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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, [...]

On the Road (6) - China, Chinese Landscape Paintings

12/16/2013 7:54:06 PM

Traveling somewhere with plein-air painting as a primary purpose requires an itinerary definitely different from a typical sightseeing trip. For one thing, in a totally new environment in a foreign country, it normally takes a day or two just to know the ropes. So something as simple as finding a good place to paint that's safe and convenient to get to can be a big task. After spending some time scouting for such a place and managing a painting or two, chances are that a good part of a day is already gone and perhaps you're too tired to go sightseeing [...]

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 [...]

On the Road (5) - China, Chinese Landscape Painting

12/7/2013 7:05:13 AM

Painting en plein air is a great way to learn how to capture the sense of place and its atmosphere quickly. It is also a great way to take a quick look at life of the people who live there. I don't know about other plein-air painters but to me, personally, similarities or differences in people's lives that I observe and find in a foreign place are quite intriguing. In China, one thing that I noticed is that more people than in other places I've been to are quite interested in watching me paint. Some even want to take a photo together [...]

Northen Guangxi Province, Chinese Landscape Paintings

12/6/2013 4:51:03 AM

In Sanjiang County in the northern part of Guangxi Province, I spent some time learning about culture and traditions of some of China's minority groups. Predominantly inhabited by the Dong minority people, this region seems a bit different from the other parts of China. Perhaps because the Dong speak their own language or perhaps because of their traditional wooden architecture that still exists such as drum towers and wind and rain bridges. Most people in small villages are farmers and they were friendly to a foreigner like me. Today's painting is some of my small studies done in this region. Studies, Sanjiang [...]

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 [...]

Workshops in Kyoto & Osaka, Japan

8/22/2013 2:27:15 AM

I just finished two workshops in Kyoto and Osaka, Japan. I was told, in both locations, classes were filled months ahead of time and there was still dozens on the wait list. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who braved this summer's record-breaking heat to participate in my workshops. This was my second workshop in Kyoto. While sign-ups were taken on a first-come, first-served basis, I saw several familiar faces in the classroom. It was nice to see them again after my first one back in February. This time we practiced painting a street scene involving a café [...]

Tai-O II, Hong Kong Landscape Painting

4/5/2013 10:09:57 PM

If I were to make a video of my travel bloopers, I should definitely include footage of my visit to Tai-O. Tai-O, a small fishing village in Hong Kong, will be one that I will never forget because of what happened there. I was already excited to see the village even before I arrived there, so imagine how I was when I got there. In short, I lost myself in the sights and fell in a canal. I wanted to get a perfect viewpoint and walked down the steps to get close to the water surface. When I noticed the last few [...]

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 [...]

Dim Sum, Hong Kong II, Interior Painting

4/1/2013 5:19:23 PM

I met up with my friends in Hong Kong's busy Central district one morning. They had invited me to join them for authentic dim sum breakfast at an old tea house, and I was full of anticipation to see the place and taste what they think was the best in town. As we passed a small bakery near the entrance of the tea house and walked upstairs, I felt like I was instantly transported back in time for several decades. There was a huge dining hall with traditional Cantonese flair, brimming with local people who gathered to eat breakfast, meet friends or just [...]

Dim Sum, Hong Kong I, Interior Painting

3/22/2013 9:51:29 AM

If you visit Hong Kong, you have to do dim sum for an unforgettable culinary experience. And if you do it at an authentic tea house with local friends, that's even better. My dear friends who live in Hong Kong took me to one of the oldest and most popular dim sum restaurants in town for the ultimate culinary and cultural experience. There are do's and don'ts in a place like that: if you don't know the rules (and obviously their language), you are not going to get any of those steaming goodies, or even a seat. Thanks to my friends, I enjoyed [...]

Street, Macau I, Macanese Landscape Painting

3/20/2013 3:01:04 AM

You don't have to spend a long time to understand why scooters are everywhere in Macau. In addition to being the most densely-populated area in the world, Macau has many narrow streets between buildings, hills, and limited space for parking. It seems to be just the most convenient mode of transportation for local people.Every day scores of tourists flock this small peninsula city. The lure of world-class casinos, shopping and dining is undeniably strong. I have no idea how many of them actually rent a scooter to get out of a casino, but even a fraction of them could be a [...]

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 [...]

A-Ma Temple, Macau I, Macanese Landscape Painting

3/13/2013 9:28:22 PM

At the suggestion of my dear friend in Hong Kong, I started my visit to Macau at the A-Ma Temple. It is one of the oldest buildings and historically a very important temple located at the southwestern end of the Macau peninsula. I was intrigued by the fact that the site of the temple was where the Portuguese sailors had landed almost 400 years ago and that the name Macau came from this temple. The story goes like this: upon arrival, the Portuguese sailors asked native inhabitants where they were. The local people told them the name of the temple which [...]

