#yycLCL Photo of the Month
The sacred things by Mae Logullo
This most recent piece I am creating is on a 11” x 14” Belgium linen on panel. The subject matter is a still life of familiar traditional Chinese tea cups and dinner bowls. In the final stage of completion I will entirely cover the orange background with gold leaf sheets, creating a high contrast between the glistening background and the white painted porcelain objects.
The simplicity of the painting is purposeful and intends to remind the viewer of the familiarity and comfort of a very common object amongst Chinese families. It explores the nostalgia and value of family rituals, such as eating a shared meal together — something that has been a cherished act in the Chinese culture.
It seeks to remind us of moments that have been taken for granted, a shared dinner with an elderly family member that is no longer around, and even an uneventful late-night dinner with members of the household.
The daily ritual of eating together as a family is a fragile memory with a shift in the hustle lifestyle we see today. There is a forgotten value of sacredness in honouring the time spent with those who matter the most to us. The respectful rituals of saying “Sic Fan” to your elders before consuming your hot bowl of rice, or humbly tapping beside your tea cup as an appropriate gesture, is so wholly important in shaping your character as you develop into an adult. I see that now more than ever, but as a child I didn’t realize what was unfolding and why, it just was. “The sacred things” is what I chose to call this piece.
I’m moved by themes that bring back memories of my childhood, and how I interpret them after my experiences now as an adult. I love old-world paintings that evoke feelings of intensity, wonder, and invites the viewer to feel emotion. Currently I’m working on a series of paintings that mix old-world architecture and sculptures with modern applications. I find myself always dancing between the old and the new, never being stuck in one or the other, or using each to inspire the direction in my art. As a self-taught oil painter, I’m continually learning how to use different mediums to convey the many ideas stirring in my head at night. I have been creative since I was a child, but only recently have I discovered my love for painting and I continue to learn so much about people, cultures and who I am through art.
I actively live a more creative and intentional life now that I’ve made art a priority and found the courage to call myself an artist. Art has made me appreciate the simplest things and to see that happiness cannot be attained by a transaction or what we’ve been conditioned to believe. My perception of my world around me seems to be more acute since I’ve started creating. I often stop to examine the leaves on a bush, or how obscure and beautiful a nimbus cloud formation unfolds in the sky. Art is such a gift and I’m so grateful I’ve rediscovered how to live a creative authentic life — this helps me feel more appreciation to a creator and allows me to live in the present moment with my loved ones.
Mae Logullo is a Calgary-based visual artist and designer who is moved by themes that bring back memories of childhood. Follow her on Instagram or visit her website lavenderinmytea.com to view more of her work.
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