East Austin Studio Tour

I am sorry for this short short notice. I will show my work at the EAST show this coming weekend. If you are in the Austin area, you are more than welcome to come to my show. I am located at Studio #70: 1406 Smith Rod Ste D. This is my first time to show Giclees of my work. I have not got time paint lately. Every night I was busy stretching canvases and framing. I don't know what I am expecting, but it will be definitely interesting. I am excited about it.

"Sweet and Colorful" --- Sold

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This one shows my typical style of painting if I have one; my typical composition, my typical way of using color, and my typical way of illumination. I remember a master artist has said that a style is the limitation of the artist. I agree. In my art practice, I never deliberately pursue a style. I only know what I like and what I don't like.

"Natural Dryer" --- Sold

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Two days ago, our washing machine quitted. I tried to fix it, but it was much harder than I thought. We have to buy a new one I am afraid. What a shame it was. It still look new to me and most parts still working. This reminds me the old days. We hung cloths and sheets under in the open air to dry. I still remember the smell of the Sun.

I did this painting from a photo I took in Mexico. I started (again) painting landscape now. It is more difficult to me since I have not done it enough. We will see. Maybe I would like it.

"Orange in Green Light" --- Sold

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Transparent objects like bottles provide great opportunities for putting high chroma colors on a painting. Unlike the opaque objects, the light filtered by the bottle remains high color intensity. In contrast, the light reflected from an opaque object, like the orange, usually gets bleached, and pushing the high chroma color into the area closer to the shadow.... bla, bla, bla.. You know what I mean. I had too much technical junk at work today. My brain has not shifted to the artistic mode yet.

"Go-erds" --- Sold

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"Go-erds" is way to say "gourds" in Deep South. I learned it when I was in Mississippi last month. I really enjoy traveling. It is a good way of learning new things.

2009 Workshop Announcement

I have just updated my workshop page in my website. If you are interested in taking one of my workshops in 2009, please check Here (or click the yellow "Workshop Info" button on the right) and contact the workshop organizers to get detailed information. This is a partial list at this moment. There are still several more in the middle of processing. I will post again when they are ready. I am looking forward to meeting you or seeing you again.

My wife took the photo above when I was teaching a workshop in Mexico in September. I use PowerPoint presentation, painting demo, and individual assistant to make the workshops informative and fun.

"First Orchid" --- Sold

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This is my first try of painting orchid. I had some hard time with it. My palette did not provide the colors I need. I could not mix the purple I want. If you have the experience with orchid painting, please help me out.

"Demo at Round Rock 2" --- Sold

This is another demo I did at the workshop. I got a nice secondary light source from a winder on the right. The cooler light made this painting with a morning freshness. I did most of my paintings in evenings under artificial lights. So, I really enjoyed having this natural light shining on my setup.

"Demo at Round Rock 3" --- Sold

I have just completed a workshop at Round Rock, TX. I want thank Denise Larue Mahlke and the Art Center at Williamson County for making this workshop possible. I saw quite a few old friends and made many new friends as well. We had wonderful 3 days painting together. Thank you all so much.

This is one of the demos I did on the workshop. It put quite a challenge on me, but it turned out all right. Hope you all like it.

Information

New Workshop Announcement

I am going to teach a 3-day workshop at Andreeva Portrait Academy (APA) in Salado, TX from February 21 to February 23, 2009. APA is a private painting atelier offering high level professional art workshops and classes. If you are interested in knowing my approach of still life oil painting, please contact APA by admissions@theportraitacademy.com for information and registration. Thanks.

