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Away From Home - Daily Paintworks Weekly Challenge

12/21/2013 4:43:49 AM

As a host for the Daily Paintworks (DPW) Weekly Challenge, I have chosen the theme "Away from Home" (please read a brief description below). I thought this topic is a timely one as many of us have a chance to spend some time away from home around this time of the year. Daily painters out there, or occasional painters or anyone who loves to give this challenge a try, let's have fun with it. To participate, please visit DPW website for more information. The challenge starts on Saturday, December 21. "Away from Home" Challenge: Many people travel at this time of the year. Some [...]

Shenzhen Watercolour Biennial

12/19/2013 9:15:45 PM

In response to the call to the artists worldwide, 2,825 entries had poured in from 54 different countries from all corners of the globe for the First International Watercolour Biennial. After the final round of judging by an international panel of renowned jurors, about 200 pieces of watermedia works were selected to be on display at the Shenzhen Art Museum in Guangdong Province in southern China. December the 10th, 2013 marked the official opening of the exhibition, and I was deeply honored to attend the opening ceremony together with some of the exhibiting artists who traveled there. I am pleased that "Sunset, [...]

Dim Sum, Hong Kong III, Interior Painting

12/11/2013 8:31:06 AM

Eating with a family or friends means sharing some time together over a meal but in some cultures it is literally sharing the same dishes among those present. In Chinese culture, people normally sit at a round table and put several dishes in the center. In each dish there is a different kind of food - stir-fried meat and vegetables, steamed fish, roasted chicken, dumplings, soup, for example. There may be a pair of communal chopsticks for serving but it's quite common that they use their own chopsticks to take whatever they want. This way everyone sees each other and both [...]

Li River, Chinese Landscape Paintings

12/9/2013 8:59:10 AM

Stunning, dramatic, surreal... I don't know if any words can describe the amazing landscapes of karst terrains near Guilin. Some of the peaks look like animals while others look like giant cacti or jagged teeth. And these towering mountains are evreywhere - some stand alone right in the middle of a town and others out in the countryside. Between Guilin and Yangshuo, boats take visitors on a cruise on the Li River which meanders through these mountains. To see this very unique landscape, people come here not just from all over China but from all over the world as well. Yangshuo receives [...]

Aberdeen I, Hong Kong Landscape Painting

12/3/2013 9:56:09 PM

After enjoying a beautiful day painting at Aberdeen on Hong Kong Island, I traveled to the New Territories to visit my artist friend and respected teacher Harvey Chan. His students gathered that night in Harvey's studio to watch my demonstration he organized for me. I also had the pleasure of having some of my former workshop students and my art collector friend join us. I had a wonderful time sharing my work and talking about watercolor and more. I would like to thank everyone who was there for me! painting en plein air in Aberdeen, HK With Harvey Chan and his students, Hong [...]

Sam Mun Tsai I, Hong Kong Landscape Painting

12/2/2013 7:03:18 AM

In Sam Mun Tsai Fishing Village, local fishermen breed fish in cages. There are several stations floating on the calm water inside the bay, and I loved the serenity and timeless beauty of the scene as I watched fishing boats come and go. But the number of such floating stations is dwindling. I even heard (and I hope I was wrong) that the remaining ones may be removed eventually - just like old houses and shops tucked in between high-rises of Hong Kong. I looked up toward one end of the bay to find an enormous luxurious housing development, named the Beverly Hills. That in and of [...]

Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, Italy

11/21/2013 3:56:53 AM

One of my favorite paintings is John Singer Sargent's piece that depicted the façade of the Salute. Rather, this painting is much more than just "favorite." Early on in my career as a watercolor painter, I was simply in awe when I saw it for the first time. I would even call that a life-changing experience. Almost anything my eyes see in Venice can be a painting. At least that's how I feel. But scenes involving Santa Maria della Salute are especially magnificent... "Santa Maria della Salute, Venice III" (10"x29") - available "Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, Italy IV" (19"x13") - sold "Venetian Sunset VII" [...]

Painting En Plein Air in Michigan

11/11/2013 11:55:29 AM

Last week I spent a gorgeous autumn day painting en plein air in Michigan. The weather was just perfect and the day was one of the most productive I ever had. I did 3 paintings and several studies while traveling across the southern part of the state. I've been told by my workshop students and my painter friends that I paint quite fast. Looking back, I think this is how it has been with me almost from the beginning of my painting career. Some have asked me how and why I do it. I can say that the kind of style I work [...]

