Enso, The Brights: Radiance in the Void
MMy artistic practice is a dialogue between perceptual precision and the “flow state”—a transition that became essential when the demands of motherhood required a shift from complex renderings to a more grounding, portable medium. During this time, while pursuing yoga certification, I discovered Enso: Zen Circles of Enlightenment by Audrey Yoshiko Seo. Inspired by her documentation of this historic practice, I committed to a daily ritual of creating an Enso. What began as a one-year project evolved into a three-year study, serving as both an expression of the artist’s mind and a centering moment within the chaotic intersection of childhood and domesticity.
What started as a grounding ritual matured into a rigorous aesthetic and technical inquiry. Across a body of work now exceeding 900 pieces, I used the Enso to explore minute variables in contemporary 2D practice:
What if I use water to bleed the outer edge versus the inner edge? * How does the form shift across different substrates and media? * How can I translate the motion of a physical drip into a formal line? This practice became a masterclass in minimalism—the discipline of knowing when a form is simple, yet complete. This collection bridges the gap between my background in maximalist rendering and my current focus on abstracted, minimalist forms. It reimagines an ancient tradition through contemporary media, offering a moment of stillness within a high-energy visual field.
Sources
Seo, Audrey Yoshiko. Enso: Zen Circles of Enlightenment. Weatherhill, 2007.
The Brights: The Black Paper, Neon & Metallic Enso
While much of my Enso collection focuses on organic subtlety, the Black Paper Sub-Collection represents a bold departure from traditional Zen aesthetics. By utilizing neon and metallic mediums on a deep black substrate, I provide a vibrant twist that leans into a “neo-futurist,” 80s-inspired energy.
Modern Contrast:
High-frequency neons and reflective metallics pop against the “void” of the black paper, creating a high-energy focal point for contemplation.
The Visual Form of Time and Space:
These radiating ripples and drips serve as a visual representation of time, capturing the natural expansions and contractions that occur in a single moment of creation. This work addresses the integration of analog process and time-based concepts, mirroring the “drip” and “ripple” found in both street art and digital motion graphics. Simultaneously, the circular forms and trailing lines evoke a celestial perspective, feeling reminiscent of cosmic bodies, planetary orbits, and the invisible pull of gravity.