Chi Ling Tabart: In her own voice

Chi Ling Tabart in her Hobart, Tasmania studio. Photo: Chi Ling Tabart

Words: Carol Russell

When I first saw the work of Chi Ling Tabart I was enthralled by her whimsical pieces which were coupled with a narrative in the form of a poem or prose. There is something slightly miraculous about her work. Its fragility makes you stop and gaze. You instinctively lean in to hear the voice behind it all, and Chi Ling has something to say.

Chi Ling and I were both featured in the Making Space exhibition at Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery in Launceston late last year. I had the opportunity to meet her and speak to her about her work and was intrigued to know more.

Born in Taiwan, Chi Ling was drawn to an artistic life. She studied traditional painting but knew the difficulties of making a living solely from art, so she trained and worked as a graphic designer. This enabled her to use her artistic abilities whilst having income security.

Mirror, 2022, Huon pine, 220 x 100 x 80mm. Photo: Peter Whyte

She moved to Adelaide and then onto Hobart with her husband Nick to be close to her father-in-law Bill, who was a woodworker with a workshop and plenty of tools. He and Nick encouraged Chi Ling to experiment with wood and sculpture. She soon found herself drawn in by the material and how the grain and even the faults in wood can influence the design and outcome of a piece.

Chi Ling was using mainly scrap material that was readily available from places like the local tip shop. Her first piece was carved from timber out of an old bed frame. I was in awe of her Baltic pine pieces and the tenacity it must’ve taken to get such fine results with a wood not known for carving.

Chi Ling began by using a few basic hand tools, a coping saw and some palm chisels. Later she started using a rotary tool to reduce the stress on her hands, although this can still cause problems over long hours of use. She now removes larger sections using a bandsaw and meticulous sanding follows. It’s laborious work and very focussed, however the end result is captivating.

Drought, 2022, radiata pine, Huon pine, resin. 280 x 180 x 120mm. “This is hot, this is dry, I stare into the sky, search for a sign, Heat is rising and my heart is pounding, My mouth is so dry, there are no tears to cry, I have run out of faith this time.“ Photo: Peter Whyte

She began carving in 2012. In the early days Bill could see that Chi Ling had a special skill and an artistic eye, he began sharing some of the very special Huon pine he had stored for more that 40 years from his time working in Queenstown.

Chi Ling told me that without the enormous support and encouragement from her husband and father- in-law and other family members, she wouldn’t have been able to make her art. It clearly means a lot to her that they had such belief in her abilities.

When she began carving she wasn’t bound by the rules of working with wood, and learned as she went along. Pieces would break, and it would serve as a lesson to know where the boundaries were. She kept all those pieces and strived to create the images she had in her mind with steely determination. She thrives on carving meticulously detailed sculptures and is driven to create the very best work possible.

There’s plenty of fish in the sea, 2018, Huon pine and resin, 390 x 175 x 200mm. Photos: Peter Whyte

In her 2018 work There’s Plenty of Fish in the Sea, she told me that the 30mm crabs were a challenge. ‘I broke a lot of crabs during the process. I spent a lot of time sanding those tiny legs with sandpaper. Working on small objects needs patience, concentration and not being afraid to fail many times over. Everything is possible, if you are patient.’

Although a fine artist, Chi Ling doesn’t start a sculpture with detailed drawings, but rather with sketches that capture creative thoughts and written notes, perhaps based on things she’s seen or read. Often she will make a paper or clay model to get an understanding of the basic form. This gives her a starting point, but she is inclined to allow the characteristics of the timber to guide the work, changing the detail to fit the grain and any faults that might be there. In her works Drought and Mercy Killings, she chose Baltic pine, where the strong lineal grain flows around the curves of the fish giving life and movement.

‘I like using broken or aging wood which is charming but also a challenge to use. Some aging wood has hidden cracks – it’s hard to see them from outside. I use resin to seal the cracks before carving. I’m always excited to find out what surprises those natural markings will bring to my sculptures.’

Every word of advice, 2019, radiata pine, 190 x 190 x 90mm. Photo: Peter Whyte

I was interested in Chi Ling’s artistic influences and she explained that she loves different types of two and three-dimensional art that are often delicate, detailed playful and bizarre. All these aspects can be seen in her own work. She mentioned Fiona Hall and her aluminium sculptures, Untitled and Paradisus Terestris Series and Christian Verginer’s sculptures. Also work by MC Escher, (his detailed realistic prints have inspired her work A Knot in My Heart and Toughen Up) and also cites Shaun Tan and Hideo Takeda.

‘Japanese manga has played a big part in my childhood – works like GeGeGe no Kitaro and Doraemon which are full of dreams, imagination and fun for kids. They continue to have an impact on my work. My sculptures are not realistic and often cartoon-like.’

Chi Ling’s work is made in response to something she feels strongly about. There is often an accompanying poem that expresses her thoughts and feelings. The destruction of the environment and the impact we have on other species is a theme she often visits. Her 2022 work Drought is a case in point.

Love you in this way, 2019, Huon pine, radiata pine, acrylic, 24 carat gold leaf. Photo: Peter Whyte

Long before she started sculpting, Chi Ling would write poetry to match her drawings. She says she doesn’t enjoy writing artist statements to explain her work, she believes the pieces are easy to understand and really need no explanation.

‘Poetry is fun, no grammar required. I studied old and classical poetry when I was in primary school. I still remember those sounds and words which are beautiful and simple like a song.’

Fall, Huon pine. Photo: Peter Whyte

To view Chi Ling Tabarts work is to go on a journey with her whimsical characters – their imagined lives tantalise you and draw you to places you’ve never been. They tell you things you may not want to hear about love and loss and the fragility of our world. I was deeply moved to see this work and by Chi Ling herself. Woodworking is becoming a very exciting space to be in at the moment.

See more of Chi Ling’s work at chilingtabart.com

First published in Australalian Wood Review, issue 124, September 2024.

Carol Russell is a woodcarver currently living and teaching in Melbourne. She is a regular contributor to Australian Wood Review magazine.