Barns of Michigan, American Landscape Paintings

11/9/2013 4:03:07 PM

I teach both indoors and outdoors when I do a workshop. Obviously, both have certain advantages and challenges, and I may focus on slightly different aspects of painting, depending on where we work. During my recent workshop in Michigan, we were all painting inside, warm and cozy, in downtown Ann Arbor. The chilly November wind and occasional rain was a bit too much even for the courageous plein-air painter. So one day, I gave everyone one of my photos of a typical Michigan farm with a barn. What the photo showed was a no-brainer to paint, in fact, but we took it [...]

Al Ponte di Rialto, Venice II, Italian Landscape Painting

10/31/2013 8:21:42 PM

My travel sketchbooks vary in size but my favorites are 8.5"x5.5" or 12"x9". If my primary purpose of going somewhere is solely to paint, I, of course, carry with me all the plein-air painting gear, a tripod and a watercolor block of much larger size up to 18"x24, " which can be quite a handful. If I want to visit a place first, I like the portability of my small sketchbook just to make quick studies in whenever and wherever I want. And I do this sometimes with just lines, or sometimes with a few colors. My 12"x9" is actually a watercolor [...]

Tossa de Mar I, Spanish Landscape Painting

6/17/2013 2:03:54 PM

Here in the town of Tossa de Mar on the Costa Brava, there's a medieval fortfied village called Vila Vella standing right next to one of their beautiful beaches. A view of such a fortress above dozens of beach-goers and colorful boats and umbrellas on the sandy beach makes this town very unique. You can visit this walled village and virtually enjoy a panoramic view here. Tossa de Mar, Spain I A larger digital file available on request Media: Original watercolor on paper Image Size: 11.5 x 8.25 inches (29 x 21 cm) Frame/Mat: No Purchase: Please send me an email for details. - Join me on Facebook [...]

Tai-O I, Hong Kong Landscape Painting

4/4/2013 4:13:36 PM

Hong Kong's urban areas are growing bigger so fast that the entire place may be soon dominated only by high-rise buildings, it seems. This is happening not only in the heavily-populated downtown and surrounding areas but also out in what used to be a sleepy countryside. So before it's all gone, I wanted to see an old village or two and find a remnant of the past. Tai-O is one such place I chose to visit. This small fishermen's village on Lantau Island is particularly known for stilt houses standing over the rivers that run through it. During a day, however, it's [...]

A-Ma Temple Square, Macau I, Macanese Landscape Painting

3/17/2013 4:28:15 AM

Come to this square in Macau with no prior knowledge, and you may wonder if you're in a small town somewhere in southern Europe. Some of the buildings around here, built in the Portuguese colonial style, are painted in bright colors and facades are decorated with white railings. There are other things such as lamp posts, scooters parked on a street and even some of the sweets sold around here, help create an atmosphere that is definitely more European than Chinese or Asian. If it's too hot or humid, people-watch from a bench under a big shade tree or walk up a [...]

Shirakawa-go, Gifu IX, Japanese Landscape Painting

12/19/2012 10:16:07 AM

Exactly two years ago around this time, I went to a remote mountain village in Japan that I had always wanted to see. Shirakawa-go in Gifu Prefecture was on my mind for a long time and I couldn't believe my dream was about to come true when I was on my way there.The amazing and almost surreal experience from that visit prompted me to do several paintings and I also wrote a couple of blog posts about the village (go to my old post).Recently I met someone online who lives there. His photographs and posts on his facebook page (Shirakawa-go) show [...]

Torrey Pines Beach, San Diego XII, California Landscape Painting

12/5/2012 2:06:06 PM

It was a gorgeous sunny afternoon and I enjoyed strolling along my favorite beach. The natural setting around here is so beautiful and I never get tired of visiting here. In fact every time I come here, it is hard to leave. Off the coast, surfers were getting good waves that day and they were also having a great time. With the sun almost set and the air quickly cooling down, fog rolled in from the ocean, enveloping the craggy cliffs of the Torrey Pines Reserve. It was getting chilly, almost time for me to go home -- but the thought didn't [...]

Beverly Hills IV, California Landscape Painting

11/28/2012 1:10:18 AM

Sources say (link), Los Angeles gets 18 inches of rain per year (the US average is 37 inches); The number of days with any measurable precipitation is 26. On average, there are 284 sunny days per year in LA. No wonder almost always when I go and paint in Los Angeles, the sky is either sunny or hazy. Once in my workshop, I painted a LA downtown scene on a rainy day for my class. As a demo, the painting turned out the way I had planned. But it was kind of odd to see a wet road in it as it [...]