Tea House, Shanghai, China IV, Interior Painting

10/9/2012 9:37:56 PM

I am pleased to announce my participation in the First International Biennial of Watercolors that is currently being held in Narbonne, France. It is an honor for me to be among exhibiting artists who are known for their unique styles and therefore playing the leading roles in today's watercolor world. For this exhibition, I have chosen paintings from my last trips to Shanghai/Zhejiang province of China, including "Tea House, Shanghai IV." I am particularly fond of the historic tea house I depicted in this painting (click to read related post: Tea House, Shanghai I). The exhibition runs through October 28 in several different [...]

Shenao, Tonglu, Chinese Landscape Painting

10/26/2011 4:33:45 AM

Our group of about 15+ watercolorists spent a few days touring and painting together in various picturesque spots in Tonglu County, China. Tonglu County is under the jurisdiction of Hangzhou City in Zhejiang Province. We were all invited artists in the 3rd Contemporary International Outstanding Watercolor Painters Nomination Exhibition that took place recently in the new Wetland Museum in Hangzhou. Being one of the few foreign painters in the predominantly Chinese-speaking group that participated in this painting trip, I was not sure where we would stop next. But I was not worried at all because I found ample subjects to paint in [...]

La Jolla Art Association 1st Annual Southern California Black & White Juried Exhibition

9/25/2010 10:32:54 PM

The artists' reception for the 1st Annual Southern California Black & White Juried Exhibition attracted a huge crowd on September 24 at the La Jolla Art Association (LJAA) Gallery. I am pleased to have my watercolor "Zhouzhuang, China V" chosen to be in the show by Manuelita Brown, a juror. This is a very unique exhibition where only works devoid of any colors other than black, white or shades of gray were eligible. If you're in the vicinity, I hope you will visit the show, which runs through October 10 at the LJAA Gallery. Zhouzhuang, China V Click here [...]

Yuyuan, Shanghai V, Chinese Landscape Painting

9/24/2010 2:16:34 AM

Shanghai is rapidly growing as China's economic powerhouse. Just seeing numerous high-rises filling the city's skyline may be enough to realize it's already one of the biggest cities in the world. As a consequence, this metropolis seems to have rid itself of the image of the old China (Click here to see a painting of a street of the modern Shanghai). But there are some areas among high-rises where we can still feel traditional atmosphere and see street life of the ordinary people. One of them, an area surrounding the Yuyuan Gardens is a huge lively bazzar today, selling [...]

Yuyuan, Shanghai, China IV, Interior Painting

8/22/2010 2:57:27 AM

Xialongbao that I had was filled with crab meat. It was not just any crab but the much sought-after kind from the Yangtze Delta (read related post and see another painting of this restaurant). In Chinese cuisine, crab meat is considered yin because of its cooling characteristics. Therefore, it is often eaten together with something else that has a warming (yang) effect such as vinegar. Yin and yang - they are two opposites that interconnect and interact, and together make a whole. Whether conscious or not, we painters think in terms of yin and yang when we design [...]

Zhouzhuang, China IV, Chinese Landscape Painting

8/20/2010 2:26:40 AM

In an ancient water village like Zhouzhuang, narrow waterways and bridges are well integrated into daily life. Here's a painting of a boat sliding under one of the stone arch bridges. I don't know exactly why but I love painting bridges - not just because of their beautiful shapes, but perhaps because of what they signify as well on a broader sense. In fact, I was touched when I learned of an interesting story about a painting of one of the bridges in Zhouzhuang. The painting was done by a well-known Chinese painter Chen Yifei (1946-2005). Here's what happened after [...]

Zhouzhuang, China III, Chinese Landscape Painting

8/18/2010 2:11:00 AM

Zhouzhuang is one of the remaining ancient water villages in the south of Jiangsu Province in China. Surrounded by lakes and rivers, the village with more than 900 years of history offers a glimpse of what life used to be like in the olden days. Fairly accessible either from Shanghai or from Suzhou, it is a popular place with day-trippers who visit to enjoy a boat cruise up and down on the canals inside the village. I don't think comparing it to another famous canal city further west would do it any justice, but Zhouzhuang or the nearby region is [...]

