Today we’d like to introduce you to Winny Kwong-Sito.
Winny, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
To start this off, I am ethnically Chinese, Colombian by birth and raised in Boston. It’s a lot and it’s different, but I think that is also how I got to where I am today. I immigrated to the US back in 2001 and spent my time living between my grandparents, my aunts, and my own family. The only consistency I had was what I did during my free time–drawing. I poured well-over the 10,000 (deliberate) hours of which Malcolm Gladwell suggests makes an expert at something. The permanent callus of a nub on my middle finger is proof of that!
Growing up, I was heavily influenced by anime and also by the ridiculous amount of games that my brother and cousin played; particularly Final Fantasy. Even when I stopped watching anime, I continued reading manga which probably shaped my art the most. I remember spending hours making my own manga, drawing the panels and creating mental storyboards. I didn’t just like drawing, but I liked telling stories and creating a life for my characters.
It wasn’t until high school when I started dabbling in other mediums. I was one of those kids who took art all four years, two of which were AP art. Watercolor was the last medium I picked up in high school, first preceded by chalk and oil pastels, gouache, oils, and acrylic. I hated watercolor with a burning passion and actually took a year hiatus from it. The medium did not behave the way I wanted; it dried too slow and sometimes too fast, colors leaked everywhere and nothing looked the way I had hoped it would. Sometimes I thought to shout at it would help and then I only had to clean up my spit afterwards.
But I was inspired by some Deviantart watercolor illustrators; the first who was Maruti Bitamin, who painted the most beautiful, brightest and most detailed works ever (I still follow her). I had no idea how she did it, but I wanted to get there. And so I kept painting.
I went to college in Vermont (big move!) and painted on the side, though not as much, and started putting things up on Instagram and created an Etsy shop. My watercolor style also really started to develop then, partially adopting some of the peaceful nature that makes up Vermont. The summer going into my senior year, RAW Artists contacted me via Instagram to participate in their Boston show. It was a spectacular experience and I knew I wanted to do more. It also wasn’t until then when, surprise, my parents started to realize how important and REAL art was to me, and how real it could be for others too. It’s not just a hobby or a pass-time, it’s a passion.
Fast forward six years since high school–I have met many other artists and also now have minor wrist pain because I paint too much (no regrets). With watercolor, I have learned to be more patient, to stop being so controlling, to be less precise and to appreciate spontaneity. I am challenging myself to paint things I don’t like, to connect with more creatives, and to just keep making. I recently did another RAW Boston show and am super excited to participate in more upcoming Fall events!
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
My artwork is colorful and expressive. It is loud in colors but subtle in the emotions conveyed. My work can be delicate, nostalgic and sometimes melancholic. I hope that when someone looks at my art, they are reminded of calmer days, of love, perhaps of bittersweet loss, and of the reminiscent magic left from childhood. My art is inspired by photography, landscapes, sometimes lonely figures, and warm hands. Though super canny, the mood of my art captures who I am perfectly.
Do current events, local or global, affect your work and what you are focused on?
Most definitely yes. I think artists today have a louder voice and are making more of a social impact than before. I’d like to think that art is more accessible to people today, not only because of the internet and social media but because people are more accepting of what art is and can be. Art is no longer just fine art in a museum for a select group, and it’s not only social when drawn as graffiti–it’s found on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Tumbler, Etsy and so many other venues. Art can come disguised as, or simply are, videos, music, fashion, architecture and so much more. Current Millennial and Generation Z artists/creatives are all about the social movement and about producing things that speak voices. It’s all about multiplying and amplifying that voice alongside its audience. If anything, art is more alive than ever before.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
People can see my art on social media (and at my shows!). Below are some links:
You can follow me on Instagram for frequent content updates & announcements —
Instagram @droppingcolors.
Personal Portfolio:
www.droppingcolors.com
See big picture ideas, videos and other fun posts on Facebook:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/droppingcolors/
Just made a YouTube channel for speed painting videos: user @ droppingcolors
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4nQtoF2ERtk_my075v8sIg
Contact:
e-mail:
droppingcolors@gmail.com
or just message me on any of the platforms above!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: instagram.com/droppingcolors
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/droppingcolors
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4nQtoF2ERtk_my075v8sIg
Image Credit:
4th Space, Julia Nelson, Winny Kwong
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