Beverly Hills III, California Landscape Painting

11/24/2012 5:02:30 PM

The sun just set. Nearby streets were full of people doing holiday shopping or just enjoying strolling when I walked by a luxury hotel near Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The hotel has an outdoor cafe-bar and it started filling up with their well-dressed clients, perhaps for before-dinner cocktails. What caught my eye first, however, was not their cocktails, but tall palm trees reflected on shiny tables at this sidewalk cafe. For a second I was wondering what these people were ordering, but soon I forgot about it and started drawing in my mind - with these tables first and designing everything [...]

Beverly Hills II, California Landscape Painting

11/23/2012 9:29:40 PM

One of the popular themes taken up in the workshops I teach is how to capture light and atmosphere in watercolor. In those classes, I keep telling my students to always think where the light source is in a painting. Unless you are painting a scene that is pitch-black (then, why you bother to paint it?), there's always the light coming from somewhere - even on a very cloudy day. Natural or artificial, finding the light is the first step and an important one in the process. But sometimes the light is not in an ideal location. Then, I'd say, [...]

Beverly Hills I, California Landscape Painting

11/22/2012 11:42:34 PM

Is it the excitement of knowing that celebrities live just around the corner or the influence of a certain image conjured up by popular movies and TV shows? For whatever reason, Beverly Hills always looks prosperous with brand-name boutiques and restaurants as well as expensive foreign cars and international tourists toting shopping bags. In fact it almost feels like visiting a movie studio when you walk on a tree-lined, posh street here. A stretch limo stopped in front of me while I was waiting for the green light. If there was a famous Hollywood actor behind the tinted window of the limo, [...]

My Solo Exhibition in Izmir, Turkey Closes on November 21

11/19/2012 4:23:39 AM

It's been wonderful three weeks since the October 30 opening of my solo exhibition in Izmir, Turkey. I am extremely grateful that I was invited to show over 60 original paintings of mine of Turkish and Japanese landscapes and cityscapes at the Izmir Painting and Sculpture Museum (İzmir Resim Heykel Müzesi Ve Galerisi). Many people, including my friends and their families, joined me at the opening reception, and many more have visited the exhibition in the days after that. I also spent three days painting in my workshop with talented painters who came from all over Turkey and overseas. Originally, my show [...]

Kiritappu, Hokkaido I, Japanese Seascape Painting

6/6/2012 2:06:05 PM

From the top of the cliff at Cape Kiritappu in eastern Hokkaido, I could see several fishing boats bobbing in rough water. As its Japanese name implies, the area around here is often foggy but on the day I was there it was mostly clear - only freezing cold. On a small boat three fishermen were hard at work but I couldn't tell what was caught in their nets. No matter what, their catch must have been of excellent quality. Hokkaido, Japan's nothernmost island, is surrounded by the three oceans and has the most fertile fishing grounds in the country. Salmon from [...]

San Pedro III, California Landscape Painting

5/8/2012 11:59:56 PM

A panoramic view from a hilltop that overlooks the Bay of San Pedro was marvelous. I was there recently and made this quick sketch. From there, one can grasp the sheer size of the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach instantly. Both ports are located within the bay and together handle cargo traffic that is perhaps the busiest in the U.S. Reading some history of this seaside community, I learned that the bay was once called "Bahia de los Fumos (Bay of Smokes)." I was intrigued to find out that the name was chosen by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese explorer [...]

Lago Maggiore III, Italian Landscape Painting

3/21/2012 10:49:31 PM

I was looking out the window from a train into Northern Italy when I had a glimpse of the picturesque town of Stresa by Lake Maggiore. I remember the amazing colors of blue green water as a backdrop of red, sun-lit roofs of the houses and lush green landscape there. From the fast-moving train I was able to enjoy the almost dream-like view for only a few seconds, but the image was so ingrained in my mind I was determined to get off a train there if I ever had another chance. A few years later, very unexpectedly my wish came true [...]

More Paintings of Palm Springs, California Landscape

1/29/2012 1:37:04 PM

In a land that was once called Agua Caliente ("hot water"), the sun first awakens sleeping mountains that surround the town of Palm Springs. It is so amazing to see colors of the mountainside change virtually every second as the day breaks. Then the nearby desert begins to show colors as if it was breathing again. And streetlights in the glitzy downtown Palm Springs go off, one by one... Here one can embrace the magnificent natural beauty and the sophisticated glamour and style that make the town a magnet for celebrities - life in Palm Springs is unlike any other. Palm Springs, [...]

