment.  In addition to gallery shopping, I am hoping to find inspiration.  Two of my favorite artists have gallery representation in HK, so I am so looking forward to seeing some of their recent work in person there.  I am also hoping to have a chance to visit some antique shops, a Buddhist monastary near Diamond Hill, and the Christian cemetary where many Chinese Christians are buried with their portraits baked into little white tiles that are centered on each of the tombstones. 

I can’t wait to go.  I really hope that I can sense God’s presence in a fresh way in HK, and that this sense will bring with it artistic ideas as well.