"Halloween Is Coming" --- Sold

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Halloween is coming and I have a real ghost story to tell. You know I was in Mississippi about two weeks ago teaching a workshop. I stayed alone in a small cottage next to an old cemetery. The owner of the cottage has many antiques displaying in the room for decoration. I went to bed around 11:00 PM. I turned off the light…..and it was getting quiet. Well, I started to hear a faint noise. To be precise in the engineering terms, it was a low frequency, periodic buzzing noise –zzz---. Some one was breathing…. I jumped out of the bed and turned on the light. The noise was disappeared. I checked the refrigerator and bathroom, but nothing was looking suspicious. Maybe an animal was in or around the house. Maybe it was simply my imagination. I turned off the light and tried to sleep again. Well, the noise came back. It was REAL I swear. I felt a little scared, but I didn’t know what I could do. I thought about the tombs several yards from me and the spirits under the stones. The house must be HAUNTED…. I started talking to the “ghost”. I chose English for the obvious reason…. Of course, I hardly had any sleep that night. Next morning, I searched the house and inspected the antiques items as careful as I can. You know what, I found the “ghost”. Do you want to know what it was? It was an old electric clock. It has a motor constantly moving (not ticking). It makes a very faint noise just like someone was breathing…. I slept like a log ever after. The end.

"The Only Rose" --- Sold

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I have a rose bush in my yard, given me many beautiful flowers last year. I painted quite a few of them. But for some reason, it did bloom this year. It grew a lot of leaves and thorns but no flower. I almost give up on it.... But finally, I saw a small bud yesterday. This morning it turns into a beauty. I have to paint it. It is the ONLY rose. So here it is.

2008 is a difficult year to many people. Many suffered due to natural disasters, wars, and economical crisis. Life is full of thorns. But we shouldn't give up the hope. We will hang in there waiting the only rose blooming. It will come, and there will be many more to follow.

"Sew Much 4 U" --- Sold

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It took me three days to finish this small painting. After I returned from my Mississippi trip, I found my wife was in bed. She had a severe back pain and could hardly move. Our neighbor and some our friends helped her during my absent. I want to thank them for their kindness from the bottom of my heart. For more than a week. I had to take up all the chores in the house. In the mean time my daytime work had increased its load. We have a major deadline approaching. I don't even have time to unpack my painting stuff until about four days ago. My wife is getting better now, and I started painting again. However my painting time is still fragmented. I even can't finish a 5"x7" in one session. I said it before: being able to paint is a luxury. We should not take it for granted.

"Demo at Mississippi 2" --- Sold

This is my second demo painting at my Rolling Fork workshop. I was using a lighter background to show the transparency of the Ball Jar. The cool color of the glass strongly enhanced the warm color of the orange.

"Demo at Mississippi 1"

Hi You'l! I just came back from Deep South. I taught a 3-days workshop at Rolling Fork, Mississippi. I want thank Pat Walker-Field for organizing this workshop and all the artists for participating. Rolling Fork is a wonderful small town at the Mississippi Delta in mist of cotton fields. I enjoyed several days of the warm Southern hospitality, and tasted delicious grits. Now I know who "Muddy Waters" was and where the Teddy bear came from. I really learned a lot, and have more stories to tell.

This painting was the first demo I did at the workshop, showing how to achieve looseness on a painting.

"Mutual Support" --- Sold

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The shadow of the stem shows today's stock market. Red is THE color. I thought someday I could be a full time artist. Well, it looks like that I have to postpone my plan for a couple of more years. I guess we just have to hang in there, take the challenges. But, I believe there will be a rainbow after the storm.

"After Work" --- Sold

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I drink socially only. Usually a beer and a glass of wine will do it. But drink Tequila was absolutely new to me. This happened at the last day of my workshop at Ajijic, Mexico. We had a potluck party. I was told by one of the artists that I MUST drink Tequila. Well, here is Mexico, I got to follow the rules. So I did. I finished a 50 ml bottle in two gulps..... Wow!!! It was strong! But it tasked really sweet and it smelled really great too. It wasn't what I thought it was. "Now, I am ready for another painting" I thought. Of course, I didn't do it, but I really had a great time at the party afterwards. I took the empty tequila bottles back to my studio and did this tequila painting today. I hope you all like it. Be honest to you, I didn't drink before I paint this one.

"On Red Napkin" --- Sold

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I really enjoyed the shape variation of this setup. The fold on the napkin, the casting shadows, and of course the shape of the pears make the composition such a nice design...... You know sometime you need to pat your own shoulders, especially the depressing time of this a couple of days.

