September 4, 2024 • 57 mins
In this episode of The Truth in This Art, I talk with Katie Chung, a Korean-American visual artist from Chicago. We explore Katie Chung's artistic journey, from her roots in drawing and painting to her work in sculpture. Katie Chung opens up about how her identity and heritage shape her creative process, especially through the use of unconventional materials. Our conversation with Katie Chung touches on the power of visual storytelling and how her work connects with diverse audiences. This is a deep dive into the evolution of Katie Chung's art and the important role of culture in her work.
Host: Rob Lee
Music: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.
Production:
- Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel Alexis
- Edited by Daniel Alexis
- Show Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and Transistor
Photos:
- Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.
- Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Rob Lee (00:07):
now. I think I recognize her. Welcome to The
Truth in Us Art, your source forconversations at the
intersection of arts, culture,and community. I am your host,
Rob Lee. Thank you for joiningme.
Today, I am excited to be inconversation with my next guest.
She is a Korean American visualartist born and raised in
(00:28):
Chicago whose practice spansdrawing, painting, and
sculpture. Her work investigateseveryday life with bold shapes
and colors while her sculpturalpieces explore her Korean
American heritage and identity.Please welcome Katie Chung.
Welcome to the podcast.
Katie Chung (00:46):
Hi. Thanks. Really excited to be here.
Rob Lee (00:50):
Thank you for for coming on. I'm excited to have
you here. Like, as I try toextend and have my my my my
tentacles and my fingerprints inthe Midwest, I'm glad I have a
Chicagoan. That's what you guyscall it. Right?
Chicagoan on the podcast.
Katie Chung (01:04):
Yeah. That's cool. I'm I'm glad you reached out.
You've also introduced me todifferent artists, more kind of
in the East Coast. So justlistening to your podcast, I
think it's cool.
Rob Lee (01:13):
Thank you. I I really appreciate that and, appreciate
you you joining today. Andbefore we get into the big major
questions, I'd like to give youthe space to to introduce
yourself in your own words.Obviously, I think there's a lot
of power in that. I can use the,you know, pieces of the online
bio and the artist statement,but hearing it directly from the
(01:34):
artist, hearing it directly fromthe guest, there's much more
power in that.
So if you will, please.
Katie Chung (01:39):
Yeah. For sure. Hi. I'm Katie Chung. I'm a Korean
American visual artist fromChicago.
My art practice is split in,like, two directions right now.
I make illustrations, and Ipaint murals. And these are
mostly commissioned artworks. Idescribe them as, like, bold,
colorful drawings, very graphic,cartoonish drawings. And then
(02:03):
the other side of my practiceis, I I guess, would be
described as, like, textilesculptures.
I have a background inbookbinding, and I also just I
love sewing. It's always been inmy life. So, through those two
different techniques, I exploremy identity, my lineage, and my
heritage, and, I make theseartifacts, I guess. Yeah. So I'm
(02:24):
kind of a little in 2 lanes, butI think as a Korean American,
it's, like, bound for me to bein this type of, yeah, position,
holding 2 different type of,like, personalities in my art.
Rob Lee (02:38):
Thank you. That's that's great. And, you know, I
was when I was doing some of theresearch, I was like, hold on.
You know, I was doing one ofthose things. I was like, you
have more than one thing.
You know? And just seeing it, Iwas like, this is really good.
This is really great. And thenit's like, oh, this is also
great. It's like, what?
So how am I gonna, you know,come up with questions and and
all of that good stuff? So, youknow, in it, it's talking about
(03:02):
sort of the the the two lanes orwhat have you. I feel like I
feel like there's a third one,but those those two lanes that
are there, creatively, what isyour first love?
Katie Chung (03:12):
It was drawing. I think it's just it's so
accessible and simple. That's,like, my earliest memories of
doing art, and enjoying it andfeeling like I was good at
something or, like, doingsomething right. You know? I
think when I was preparing forthis podcast, it kinda drew up
these memories of me, like,sitting really young with, like,
(03:33):
a bunch of loose leaves sheetsof paper and just like making
squiggles on the lines and beinglike, I'm doing my work.
But I was like, you could belike 3 or 4, like, what are you
doing? But like, it was likethis form of drawing like, okay,
like, don't know. I had thisidea of something and I'm
getting it out. Yeah. And then Ithink second would just be
sewing, which is kind of anextension of drawing, really.
(03:55):
So
Rob Lee (03:56):
No. I I drawing was the was the was the thing for me
growing up. You know, this camealong, like, I think later as
sort of, I guess, storytelling.But I've been doing podcasting
for so long, but it was even athing, and it's still not quite
a thing. And that's sort of, youknow, in that respected way is
(04:17):
not considered, you know, art orconsidered this is like this is
a creative pursuit that can bendinto these other areas.
But as far as like knowing Iwanted to do something creative,
artistic, or have you,illustration was the first thing
for me. You know, I still have,you know, I'll be 40 in,
January. I still have my artbags when I was 5 years old in
(04:41):
my studio, and my grandmotheractually sewed sewed the bag
together for me based off of, Ithink it was pieces of my dad's
duffle bag when he was in thearmed forces.
Katie Chung (04:53):
Oh my god. I love that. Like, that that to me is
art. You know what I mean? Thatis, like, the art that is
accessible.
Just like things made with careand love and, I don't know,
attention and time. I just likeyeah. I love that.
Rob Lee (05:07):
It's it's really cool. I was like, oh, wow. Even when I
I drew this cover of X Men fromWizard Magazine back in the day.
Well, maybe I'll do thatdifferent. Do you wanna go back
into drawing, Rob?
We'll see.
Katie Chung (05:18):
Yeah. I just love the idea of just, like,
something as simple as just Idon't know. It's I feel like
when I heard the term markmaking that was like it's kind
of a fancy phrase, but it's alsojust like, oh my god. It's
literally drawing. I feel likewhen people are like, I can't
draw.
It's like, okay. You can't likesmudge something on a surface. I
don't know. We've already gonethrough, like, modernism, and
(05:40):
we're you know?
Rob Lee (05:42):
You can't smudge something on a surface. I like
it. I like it.
Katie Chung (05:46):
Yeah.
Rob Lee (05:47):
So in in this next one, perhaps it's, it's a 2 part
question maybe, but I have readsomewhere because I was going
through old interviews andreading old interviews. I saw
this influence around, like,cartoons and and comics. So
could you talk a bit about that?You touched on a little bit
earlier, but could you touch onthat a bit and show to sort of
how maybe the influences show upor kinda shape your your art?
(06:10):
And, you know, I have a secondpart too, but I at least wanna
give you that.
Katie Chung (06:14):
Yeah. So I am a kid that grew up in the nineties.
And like many nineties kids, wegrew up watching TV while our
parents were at work, you know.Especially as, like, I don't
know. In my family, I was, like,watching so much TV.
One of my favorite shows was TheSimpsons and King of the Hill.
And I just love, like, again,like, simplicity. It's just
(06:35):
like, okay, this line indicatesan ear. You know, like, I just
love that style. I also love thestory Kelly and the Simpsons.
Just like it's about a familythat watches TV. You know? And
then I think as I knew that Istarted getting into art and
getting to, like, things in highschool, I started finding
graphic novels and getting,like, alternatives. So, things
(06:57):
like Artkrom, which I knowyou've talked to a couple
artists about. I I feel like themoment you find something like
Artkrom is, like, when you kindafind, like, punk rock is, like,
music and you're like, oh mygosh.
You know? But, yeah, and thenthat, like, I I I love Linda
Barry. I love Daniel Clouse.It's weird stories and kind of
(07:20):
ordinary drawings. I don't know.
I love that stuff. And then incollege, I just studied
printmaking and graphic design,and I was introduced to artists
like Paul Rand, Saul Bass, whichI feel like are, like, the kings
of, like, logos. And then, like,Red Grooms. I just found a book
on him. I nerd it out.
(07:41):
It's just, like, disgustinglycolorful pictures of, like, New
York City in, like, theseventies eighties. You know?
The Harry Who, which is like anartist group of Chicago artists
that went to the Art Institute,back in the day. And yeah. I
don't know.
These are the names that kindajust pop up. I feel like these
are the names that sometimes getreferenced when I mention my
(08:03):
work, especially like the HarryWho Harry Hoove. Yeah. I just I
don't know. I think sayingcartoons and comics is an easy
way to just be like, I loveimages.
You know what I mean? Like, I'veseen a lot of stuff. I love art
history. I love I I mean, feellike none of history made sense
until I learned art historyuntil there was, like, a picture
to it. So, yeah, I just Iconsume a lot of pictures.
(08:29):
I'm sorry. I was like
Rob Lee (08:30):
I feel like I'm getting so many quotables thus far.
We're just starting, which isgreat. I this this is an aside
because you you'd mentioned thethe the ear thing as far as the
Simpsons. For for you, what waswhat was something like that was
always challenging to, like,draw? Like, was it a part of an
anatomy that was superchallenging?
I always had trouble with hands.
Katie Chung (08:50):
Yeah. The hands when they're holding something
or whatever. I trace a lotsometimes. Like, I that's how I
learned how to draw just, like,over and over again, and all of
a sudden your your hand kindamemorizes certain lines. Yeah.
But, like, yeah, there's certainthat's when AI is actually
useful because you're, like,hand holding juice box from
(09:12):
upper angle, you know, like, andthen it's generated, and then
you're like, okay. Let me justbut, yeah, I hands are hard. I
feel like I feel like because ofour times right now in general,
I feel like just using bodiesand faces is kind of a
challenge. I think it can be afun challenge, but something
(09:35):
that I'm, like, I've noticed.
Rob Lee (09:38):
One of the things that I would always do when I would
schedule I'm definitely one ofthose kind of doodlers. If I
have, like, ambient paper and apencil, pen, something, I'm just
there sketching away even now.And I found this thing that I
always would return to. I'mavoiding hands because it's
just, like, let's just keepfailing. But I would always try
to do, like, almost a selfportrait in these sketches, and
(10:02):
they would look nothing like me.
It's just like I would have,like, a book of these attempts
at self portraits. They don'tlook similar to each other, and
none of them look like me. AndI'm like, why do I keep
returning to this? Is it, like,something I wanna do with my
face? Like, what am I doing?
Katie Chung (10:18):
I feel like that's one of the hardest artist,
assignments and something that Ifeel like I've avoided for many
years. I think I've made, like,one piece that I've I've titled
self portrait, and it's, like,not a real picture of me. It's
like an interpretation. Youknow? Because also I'm like,
(10:38):
yeah.
That that's a hard one. What arewe seeing? You know?
Rob Lee (10:42):
Right. It's it's like this is Rob after a bender drawn
by the figure in the drawn bythe person who the figure is
made of who has not seen himselfin a mirror.
Katie Chung (10:53):
All of
Rob Lee (10:53):
the context. That's just the byline at the bottom.
So I I think and and I and Ireally dig that, you know, we're
you you discovered the podcast.You're you're definitely
checking it out. And I thinkwhen as I as I kinda look at
this question I have here, thisthis next part to the question,
and maybe you've touched on it.
But, like, when you're listeningto this, when people are
(11:15):
listening to this, they kind ofget maybe some of the
references. Sometimes they'redirect questions from other
interviewers. Sometimes theyhave a style of question or the
way that the questions flow. Youcan see sort of like, alright,
you get inspiration from thisperson. This person might be a
model for how you go about whatyou do.
So for you, and maybe youmentioned it in the the group of
(11:36):
the different artists that youyou you dug or have you, But who
would you say is like a creativerole model that you're either
looking at how they go abouttheir art, even specific
techniques, or just sort of thecreative, like, life, the
artistic life that they livethat you maybe model or get
inspiration from?
Katie Chung (11:55):
Oh, yeah. This is such a big question. I'm gonna
start with, like, there's a lotof people that I've, like, chose
to surround myself around. Ithink it's important as a
working artist to, like, putyourself in situations where
you're learning from otherartists. I don't know.
Artists, curators, just likementors in general that I've
(12:17):
I've met through school. I thinkin terms of like, artists, when
I think about, like, aestheticstyles, and that type of
inspiration, I'm really drawn toI think it doesn't matter what
the art looks like. It's like,if I learned about the artist's
life, I really love, like,biographies of artist's life.
(12:41):
Yeah. It just shows in their artwhere it's like, man, this
person's lit.
Like, this is weird. Like, wherewas their mind? And also, like,
they dedicated so much to acertain craft. One guy that
comes to mind immediately,because I recently saw a
documentary on him, it just cameout. It's called Memorial to the
Idea of a Man.
If he was an idea, what a title.Right? It's about this artist
(13:03):
named h c Westerman, and, like,he's just wild. I don't know. He
he he's like a veteran, but he'salso, like, a crazy amazing
woodworker and, like, was alwaysdoing handstands and, like, you
know, I don't know.