Prague (Czech Republic) Paintings

9/22/2011 2:28:04 AM

Despite a threatening sky, streets in the heart of Prague were full of life. Here in the city's Old Town, tourists moving about with their travel guidebooks were everywhere, proving that Prague is one of the most visited cities in Europe. Many squares and alleys, surrounded by magnificent architectures, were also crowded with shoppers, diners, street performers and onlookers. This elegant quarter in Prague has such a wonderful atmosphere I wouldn't be surprised if there was quite a large number of artists in the crowd who traveled there for new inspiration and ideas. I thought, like Rome and Paris, almost anything in [...]

More Paintings of Istanbul, Turkey

7/5/2011 4:02:02 PM

In Istanbul, it doesn’t take long for any first-time visitors to notice a loud melodic male voice coming from a mosque several times a day. My Turkish friend told me five times a day this Islamic call to prayer is announced via a public address system. Since there are so many mosques, or camii as they are called in Turkish, chances are you are almost always within an easy reach of one, especially in the old part of the city. As soon as you hear the "song," you will see many local people, mostly grown men and some boys, cleanse their hands and feet and [...]

Istanbul - where the East meets the West

7/3/2011 9:06:46 PM

The land where the East meets the West… Istanbul has been the crossroads of cultures for many centuries. For someone like me who grew up in the Far East and has been exposed to the western culture almost all my life, it is simply a fascinating place. Bosphorus River that flows from the Black Sea runs through the city, and people in Istanbul often refer to one side as European and the other Asian in their conversations. In fact, they may live on one side and go to work or school on the other; and they may cross one of the bridges [...]

Point Fermin Lighthouse I, California Landscape Painting

5/19/2011 1:29:47 AM

It was one of those perfect bright sunny days when I went to the Point Fermin Park, the southernmost point in Los Angeles. This beautiful park with tree-shaded lawns sits on the steep cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. And I had a good time despite the sea breeze that was a bit too chilly for me and some overly friendly squirrels trying to chase me. I came here for the spectacular ocean views and also to see the historic lighthouse up close. Point Fermin Lighthouse was built in 1874 and had been guiding ships into the harbor until the light was extinguished [...]

Torrey Pines Beach, San Diego, California Landscape Paintings

5/10/2011 1:30:04 AM

When I get up in the morning, I don't question whether or not I'm going to paint that day because I know my answer. I paint every day. Each day is different as I may spend 6-8 hours painting one day and maybe just 20 minutes the next. It is true, however, from time to time, there are days when I just can't feel inspired enough to get started. Ideas are not flowing and the creative spirit is not there. Even if I manage to force myself to paint, I struggle. At a time like this, one thing I like to do is [...]

Gardanne, France III, French Landscape Painting

4/20/2011 12:09:42 AM

Gardanne is situated just south of Aix-en-Provence. Compared to the more famous and lively sister to the north, it is a sleepy, small village most travelers seem to pass through. I went there, knowing that this is the only village painted by Paul Cézanne, as I wanted to walk on the same streets and feel the air. He actually lived here briefly during the years he stayed in Provence with his family. Most of the village is built on and around a hill. It was a very hot day and I tried to stay in the shadows of the houses as I [...]

Calanques, French Landscape Painting

2/4/2011 9:38:12 AM

The coastline that stretches from Marseille to Cassis, called the Calanques, is incredibly picturesque. Massive, jagged white cliffs that were formed a long time ago rise almost vertically from the turquoise water of the Mediterranean. There are some small inlets which are accessible from the land and the sea. It is surprising to see a variety of vegetation on these white limestone rocks but they are the kinds that thrive on the abundant sunshine, wind and arid conditions. The area around the Calanques has long been a favorite for artists such as Paul Signac and Paul Cézanne. It is so easy to be [...]

Outdoor Market in Vence, France

2/1/2011 3:12:34 AM

Sharing a street with like-minded shoppers, admiring fresh produce, sampling artisan bread and local cheese, savoring the aroma of lavenders... During a travel in the south of France, a visit to a lively outdoor market on a sunny day could be an ultimate joie de vivre experience. Surely the charm of French markets lies in the simple pleasure of being a part of the scene but it also provides a rich artistic inspiration. Vence is a small medieval village on the hill, not far from Nice. Whenever they have a colorful outdoor market, the Old Town inside the walls is bustling with [...]

