Chung’s piece was chosen after a competitive selection process. It was one of several works commissioned as part of the Downtown Dayton Storefront Activation Program.
The initiative was organized by the City of Dayton, the Downtown Dayton Partnership, and Culture Works in commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of the historic peace agreement that brought an end to the Bosnian War.
“I took the idea of a storefront entry and thought about how best the piece could represent happiness, Dayton, and the anniversary of the peace talks. Being concurrent with May brought to mind spring and flowers. It sort of became this garden blooming with a joy for life,” Chung said.
A veteran interior designer, Chung was able to leverage her wealth of experience to create a truly effective design. She drew inspiration from storefronts that use art instead of a blank space to beautify their surroundings.
“I kind of just took that retail design background my interactions with such barricades,” Chung said.
Chung would credit a strong desire to create outside the confines of conventional design as being key to the mural’s development. While interior design typically involves hours consulting clients, the artist stated that the freedom offered by traditional mediums of art was liberating.
“In the design world you have a problem and have to create a solution within a budget, timeline, and brand. You already have all the elements you need to put together. But as an artist you have free reign over the mediums through which you express your feelings or whatever it is you are trying to share with the world,” Chung stated.
While she considers herself a relatively new artist, Chung’s work is already having an impact. Former colleagues and friends have reached out since the mural was posted on social media.
“It’s been all positive,” she said. “I posted it on social media and people I had not been in touch with for awhile were commenting. It was really nice to get reacquainted with many of them.”
Many will now have an opportunity to experience Chung’s creative flair through art as opposed to the numerous spas, boutiques, and department stores she has worked on.
“It’s kind of new territory for me because I can use anything,” the artist shared. “I do lettering design, surface pattern design, illustration, and artwork. It is hard to capture what it is I do-I’m still working on it myself.”
That process of artistic self-discovery will soon see Chung launch her own Etsy store. It is the same process that has made words and the power of meaning so central to her style.
“Words have energy and can be so strong,” Chung stated. “I love writing and its kind of my way of processing my environment. In order for me to better understand my world I write and in seeing it on the page, taking it in, I gain a deeper understanding. I believe my artwork is an extension of that.”
Thanks to her approach, Dayton has a beautiful ode to the city’s past facing East Third Street. Not bad for an entry done for fun without any expectation of success.
“Personally, I just entered for fun. I didn’t expect anything to come out of it,” Chung said.
Today, there are numerous sights dotting the city commemorating the Dayton Peace Accords. Chung’s mural joins an illustrious list that includes Holbrooke Plaza and the International Peace Museum.
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