Did he just have like a coollife? And I love learning about
that. But there's also likemusicians, like Ren, I sometimes
(13:26):
I think about the life of IsaacHayes, and I'm like, that dude,
I don't know what he's up tonow, but I bet it's cool. Like,
he that is really cool. Youknow, he's like doing a voice on
South Park, but also made, like,these legendary soundtracks.
Rob Lee (13:39):
Right.
Katie Chung (13:40):
Like, sound comes from somewhere. That's like,
that leads a really cool life.You know? I don't know. Yeah.
So I think it's important as anartist to just kind of, like,
dig into history, but also yourcontemporaries of just, like,
people doing interesting things.Not just, like, what it looks
like in the end, but it, likeyou know, I think especially
because as an artist, it's sucha not traditional path. So you
(14:04):
gotta kinda reach and take fromother people's lives and be
like, I I wanna do this. Okay. Iwanna do this.
You know? So yeah. I I try toresearch into, yeah, artists'
lives so I can kind of enrich myown because I I don't I don't
really know what it means to bean artist, and I think that's
cool. I'm I'm just making it up.
Rob Lee (14:23):
I I love it. Like, I look. I'm faking all of this.
This is I'm not even a realperson. I'm a puppet for all of
this.
I I remember before I move intothis next question, I I remember
at one point in this thispodcast, it's, probably a couple
years ago at this point, but Italked to the founder and
curator of the AmericanVisionary Arts Museum in in
(14:43):
Baltimore, and, the she sheresearched me, and I had, like,
a bio sitting out there. My biowas so dumb. Didn't know what to
put in there, but it wasliterally things that I liked.
So it was just like take it waslike 3 comedians, and then, you
know, where and I I wrote in it3 these these 3 different
(15:05):
comedians and, you know, thetemperament of Shinsuke
Nakamura, which was my favoritewrestler at the time. And she's
like, I don't know who any ofthese people are.
I know one of these dudes isJapanese, and he's a comedian,
so, like, what are we doinghere? And then I see you, and
she was like, I wasn't expectingthat. And we had a really cool
conversation that is almost aseparate podcast. We talked for,
(15:28):
like, 2 hours. We did aninterview, but then we kinda got
to know each other, and it waslike us trading off on, being
curious about what each other'sbackgrounds were.
Katie Chung (15:38):
That's cool. Yeah. It's like you never know what
you're gonna learn. Yeah. Idon't know.
Yeah.
Rob Lee (15:44):
And and and and that takes me to this, and it kinda
aligns a little bit. So I wannatalk about creative process. So
that's that's definitely onething, and I know it's multiple
lanes. So, you know, it's expandon it as much as you would like
between the lanes. But I'll say,and I've noticed this and I've
tried to get better at it, and Iput these parameters in place
(16:06):
that, you know, enables me to beat my best because I always have
trouble starting.
That's always a thing for me.Like, it's almost like, go, just
talk in front of people. It'slike, I got nothing. You know?
But if it's like, hey, insertyourself into a conversation,
and then then I can kind of havea bit control in it.
I find the whole thingchallenging, and I've always
described this podcast as likeblind dating with artists. You
(16:27):
know what I mean? This is like,oh, I hope I made an impression.
So, you know, talking about yourprocess, like, generally, but
could you include, like, youknow, sort of what you find the
most difficult within theprocess, and what do you find
the most exciting part of theprocess?
Katie Chung (16:42):
I think one of the exciting parts is when you're,
like for instance, for me, I'mI'm, like, physically doing
something. I'm drawing. I'msewing. I'm I'm doing something
with my hands, and I'm I'mtrying to arrange things and
figure out the equation, whetherit's a client's need for, like,
(17:02):
some sort of illustration or ifit's like, an archival box
sculpture I'm making for anapplication. It's like aiming
towards, like, what I actuallywanna make when something
clicks.
That is, like, the best part.And then you're, like, not done
yet, but there's, like, adirection because you're like,
(17:24):
oh, yeah. This is looking good.Like, this is exactly the vibe I
was going for. This is, like,the This is the look.
This is like the message I wannagive. I love that moment. It's
like almost that middle point ofjust like, oh, yes. Okay. Pick
the right fabric.
Did that. I love that. I lovethat even more than like, oh,
it's done. I don't know. Youknow what I mean?
(17:46):
I don't I don't know. It kind ofkicks kicks my gears and I just
like, get really into it. Ithose are the days where I'm
like, I work 14 hours. I thinkthe hardest part is there is,
like, no promise of gettingthat.
Rob Lee (18:04):
Yeah.
Katie Chung (18:05):
I think the only thing that really is, like, the
key to that is consistency andjust like practicing and being
like, and gaining thatconfidence in your process. So
there's like no cheat, cheatingin it, you know, which kind of
sucks, but it's also like, whenit clicks, that's why it's so
good. Because it's like, oh, Icouldn't even cheat, you know?
(18:28):
So, yeah, that's one of the hardthings. One other thing that I
think is really hard that I'vealways struggled with is like,
the post production stuff likewriting and documentation and,
like, I don't know.
I feel like I'm I just wanna belike the factory worker that's,
like, pumping out the art andthen you know? But it all that
stuff is important. So Yeah. Butit's that's what I struggle
(18:51):
with. Yeah.
Rob Lee (18:52):
Like, you know, and thank you. That's it's so so
true. I I relate to that where Ijust wanna, you know, I call it
the admin stuff. Any of thatpost, it's like, look, you know,
this is the this is the part,and I'm shy, right, but this is
the part of the whole workflow,if you will, that I enjoy. Being
able to talk with someone,connect with them, maybe have a
(19:14):
few laughs, learn about theirwork, but directly from them,
not something that's, likewritten online, hearing it
directly from the person.
Because I think there's alwayssomething like like missed, you
know, in it that you get fromthat that further conversation.
But the stuff leading up to itas far as I'm my own booker.
Right? So sometimes, peoplearen't the most kind in email,
(19:34):
and then you're like, yeah, youwere talking to me, you know,
we're, hey, same guy, or eventhe the sort of post component
where, you know, you put it outand you're like, I feel really
good about this and confidentabout this. I think this went
well.
And you you hope that, you know,the the partner in this scenario
and the conversation feels thethe same and will, you know,
(19:55):
share it and all of that stuffbecause at the end of the day,
it's a, you know, mutuallybeneficial thing. You're able to
share sort of your story asauthentic as you'd like it to
be, you know, in this in this,you know, sort of medium. And,
you know, I'm happy to have theconversation. And but you hope
that that goes well, but I'malways sort of, like,
questioning if it went well, ifit didn't, and so on, and what
(20:17):
that response might be.Sometimes I turn it down, but
when you feel like or when Ifeel like I really I did a
really good interview, and it'slike, I felt a little flat.
Damn. Yeah. It's it's one ofthose things where you're never
quite, like, sure how it's gonnaturn out, but this is the part
that I always try to capturethat, you know, it's, it's sort
(20:40):
of a a a good partner. Therethere was one interview not too
too long ago where I just waslike I just felt like I had
nothing for it. I, you know, Itried to give my my best, but I
just felt like I didn't do aparticularly good job at my job.
And that was the one of thoserare instances in doing this
piece where I felt like, okay, Imight not be good at this. So in
(21:03):
in putting it out later, the theguest was like, no. This is
great. I had a great time. And Iwas like, that kind of filled
that back up.
But doing this part of it, whichusually I'm super confident and
happy about, I was just unsure.So getting that sort of
follow-up feedback felt feltreally good to kinda, you know,
make me keep doing the thepodcast.
Katie Chung (21:22):
Yeah. No. I think I honestly, I agreed to do this
because when I looked up yourname, I was like, oh my god.
There's so many episodes. Like,you've been doing this.
And then when I listened to it,I was like, okay. Yeah. There
has been like you've been you'vedone like 500 episodes. Right?
Rob Lee (21:36):
Close to 800.
Katie Chung (21:37):
88100. It was like something why? And I was like,
oh my god. And he, like, wantsto interview me. That's awesome.
That's cool. I think I mean,what does it matter if that one
didn't click? Because you have,what, 799 other? You know, it's
it's almost like one one littlething doesn't matter when it's
like you've been doing it foryears. Yeah.
Rob Lee (21:59):
And it's the it's the the the big body of it, you
know, of any of these thesethings that, you know, artists
do that people creatingsomething and they feel
passionate about that they'rethey're doing. It's like, yeah.
You, you know, wrote maybe thischapter wasn't your your best.
Maybe you should've edited it alittle bit longer, but, you
know, you were able to put itout there as the rep sometimes.
(22:20):
Mhmm.
So I've shared a little bit withyou before I got started that
before we got started with themic in earnest, that I became
aware of your work, I believe,like, in June, aware of you as
an artist, obviously, but thenaware of your some of your work.
And it was, the mural, localsonly. I was just, like, walking
around aimlessly in Chicago. Imay have been leaving a, a food
(22:42):
tour. We'll talk about thatlater.
But I'm curious. How how did itcome about? Could you describe
it for us for those who areundipped? What is what was the
mural? What's Locals Only?
Katie Chung (22:52):
Yeah. I will start by describing it.
Rob Lee (22:54):
Please.
Katie Chung (22:55):
Locals Only is a window and floor mural I painted
that is up at the 360 Chicagoobservation deck. That's on the
94th floor at the John HancockCenter. So it's a bunch of hand
painted tiles with the like, theChicago star. It has, like, kind
of a checkered vibe. And thenwhy do I keep saying vibe?
(23:17):
Yikes. Sorry. And then, no.Sorry.
Rob Lee (23:22):
You got it.
Katie Chung (23:22):
You got it. And then, I have, there's, like, a
set of windows that kindaseparate that room from the rest
of the floor, and it hasdifferent vignettes of, like,
Chicago neighborhoods. And thiscame about honestly because the
marketing team had seen myprevious work.
Rob Lee (23:37):
Yeah.
Katie Chung (23:39):
And funny enough, the the person one of the people
on the marketing team, actuallysomeone I went to high school
with, and, like, you know, wedidn't stay in contact for much
long like, very long, but theysaw my stuff and my social media
and just realized, like, oh,perfect artist for this floor.
So I'm I'm really excited thatthat that happened. So yeah.
Rob Lee (23:59):
I I I love the color in it. I love when there's themes
that connect to to a city, to aplace like, yeah, as I was, you
know, sharing, like, you know,this started here, started in
Baltimore really as a thing.They like highlight what's what
I like about Baltimore, what'scool about Baltimore, and it's
extended to looking for sort ofthat same vibe in other cities.
(24:23):
Yeah. I I did I did the smugsniff too.
Katie Chung (24:25):
Oh my god. No. I don't know why it's happening.
It's like not I feel like I usedit ironically for too much, and
now it's like in my vocabularyand I'm noticing it. You know?
Rob Lee (24:35):
It's like when you get snooped in an accent and you
can't get out of it.
Katie Chung (24:39):
Yeah. Exactly.
Rob Lee (24:41):
But what was the what was the the the the key piece
of, like, imagery that you youwere definitely passionate?
Like, you know, I I really wantto have this and it just has to
be in there like that is maybe ahallmarks, maybe a signature for
you that not only was it sort ofthe request to to work in this
(25:02):
capacity, but also it's like,put a little bit of my myself in
it, what I find special aboutChicago, what have you?
Katie Chung (25:09):
Well, so when they first reached out, I actually
got a tour of the whole space,and I got an understanding of,
like, what their branding was asa tour attraction, which was
very much, like, focused oneducating guests on, like, the
local Chicago. So I I guess,like, the Chicago outside of the
skyscrapers down town, you know,like, the neighborhoods, like,
(25:31):
the communities that really makeup Chicago. And so I really
appreciated that, especially assomeone that grew up in Chicago
and is based there now. So Iknew I had to do something with
neighborhoods. But at the sametime, when I was first given
this this project, it was onlymeant to be a floor mural.
Before this, there was an artistthat did, like, kind of a 3 d
(25:53):
mural where it looked like youwere, like, on a on a crazy lift
and, like, looking down on theskyscraper. So it was supposed
to be, like, only a floor thing.But when I saw the room, I was
like, oh, you should let me dothe windows too. Like, give me,
like, the whole thing, you know.One of their requests also was,
like, we want this to be, like,a photogenic room, you know.
That is something that's that'sa way people are interacting
(26:15):
with places and and, I don'tknow, in spaces. But, so yeah, I
knew that it had to be a busyfloor because realistically,
it's like there's millions ofpeople that visit this space,
and it also I didn't mentionthis. It's on the 94th floor in
an open air room, so the windowsare, like, grace. So you can
(26:36):
feel the air. You can hear thecity.
When it's snowing, it's snowingin there too. You know? So it's
like it has to endure a lot. AndI I know it's only gonna last
maybe, like, a year or 2, buteven with a little bit of
destruction, I want it to be abusy enough design where it
would still look good. So I feellike I achieved that, which I'm
(26:58):
really happy about.
But, yeah, that was it was,like, kind of a balance of,
like, being logical about thislike, the actual space
Rob Lee (27:07):
Yeah.
