enya FASHION QUEEN

Text by Annie Lu | Translation by Sherry Chen

如果說藝術是一片汪洋，那潑墨大師柯淑玲的畫作就是一股暖流，她的畫筆擁有啟發心靈的力量，就像她那幅掛在桃園機場第二航廈出境大廳的畫作「流動‧世界‧夢」總是能撫慰人心。透過這次的訪談，我們不僅可以一窺柯淑玲在潑墨的世界裡悠遊自得的樣貌，更可以從中看見她從潑墨的濃淡與姿態中領悟出的生命的意義跟哲學。

If art is an immense ocean, the paintings of ink-splashing Master Ling Ko are like warm currents. Her brush empowers the soul, much like her piece ‘Flowing, World, Dreams’ hanging in the departure hall of Terminal 2 at the Taoyuan Airport, which always brings solace to the heart. Through this interview, we catch a glimpse of Ling Ko’s serene presence in the world of ink splashing. We also conceive the meaning and philosophy of life derived from the intensity and posture of Ling Ko’s ink splashes.

愛上潑墨

「我一生只做一件事情就是畫畫，畫畫可以說是我一生中最有興趣的事。」柯淑玲堅定的說著，並提到會與潑墨藝術相識，一切都是緣分使然，她怎麼也沒能想到，國中時收到的一支林三益毛筆，竟成了開啟她前往藝術殿堂的鑰匙，更成為她的救贖引領她勇敢面人生的高低起伏。柯淑玲在移民西雅圖後，想拜嶺南大師楊善深為師遭拒，並受其建議，輾轉前往拜趙無極為師，所幸其獨有的繪畫風格與感性魔力，令趙無極印象深刻的說：「我只給你一句話，從今以後只照你的心去創作。」此話也影響了柯淑玲日後的創作。

Falling in Love with Ink-Splashing

“There’s only one thing that I would do in this life, that is painting. Painting is the most interesting thing in my life,” Ling Ko firmly stated. She mentioned that her encounter with the art of ink-splashing was purely fate. Little did she know that a LSY brush she received in high school would become the key to unlocking her path to the art world and serve as the guiding light through her ups and downs. After immigrating to Seattle, Ling Ko sought to study at the school of Lingnan, with artist Shan Shen Yang but was turned down. Following Shan Shen Yang’s advice, she sought an apprenticeship under Zao Wou-Ki. Fortunately, her unique painting style and sensual charm left an earnest impression on Zao Wou-Ki, who said, “I’ll give you only one piece of advice: from now on, follow your heart in your creations.” These words had profound influences on Ling Ko’s future creations.

靈感泉源

潑墨藝術有著多樣的面貌，時而狂野奔放，時而清逸秀麗，觀者皆可從藝術家的用墨濃淡、設色深淺，領略出作品的深刻意涵。而對於柯淑玲來說，「真善美」是她最想傳達給大家的核心理念。憑藉著畫筆與自己一顆真誠的心，她將大自然的智慧與水墨相互融和，用生命揮灑出不可思議的意境。當柯淑玲被問及汲取創作靈感的方式時，她提到：「一件溫暖的感動，一份純粹的愛，乃至一個微笑，都是我創作的來源。」這也是為何我們不難從其畫作裡感受到強烈的生命力與愛。

Source of Inspiration

Ink-splashing art has various facets, sometimes wild and unrestrained, and sometimes elegant and beautiful. Bystanders can appreciate the profound meaning of the artwork through the intensity of the ink and the depth of the color. For Ling Ko, “truth, goodness, and beauty” are the core concepts she wants to convey. With her ink and a sincere heart, she splashes the wisdom of nature with ink, creating incredible imageries with her life. Upon mentioning her sources of inspiration,  Ling Ko said, “Warm touching feeling, pure love, or even a smile, these are all sources of my creations.” This is also why we sense strong vitality and love from her artworks.

無極世界

柯淑玲有多幅畫作的命名中都有「無極」二字，像是《藝無極》、《榮無極》等，這不僅是她對恩師趙無極，一生奉獻藝術，達到崇高地位的致敬方式之一，也是她對藝術的一種獨特體悟：「因為在中國儒家及道家的思想中，無極表示無邊界，也是最自然的狀態，它是超越的一種崇高存在，無極也是宇宙萬物存在一切變化的根本。」這一番話深刻體現出柯淑玲對潑墨藝術內涵的昇華，並期許自己的創作都可以達到這種「無極」境界。

Boundless World

Ling Ko has incorporated the term “Wuji,” which means “Boundless,” in many of the titles of her paintings, such as “Art Without Limits” and “Glory Without Bounds.” This is not merely a tribute to her mentor Zao Wou-Ki, who dedicated his life to art and achieved a revered status, but also her distinguished insight into art: “In the Confucian and Taoist studies in China, ‘Wuji’ represents boundlessness and the most natural state. It is a sublime existence that transcends, and it is also the foundation of all transformation in the universe.” These words deeply reflected Ling Ko’s elevation in the essence of ink-splashing art and became the aspiration for her creations to reach the realm of “Wuji.”

重拾初心

潑墨大師柯淑玲，除了在年輕時遭遇到癌症的巨大打擊，近年來也因爲曾收穫名利，讓她進入另一股低潮期，以致痛苦到無法提起最愛的畫筆，幸好最後重拾初心，透過心轉命轉的理念，順利解除內心障礙，這也使其後來的畫作風格更為灑脫無拘束。如今已近70歲的柯淑玲為了挑戰自我，進入了台師大校園就讀GF-EMBA，並期待自己能夠產出更多潑墨潑彩相關的論文，幫助對這門藝術有興趣的人們。此外，柯淑玲對於想入門、理解潑墨潑彩的人們也給了一些建議：「首先一定是對藝術有興趣、可以拜師從基礎學習、多欣賞藝術作品，以及多看博物館和畫廊的展覽。」

Rekindling the Heart

Ink-splashing Master Ling Ko, besides a significant breakdown from cancer in her youth, has also experienced a recent downturn due to her pursuit of fame and fortune. It has led her to the point of anguishment that she could no longer pick up her beloved brush. Fortunately, she reignited her passion with the concept of “transforming the mindset to transform the state.” She has successfully overcome her inner turmoil, as we can see from the transformation in her liberated and unrestrained artworks. Now approaching her 70s, Ling Ko is challenging herself by enrolling in the GF-EMBA program at National Taiwan Normal University. She hopes to produce more papers related to ink-splashing art and help those interested in this form of art. Ling Ko also has some advice for those who wish to start or dive into the art of ink-splashing: “First, it is essential to have an interest in art, to study the basics with a mentor, to appreciate various artworks, and to visit museums and galleries regularly.”

柯淑玲將手抄金剛經與潑墨結合，此巨幅作品耗費她將近一個月的時間，在這期間她更是跪地創作，展現出滿滿的虔誠與堅持。