Shanghai Zhujiajiao International Watercolour Biennial Exhibition Catalog

8/6/2010 1:38:24 AM

As I was painting this canal scene yesterday, quite coincidentally a big airmail package arrived from Zhujiajiao. It was from the International Watercolour Biennial Exhibition Office, and I knew immediately there was something inside that I was waiting for for months. A beautiful album, containing images of the paintings that are currently hung in the Inaugural Shanghai Zhujiajiao International Watercolour Biennial Exhibition, is finally here, courtesy of the exhibition organizers. A 28.6 x 28.6 cm (11.25 in) softcover book with front and back flaps and perfect binding, features 244 paintings that were selected from 2,500 submissions, and is such a [...]

More Paintings of Zhujiajiao, China

8/3/2010 2:47:00 AM

It is refreshing to come to Zhujiajiao from Shanghai. While Shanghai is going through urbanization at incredible speed, it is a relief to find a small village, not so far from the ever-growing megalopolis, that fits my image of serene, Old China.I hope new waves of change will be kept at bay from an ancient village like this. As they say, "once the water is out of the bucket, it’s hard to pour it back."Please enjoy more paintings of canals of Zhujiajiao. Click here to see more Chinese landscape paintings. Zhujiajiao, China IVZhujiajiao, China III Click here for an enlarged view.Media: Original watercolor [...]

Red Lanterns of China

8/1/2010 2:11:10 PM

I had the pleasure of viewing the Shanghai International Watercolour Biennial Exhibition last month. Paintings on display, selected from hundreds (or perhaps thousands) of submissions from all over the world, were all stunning work. I uploaded to one of my Facebook albums the photos I took at the Quanhua Gallery where this exhibition takes place during the duration of the World Expo. To visit the exhibition means to discover one of the ancient water villages in the outskirts of Shanghai. About an hour and half drive out of this ultra-modern metropolis, Zhujiajiao sits quietly at the western edge of the [...]

Tea House, Shanghai, China II, Interior Painting

7/15/2010 2:09:07 AM

"Drinking a daily cup of tea will surely starve the apothecary." -- Chinese Proverb "Tea is drunk to forget the din of the world." -- T'ien Yiheng The first cup moistens my lips and throat; The second cup breaks my loneliness; The third cup searches my barren entrail but to find therein some thousand volumes of odd ideographs; The fourth cup raises a slight perspiration-all the wrongs of life pass out through my pores; At the fifth cup I am purified; The sixth cup calls me to the realms of the immortals. The seventh cup-ah, but I could take [...]

Tea House, Shanghai, China I, Interior Painting

7/13/2010 2:32:46 AM

After a walk through an overcrowded shopping area in a hot, humid climate, what could be more relaxing than sipping an afternoon tea inside a cool, elegant tea house built over the pond? This is the city's oldest tea house where textile merchants used to gather back in the 18th century. They have all kinds of Chinese tea (traditional, flower, herb...) to choose from. Tea leaves come in a tiny glass pot filled with hot water and can be enjoyed several times over by adding more hot water. With tea, they usually bring 4 or 5 different kinds of snack [...]

Yuyuan, Shanghai, China III, Interior Painting

7/11/2010 2:27:58 AM

Through the steam coming out of stacks of bamboo baskets, cooks were seen busily moving about to make their signature dumplings - thousands of them a day, I'm sure, to meet a huge demand. They had no time to rest as a long line of hungry people waiting eagerly to get the authentic Shanghai-style Xiaolongbao didn't seem to get short any time soon. Xiaolongbao, steamed dumplings filled with meat and scrumptious soup, is what many people actually travel to this corner of the Old Shanghai for. I very much enjoyed not only my first taste of this delicacy but also the sight of [...]

Yuyuan, Shanghai, China II, Chinese Landscape Painting

7/9/2010 2:59:11 AM

After walking through very crowded shopping streets to reach the Yuyuan Garden (built during the Ming Dynasty), I stopped for a minute just outside of its gate. That's when I spotted this lone boat floating on a small pond between pavilions built in the water. On nearby streets, I had been treated with a parade of sights of souvenirs, trinkets, snack food, etc. that came in all kinds of colors, sizes, and shapes. To digest the huge volume of visual input, I now wanted to find something simple and calm to rest my eyes on. Seeing ripples around the wooden [...]

Yuyuan, Shanghai, China I, Chinese Landscape Painting

7/8/2010 3:42:06 AM

Many visitors to Shanghai, China first find themselves walking on a crowded street near the Yuyuan Gardens, a must-see fine Chinese garden. An area around the Gardens is a bazaar that looks like a paradise for shoppers and people-watchers alike. As is often the case with such places, it is a bit too touristy, but all the elements - colors, buildings, sound, smell, atmosphere, etc. - reflect what the Old Shanghai looked like. I was in Shanghai last week to visit the Zhujiajiao International Watercolor Biennial Exhibition. I uploaded some photos of the exhibit and the village of Zhujiajiao to [...]