Katie Chung (27:07):
And then the request of the marketing team,
but then also just being, like,I wanna do this in my style and,
like, just have fun and pitchideas. And if they say yes, then
help. You know?
Rob Lee (27:17):
I love that. Like, you know, I get more and more
opportunities in being able toto listen to folks who, like
like you're describing, of like,yeah, this this aligns for 1,
and I'm able to do it in mystyle and kinda pitch ideas. It
feel feels more you know, it's ait's a client situation, but it
feels more collaborative, morepartnership oriented. And I've
(27:37):
been learning more and moreabout the delineation between
the the 2. And, you know, thereare times where, you know, if
someone will ask me, hey, canyou do some interviews, but do
it in this way?
And I'm like, oh, I don't knowabout that. Like, why would you
hire me? You know, I'd I'd dothis, you know, and those really
cool ones when someone expresseswhat the vision is and
(27:58):
especially, you know, some ofthe things like I, you you know,
during the summer, I I did the,I did some, interviews for our
big arts festival, Artscape, andI was there, like, sort of lie
one location. And generally, youknow, I'm like, I'm not really
sure what to do, but having thattime and that experience and
(28:19):
conversations that that touch onthings similarly to this, that
I'm like, well, this is what Iwas planning. This is what I had
in mind.
This is generally what I do. Howdoes that fit into the scope of
what you guys are doing? Becausein in some ways, it's yeah. I
was working with the marketingteam. It's trying to support
this initiative to highlightthis event, but also show all of
the cool things attached to itand really highlight the
(28:42):
creative economy, quote,unquote, of Baltimore.
Katie Chung (28:45):
Yeah. Honestly, I kind of love that dynamic of,
like, something a little bitmore structured like a marketing
team and then a creative, like,a challenge. Because sometimes
when it's, like, do anything,that is just, like, too broad
where you're like, okay, andthey're like and and give it to
us whenever. It's like, no, likewe need we need deadline. We
(29:07):
need to get this done.
What are you talking about? Doany, you know? So I kinda I love
kind of that push and pull of,like, we need this done. We need
this then. This is our budget,and this is what we want, and
this is the space.
I'm like, yes. Bada bing, badaboom. Maybe it's the Chicago in
me probably.
Rob Lee (29:23):
It it gives you almost the, opportunity to almost over
deliver where, you know, theywere like, yeah. Whenever you
get it back to us, and I waslike, I can get this back to you
guy to you guys in, like, 2days. You know? Yeah. It would
all be edited back to you guysin 2 days.
How do you want it packaged? Youknow, I I go full production
mindset. You know?
Katie Chung (29:42):
Exactly. Yeah. I mean, you have to. I there's I
don't know. When you when you'redoing something that other
people would wanna be doing, youjust I feel like you need to
have that mindset, you know.
Yeah. Otherwise, nothing getsdone.
Rob Lee (29:55):
So I I wanna move into a cup a couple of questions I
have around so so do the textilework. I I see sort of this use
of I see your use of, like,quote, unquote, unconventional
fabrics. I may have left it outfrom somewhere. And I'm
particularly interested in is ita Hanbok for my mother?
Katie Chung (30:14):
Yeah. It's it's called a Hanbok.
Rob Lee (30:16):
Hanbok?
Katie Chung (30:17):
Yeah. So that is a I'll just, this is a piece
that's titled Kyungmi, which ismy mom's first name. It's a
Hanbok, which is a traditionalKorean dress. And it's a Hanbok
I made actually covered in drycleaning tags. They're all
handwritten, collected from herdry cleaning shop.
(30:39):
This is like a really intenseproject. It's like one of those
things where you're like, you'redone and you realize how much
time it took and you're like,why did I do that? That's nuts.
But yeah. So it is, Oh, man.
I feel like it was just likethis this idea. First off, it's
(31:02):
like I grew up in a dry cleanersbasically waiting for my mom to
get off work. She she ran a drycleaners and like an alterations
shop. And, yeah, I where do Istart? There's so much.
I've always been aroundclothing, so I think the idea of
making a garment was reallyimportant to me, and this is
(31:24):
kind of how I explored that. Youknow? Before that, I was kind of
making just more, like, what Iwas comfortable with this kind
of more, like, 2 d art. But,yeah, I made this Humboldt that
actually fits my body, and I'veworn it on a couple occasions. I
don't know.
I can call it performance ornot. I feel it's kind of
(31:44):
interesting talking about it nowbecause every time I say it's a
performance piece, people are,like, expecting me to dance in
it. And it's kind of asking formovement because it's like these
tassels of tags. You know, it'sit's heavy. But I I don't that's
not me.
You know, that's not the piece.So, yeah, that is a piece that's
(32:06):
kind of like an paying homage tomy mother and but also all the
mothers and fathers that comeand immigrate to this country
and and give us theopportunities of this country. I
don't know. It's like a certainweight of being 2nd generation.
Yeah.
There's not there's there's notmany words. I feel like yeah.
Rob Lee (32:28):
No. I mean, 1, you know, I had so many questions
that in the next question I havebecause it's sort of the volume
or have you. But the image thatI saw of it and doing that that
diver, that bigger dive into theresearch and checking through
your website and your Instagram,I was like, wow. How many how
(32:48):
many tags are here? Like, howmany tickets?
How how did you, you know I gotyou asked the question about
sourcing them, where do theycome from, but, wow. How you
know, do you remember how manythere were to build this out?
Katie Chung (33:00):
Oh my god. I this is probably, like, me asking my
mother not to throw these tagsout for, like, 2 to 3 years,
except this is not all of them.This is this is just probably a
couple 100, couple thousand. Idon't know. You know?
I will tell you it was, like, 2years of my time. It's also
(33:20):
something it wasn't like I wasconsistently working on this.
When I was working on thispiece, I was still, like,
working other jobs. Right now,I'm a full time artist, but I
was kind of juggling. This waskind of like a ritual I had.
Yeah. I don't know. These arethe types of works that really
brought me closer to myself, myfamily, and my my culture, and
(33:42):
just I think it's really I don'tknow. It's been a really nice,
like, opportunity to explorethis curiosity through literally
making. I feel like there's somany things that it's just,
like, I can't put into words,and there's, like, nothing, you
know, there's nothing else I cando other than just, like, make
(34:04):
beautiful things about it.
Rob Lee (34:06):
I love it. I I love being able to explore curiosity.
And, you know, that's one of thethings that, you know, I hear,
and I I can't help but but smileand show off my, my giant teeth
when I'm talking to folks aboutit.
Katie Chung (34:19):
I have done it too. I have done it too.
Rob Lee (34:23):
Because, you know, I was I was you had mentioned, you
know, New York a little brieflyearlier, and I I was just up
there visiting, you know, one ofmy friends and going to, I went
to, like, anime expo, what haveyou, which was a while ago's
press. And I'm like, this isamazing. And, we were just
talking about just chasing,like, curiosity and just we just
(34:44):
literally talk like I have. AndI'm like, Yeah, man, I'm curious
about this and I want to do thisand I'm going to explore this.
You know, I wanna be safe,though, you know, like certain
things.
It's like, what's down thatalley? I'm not sure. Maybe check
going to daytime.
Katie Chung (34:58):
Those are things you should be more careful about
being curious about. But but in
Rob Lee (35:04):
so this this next part of the question, it relates to,
I guess, this this other piece Isaw which, again, volume. So we
love our customers. So thousandsof sewing pins in an imperfect
grid. So one, what what was thetiming on that? And how many
times did you prick yourself?
Like, you know, is there isthere blood in there somewhere
(35:25):
that we can see? Like, what whatdo we got?
Katie Chung (35:28):
Yeah. That was a piece that was probably like a
year probably took a year. It's,like, also the largest archival
box I've made. So I make theseboxes using bookbinding methods.
I have a background inbookmaking, which is, like, kind
of a little niche practice, butI I love it, and I I use it in
my practice.
(35:49):
But this is a box that held a,like, foam piece of foam with
all of these sewing pins inthere, and it was kinda set on a
grid based on, like, my myoptical, you know, view of it,
not, like, actually drawing aperfect grid. I kinda love that,
like, any evidence of, like, ahuman hand, I love, whether it's
(36:12):
in my drawings or my sculptures.I I feel like that's super
necessary. I also love in thesepieces that it has to show my
time. There has there's, like,something about the dedication
of time and and paying homagewith that to not just, like, my
parents, my grandparents, but,like, my ancestors.
I think throughout this work,I've had the opportunity to
(36:32):
learn a little bit more aboutnot just my family history, but
just, like, the historicalcontext of Korea coming from
Korea to America. And it's likeI don't it just brought me a lot
of gratitude and a way waybetter outlook on who I am and
where I come from. Prettysimple. Yeah. K.
(36:53):
Like, really deep print pieces.But lately, the more I talk
about them, I'm like, yeah. It'sjust I I don't know. It brought
me closer to my family. It'scool.
Rob Lee (37:03):
That's it's sometimes it's the the simplest answer. It
has the the the largest rewardsin it. And yeah. I think in you
know, it's this it's this thing,like, a couple years ago, we
were talking about landmarkshere, and I'm big on the
cultural preservation piece. Andthe thing that was requested
was, it was a audio archive ofmemories about this, famous
(37:30):
market here in Baltimore, and itthey were like, what was your
favorite memory of this market?
And I was like, born there withmy dad when I was young, and we
would go there and get, youknow, candy from this stall, and
I will always smell peanuts, andI'm really, like, going back and
thinking about it, you know,like that experience very
vividly. And I was, like, niceto hang on with my dad a lot,
you know, just thinking aboutall of these these sort of
(37:51):
different things and thinkingabout what will we do after
that. Oh, go to see my grandmaand and and spend time with this
relative and and my dad'sfriends and all of these these
different things, things that Ididn't think about it for a
while. And that the root of thatall came from, hey, we know you
do this podcast. It has thisarchival slant to it.
Would you be interested in beingpart of this archive here and
(38:15):
share your story aboutBaltimore? So it's like poking
on the love of Baltimore, thehistory of Baltimore, your own
personal sort of history, andjust connecting back. And as you
remember, I I pinged my dad, andI was like, yo, like, literally,
that's how we talk to eachother. Yo, I covered you in this
this thing for Lexington Market,and I I sent it to him, and just
(38:36):
this sort of epic knowledgeprize, like, it's good. Glad you
remember that.
I was just, like, yeah, bore mysoul. Thanks.
Katie Chung (38:46):
He's like, cool. Yeah. Good job. Yeah.
Rob Lee (38:48):
You remember that? Yeah. Those candies were pretty
good.
Katie Chung (38:50):
So you're like, oh, I totally poured my soul into
that. Yeah. Oh my god.
Rob Lee (38:56):
So this is the last real question I got for you
before I move to the rapid fireones. And, so, you know, I
touched on a little bit, that,you know, sort of being aware of
your work was part of my firstreal trip to Chicago. I went to
the suburbs previously. I wentto Elgin and it was a show. I
(39:17):
went there for some wrestlingthing for 80W when they first
started and they were at theSears something or other out
there.
The only Chicago ish thing thatI did that week was I went to
Portillo's. That was that wasit.
Katie Chung (39:31):
Okay. So I got
Rob Lee (39:33):
I got those marks right. But going there, this
this most recent time and and sobeing aware of your work as a
part of this, I feel like I hada really cool, like, Chicago
experience. I did the littletouristy thing, but my natural
thing is I wanna find the cracksand crevices. I wanna see, you
know, what's around and walkingto different places and, you
(39:53):
know, checking out the city andreally, like, getting getting a
grasp of it. So if you will,could you share how, like,
growing up in Chicago, as you'reChicagoan, proud Chicagoan, how
does this influence your yourstyle, your practice?
Talk a bit about the Chicago inyou.
Katie Chung (40:12):
Oh, man. It is such a huge part of my creative
identity right now, like,professionally, which is really
interesting. I feel like if youwere to ask me this younger, I
wouldn't expect this. But, Ithink I'm really grateful my
parents immigrated here. Chicagois a city that is, like there's
(40:32):
so many opportunities here.
Growing up here, I was able togo to, like, free after school
art classes where it's, like, ata high school age, I'm in a room
with a working artist teachingme about painting, you know,
sending myself in environmentslike that. Like, Chicago really
provided that. And not just,like, at a high school level,
(40:54):
but, like, volunteering and theneven going to the art institute,
different internships, differentcommunities, like printmaking
communities. And I don't know.There's just so much in this
city, but at the same time, it'snot as large as, like, New York
or LA.
Or maybe I wouldn't say large,but just, like, the frequency,
like, the, like, turnover. Andso it just feels like like
(41:17):
people are actually sitting andhaving conversations and
supporting each other and, like,like, sharing information and
ideas and and resources. So thathonestly has, like, made my
entire career literally startingfrom, like, someone helping me
from the after school artsprogram to get me into college
at a prestigious art school thatis in the city so I don't have
(41:39):
to pay for the dorm. I canstill, like, commute. So, like,
financially, it was possible to,you know, being an artist.