Santa Margherita Ligure, Italy III, Italian Landscape Painting

1/22/2011 11:10:16 AM

Right next to Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure is another lovely town by the Ligurian Sea. Lured by the region's picturesque scenery and all that it offers, many tourists visit here. The popularity of these towns are attested by crowds at their beaches and waterfront promenades. But if we go further inland a couple of blocks, what we will see is just local people going about their ordinary life. Children playing soccer, neighbors chatting in a square, moms busily shopping for dinner, a pizza delivery man on a Vespa... I just love seeing slice of life stories like these unfold. In a residential neighborhood [...]

Portofino, Italy V, Italian Landscape Painting

1/20/2011 11:44:38 AM

One of the rewards for traveling is that we realize there are many lessons to be learned out there. We can read or watch dvd's about different places, people and cultures, but the first-hand experience makes it so much easier to learn about them that it often doesn't feel like we are making a conscious effort. For example, Portofino is a perfect place to understand the meaning of la dolce far niente, the sweetness of doing nothing, that I heard the Italians had perfected as an art form. Sitting at a cafe near the harbor surrounded by brightly-colored houses, the blue ocean [...]

Awajishima (Sumoto), Hyogo, Japanese Landscape Paintings

1/11/2011 6:09:35 AM

There are several beaches on the Awajishima Island and I really liked Ohama Beach in the town of Sumoto for its beautiful white sand and rows of pine trees. It was so quiet and the water was crystal clear. It was strange that not many people ventured out to enjoy this jewel, but I figured, in winter time, the idea of soaking in onsen (hot springs), which Sumoto is also known for, must be what attracts most visitors to the town. In both of my paintings today, I used Mt. Mikuma as a backdrop. Using fairly thick mix of greens, purples and [...]

Kanazawa (Ono), Japan

12/29/2010 8:15:53 AM

Ono, a small village with a fishing port within the city of Kanazawa, was very quiet. In fact, there was not even a soul walking when we got there in the late afternoon. The chilly drizzle and freezing wind were enough to send even townspeople indoors, it seemed. With nobody to ask for directions, we started exploring the town anyway, but we knew getting around could not be difficult in a small place like this. So we first walked along the Ono River that flows into the Sea of Japan. Along the river bank, fishing boats that had been long back from [...]

Takayama, Gifu, Japan

12/26/2010 7:15:13 AM

Over the mountains and past small villages, getting to Takayama can be an enjoyable trip in and of itself. During winter months, thick snow can be seen on the ground, and the frigid temperature can often be expected. A fairly large town in the remote region in the northern part of Gifu Prefecture, Takayama welcomes visitors with its unique charm that has especially attracted those looking for the image of Old Japan. In all of these three paintings, everyday scenes in the old section of the town are depicted. The bright red bridge (Nakabashi) in the first painting, is one of the [...]

Road to Eiheiji Temple, Fukui, Japan

12/20/2010 2:59:53 AM

I've been on this road before and here I am once again on my way to Eiheiji Temple in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. My last visit here more than 6 years ago was around this time of the year as well. Winter has just begun in Fukui so the weather is far from the severest, but I have been spoiled by a year-round mild climate of San Diego. As before, I find myself shivering from the freezing temperature and occasional snowfalls. Eiheiji is one of the most important zen temples in Japan and visitors come here literally from all over the world. Although [...]

Siena, Italy VIII, Italian Landscape Painting

11/14/2010 3:37:48 AM

Sometimes we wonder how in the world we could survive life before the internet. But somehow we did. In those days, traveling far from home meant a difficulty to stay current with the news, and a traveler would often feel isolated for better or worse. While in a foreign land where there was a language barrier, TV offered little help. Placing an international call home was a luxury, especially for a young backpacker on a budget. Sometimes I had my family and friends from home send letters for me to a place like the American Express office in a country where I [...]

Piazza del Campo of Siena, Italy

11/10/2010 8:29:50 AM

I was awe-struck as I stood on one edge of Piazze del Campo. I often heard people describe it as the loveliest or the finest square in Europe, but until I saw it with my own eyes, I couldn't really believe it. On a sizzling hot summer day, you may feel like a pizza in the oven walking in the sunny red-brick square. But when the beautiful medieval buildings start casting shadows and cooling the bricks, you will see small groups of people here and there actually sitting on the ground as if they were on the beach or in the grassy [...]