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Artist profile: Eunice Luk

An artist profile of Eunice Luk

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Describe your process of creating a piece. What materials do you normally work in?

Typically before starting a piece, I will spend hours thinking about it in a non-constructive way. This usually involves cleaning up the entire house, eating a lot of snacks and sitting in front of a table full of art supplies. I don’t really work in an uniform way so every piece is different. Most of the time I will have a pencil sketch but usually I just draw as I go. After I have the bulk of the drawing down, I will decide what medium I want to use – usually it’s either acrylics, ink, watercolours or a combination. I enjoy crafting a lot so I have a box full of embellishments that I use when I feel like a piece needs some glitter or beads.

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I also take the presentation of a piece very seriously. It puts the piece into context. Very often I will have a frame I really like before my piece is started. For my last show, I knew exactly how I wanted my work to be presented before I made the actual art.

What projects are you working on? What do you have coming up, any shows?

At the moment, I have a piece up at The Paper Place for a show with work made exclusively with handmade washi. It was my first time making delicate paper cutouts and I really enjoyed it so I think I will be making more cutouts in the future.

Sometime in the next few months, I am hoping to have a very small show dedicated to melty beads – those colourful beads you iron together as a kid. I made several cute animals with them and they were so much fun. So why not have a show full of cute things?

Aside from that, I am working on a bunch of zines and small books. The feeling of holding a stack of finished zines is very satisfying.

When are you most productive?

I am most productive between midnight to early in the morning. I get distracted easily. So when nobody is around it is easy for me to do what I need to do at my own pace. I usually listen to music and drink a lot of green tea to keep me up.

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When did creating art become something important in your life?

Not necessary creating art but creating ‘something’ has always been important in my life. I’ve always liked making things for people as gifts, I am most motivated to make art when I know exactly who is getting it afterwards.

What are some of your favorite spots in the city? Some favourite places to go, eat, drink, bike ride?

I love Wanda’s pie in the sky. Not only do they have delicious pies and pastries, but their soups are also amazing. Brunch at Aunties and Uncles is also my favourite. I’ve been trying out the Korean restaurants on Bloor since I moved into the neighbourhood and they all serve mouth watering dishes. I love spicy seafood noodle soup the best. When I feel like an extra treat, I drop by Sanko for some Japanese candies.

I really enjoy biking in the city though I am not great with distance. My friend, Nolan has a vintage tandem bicycle and it is the best thing ever! I feel like I’m on a roller-coaster whenever we go really fast down a hill. It’s always a thrill to ride the two-seater because you don’t feel as tired and it’s exciting sharing the experience together. I love going anywhere with this bike.

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What are you currently obsessed with? Any blogs, pod casts, films, artists?

Right now, I am really into children’s book illustrations. My most recent book purchase was Richard Scarry’s Busy, Busy Town. I have always admired him for his drawings of everything and his imagination with his charming animal characters. I also really like Pictorial Webster’s, which is basically a picture book for the grown up. It is filled with original engravings that were used to illustrate Webster’s dictionaries in the 19th century. The commentary on illustration made by John Carrera is also very insightful.

I have been listening to a lot of Flipper’s Guitar when I am working. They are an early 90s Tokyo-based band that sounds like a mix of sugary Japanese and 80’s British pop. So cute and lovely, it keeps me in a good mood.

What are your thoughts on the Toronto art scene compared to everywhere else you’ve experienced?

I have never had the opportunity to live and experience another city’s art scene but I hope I will have the chance to do that once I graduate. But from what I’ve experienced, the Toronto art scene is full of young talents. There are so many artists I admire that live in the city and produce work regularly. There are always so many good shows going on. It feels like Toronto is filled with opportunities and everyone is very welcoming with new ideas. I feel very fortunate and inspired to be surrounded by such amazing artists in this creative community.

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What is your survival food? Cheap eats for the starving artist?

Cook at home! It is inexpensive and you can make anything you want. I love making curry…mmmmm. It’s so simple and delicious. I also love tea, egg salad, and grilled cheese.

My boyfriend Ted and I frequent Pho Hung on St. Andrew and Spadina. They have delicious vegetable pho and grilled chicken bun at a very reasonable price.

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Any last words?

Let’s be friends.[rssbreak]

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