Luckily, if if I was out, like,even in the suburbs of Chicago,
it's like, there's only so manycommunity centers or, like, art
centers or studios that youcould actually kind of get into.
Yeah. So I think about that,like, the benefits of, like, all
(42:01):
the programs. And now it's like,I am an alumni of this or I am I
was a part of this residencygroup. It's like, that that is
really valuable.
That has brought differentopportunities now, you know,
which is really cool. And then Ithink in terms of style, like,
there because it is a city andthere's so much resources being
(42:22):
exchanged, there's things likemuseums, but also just like
gallery shows and I don't know.So much stuff is I'm just being
constantly exposed, whether it'ssomething that's happening at
work. For instance, like, a ruleI had for myself when I
graduated art school was youneed to work, like, something
art related, whether it's, like,being around other artists or
(42:44):
you're teaching art orsomething. So, like, teaching
art, that is, like, I'm stillworking my progress or my
processes.
I have access to facilities.Yeah. Then, also, there's I
don't know. Being around artistswas always important to me.
That's what's, like, kept me inthe game, honestly.
(43:05):
It I think if I just kind ofstrayed, it would've just kind
of became this, like, idearather than, like like, a dream
idea of, like, a dream jobrather than just realizing,
like, okay. This person's anartist because they do this, and
they've they said so. And thenjust kinda you know? Yeah. Yeah.
I don't know if that that's abig one. Chicago. Yeah. I have a
(43:26):
love hate with Chicago too, so Idon't know. Anyone from Chicago
should say that.
Rob Lee (43:32):
No. I think that's I think that's a great answer. I
think that's a super validanswer, and I felt that that
part particularly where it'sjust like I did the I did the
business degree thing. Like Isaid, I wanted to be an
illustrator when I was younger,and then, you know, I would hear
from my parents, like, I don'tknow if you're gonna make that
(43:52):
money in the art world. I don'tknow if that's gonna be the
move.
Comic book illustrator? Yousure? And, you know, I'm 64, so
it's just like, why don't youplay football? What are you
doing? Like, poetry, what iswhat are these, like, things
that you're you're doing thataren't what you look like?
Leverage your size and,literally leverage your size.
(44:12):
And, you know, I I think I kindaalmost gave up the the ghost of
what a little bit and but,really, I think it was more of a
shift. I think it was alwaysgonna be and you you you touched
on as far as, like, I need to bearound artists. I need to be
around art, and I think it wasthat. Like, I'm a creative
person or what have you, and I'malways wanting to be around it
(44:36):
and trying to, in some ways,prove a point, some ways, follow
curiosity, in other ways, extendwhat someone looks at as a as
art.
Like, you know, whose storiesmatter, things of that nature is
what I'm trying to prove in thispodcast over and over again or
even the concept of podcasting.I get into fights behind the
(44:58):
scenes all the time of what itis. I'm not saying that it's
capital a, e r, but I'm sayingthat this could be a medium that
allows folks who you know, acouple years ago, when everyone
was, you know, remote, you know,there was some theater that was
done via this. So is that thetheatrical performance not
(45:18):
theater anymore, and is theaternot art and and things of that
nature? So I start having thosesorts of conversations, but all
it's all rooted in being aroundsort of artists to make me seem
more interesting than I actuallyam.
I'll reference you inconversation.
Katie Chung (45:35):
It's because it's more fun. Sorry.
Rob Lee (45:39):
We're driving.
Katie Chung (45:40):
Being around people with, like, no imagination. No.
I don't know. But also, Isometimes I actually enjoy
people that are like, they'rejust like, oh, you know, I'm a
financial consultant, and thenthey're like, I don't have a
creative bone in my body. AndI'm like, you don't know what
they're talking about.
I don't know. It's just kindafun because I think looking at
art through their perspectivealso is kinda refreshing. And
(46:01):
that's, I think, the side ofit's like when you look at the
two sides of my art, it's kindafunny. 1 is kinda like capital a
art where maybe you'd see itmore, like, in a special
collections, like, library. Andthen the other is more just kind
of, like, commercial, I guess,because they are commissioned
illustrations and murals.
(46:22):
But there's, like, a removal ofmy identity. And so, yeah, I
don't know what I'm trying tosay. But, yeah. I don't.
Rob Lee (46:31):
I I hear that. And I did this thing couple years ago
and, you know, always trying tofind funding, always trying to
find patrons, if you will. And Idid some ghost podcasts, and,
you know, just kind of an emcee,and I was like, did I put my
name on this? You know, becauseit's it's no me in there. It's
none of the references.
It's just like, give us thisbland chicken. Can you boil it?
(46:54):
Did you did you put salt on air?Don't put salt. Definitely do
not put pepper on air.
That was essentially, like, whatthe request was, and I learned
from it. And, again, it was sortof that that curiosity thing,
and it was commissioncapitalistic, and I was just
like, that's not really what Iwanna do. Like, you know, people
ask me, you know, why do you dothis? Why do you do so many
(47:16):
episodes? And so I was like,because I love it, and I I enjoy
it.
And I listen to old interviewsbefore it got all social media
ed out and, you know, things ofthat nature, and you listen to
musicians, artists, and it'slike, I'd love to do this. I
have to get this out. You know?And I that's what I feel, and
that's why I just kinda go backto that and always check-in from
that standpoint.
Katie Chung (47:37):
Yeah. I think that's important. Yeah.
Consistency again.
Rob Lee (47:44):
Alright. So now is the the part of the the podcast that
we all enjoy, Swamper Fioreportion.
Katie Chung (47:50):
I feel like you should have some sound effects
in here like pew pew pew.
Rob Lee (47:54):
You know what? It was if I used to do that, I had that
in there, we had a sickbaycalled a new challenger, and we
would just have the StreetFighter theme playing. Here
comes a new challenger for eachstory we would discuss.
Katie Chung (48:06):
Nice. I'm gonna be honest. I have no idea what that
sounds like. But Oh,
Rob Lee (48:09):
it's like, here here comes a new challenger, and it's
just the guy like, infantryfighter.
Katie Chung (48:13):
Always that, but they, like, spin
Rob Lee (48:14):
in. Yeah. Yeah. Alright. So I got 4 of them for
you.
I've been adding as we've beentalking. So here's the first
one. I I gotta ask because, likeI said, I had some really good
food when I was in Chicago. So Igotta ask you, what is this the
quintessential Chicago food toyou?
Katie Chung (48:31):
Oh my god. Everyone's gonna say, like, hot
dog. Right? I feel like thisthis spot this spot has a lot of
clout, but I I'm just gonnashout it out. It's there's a
Jewish deli called Manny's thatI love.
It's like one of my favoriterestaurants in Chicago. It's
cafeteria style. I know I'mKorean, but, like, yeah, there's
(48:53):
something about that Jewish delithat feels very Chicago. I think
it's like, it's the energy whenyou come in the dude's the way
they like serve you the food. Ithere's parking.
It's so good. There's parking,you know, There's parking.
That's really important. Yeah. Ithink the the cake shake is like
(49:15):
a big one at the portill atPortillo's at the Portillo's.
Yeah. Lately, though, I'm gonnabe honest, I feel like I'm
cooking more in the house, andthere's just, like, so many,
like, trendy spots popping upthat I'm, like, I'm not sure
which spot is the best forramen, and I've had a lot of bad
(49:38):
ramen as well. This isn't myproblem with New York. It's like
you get there and it's so bigthat every yeah. Sure.
There's good food here, but it'slike, what you gotta, like,
really dig. Yeah. You know? But,yeah, I I'm gonna vouch for
mannies. That's what I'm I'mgonna say.
Rob Lee (49:55):
Okay. Let's see. Look. I took note down. I I have it,
like, cute.
I I have it like this thisrunning list of places to visit,
and I have it indexed by city.So when I go back, it's like,
alright, Katie. I don't know. Idon't know about Manny's.
Because I don't I'm gonna holdyou to it.
I'm gonna hold you to it. Ithink it's gonna be good,
though. I trust you. I trustyou.
Katie Chung (50:11):
That the food people, like, get for catering
for, like, a funeral. It's,like, good. You know what I
mean? There's, like, respect.
Rob Lee (50:19):
A really good description.
Katie Chung (50:20):
And, like and there's so many things. Oh, and
it's, like, fun. There's so manyplaces to sit where if you're a
type of person that doesn'twanna sit near anybody, there's
plenty of seating. Like, noone's gonna sit next to you.
There's definitely an option.
And before you leave, there's,like, a coffee candy shop, kinda
old school. So you can, like, goin there and get your little
coffee and go and get yourlittle candy by the pound. I
(50:42):
just let you know, I it's like alittle moment.
Rob Lee (50:44):
You you you're selling a ticket. You're selling tickets
there because it's like, oh, Iget to be off putting and I get
coffee and candy to go? I'm herefor
Katie Chung (50:52):
there, like, forever. I don't know. I'm I'm
not gonna say, like, it's, like,50 years or something, but it's
been there forever, which is I'malways into that.
Rob Lee (51:00):
That's great. So here's the next one I got for you. So
say someone's, visiting Chicago,and this is purely through your
lens because we we don't do the,you know, tourist y thing purely
through your lens. What's oneplace you would recommend they
have to visit? They're there fora 3 day weekend.
You know, we you know, as we'rerecording this, we have one
coming up. So you know?
Katie Chung (51:20):
I I'm gonna give you 2 answers. If you're stuck
downtown, because sometimes thatjust is how it is, the cultural
center is my favorite buildingin all of Chicago. It's a free
building to go into. There's,like, beautiful mosaics in
there. The history isinteresting.
I think it's, like, Chicago'sfirst library or something
something with the Chicago fireand all. I'm not gonna I'm an
(51:42):
artist. You know? I'm not ahistorian. Something about but
it's just, like, insanelybeautiful in there.
And then there's always, like,free art exhibitions in there.
That's that's a spot that Ilove. And then there is I'm
gonna say a museum just becauseI'm an artist, but there's an a
(52:02):
museum called Intuit Art Center,and they highlight outsider
artists, which is kind of, like,not traditional artists. People
that are, like I don't I don'tknow. That feels so rude.
But just kind of people that arekind of outside of the vein of,
like, institution art. And theyalways just have cool stuff. And
it's a museum that's notinsanely large, so you're like,
(52:24):
this is what my entire day willbe. You know? And it's kind of
it's in West Town, so you canjust, like, go explore the
neighborhood and actually getsomething to eat around there.
So Intuit Art Center.
Rob Lee (52:34):
Nice. Hey. 2 more. 2 more. So I I'm curious as to
I've read this this book abouthabits, creative artist habits.
As an artist, how does your daytypically start? Is it
screaming? Is it with a cup ofcoffee?
Katie Chung (52:52):
Yeah. It is usually with a cup of coffee with my
fiance and my dog. It's prettychill, which is nice, but it
starts with emails. Lately, I'mtrying to switch that. I'm
trying to switch not startingwork with emails.
I'm trying to go straight intoprojects. I have a couple of
deadlines due soon. So there'ssomething about waking up,
(53:14):
having, like, the breakfast andcoffee thing. And then I have to
do something physical, likestretch or kinda, like, move
around. Thing about having a dogis having to walk them.
So that happens, kind of likemoving my body around. And then,
yeah, just kind of getting intohonestly, whatever deadline is
up the next. You know, I have alist always here. It's never
(53:35):
ending. One thing gets crossedand the next thing gets put,
like, you know, then anotherthing will get put on.
It's blurred, but, yeah. Andsometimes it's like sometimes
it's me sitting here like amaniac drawing on 500 sheets of
tracing paper trying to, like,build out a skyscraper image.
You know? Or it's sitting on myiPad, being an iPad kid trying
(53:59):
to get all of the, like, thefile ready, print ready. Yeah.
Every day kinda changes. I thinkthat's the best thing about
being an artist. Every every dayis a little different because
otherwise, I get really bored.
Rob Lee (54:12):
So here's the last one, and this is the one that artists
get especially in in in the inthe visual bit to get really
tight about. But I gotta ask,what's your favorite color?
Katie Chung (54:23):
Oh, my favorite color right now is kind of this
sweater that I'm wearing. Ilove, like, a marigold yellow.
Maybe because we're, like,ending summer going into fall,
and it has both both kind of arein that in that season. Oh, it's
also just really pretty, and Ifeel like I've been seeing
marigolds around. So right now,I like what color.
Rob Lee (54:45):
It's a great answer. Painless. Painless answer. I
love it. So that's kind of it.
So, 1, I wanna thank you for forcoming on to this podcast and
spending some time with me. And,and 2, I wanna invite and
encourage you to share with thelisteners social media website,
all of that good stuff. Anyfinal thoughts? The floor is
(55:05):
yours.
Katie Chung (55:07):
Yeah. So you can find my website
atkatiechung.com, katiechung.And then, you can find my
Instagram at Katie Chung art.Try to make that easy to search
for me. And, yeah, that's that'sabout it.
