"Docking Peacefully" --- Sold

This painting was done at Oxford MD during the Plein Air Easton Festival. I felt very peaceful when I painted them. Nowadays, the world is getting more and more chaotic. We really have no peace of mind when we are bombarded with the information of what are happening. Art is my sanctuary, where I can forget the reality temporarily.  Just like those boats, I want to dock peacefully.

Mathematics in Art

Do artists need math? Generally speaking, I don't know. However to myself, the answer is: Absolutely. Mathematics is a powerful tool when I run into ambiguous issues during painting practice. I'd like to run a few analysis mathematically. For instance, I try to investigate the color temperature relationship between light and shadow. I use image processing software (Photoshop) to sample out the colors in light and shadow area. I get their color coordinates so I can compare, and then plot the sampled colors on the color wheel. The result can be shown clearly. I document the analysis result in my note book for future references. My today's post is one of my color analysis. I consider I may teach some useful math to you in my future workshops.

"Time Impression"

I spent two morning hours painting this old barn at Easton. I love to paint old stuff. This barn I painted last year. I saw it gets run down even more this year. Things fall apart. That is a very profound truth. On one hand we try to improve, wish we get better and better. On the other hand, we fall apart. The world is balanced in a weird way.

"Time to Say Goodbye"

Got on "Youtube", I searched "Time to Say Goodbye". When the beautiful voices of Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli permeated my studio, I felt tears in my eyes. This month of August is still young, but I have been shocked twice by the sad news that friends pretty close to me passing. Capt. John Atoms, (who was in Richard Schmid's dvd "The Captain's Portrait"), had stroke in July and passed away on August 3. I love him dearly. Another friend Patrick Hugg went to China with me last year and we met again in my Raleigh workshop last month, but he was gone on August 4. Patrick was only 52. The God of Death is so close to us. We all know we can not live indefinitely, but very few accept this truth. I did this small house painting several times. One of them was collected by Capt. John, and this very one was painted in front of Patrick. Farewell, my dear friends.

"A hot day on the Strand" --- Sold

This is another plein air painting on PAE. It was at Oxford MD. I realized during painting this one that I really do not have enough know-how knowledge about landscape painting. I don't know how to paint trees, I don't know how to paint rocks, I don't know how to paint water, and I don't know how to paint small figures in the scene...  I was wondering why I was there for. When I was trying to put the blue umbrella on the painting panel, a gust of wind came suddenly, and my painting umbrella flue off to the lake, it was dancing and spinning, made a spectacular show, before sunk into the bottom of the water. I was in awe of such beautiful performance, regret I wasn't  quick enough to snap a video clip with my phone. That was a True Art.

"Country Tranquility" --- Sold

This is 2nd plein air painting at Easton. It is a relatively large painting (12" x 24"). I have used a 3" wide brush for the background. It was so much fun.

"Red Roof" --- Sold

This is my first painting on the Plein Air Easton Festival. This was done at Tilghman Island MD.

Thanks to all the friends providing suggestions and share ideas after my previous post. I know I am in a slump right now. It is rather difficult to relax and rest.  I meditated quite often recently, and realized how badly I am attached to this world. I am learning in baby steps, both artistically and spiritually.

"Demo at Landgrove 2018 3"

Nowadays, I feel I am slowing down significantly. This painting was done more than a month ago in Vermont, but I have not posted it in a timely manner. Am I overly too busy? Maybe true, but I feel mainly is my psyche is out of whack again. My mind is keeping on shutting down and refuses to take any information from outside. My brain likes a over mixed color palette. It is full of mud. At this moment, I am in my camp trailer, off the grid, and alone. I hope my chattering mind can get quiet down a little bit. Although I myself may go crazy, This painting looks still OK. I am keeping on push my art forward, even I feel exhausted.