The Art of Chong Hui Lee Blanton
Chong Hui Lee Blanton
I met my husband Randy in 1978 while he was stationed in Korea with the Army. He went back to the US and returned in 1979 to propose. We were married in 1980. I then left all of my family behind and moved to the US with him I worked hard to make a comfortable life in America for myself and my family. I did 30 years of labor intensive work at Hearthside. I have now found myself enjoying retirement since 2018. It was finally time to take advantage of some newfound free time. I wanted to reach for new levels of my potential beyond being a laborer, mother, grandmother and wife. I have always been one to try anything once. I have a list in my mind of experiences that I want to check off. I am also one to look at something and think to myself “I could do that”. That was how I started in art. I began to paint. I noticed that I loved to learn new techniques, study other painters and was always open to suggestions on how to make my work better. I also noticed that when I painted, it seemed to ignite a part of my brain that steadied my tremors. Even while doing the most intricate painting, my hand would still.
I am inspired by the things around me. I find the beauty in a picturesque landscape, an old barn that could tell many stories, my grandchildren picking flowers, the historical homes on Findlay’s South Main Street, and many other things I see and experience. I enjoy painting it all! I have learned to use different media and will continue to expand and learn.
Art is comforting, therapeutic and my release to express myself. I hope I can inspire others through my work to try new things no matter their age or physical challenges.
Chong Hui is a member of the Findlay Art League.