And there
Rob Lee (55:26):
you have it, folks. I wanna again thank Katie Chung
for coming on and spending sometime with us and sharing a bit
of her story. And I'm Rob Leesaying that there's art,
culture, and community in andaround your neck of the woods.
You've just got to look for it.
now. I think I recognize her. Welcome to The
Truth in Us Art, your source forconversations at the
intersection of arts, culture,and community. I am your host,
Rob Lee. Thank you for joiningme.
Today, I am excited to be inconversation with my next guest.
She is a Korean American visualartist born and raised in
(00:28):
Chicago whose practice spansdrawing, painting, and
sculpture. Her work investigateseveryday life with bold shapes
and colors while her sculpturalpieces explore her Korean
American heritage and identity.Please welcome Katie Chung.
Welcome to the podcast.
Katie Chung (00:46):
Hi. Thanks. Really excited to be here.
Rob Lee (00:50):
Thank you for for coming on. I'm excited to have
you here. Like, as I try toextend and have my my my my
tentacles and my fingerprints inthe Midwest, I'm glad I have a
Chicagoan. That's what you guyscall it. Right?
Chicagoan on the podcast.
Katie Chung (01:04):
Yeah. That's cool. I'm I'm glad you reached out.
You've also introduced me todifferent artists, more kind of
in the East Coast. So justlistening to your podcast, I
think it's cool.
Rob Lee (01:13):
Thank you. I I really appreciate that and, appreciate
you you joining today. Andbefore we get into the big major
questions, I'd like to give youthe space to to introduce
yourself in your own words.Obviously, I think there's a lot
of power in that. I can use the,you know, pieces of the online
bio and the artist statement,but hearing it directly from the
(01:34):
artist, hearing it directly fromthe guest, there's much more
power in that.
So if you will, please.
Katie Chung (01:39):
Yeah. For sure. Hi. I'm Katie Chung. I'm a Korean
American visual artist fromChicago.
My art practice is split in,like, two directions right now.
I make illustrations, and Ipaint murals. And these are
mostly commissioned artworks. Idescribe them as, like, bold,
colorful drawings, very graphic,cartoonish drawings. And then
(02:03):
the other side of my practiceis, I I guess, would be
described as, like, textilesculptures.
I have a background inbookbinding, and I also just I
love sewing. It's always been inmy life. So, through those two
different techniques, I exploremy identity, my lineage, and my
heritage, and, I make theseartifacts, I guess. Yeah. So I'm
(02:24):
kind of a little in 2 lanes, butI think as a Korean American,
it's, like, bound for me to bein this type of, yeah, position,
holding 2 different type of,like, personalities in my art.
Rob Lee (02:38):
Thank you. That's that's great. And, you know, I
was when I was doing some of theresearch, I was like, hold on.
You know, I was doing one ofthose things. I was like, you
have more than one thing.
You know? And just seeing it, Iwas like, this is really good.
This is really great. And thenit's like, oh, this is also
great. It's like, what?
So how am I gonna, you know,come up with questions and and
all of that good stuff? So, youknow, in it, it's talking about
(03:02):
sort of the the the two lanes orwhat have you. I feel like I
feel like there's a third one,but those those two lanes that
are there, creatively, what isyour first love?
Katie Chung (03:12):
It was drawing. I think it's just it's so
accessible and simple. That's,like, my earliest memories of
doing art, and enjoying it andfeeling like I was good at
something or, like, doingsomething right. You know? I
think when I was preparing forthis podcast, it kinda drew up
these memories of me, like,sitting really young with, like,
(03:33):
a bunch of loose leaves sheetsof paper and just like making
squiggles on the lines and beinglike, I'm doing my work.
But I was like, you could belike 3 or 4, like, what are you
doing? But like, it was likethis form of drawing like, okay,
like, don't know. I had thisidea of something and I'm
getting it out. Yeah. And then Ithink second would just be
sewing, which is kind of anextension of drawing, really.
(03:55):
So
Rob Lee (03:56):
No. I I drawing was the was the was the thing for me
growing up. You know, this camealong, like, I think later as
sort of, I guess, storytelling.But I've been doing podcasting
for so long, but it was even athing, and it's still not quite
a thing. And that's sort of, youknow, in that respected way is
(04:17):
not considered, you know, art orconsidered this is like this is
a creative pursuit that can bendinto these other areas.
But as far as like knowing Iwanted to do something creative,
artistic, or have you,illustration was the first thing
for me. You know, I still have,you know, I'll be 40 in,
January. I still have my artbags when I was 5 years old in
(04:41):
my studio, and my grandmotheractually sewed sewed the bag
together for me based off of, Ithink it was pieces of my dad's
duffle bag when he was in thearmed forces.
Katie Chung (04:53):
Oh my god. I love that. Like, that that to me is
art. You know what I mean? Thatis, like, the art that is
accessible.
Just like things made with careand love and, I don't know,
attention and time. I just likeyeah. I love that.
Rob Lee (05:07):
It's it's really cool. I was like, oh, wow. Even when I
I drew this cover of X Men fromWizard Magazine back in the day.
Well, maybe I'll do thatdifferent. Do you wanna go back
into drawing, Rob?
We'll see.
Katie Chung (05:18):
Yeah. I just love the idea of just, like,
something as simple as just Idon't know. It's I feel like
when I heard the term markmaking that was like it's kind
of a fancy phrase, but it's alsojust like, oh my god. It's
literally drawing. I feel likewhen people are like, I can't
draw.
It's like, okay. You can't likesmudge something on a surface. I
don't know. We've already gonethrough, like, modernism, and
(05:40):
we're you know?
Rob Lee (05:42):
You can't smudge something on a surface. I like
it. I like it.
Katie Chung (05:46):
Yeah.
Rob Lee (05:47):
So in in this next one, perhaps it's, it's a 2 part
question maybe, but I have readsomewhere because I was going
through old interviews andreading old interviews. I saw
this influence around, like,cartoons and and comics. So
could you talk a bit about that?You touched on a little bit
earlier, but could you touch onthat a bit and show to sort of
how maybe the influences show upor kinda shape your your art?
(06:10):
And, you know, I have a secondpart too, but I at least wanna
give you that.
Katie Chung (06:14):
Yeah. So I am a kid that grew up in the nineties.
And like many nineties kids, wegrew up watching TV while our
parents were at work, you know.Especially as, like, I don't
know. In my family, I was, like,watching so much TV.
One of my favorite shows was TheSimpsons and King of the Hill.
And I just love, like, again,like, simplicity. It's just
(06:35):
like, okay, this line indicatesan ear. You know, like, I just
love that style. I also love thestory Kelly and the Simpsons.
Just like it's about a familythat watches TV. You know? And
then I think as I knew that Istarted getting into art and
getting to, like, things in highschool, I started finding
graphic novels and getting,like, alternatives. So, things
(06:57):
like Artkrom, which I knowyou've talked to a couple
artists about. I I feel like themoment you find something like
Artkrom is, like, when you kindafind, like, punk rock is, like,
music and you're like, oh mygosh.
You know? But, yeah, and thenthat, like, I I I love Linda
Barry. I love Daniel Clouse.It's weird stories and kind of
(07:20):
ordinary drawings. I don't know.
I love that stuff. And then incollege, I just studied
printmaking and graphic design,and I was introduced to artists
like Paul Rand, Saul Bass, whichI feel like are, like, the kings
of, like, logos. And then, like,Red Grooms. I just found a book
on him. I nerd it out.
(07:41):
It's just, like, disgustinglycolorful pictures of, like, New
York City in, like, theseventies eighties. You know?
The Harry Who, which is like anartist group of Chicago artists
that went to the Art Institute,back in the day. And yeah. I
don't know.
These are the names that kindajust pop up. I feel like these
are the names that sometimes getreferenced when I mention my
(08:03):
work, especially like the HarryWho Harry Hoove. Yeah. I just I
don't know. I think sayingcartoons and comics is an easy
way to just be like, I loveimages.
You know what I mean? Like, I'veseen a lot of stuff. I love art
history. I love I I mean, feellike none of history made sense
until I learned art historyuntil there was, like, a picture
to it. So, yeah, I just Iconsume a lot of pictures.
(08:29):
I'm sorry. I was like
Rob Lee (08:30):
I feel like I'm getting so many quotables thus far.
We're just starting, which isgreat. I this this is an aside
because you you'd mentioned thethe the ear thing as far as the
Simpsons. For for you, what waswhat was something like that was
always challenging to, like,draw? Like, was it a part of an
anatomy that was superchallenging?
I always had trouble with hands.
Katie Chung (08:50):
Yeah. The hands when they're holding something
or whatever. I trace a lotsometimes. Like, I that's how I
learned how to draw just, like,over and over again, and all of
a sudden your your hand kindamemorizes certain lines. Yeah.
But, like, yeah, there's certainthat's when AI is actually
useful because you're, like,hand holding juice box from
(09:12):
upper angle, you know, like, andthen it's generated, and then
you're like, okay. Let me justbut, yeah, I hands are hard. I
feel like I feel like because ofour times right now in general,
I feel like just using bodiesand faces is kind of a
challenge. I think it can be afun challenge, but something
(09:35):
that I'm, like, I've noticed.
Rob Lee (09:38):
One of the things that I would always do when I would
schedule I'm definitely one ofthose kind of doodlers. If I
have, like, ambient paper and apencil, pen, something, I'm just
there sketching away even now.And I found this thing that I
always would return to. I'mavoiding hands because it's
just, like, let's just keepfailing. But I would always try
to do, like, almost a selfportrait in these sketches, and
(10:02):
they would look nothing like me.
It's just like I would have,like, a book of these attempts
at self portraits. They don'tlook similar to each other, and
none of them look like me. AndI'm like, why do I keep
returning to this? Is it, like,something I wanna do with my
face? Like, what am I doing?
Katie Chung (10:18):
I feel like that's one of the hardest artist,
assignments and something that Ifeel like I've avoided for many
years. I think I've made, like,one piece that I've I've titled
self portrait, and it's, like,not a real picture of me. It's
like an interpretation. Youknow? Because also I'm like,
(10:38):
yeah.
That that's a hard one. What arewe seeing? You know?
Rob Lee (10:42):
Right. It's it's like this is Rob after a bender drawn
by the figure in the drawn bythe person who the figure is
made of who has not seen himselfin a mirror.
Katie Chung (10:53):
All of
Rob Lee (10:53):
the context. That's just the byline at the bottom.
So I I think and and I and Ireally dig that, you know, we're
you you discovered the podcast.You're you're definitely
checking it out. And I thinkwhen as I as I kinda look at
this question I have here, thisthis next part to the question,
and maybe you've touched on it.
But, like, when you're listeningto this, when people are
(11:15):
listening to this, they kind ofget maybe some of the
references. Sometimes they'redirect questions from other
interviewers. Sometimes theyhave a style of question or the
way that the questions flow. Youcan see sort of like, alright,
you get inspiration from thisperson. This person might be a
model for how you go about whatyou do.
So for you, and maybe youmentioned it in the the group of
(11:36):
the different artists that youyou you dug or have you, But who
would you say is like a creativerole model that you're either
looking at how they go abouttheir art, even specific
techniques, or just sort of thecreative, like, life, the
artistic life that they livethat you maybe model or get
inspiration from?
Katie Chung (11:55):
Oh, yeah. This is such a big question. I'm gonna
start with, like, there's a lotof people that I've, like, chose
to surround myself around. Ithink it's important as a
working artist to, like, putyourself in situations where
you're learning from otherartists. I don't know.
Artists, curators, just likementors in general that I've
(12:17):
I've met through school. I thinkin terms of like, artists, when
I think about, like, aestheticstyles, and that type of
inspiration, I'm really drawn toI think it doesn't matter what
the art looks like. It's like,if I learned about the artist's
life, I really love, like,biographies of artist's life.
(12:41):
Yeah. It just shows in their artwhere it's like, man, this
person's lit.
Like, this is weird. Like, wherewas their mind? And also, like,
they dedicated so much to acertain craft. One guy that
comes to mind immediately,because I recently saw a
documentary on him, it just cameout. It's called Memorial to the
Idea of a Man.
If he was an idea, what a title.Right? It's about this artist
(13:03):
named h c Westerman, and, like,he's just wild. I don't know. He
he he's like a veteran, but he'salso, like, a crazy amazing
woodworker and, like, was alwaysdoing handstands and, like, you
know, I don't know.
Did he just have like a coollife? And I love learning about
that. But there's also likemusicians, like Ren, I sometimes
(13:26):
I think about the life of IsaacHayes, and I'm like, that dude,
I don't know what he's up tonow, but I bet it's cool. Like,
he that is really cool. Youknow, he's like doing a voice on
South Park, but also made, like,these legendary soundtracks.
Rob Lee (13:39):
Right.
Katie Chung (13:40):
Like, sound comes from somewhere. That's like,
that leads a really cool life.You know? I don't know. Yeah.
