Hobo meets highbrow

Diem Chau elevates simple household items into objects of beauty

By Jonathan Shipley
Published: April 15th, 2008 | 3:35pm

Diem Chau sees everyday objects differently than you and I do. Toothpicks aren’t for skewering cheese bits; they are used to make fine art. Porcelain isn’t for sipping hot tea; it’s used as a canvas for embroidery. Crayons aren’t used for scribbling; they’re used to make fragile sculptures.

Chau, a 29-year-old Seattle native, talks about her art, her influences, and the greatness that can be found in the smallest moments.

How did you get into the arts? When did you think it could be something you could make a living at?
I've always loved making things even as a child, but never considered the arts as a career choice. It was just something I loved doing. Throughout high school I thought I was going to be a scientist. The turning point was my father's death during my senior year. At that time I realized you had one life and one shot — make it count and do what drives you to live.

What influences you?
Everything I see influences me — I'm constantly absorbing. Personally, my family has influenced me. They've attributed a lot to my personal philosophy — knowing what they had to live through and how hard they've had to work to get me here is a great source of strength.

Much of your art is porcelain and thread. Why those materials?
I choose to work with everyday materials and objects because it's a familiar platform. I want to connect with everyday people and everyday moments. As a society, we communicate through a common language — symbols with mutually agreed upon meanings. Through this language, we're able to find connections, learn, grow, and evolve together. I see my medium (cups, bowls, thread, crayons, toothpicks) as that common language. These are things in every household — all demographics, all ages, all cultures.

How did the crayon sculptures come to fruition?
The crayons came from doing research into Depression Era folk art. People had to make do with whatever they had. Nothing was wasted. The work that stuck in my mind is "hobo" art. People who traveled to find work would often make things to sell or barter, lots of walking sticks, carved pits, portraits, quilts, you name it! So I went back to what I knew before art school: simplicity and play. I carved on a lot of things. The crayons stuck. Everyone remembers them as kids. They're beautiful, colorful, cheerful, but also incredibly fragile and once broken can never be mended. Sometimes I think the accidental breaking of a crayon sculpture becomes an integral part its meaning.

What do you hope someone takes from your art when they see it?
I hope they see that they can do it too and that greatness can be found in small moments.

Is being Vietnamese reflected in your artwork? How so? Is being a woman reflected?
I'm Chinese/Vietnamese. My father was Chinese and mother is Vietnamese. I grew up as a Chinese person living in Vietnam, then an Asian in America. I've always been a half-breed and never quite know where I belong. If I had to pick a category, I would say I'm an immigrant. I believe there are parts of my work that is about not knowing and losing my identity (perhaps in doing so forging a new one).

On the other hand, being a woman is definitely a part of the work! I don't mean for it to come out that way, it just does. I've always had very strong female role models in my life: my mom, grandmother, cousins. In a Third World country (or just when times are hard), a good woman can make or break a family. She binds the family together and makes ends meet. Often, the female role is the quiet underlying current that keeps it all going. Much like this role, my work is quite and small (visually), but beyond that it's a symbol for something greater.

Do you hope your pieces tell a story? If so, what IS the story you're trying to tell?
I hope I can create something that is alluring and elusive enough for the audience to see their own story.

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View more of Diem Chau’s work at diemchau.com