Young Hee Sung, an artist and the owner of Laird Art Gallery in Toronto, ON, is a member of several artistic organizations, including the Korean Artist Society of Canada (KASC), Don Valley Art Club (DVAC), Nokmi , and Ewha Fine Art, and has been teaching healing art at various NPOs and art schools like Maum Family Care Centre, Pilgrim Community Centre Inc, All Seeds Academy, KASC, CCSA(Canadian Contemporary School of Art), and Laird Art Gallery since 2019. She was born and raised in South Korea, received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Ewha Womans University in 1995, moved to the US in 2006, and awarded the Public Diplomacy from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea in 2016 for promoting Korean art and literature in the US and Canada. After relocating to Canada in 2019, Young Hee held her first solo exhibition at Ajax City Hall in January 2020, completed a master’s degree in counseling at Canada Christian College in 2022, and had her second solo exhibition, titled <Connection>, at Laird Art Gallery in 2023, with an ongoing online exhibition available on their website.

Shaped by both Eastern and Western traditions, my work reflects a lifelong journey of blending techniques from Asian brush painting, learned in Korea, with formal training in Western painting. I create dynamic, abstract narratives through the use of dots, lines, and strokes, where each stroke transcends mere figurative expression. Instead, these strokes combine shapes and colors formed by chance to pursue greater abstraction and freedom. By layering and overlapping strokes, I evoke energy and vibrant contrasts, transforming the flat surface into a dynamic interplay of color and movement. My artistic practice has evolved beyond traditional canvases to include three-dimensional wireframe models, which I see as an extension of painting into space. Using oil and acrylic on various surfaces—canvas, wood, plastic wires, and even furniture—I experiment with new dimensions, continuously pushing the boundaries of conventional painting. Born in Korea, my experience of drifting between the U.S., China, and Canada—never fully settling in one place—has shaped both my art and my perspective on time and belonging. This sense of transience manifests in my work as a longing presence, reflected in the Seekers series, where human figures embody a continuous search for meaning. Yet, through this movement, I have come to realize the profound value of fleeting moments. The passage of time, once a source of uncertainty, has instead become a subject of deep appreciation, especially as I witness my children grow. The delicate balance between impermanence and presence, loss and gratitude, is central to my creative process. As an artist, a mother, and a seeker myself, I strive to capture the essence of transformation—both internal and external. Each brushstroke, line, and form represents not only my personal journey but also the universal experience of searching, evolving, and embracing change. My work invites viewers to reflect on the impermanence of life, the richness of the present, and the ways in which time shapes both personal and collective narratives. Ultimately, my art is an exploration of hope and contemplation. By merging vivid techniques with a philosophical inquiry into time and memory, I seek to celebrate life’s ephemeral beauty while offering a space for introspection and connection.(1/28/2025)