So I think it's important as anartist to just kind of, like,
dig into history, but also yourcontemporaries of just, like,
people doing interesting things.Not just, like, what it looks
like in the end, but it, likeyou know, I think especially
because as an artist, it's sucha not traditional path. So you
(14:04):
gotta kinda reach and take fromother people's lives and be
like, I I wanna do this. Okay. Iwanna do this.
You know? So yeah. I I try toresearch into, yeah, artists'
lives so I can kind of enrich myown because I I don't I don't
really know what it means to bean artist, and I think that's
cool. I'm I'm just making it up.
Rob Lee (14:23):
I I love it. Like, I look. I'm faking all of this.
This is I'm not even a realperson. I'm a puppet for all of
this.
I I remember before I move intothis next question, I I remember
at one point in this thispodcast, it's, probably a couple
years ago at this point, but Italked to the founder and
curator of the AmericanVisionary Arts Museum in in
(14:43):
Baltimore, and, the she sheresearched me, and I had, like,
a bio sitting out there. My biowas so dumb. Didn't know what to
put in there, but it wasliterally things that I liked.
So it was just like take it waslike 3 comedians, and then, you
know, where and I I wrote in it3 these these 3 different
(15:05):
comedians and, you know, thetemperament of Shinsuke
Nakamura, which was my favoritewrestler at the time. And she's
like, I don't know who any ofthese people are.
I know one of these dudes isJapanese, and he's a comedian,
so, like, what are we doinghere? And then I see you, and
she was like, I wasn't expectingthat. And we had a really cool
conversation that is almost aseparate podcast. We talked for,
(15:28):
like, 2 hours. We did aninterview, but then we kinda got
to know each other, and it waslike us trading off on, being
curious about what each other'sbackgrounds were.
Katie Chung (15:38):
That's cool. Yeah. It's like you never know what
you're gonna learn. Yeah. Idon't know.
Yeah.
Rob Lee (15:44):
And and and and that takes me to this, and it kinda
aligns a little bit. So I wannatalk about creative process. So
that's that's definitely onething, and I know it's multiple
lanes. So, you know, it's expandon it as much as you would like
between the lanes. But I'll say,and I've noticed this and I've
tried to get better at it, and Iput these parameters in place
(16:06):
that, you know, enables me to beat my best because I always have
trouble starting.
That's always a thing for me.Like, it's almost like, go, just
talk in front of people. It'slike, I got nothing. You know?
But if it's like, hey, insertyourself into a conversation,
and then then I can kind of havea bit control in it.
I find the whole thingchallenging, and I've always
described this podcast as likeblind dating with artists. You
(16:27):
know what I mean? This is like,oh, I hope I made an impression.
So, you know, talking about yourprocess, like, generally, but
could you include, like, youknow, sort of what you find the
most difficult within theprocess, and what do you find
the most exciting part of theprocess?
Katie Chung (16:42):
I think one of the exciting parts is when you're,
like for instance, for me, I'mI'm, like, physically doing
something. I'm drawing. I'msewing. I'm I'm doing something
with my hands, and I'm I'mtrying to arrange things and
figure out the equation, whetherit's a client's need for, like,
(17:02):
some sort of illustration or ifit's like, an archival box
sculpture I'm making for anapplication. It's like aiming
towards, like, what I actuallywanna make when something
clicks.
That is, like, the best part.And then you're, like, not done
yet, but there's, like, adirection because you're like,
(17:24):
oh, yeah. This is looking good.Like, this is exactly the vibe I
was going for. This is, like,the This is the look.
This is like the message I wannagive. I love that moment. It's
like almost that middle point ofjust like, oh, yes. Okay. Pick
the right fabric.
Did that. I love that. I lovethat even more than like, oh,
it's done. I don't know. Youknow what I mean?
(17:46):
I don't I don't know. It kind ofkicks kicks my gears and I just
like, get really into it. Ithose are the days where I'm
like, I work 14 hours. I thinkthe hardest part is there is,
like, no promise of gettingthat.
Rob Lee (18:04):
Yeah.
Katie Chung (18:05):
I think the only thing that really is, like, the
key to that is consistency andjust like practicing and being
like, and gaining thatconfidence in your process. So
there's like no cheat, cheatingin it, you know, which kind of
sucks, but it's also like, whenit clicks, that's why it's so
good. Because it's like, oh, Icouldn't even cheat, you know?
(18:28):
So, yeah, that's one of the hardthings. One other thing that I
think is really hard that I'vealways struggled with is like,
the post production stuff likewriting and documentation and,
like, I don't know.
I feel like I'm I just wanna belike the factory worker that's,
like, pumping out the art andthen you know? But it all that
stuff is important. So Yeah. Butit's that's what I struggle
(18:51):
with. Yeah.
Rob Lee (18:52):
Like, you know, and thank you. That's it's so so
true. I I relate to that where Ijust wanna, you know, I call it
the admin stuff. Any of thatpost, it's like, look, you know,
this is the this is the part,and I'm shy, right, but this is
the part of the whole workflow,if you will, that I enjoy. Being
able to talk with someone,connect with them, maybe have a
(19:14):
few laughs, learn about theirwork, but directly from them,
not something that's, likewritten online, hearing it
directly from the person.
Because I think there's alwayssomething like like missed, you
know, in it that you get fromthat that further conversation.
But the stuff leading up to itas far as I'm my own booker.
Right? So sometimes, peoplearen't the most kind in email,
(19:34):
and then you're like, yeah, youwere talking to me, you know,
we're, hey, same guy, or eventhe the sort of post component
where, you know, you put it outand you're like, I feel really
good about this and confidentabout this. I think this went
well.
And you you hope that, you know,the the partner in this scenario
and the conversation feels thethe same and will, you know,
(19:55):
share it and all of that stuffbecause at the end of the day,
it's a, you know, mutuallybeneficial thing. You're able to
share sort of your story asauthentic as you'd like it to
be, you know, in this in this,you know, sort of medium. And,
you know, I'm happy to have theconversation. And but you hope
that that goes well, but I'malways sort of, like,
questioning if it went well, ifit didn't, and so on, and what
(20:17):
that response might be.Sometimes I turn it down, but
when you feel like or when Ifeel like I really I did a
really good interview, and it'slike, I felt a little flat.
Damn. Yeah. It's it's one ofthose things where you're never
quite, like, sure how it's gonnaturn out, but this is the part
that I always try to capturethat, you know, it's, it's sort
(20:40):
of a a a good partner. Therethere was one interview not too
too long ago where I just waslike I just felt like I had
nothing for it. I, you know, Itried to give my my best, but I
just felt like I didn't do aparticularly good job at my job.
And that was the one of thoserare instances in doing this
piece where I felt like, okay, Imight not be good at this. So in
(21:03):
in putting it out later, the theguest was like, no. This is
great. I had a great time. And Iwas like, that kind of filled
that back up.
But doing this part of it, whichusually I'm super confident and
happy about, I was just unsure.So getting that sort of
follow-up feedback felt feltreally good to kinda, you know,
make me keep doing the thepodcast.
Katie Chung (21:22):
Yeah. No. I think I honestly, I agreed to do this
because when I looked up yourname, I was like, oh my god.
There's so many episodes. Like,you've been doing this.
And then when I listened to it,I was like, okay. Yeah. There
has been like you've been you'vedone like 500 episodes. Right?
Rob Lee (21:36):
Close to 800.
Katie Chung (21:37):
88100. It was like something why? And I was like,
oh my god. And he, like, wantsto interview me. That's awesome.
That's cool. I think I mean,what does it matter if that one
didn't click? Because you have,what, 799 other? You know, it's
it's almost like one one littlething doesn't matter when it's
like you've been doing it foryears. Yeah.
Rob Lee (21:59):
And it's the it's the the the big body of it, you
know, of any of these thesethings that, you know, artists
do that people creatingsomething and they feel
passionate about that they'rethey're doing. It's like, yeah.
You, you know, wrote maybe thischapter wasn't your your best.
Maybe you should've edited it alittle bit longer, but, you
know, you were able to put itout there as the rep sometimes.
(22:20):
Mhmm.
So I've shared a little bit withyou before I got started that
before we got started with themic in earnest, that I became
aware of your work, I believe,like, in June, aware of you as
an artist, obviously, but thenaware of your some of your work.
And it was, the mural, localsonly. I was just, like, walking
around aimlessly in Chicago. Imay have been leaving a, a food
(22:42):
tour. We'll talk about thatlater.
But I'm curious. How how did itcome about? Could you describe
it for us for those who areundipped? What is what was the
mural? What's Locals Only?
Katie Chung (22:52):
Yeah. I will start by describing it.
Rob Lee (22:54):
Please.
Katie Chung (22:55):
Locals Only is a window and floor mural I painted
that is up at the 360 Chicagoobservation deck. That's on the
94th floor at the John HancockCenter. So it's a bunch of hand
painted tiles with the like, theChicago star. It has, like, kind
of a checkered vibe. And thenwhy do I keep saying vibe?
(23:17):
Yikes. Sorry. And then, no.Sorry.
Rob Lee (23:22):
You got it.
Katie Chung (23:22):
You got it. And then, I have, there's, like, a
set of windows that kindaseparate that room from the rest
of the floor, and it hasdifferent vignettes of, like,
Chicago neighborhoods. And thiscame about honestly because the
marketing team had seen myprevious work.
Rob Lee (23:37):
Yeah.
Katie Chung (23:39):
And funny enough, the the person one of the people
on the marketing team, actuallysomeone I went to high school
with, and, like, you know, wedidn't stay in contact for much
long like, very long, but theysaw my stuff and my social media
and just realized, like, oh,perfect artist for this floor.
So I'm I'm really excited thatthat that happened. So yeah.
Rob Lee (23:59):
I I I love the color in it. I love when there's themes
that connect to to a city, to aplace like, yeah, as I was, you
know, sharing, like, you know,this started here, started in
Baltimore really as a thing.They like highlight what's what
I like about Baltimore, what'scool about Baltimore, and it's
extended to looking for sort ofthat same vibe in other cities.
(24:23):
Yeah. I I did I did the smugsniff too.
Katie Chung (24:25):
Oh my god. No. I don't know why it's happening.
It's like not I feel like I usedit ironically for too much, and
now it's like in my vocabularyand I'm noticing it. You know?
Rob Lee (24:35):
It's like when you get snooped in an accent and you
can't get out of it.
Katie Chung (24:39):
Yeah. Exactly.
Rob Lee (24:41):
But what was the what was the the the the key piece
of, like, imagery that you youwere definitely passionate?
Like, you know, I I really wantto have this and it just has to
be in there like that is maybe ahallmarks, maybe a signature for
you that not only was it sort ofthe request to to work in this
(25:02):
capacity, but also it's like,put a little bit of my myself in
it, what I find special aboutChicago, what have you?
Katie Chung (25:09):
Well, so when they first reached out, I actually
got a tour of the whole space,and I got an understanding of,
like, what their branding was asa tour attraction, which was
very much, like, focused oneducating guests on, like, the
local Chicago. So I I guess,like, the Chicago outside of the
skyscrapers down town, you know,like, the neighborhoods, like,
(25:31):
the communities that really makeup Chicago. And so I really
appreciated that, especially assomeone that grew up in Chicago
and is based there now. So Iknew I had to do something with
neighborhoods. But at the sametime, when I was first given
this this project, it was onlymeant to be a floor mural.
Before this, there was an artistthat did, like, kind of a 3 d
(25:53):
mural where it looked like youwere, like, on a on a crazy lift
and, like, looking down on theskyscraper. So it was supposed
to be, like, only a floor thing.But when I saw the room, I was
like, oh, you should let me dothe windows too. Like, give me,
like, the whole thing, you know.One of their requests also was,
like, we want this to be, like,a photogenic room, you know.
That is something that's that'sa way people are interacting
(26:15):
with places and and, I don'tknow, in spaces. But, so yeah, I
knew that it had to be a busyfloor because realistically,
it's like there's millions ofpeople that visit this space,
and it also I didn't mentionthis. It's on the 94th floor in
an open air room, so the windowsare, like, grace. So you can
(26:36):
feel the air. You can hear thecity.
When it's snowing, it's snowingin there too. You know? So it's
like it has to endure a lot. AndI I know it's only gonna last
maybe, like, a year or 2, buteven with a little bit of
destruction, I want it to be abusy enough design where it
would still look good. So I feellike I achieved that, which I'm
(26:58):
really happy about.
But, yeah, that was it was,like, kind of a balance of,
like, being logical about thislike, the actual space
Rob Lee (27:07):
Yeah.
Katie Chung (27:07):
And then the request of the marketing team,
but then also just being, like,I wanna do this in my style and,
like, just have fun and pitchideas. And if they say yes, then
help. You know?
