Baby Onion Says Hello

Written by Maria Lisak
Illustrations by Lisa Casaus

Meet Baby Onion
“I like onions” is Lisa Casaus’ standard introduction of her work. She likes the round, the yellow, the quirky. She likes onions; and nowhere is this more apparent than in her Baby Onion character.

Connecting in Gwangju
Lisa appreciates the wide selection of opportunities to have her art in public spaces in Gwangju. She has been an active participant in the Gwangju Art Class since August 2016, often helping Jen Lee and Áine Byrne with special events and classes (including fundraisers for the animal shelter and local orphanages). Since January of this year, she and animator Raqib Hasan Apu have been planning art classes on Saturdays as regular instructors. She has also made reflection cards for teachers for her local teacher professional development group of Korea TESOL. She has set up sales tables on Saturdays at Daein Night Art Market and has also exhibited there, both in a group show as well as in a solo exhibition. Gearing her sales items to the audience attracted to the events, she often prepares small giveaways for kids and adults alike. Next up for her is to bring to life some of her “kid’s books for adults” and find venues to market these gems.

Gwangju News Cover for the May 2018 Issue
Lisa has also been on the cover of the Gwangju News, well, her artwork has. When beginning to envision the cover for the latest May issue of the Gwangju News, Lisa was thinking of an illustration, something like a drawing or a painting. She went through her usual stages of drawing and making thumbnails – about 20 iterations in all – before she decided she wanted to use actual photos from the events she was trying to evoke. Taking photos from popular struggles in South Africa, China, Gwangju, Taiwan, and Romania, she brought in flags, banners, cars, and people – cutting them into silhouettes that she moved about to get the best composition. In the printing stage, she tried some different approaches. First, she printed the photos in black and white, adding layers of acrylic paint, but there was not enough room for text. Lisa printed and cut again, recreating the first piece. The second piece was more compact, with more layers of paint and attention to composition. Lastly, the image was scanned and final color adjustments were made digitally. The result was a colorful collection that brought to light the deep meaning imbued in these fraught events.

Before, During, and After Gwangju
Lisa is inspired by everything and keeps a private notebook where she writes what she sees and hears, capturing a story image from here and there. A favorite project from the past that shows her brain at work was about pants. While she was working back in the States, she had a conversation with a vendor about pants: not being able to find what you want, when you want it, for the price you are willing to pay. This conversation morphed into The Magic Pants Tree. At that time, she was dying for some pants and learning Korean as well. All these pieces of her life were transformed into the search for a perfect pair of pants and the dream tree in The Magic Pants Tree.

Gwangju was to be a break from her part-time business creation, but she still works on the art creation part of her business. The content of her art here in Gwangju, painting and sketching mainly, has not been as clearly narrative in form as that of the illustrated books she had been making. Doodling has always been a key part of her creative life. She finds that doodling and meditation let her tap into her subconscious, releasing the pressure on her, as no specific outcome is required. Doodling lets her mash up her experiences of travel especially.

Travel influences not just her style but also the brand and business side of her artistry. Her Japan visit has pumped up her interest in stamps, and she has been wanting to make a scavenger hunt of some kind since returning to Gwangju. Lisa is envisioning a studio that is a joint space with a shop that also offers classes. While she is looking for ways to make things more personalized, she is also hoping to create art full time. Of course, how to do this is at the top of her list. More education, business, and marketing, or more networking? But then, Germany is calling to her heart as well. Could she make her dreams come alive there, too?

The Author
Maria Lisak is celebrating the 22nd anniversary of her first steps in South Korea this year. From the Midwest in the US, her Chicago accent still plagues her Korean pronunciation. She has been teaching public administration and social welfare at Chosun University since 2012. You can check out her degree pedigree on her blog: koreamaria.typepad.com/gwangju