"Blue and Red" --- Sold

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I was listening the VP debate while I was painting this one last night. This election is so important to everybody this year. Blue and Red are the seasonal colors now. I hope all my American artist friends will vote this November. Do you want to know who I will vote for? I will vote for Change.

"Demo at Ajijic Mexico 2" --- Sold

I just came back from Mexico yesterday and this is another demo painting I did at the workshop. I want thank Mrs. Isabel Deblanc for organizing this successful and unique workshop. We had artists from Canada, England, Germany, Mexico, The Netherlands, USA, and China. What an international group it was. I want to thank all of you for coming, and hope to see you again. Ajijic is a very beautiful place. I saw striking colors everywhere. I really need to practise my landscape painting skills and hope to generate some landscapes paintings from the photo I took in the future.

"Demo at Ajijic Mexico 1" --- Sold

Hola World! I am at beautiful Ajijic Mexico giving a workshop. This is a demo I did yesterday. My today's class starts now. I will talk to you later. Chao!

"Lean on Me" --- Sold

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When I setup this group, the green vase was rolling. The black vase and the apple came as stoppers and established the stability. In this world we all need other people's support. As a painter, I am very grateful to have the support from my collectors, and my fellow artist friends. Thank you!!!!!!

Information

Workshop Reminder

I don't remember I have announced this workshop, and I am sorry for the late notice. I am going to teach a 3-day still life painting workshop on October 11 – 13 at Rolling Fork, Mississippi. Artist Pat Walker is organizing this workshop at a beautiful place full of nature and wildlife. We still have several openings left. Please check Pat’s website and contact her to get more detailed information. I hope to see you and paint together with you.

"A Glass of Apple" --- Sold

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I have got so many responses on my post yesterday about naming a painting. Oh boy, I have learned a lot, both linguistically and culturally. Thank you'l so much, partner (got to sound like a Texan). You know I have lived in America for more than 20 years, but English has never been stopping challenging me, but I am grateful that people are very nice to me and tolerating my broken English. Meanwhile, I also got quite a few international messages. Art is a dramatic thingy. I am making friends all over of the world.

"Another Rose" --- Sold

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"Another Rose" - What a boring name it is. I am not good at naming my paintings you can tell. I admire some of my fellow daily painters who can generate really exciting names for their work. If you have some tips, please help me out.

"Fishing Float"

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I found this float in a park the other day and was attracted by its vibrant fluorescent colors. It gives a wonderful texture contrast against the metal pot in this painting. Plastic items usually give an impression of cheapness, and not every artist likes to paint them. Well in some cases, they do have a position in art. Next time my wife going shopping, I will ask her to buy me a rubber ducky.

"Green on Red" --- Sold

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I have violated the cardinal rule of composition by placing my painting object exactly at the center of the canvas, but I think the painting will still work because of asymmetrical background and light distribution. I hope you can enjoy the drama of the light with this supper simple setup.

"Mexican Vase"

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I have spent last several days working on this gallery level painting. I really like this colorful vase and I have painted it many times. I think it is from Mexico. In two week, I will go there and give a workshop. Knowing almost nothing about this country, I am excited for this trip. I am pretty sure it will be fun to gain new experiences.

"Iron Bowl" --- Sold

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Actually, the bowl in this painting is not made of iron, but I like the rusty color. The Iron Bowl has several meanings. To most of Americans, especially Alabamians, Iron Bowl is a football game. I don't know much about football, but I did live in Alabama for seven years. To most of Chinese, especially the Mainlanders, iron ball symbolizes the job security, because iron bowl can not be broken so it will provide food with no end. The logic is a little shaky, but you have got the idea. At this difficult economic time, an iron bowl is surely good to have.

"White Nectarine" --- Sold

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I was informed by the Riverbend Gallery today that there is an article about me showing on a newspaper. Please check Lake Country Life page 6 for details. I am really happy to see my art growing healthily, and I am even happier to see my work make you happy.