Rob Lee (27:17):
I love that. Like, you know, I get more and more
opportunities in being able toto listen to folks who, like
like you're describing, of like,yeah, this this aligns for 1,
and I'm able to do it in mystyle and kinda pitch ideas. It
feel feels more you know, it's ait's a client situation, but it
feels more collaborative, morepartnership oriented. And I've
(27:37):
been learning more and moreabout the delineation between
the the 2. And, you know, thereare times where, you know, if
someone will ask me, hey, canyou do some interviews, but do
it in this way?
And I'm like, oh, I don't knowabout that. Like, why would you
hire me? You know, I'd I'd dothis, you know, and those really
cool ones when someone expresseswhat the vision is and
(27:58):
especially, you know, some ofthe things like I, you you know,
during the summer, I I did the,I did some, interviews for our
big arts festival, Artscape, andI was there, like, sort of lie
one location. And generally, youknow, I'm like, I'm not really
sure what to do, but having thattime and that experience and
(28:19):
conversations that that touch onthings similarly to this, that
I'm like, well, this is what Iwas planning. This is what I had
in mind.
This is generally what I do. Howdoes that fit into the scope of
what you guys are doing? Becausein in some ways, it's yeah. I
was working with the marketingteam. It's trying to support
this initiative to highlightthis event, but also show all of
the cool things attached to itand really highlight the
(28:42):
creative economy, quote,unquote, of Baltimore.
Katie Chung (28:45):
Yeah. Honestly, I kind of love that dynamic of,
like, something a little bitmore structured like a marketing
team and then a creative, like,a challenge. Because sometimes
when it's, like, do anything,that is just, like, too broad
where you're like, okay, andthey're like and and give it to
us whenever. It's like, no, likewe need we need deadline. We
(29:07):
need to get this done.
What are you talking about? Doany, you know? So I kinda I love
kind of that push and pull of,like, we need this done. We need
this then. This is our budget,and this is what we want, and
this is the space.
I'm like, yes. Bada bing, badaboom. Maybe it's the Chicago in
me probably.
Rob Lee (29:23):
It it gives you almost the, opportunity to almost over
deliver where, you know, theywere like, yeah. Whenever you
get it back to us, and I waslike, I can get this back to you
guy to you guys in, like, 2days. You know? Yeah. It would
all be edited back to you guysin 2 days.
How do you want it packaged? Youknow, I I go full production
mindset. You know?
Katie Chung (29:42):
Exactly. Yeah. I mean, you have to. I there's I
don't know. When you when you'redoing something that other
people would wanna be doing, youjust I feel like you need to
have that mindset, you know.
Yeah. Otherwise, nothing getsdone.
Rob Lee (29:55):
So I I wanna move into a cup a couple of questions I
have around so so do the textilework. I I see sort of this use
of I see your use of, like,quote, unquote, unconventional
fabrics. I may have left it outfrom somewhere. And I'm
particularly interested in is ita Hanbok for my mother?
Katie Chung (30:14):
Yeah. It's it's called a Hanbok.
Rob Lee (30:16):
Hanbok?
Katie Chung (30:17):
Yeah. So that is a I'll just, this is a piece
that's titled Kyungmi, which ismy mom's first name. It's a
Hanbok, which is a traditionalKorean dress. And it's a Hanbok
I made actually covered in drycleaning tags. They're all
handwritten, collected from herdry cleaning shop.
(30:39):
This is like a really intenseproject. It's like one of those
things where you're like, you'redone and you realize how much
time it took and you're like,why did I do that? That's nuts.
But yeah. So it is, Oh, man.
I feel like it was just likethis this idea. First off, it's
(31:02):
like I grew up in a dry cleanersbasically waiting for my mom to
get off work. She she ran a drycleaners and like an alterations
shop. And, yeah, I where do Istart? There's so much.
I've always been aroundclothing, so I think the idea of
making a garment was reallyimportant to me, and this is
(31:24):
kind of how I explored that. Youknow? Before that, I was kind of
making just more, like, what Iwas comfortable with this kind
of more, like, 2 d art. But,yeah, I made this Humboldt that
actually fits my body, and I'veworn it on a couple occasions. I
don't know.
I can call it performance ornot. I feel it's kind of
(31:44):
interesting talking about it nowbecause every time I say it's a
performance piece, people are,like, expecting me to dance in
it. And it's kind of asking formovement because it's like these
tassels of tags. You know, it'sit's heavy. But I I don't that's
not me.
You know, that's not the piece.So, yeah, that is a piece that's
(32:06):
kind of like an paying homage tomy mother and but also all the
mothers and fathers that comeand immigrate to this country
and and give us theopportunities of this country. I
don't know. It's like a certainweight of being 2nd generation.
Yeah.
There's not there's there's notmany words. I feel like yeah.
Rob Lee (32:28):
No. I mean, 1, you know, I had so many questions
that in the next question I havebecause it's sort of the volume
or have you. But the image thatI saw of it and doing that that
diver, that bigger dive into theresearch and checking through
your website and your Instagram,I was like, wow. How many how
(32:48):
many tags are here? Like, howmany tickets?
How how did you, you know I gotyou asked the question about
sourcing them, where do theycome from, but, wow. How you
know, do you remember how manythere were to build this out?
Katie Chung (33:00):
Oh my god. I this is probably, like, me asking my
mother not to throw these tagsout for, like, 2 to 3 years,
except this is not all of them.This is this is just probably a
couple 100, couple thousand. Idon't know. You know?
I will tell you it was, like, 2years of my time. It's also
(33:20):
something it wasn't like I wasconsistently working on this.
When I was working on thispiece, I was still, like,
working other jobs. Right now,I'm a full time artist, but I
was kind of juggling. This waskind of like a ritual I had.
Yeah. I don't know. These arethe types of works that really
brought me closer to myself, myfamily, and my my culture, and
(33:42):
just I think it's really I don'tknow. It's been a really nice,
like, opportunity to explorethis curiosity through literally
making. I feel like there's somany things that it's just,
like, I can't put into words,and there's, like, nothing, you
know, there's nothing else I cando other than just, like, make
(34:04):
beautiful things about it.
Rob Lee (34:06):
I love it. I I love being able to explore curiosity.
And, you know, that's one of thethings that, you know, I hear,
and I I can't help but but smileand show off my, my giant teeth
when I'm talking to folks aboutit.
Katie Chung (34:19):
I have done it too. I have done it too.
Rob Lee (34:23):
Because, you know, I was I was you had mentioned, you
know, New York a little brieflyearlier, and I I was just up
there visiting, you know, one ofmy friends and going to, I went
to, like, anime expo, what haveyou, which was a while ago's
press. And I'm like, this isamazing. And, we were just
talking about just chasing,like, curiosity and just we just
(34:44):
literally talk like I have. AndI'm like, Yeah, man, I'm curious
about this and I want to do thisand I'm going to explore this.
You know, I wanna be safe,though, you know, like certain
things.
It's like, what's down thatalley? I'm not sure. Maybe check
going to daytime.
Katie Chung (34:58):
Those are things you should be more careful about
being curious about. But but in
Rob Lee (35:04):
so this this next part of the question, it relates to,
I guess, this this other piece Isaw which, again, volume. So we
love our customers. So thousandsof sewing pins in an imperfect
grid. So one, what what was thetiming on that? And how many
times did you prick yourself?
Like, you know, is there isthere blood in there somewhere
(35:25):
that we can see? Like, what whatdo we got?
Katie Chung (35:28):
Yeah. That was a piece that was probably like a
year probably took a year. It's,like, also the largest archival
box I've made. So I make theseboxes using bookbinding methods.
I have a background inbookmaking, which is, like, kind
of a little niche practice, butI I love it, and I I use it in
my practice.
(35:49):
But this is a box that held a,like, foam piece of foam with
all of these sewing pins inthere, and it was kinda set on a
grid based on, like, my myoptical, you know, view of it,
not, like, actually drawing aperfect grid. I kinda love that,
like, any evidence of, like, ahuman hand, I love, whether it's
(36:12):
in my drawings or my sculptures.I I feel like that's super
necessary. I also love in thesepieces that it has to show my
time. There has there's, like,something about the dedication
of time and and paying homagewith that to not just, like, my
parents, my grandparents, but,like, my ancestors.
I think throughout this work,I've had the opportunity to
(36:32):
learn a little bit more aboutnot just my family history, but
just, like, the historicalcontext of Korea coming from
Korea to America. And it's likeI don't it just brought me a lot
of gratitude and a way waybetter outlook on who I am and
where I come from. Prettysimple. Yeah. K.
(36:53):
Like, really deep print pieces.But lately, the more I talk
about them, I'm like, yeah. It'sjust I I don't know. It brought
me closer to my family. It'scool.
Rob Lee (37:03):
That's it's sometimes it's the the simplest answer. It
has the the the largest rewardsin it. And yeah. I think in you
know, it's this it's this thing,like, a couple years ago, we
were talking about landmarkshere, and I'm big on the
cultural preservation piece. Andthe thing that was requested
was, it was a audio archive ofmemories about this, famous
(37:30):
market here in Baltimore, and itthey were like, what was your
favorite memory of this market?
And I was like, born there withmy dad when I was young, and we
would go there and get, youknow, candy from this stall, and
I will always smell peanuts, andI'm really, like, going back and
thinking about it, you know,like that experience very
vividly. And I was, like, niceto hang on with my dad a lot,
you know, just thinking aboutall of these these sort of
(37:51):
different things and thinkingabout what will we do after
that. Oh, go to see my grandmaand and and spend time with this
relative and and my dad'sfriends and all of these these
different things, things that Ididn't think about it for a
while. And that the root of thatall came from, hey, we know you
do this podcast. It has thisarchival slant to it.
Would you be interested in beingpart of this archive here and
(38:15):
share your story aboutBaltimore? So it's like poking
on the love of Baltimore, thehistory of Baltimore, your own
personal sort of history, andjust connecting back. And as you
remember, I I pinged my dad, andI was like, yo, like, literally,
that's how we talk to eachother. Yo, I covered you in this
this thing for Lexington Market,and I I sent it to him, and just
(38:36):
this sort of epic knowledgeprize, like, it's good. Glad you
remember that.
I was just, like, yeah, bore mysoul. Thanks.
Katie Chung (38:46):
He's like, cool. Yeah. Good job. Yeah.
Rob Lee (38:48):
You remember that? Yeah. Those candies were pretty
good.
Katie Chung (38:50):
So you're like, oh, I totally poured my soul into
that. Yeah. Oh my god.
Rob Lee (38:56):
So this is the last real question I got for you
before I move to the rapid fireones. And, so, you know, I
touched on a little bit, that,you know, sort of being aware of
your work was part of my firstreal trip to Chicago. I went to
the suburbs previously. I wentto Elgin and it was a show. I
(39:17):
went there for some wrestlingthing for 80W when they first
started and they were at theSears something or other out
there.
The only Chicago ish thing thatI did that week was I went to
Portillo's. That was that wasit.
Katie Chung (39:31):
Okay. So I got
Rob Lee (39:33):
I got those marks right. But going there, this
this most recent time and and sobeing aware of your work as a
part of this, I feel like I hada really cool, like, Chicago
experience. I did the littletouristy thing, but my natural
thing is I wanna find the cracksand crevices. I wanna see, you
know, what's around and walkingto different places and, you
(39:53):
know, checking out the city andreally, like, getting getting a
grasp of it. So if you will,could you share how, like,
growing up in Chicago, as you'reChicagoan, proud Chicagoan, how
does this influence your yourstyle, your practice?
Talk a bit about the Chicago inyou.
Katie Chung (40:12):
Oh, man. It is such a huge part of my creative
identity right now, like,professionally, which is really
interesting. I feel like if youwere to ask me this younger, I
wouldn't expect this. But, Ithink I'm really grateful my
parents immigrated here. Chicagois a city that is, like there's
(40:32):
so many opportunities here.
Growing up here, I was able togo to, like, free after school
art classes where it's, like, ata high school age, I'm in a room
with a working artist teachingme about painting, you know,
sending myself in environmentslike that. Like, Chicago really
provided that. And not just,like, at a high school level,
(40:54):
but, like, volunteering and theneven going to the art institute,
different internships, differentcommunities, like printmaking
communities. And I don't know.There's just so much in this
city, but at the same time, it'snot as large as, like, New York
or LA.
Or maybe I wouldn't say large,but just, like, the frequency,
like, the, like, turnover. Andso it just feels like like
(41:17):
people are actually sitting andhaving conversations and
supporting each other and, like,like, sharing information and
ideas and and resources. So thathonestly has, like, made my
entire career literally startingfrom, like, someone helping me
from the after school artsprogram to get me into college
at a prestigious art school thatis in the city so I don't have
(41:39):
to pay for the dorm. I canstill, like, commute. So, like,
financially, it was possible to,you know, being an artist.
Luckily, if if I was out, like,even in the suburbs of Chicago,
it's like, there's only so manycommunity centers or, like, art
centers or studios that youcould actually kind of get into.
