Artist Discovered: Nancy Hom

I alluded to a wonderful moment at the Autry's California's Designing Women exhibit last week.   All in all it was a wonderful show and I loved getting a chance to see an exhibit devoted to the cutting edge craft of women in the Golden State.

One artist's story really spoke to me (many artists were profiled via short videos).  Nancy Hom is a Northern California artist, community leader, and writer who creates screen prints and sculptures, amongst other forms of expression.  I was listening to her interview and was touched by the way she described herself -- as an artist for the community, a servant artist who takes the joys, struggles, and experiences of the people around her and tells their stories via bold graphics.  She also shared about her working class poor immigrant family background and her focus on themes centered on the feminine, on compassion, and on mothers and children.

Image via here.

Designing with a Purpose: Jihyun Ryou

I recently stumbled upon this brilliant video featuring artist/designer Jihyun Rou who creates new ways to store food while challenging our consumption and waste habits through her (practical) installations.

She writes:

Observing the food and therefore changing the notion of food preservation, we could find the answer to current situations such as the overuse of energy and food wastage. My design is a tool to implement that knowledge in a tangible way and slowly it changes the bigger picture of society. I believe that once people are given a tool that triggers their minds and requires a mental effort to use it, new traditions and new rituals can be introduced into our culture.
Jihyun Ryou, 2009