The beautiful landscapes and magnificent colors surrounding Sacramento provide inspiration for 33-year-old Sacramento State art student Sean Hong, who will showcase his work in the art exhibit, “A Matter of Time.”

This exhibit features landscape paintings from the greater Sacramento area. Hong showcases the richness of colors and provides a perspective that portrays the world through his eyes.

“I like the fact that it has a collage feel to it but at the same time it has a realness while also being abstract,” said Pakou Xiong, Hong’s girlfriend.

Hong uses both acrylic and oil-based paints to display his work.

“Art is a language for me,” Hong said. “I relate and engage the world better through art. Art to me is life; you just have to work through all the problems to make it work.”

The exhibit’s name relates to the nature of portraying consistent landscapes based on the time of day, despite changes in light. Eventually, Hong would like to have a painting for each time of day so he can showcase all of them as one.

“Even though certain parts of it are from the morning or from the day, sooner or later it’ll settle down and become a whole,” Hong said. “Be patient and it’s only a matter of time before things work out.”

Hong has been using art to express himself most of his life, but has only been painting for the last five years. He started off with whatever materials he could utilize, such as colored pencils and crayons, but branched out with different mediums later in life.

“He’s a very hard worker and he is absolutely dedicated to making good work,” said Sarah Flohr, associate professor of art. “He’s a very unusual person, because he’s completely self-driven.”

As Hong is driven to do good for himself, he is also driven to educate and help others in their artistic endeavors.

“He really likes to share his knowledge and he’s not a person who just wants to be a hermit and only think of himself,” Flohr said. “He will be working, and like everybody, he has to take a break, but he doesn’t just shoot the breeze. He’ll go over and talk to another student about his work. He’ll critique them and help them and share ideas.”

Flohr enjoys having Hong as a guest in her classrooms as well.

“He’s very good with interacting with students,” Flohr said.

Hong hopes that students learn from his paintings and have fun while enjoying the colors that he provides.

“I want them to slow down and read the painting like you are reading a book. Slow yourself down and enjoy things and that will be good enough,” Hong said.

The exhibit runs Oct. 14-18 from noon to 4:30 p.m. in the R.W. Witt Gallery at Kadema Hall.

Briana Swain can be reached at [email protected]