Yeah. So I think about that,like, the benefits of, like, all
(42:01):
the programs. And now it's like,I am an alumni of this or I am I
was a part of this residencygroup. It's like, that that is
really valuable.
That has brought differentopportunities now, you know,
which is really cool. And then Ithink in terms of style, like,
there because it is a city andthere's so much resources being
(42:22):
exchanged, there's things likemuseums, but also just like
gallery shows and I don't know.So much stuff is I'm just being
constantly exposed, whether it'ssomething that's happening at
work. For instance, like, a ruleI had for myself when I
graduated art school was youneed to work, like, something
art related, whether it's, like,being around other artists or
(42:44):
you're teaching art orsomething. So, like, teaching
art, that is, like, I'm stillworking my progress or my
processes.
I have access to facilities.Yeah. Then, also, there's I
don't know. Being around artistswas always important to me.
That's what's, like, kept me inthe game, honestly.
(43:05):
It I think if I just kind ofstrayed, it would've just kind
of became this, like, idearather than, like like, a dream
idea of, like, a dream jobrather than just realizing,
like, okay. This person's anartist because they do this, and
they've they said so. And thenjust kinda you know? Yeah. Yeah.
I don't know if that that's abig one. Chicago. Yeah. I have a
(43:26):
love hate with Chicago too, so Idon't know. Anyone from Chicago
should say that.
Rob Lee (43:32):
No. I think that's I think that's a great answer. I
think that's a super validanswer, and I felt that that
part particularly where it'sjust like I did the I did the
business degree thing. Like Isaid, I wanted to be an
illustrator when I was younger,and then, you know, I would hear
from my parents, like, I don'tknow if you're gonna make that
(43:52):
money in the art world. I don'tknow if that's gonna be the
move.
Comic book illustrator? Yousure? And, you know, I'm 64, so
it's just like, why don't youplay football? What are you
doing? Like, poetry, what iswhat are these, like, things
that you're you're doing thataren't what you look like?
Leverage your size and,literally leverage your size.
(44:12):
And, you know, I I think I kindaalmost gave up the the ghost of
what a little bit and but,really, I think it was more of a
shift. I think it was alwaysgonna be and you you you touched
on as far as, like, I need to bearound artists. I need to be
around art, and I think it wasthat. Like, I'm a creative
person or what have you, and I'malways wanting to be around it
(44:36):
and trying to, in some ways,prove a point, some ways, follow
curiosity, in other ways, extendwhat someone looks at as a as
art.
Like, you know, whose storiesmatter, things of that nature is
what I'm trying to prove in thispodcast over and over again or
even the concept of podcasting.I get into fights behind the
(44:58):
scenes all the time of what itis. I'm not saying that it's
capital a, e r, but I'm sayingthat this could be a medium that
allows folks who you know, acouple years ago, when everyone
was, you know, remote, you know,there was some theater that was
done via this. So is that thetheatrical performance not
(45:18):
theater anymore, and is theaternot art and and things of that
nature? So I start having thosesorts of conversations, but all
it's all rooted in being aroundsort of artists to make me seem
more interesting than I actuallyam.
I'll reference you inconversation.
Katie Chung (45:35):
It's because it's more fun. Sorry.
Rob Lee (45:39):
We're driving.
Katie Chung (45:40):
Being around people with, like, no imagination. No.
I don't know. But also, Isometimes I actually enjoy
people that are like, they'rejust like, oh, you know, I'm a
financial consultant, and thenthey're like, I don't have a
creative bone in my body. AndI'm like, you don't know what
they're talking about.
I don't know. It's just kindafun because I think looking at
art through their perspectivealso is kinda refreshing. And
(46:01):
that's, I think, the side ofit's like when you look at the
two sides of my art, it's kindafunny. 1 is kinda like capital a
art where maybe you'd see itmore, like, in a special
collections, like, library. Andthen the other is more just kind
of, like, commercial, I guess,because they are commissioned
illustrations and murals.
(46:22):
But there's, like, a removal ofmy identity. And so, yeah, I
don't know what I'm trying tosay. But, yeah. I don't.
Rob Lee (46:31):
I I hear that. And I did this thing couple years ago
and, you know, always trying tofind funding, always trying to
find patrons, if you will. And Idid some ghost podcasts, and,
you know, just kind of an emcee,and I was like, did I put my
name on this? You know, becauseit's it's no me in there. It's
none of the references.
It's just like, give us thisbland chicken. Can you boil it?
(46:54):
Did you did you put salt on air?Don't put salt. Definitely do
not put pepper on air.
That was essentially, like, whatthe request was, and I learned
from it. And, again, it was sortof that that curiosity thing,
and it was commissioncapitalistic, and I was just
like, that's not really what Iwanna do. Like, you know, people
ask me, you know, why do you dothis? Why do you do so many
(47:16):
episodes? And so I was like,because I love it, and I I enjoy
it.
And I listen to old interviewsbefore it got all social media
ed out and, you know, things ofthat nature, and you listen to
musicians, artists, and it'slike, I'd love to do this. I
have to get this out. You know?And I that's what I feel, and
that's why I just kinda go backto that and always check-in from
that standpoint.
Katie Chung (47:37):
Yeah. I think that's important. Yeah.
Consistency again.
Rob Lee (47:44):
Alright. So now is the the part of the the podcast that
we all enjoy, Swamper Fioreportion.
Katie Chung (47:50):
I feel like you should have some sound effects
in here like pew pew pew.
Rob Lee (47:54):
You know what? It was if I used to do that, I had that
in there, we had a sickbaycalled a new challenger, and we
would just have the StreetFighter theme playing. Here
comes a new challenger for eachstory we would discuss.
Katie Chung (48:06):
Nice. I'm gonna be honest. I have no idea what that
sounds like. But Oh,
Rob Lee (48:09):
it's like, here here comes a new challenger, and it's
just the guy like, infantryfighter.
Katie Chung (48:13):
Always that, but they, like, spin
Rob Lee (48:14):
in. Yeah. Yeah. Alright. So I got 4 of them for
you.
I've been adding as we've beentalking. So here's the first
one. I I gotta ask because, likeI said, I had some really good
food when I was in Chicago. So Igotta ask you, what is this the
quintessential Chicago food toyou?
Katie Chung (48:31):
Oh my god. Everyone's gonna say, like, hot
dog. Right? I feel like thisthis spot this spot has a lot of
clout, but I I'm just gonnashout it out. It's there's a
Jewish deli called Manny's thatI love.
It's like one of my favoriterestaurants in Chicago. It's
cafeteria style. I know I'mKorean, but, like, yeah, there's
(48:53):
something about that Jewish delithat feels very Chicago. I think
it's like, it's the energy whenyou come in the dude's the way
they like serve you the food. Ithere's parking.
It's so good. There's parking,you know, There's parking.
That's really important. Yeah. Ithink the the cake shake is like
(49:15):
a big one at the portill atPortillo's at the Portillo's.
Yeah. Lately, though, I'm gonnabe honest, I feel like I'm
cooking more in the house, andthere's just, like, so many,
like, trendy spots popping upthat I'm, like, I'm not sure
which spot is the best forramen, and I've had a lot of bad
(49:38):
ramen as well. This isn't myproblem with New York. It's like
you get there and it's so bigthat every yeah. Sure.
There's good food here, but it'slike, what you gotta, like,
really dig. Yeah. You know? But,yeah, I I'm gonna vouch for
mannies. That's what I'm I'mgonna say.
Rob Lee (49:55):
Okay. Let's see. Look. I took note down. I I have it,
like, cute.
I I have it like this thisrunning list of places to visit,
and I have it indexed by city.So when I go back, it's like,
alright, Katie. I don't know. Idon't know about Manny's.
Because I don't I'm gonna holdyou to it.
I'm gonna hold you to it. Ithink it's gonna be good,
though. I trust you. I trustyou.
Katie Chung (50:11):
That the food people, like, get for catering
for, like, a funeral. It's,like, good. You know what I
mean? There's, like, respect.
Rob Lee (50:19):
A really good description.
Katie Chung (50:20):
And, like and there's so many things. Oh, and
it's, like, fun. There's so manyplaces to sit where if you're a
type of person that doesn'twanna sit near anybody, there's
plenty of seating. Like, noone's gonna sit next to you.
There's definitely an option.
And before you leave, there's,like, a coffee candy shop, kinda
old school. So you can, like, goin there and get your little
coffee and go and get yourlittle candy by the pound. I
(50:42):
just let you know, I it's like alittle moment.
Rob Lee (50:44):
You you you're selling a ticket. You're selling tickets
there because it's like, oh, Iget to be off putting and I get
coffee and candy to go? I'm herefor
Katie Chung (50:52):
there, like, forever. I don't know. I'm I'm
not gonna say, like, it's, like,50 years or something, but it's
been there forever, which is I'malways into that.
Rob Lee (51:00):
That's great. So here's the next one I got for you. So
say someone's, visiting Chicago,and this is purely through your
lens because we we don't do the,you know, tourist y thing purely
through your lens. What's oneplace you would recommend they
have to visit? They're there fora 3 day weekend.
You know, we you know, as we'rerecording this, we have one
coming up. So you know?
Katie Chung (51:20):
I I'm gonna give you 2 answers. If you're stuck
downtown, because sometimes thatjust is how it is, the cultural
center is my favorite buildingin all of Chicago. It's a free
building to go into. There's,like, beautiful mosaics in
there. The history isinteresting.
I think it's, like, Chicago'sfirst library or something
something with the Chicago fireand all. I'm not gonna I'm an
(51:42):
artist. You know? I'm not ahistorian. Something about but
it's just, like, insanelybeautiful in there.
And then there's always, like,free art exhibitions in there.
That's that's a spot that Ilove. And then there is I'm
gonna say a museum just becauseI'm an artist, but there's an a
(52:02):
museum called Intuit Art Center,and they highlight outsider
artists, which is kind of, like,not traditional artists. People
that are, like I don't I don'tknow. That feels so rude.
But just kind of people that arekind of outside of the vein of,
like, institution art. And theyalways just have cool stuff. And
it's a museum that's notinsanely large, so you're like,
(52:24):
this is what my entire day willbe. You know? And it's kind of
it's in West Town, so you canjust, like, go explore the
neighborhood and actually getsomething to eat around there.
So Intuit Art Center.
Rob Lee (52:34):
Nice. Hey. 2 more. 2 more. So I I'm curious as to
I've read this this book abouthabits, creative artist habits.
As an artist, how does your daytypically start? Is it
screaming? Is it with a cup ofcoffee?
Katie Chung (52:52):
Yeah. It is usually with a cup of coffee with my
fiance and my dog. It's prettychill, which is nice, but it
starts with emails. Lately, I'mtrying to switch that. I'm
trying to switch not startingwork with emails.
I'm trying to go straight intoprojects. I have a couple of
deadlines due soon. So there'ssomething about waking up,
(53:14):
having, like, the breakfast andcoffee thing. And then I have to
do something physical, likestretch or kinda, like, move
around. Thing about having a dogis having to walk them.
So that happens, kind of likemoving my body around. And then,
yeah, just kind of getting intohonestly, whatever deadline is
up the next. You know, I have alist always here. It's never
(53:35):
ending. One thing gets crossedand the next thing gets put,
like, you know, then anotherthing will get put on.
It's blurred, but, yeah. Andsometimes it's like sometimes
it's me sitting here like amaniac drawing on 500 sheets of
tracing paper trying to, like,build out a skyscraper image.
You know? Or it's sitting on myiPad, being an iPad kid trying
(53:59):
to get all of the, like, thefile ready, print ready. Yeah.
Every day kinda changes. I thinkthat's the best thing about
being an artist. Every every dayis a little different because
otherwise, I get really bored.
Rob Lee (54:12):
So here's the last one, and this is the one that artists
get especially in in in the inthe visual bit to get really
tight about. But I gotta ask,what's your favorite color?
Katie Chung (54:23):
Oh, my favorite color right now is kind of this
sweater that I'm wearing. Ilove, like, a marigold yellow.
Maybe because we're, like,ending summer going into fall,
and it has both both kind of arein that in that season. Oh, it's
also just really pretty, and Ifeel like I've been seeing
marigolds around. So right now,I like what color.
Rob Lee (54:45):
It's a great answer. Painless. Painless answer. I
love it. So that's kind of it.
So, 1, I wanna thank you for forcoming on to this podcast and
spending some time with me. And,and 2, I wanna invite and
encourage you to share with thelisteners social media website,
all of that good stuff. Anyfinal thoughts? The floor is
(55:05):
yours.
Katie Chung (55:07):
Yeah. So you can find my website
atkatiechung.com, katiechung.And then, you can find my
Instagram at Katie Chung art.Try to make that easy to search
for me. And, yeah, that's that'sabout it.
And there
Rob Lee (55:26):
you have it, folks. I wanna again thank Katie Chung
for coming on and spending sometime with us and sharing a bit
of her story. And I'm Rob Leesaying that there's art,
culture, and community in andaround your neck of the woods.
You've just got to look for it.
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