By Tammy Scileppi
The material is botanical and the result is therapeutic.
Artist Paul Lin never uses paint, brushes or canvas. Whether he finds his inspiration by the roadside or mountainside, Mother Nature always provides him with a cornucopia of organic materials for his portraits and landscapes.
He takes flower petals, dried leaves, twigs, feathers — anything that strikes his artistic fancy — to create small but powerful works of art that he describes as spiritual and harmonious.
According to Lin, the trick is how you view the universe.
“The most important thing in nature and art is healing because there are two elements – peace and harmony,” he said.
Working from his home studio in Little Neck, the fatherly Taiwanese-born artist said he begins his creative process by “going through my inventory in my warehouse; I have a couple thousand different natural materials. The idea starts in my mind, my inner soul. It’s a very unique art form.”
Lin’s nature theme collection now graces gallery walls at the Queens Botanical Garden in Flushing in his “Botanical Therapeutic Arts” exhibit running through April 12.
“We are honored to have such a vibrant and soulful exhibit at QBG,” Executive Director Susan Lacerte said. “Paul’s work incorporates elements of nature that he melds into images full of color, warmth and meaning. He is an inspiration.”
You could say he takes the ordinary and makes it extraordinary. The secret lies in the simplicity of Lin’s pieces.
So, what happens when an artist combines natural arts with spiritual intuition? For over 30 years, Lin’s boundless creativity has gone hand in hand with his deep religious faith, and this unique combination seems to infuse his work with a serene, almost blissful quality.
And his choice of subject matter possesses a kind of sophisticated innocence.
The result, he said, evokes feelings of hope, memories, or reactions of intimacy, which is why he calls it “therapeutic art.”
So, it’s not surprising that the artist has been teaching his spiritually uplifting craft during healing art workshops to people suffering from various illnesses.
In fact, several years ago, Lin said he was invited to conduct a series of art therapy sessions at the American Cancer Society, where he worked with patients, who learned how to arrange flower petals and such on strong paper, using special glue.
Back in the day, as a young, budding artist, Lin said his style was much more traditional and restrained.
He worked with watercolors or created oil paintings on canvas. But in time, his artwork evolved along with his spiritual side and the transformation yielded purely botanical works.
“I was trained by one of the best artists in Taiwan for three years when I was in high school, and after that I joined the ministry,” said Lin, who has worked as a pastor for the past 45 years, giving weekly sermons at various churches throughout the area, including Queens. Recently, he worked at the Bowne Street Community Church in Flushing.
“Mr. Paul Lin is not only the preacher to heal people’s hearts, but also to bring the vivid art work for their vision,” said Board Trustee Pauline Huang, who introduced the garden to the artist’s collection.
On March 28, Lin will lead a hands-on workshop at the garden.
If You Go
Botanical Therapeutic Art
When: Through April 12
Where: Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main St., Flushing
Cost: Free through March 31. After April 1, admission is $4/adults, $3/seniors and $2/students with ID and children over 3.
Contact: (718) 886-3800
Website: www.queen
