Apr 7, 2014

52.00cm x 180.00cm ( 20.47 inches x 53.54inches)

This is my 461Chinese Xieyi Painting and my 873rd painting since 2003, the 269th assignment of Chinese National Academy of Arts.

Days ago, Mr. Lu Wenqing – my tutor of Chinese painting and bird painting said to me that since I had learned from those greatest artists in the Song Dynasty (960－1127, the highest peak of Chinese arts, mainly I had learned its Chinese Gongbi flower and bird painting and Xieyi landscapes); the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911, the nearest times to now, mainly I had learned its Xieyi flower and bird paintings) and Tang Dynasty (618- 907, mainly I had learned its Chinese Baimiao painting), I should learn something more from the Yuan Dynasty (1271—1368) and the Ming Dynasty (1368－1644).

Also another tutor Mr. Sun Qi – my first tutor at Chinese National Academy of Arts said the similar words to me.

Then in the class of Professor Liu Wanming - the Associate Dean of Chinese Painting College at Chinese National Academy of Arts check my paintings of plum blossoms that I learned to paint from Chu Lu in Ming Dynasty (1368－1644). And he told me that Chu Lu learned from Wang Mian in Yuan Dynasty （1271—1368) and he is the best one on plum blossom pinting. So, if I wanted to paint plum blossom, I should learn from Wang Mian directly.

So, I did.

I have worked on this painting for 5 days, got so many inspirations about how to paint the flowers. Also, I have so many feelings about the relationship between Chu Lu and Wang Mian in the two Dynasties. Plus every day, I paint from the nature out of the door and learned from the ancient artists in the classroom. Then I did have so many new comprehensions about how to use my brushes and how to deal with the details.

Then I found, I am painting slowly and slowly. :-)

Maybe you are surprised why I have not signed my name on it. Because during I was painting, a famous classical Chinese poem jumped into my mind. So, I am going to create a piece of music for the poem, translate it, write an article for it. Then to write the translation on the painting and complete a new and comprehensive art work base on the learn from the tradition. :-)

Then I will let you see th detail of this painting in my Vocal, Bilingual Poetry & Painting Series

How do you think of this painting? Do you enjoy it?


If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, welcome to write to shirley@ebridge.cn,you can also publish your opinions on Message Board . :-)

--Shirley Yiping Zhang
April 8, 2014