Art has always been at the center of my life. When I was very young, I would trace images, becoming familiar with the graceful lines, form and space. Mainly through self-taught studies, art became my profession, my expression and my joy.
Now, for almost a decade, my works have taken on the intense color and vibrancy of the Yunnan school of painting, reminiscent of Jiang Teifeng and Ting Shao Kuang. Delicate rice paper that I paint on both sides in “heavy color” gouache brings brilliancy, visual depth and dimension to the images. The Yunnan school fragmented the images using fine lines to focus the viewer’s eye. And so, those same graceful lines I practiced as a child now reveal the details of the smaller images within the whole. The brushwork moves the viewer’s eyes and mind between the spatial relationships, while bold color and visual images attract and hold the imagination. Raw edges of the paper are exposed and the paper floated, adding to the unique treatment and style.
The various images come from the diverse cultural experiences and relationships in my life: the crow, my friend from childhood; the tree, a symbol of life; the horse and so many other things that surround us.
Art is my total immersion. But my enjoyment and fulfillment in creating each piece is only part of my purpose. The final step in my art is you. I am honored to share each piece with you in the hope that they bring to you the peace and emotion that creating them brings me.