Wednesday, August 17, 2011
郭熙 （北宋）早春圖 之一 Mountain in Early Spring 1
In this second emulation assignment, I chose Guo Xi of North Sung Dynasty landscape painting "Early Spring". Different from last assignment I started off by making a general outline of the landscape with faint brush strokes from top to bottom.
It was done on the morning of August 8, 2011.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Du Fu Climbing Up to A Tower
杜甫 (803-852, famous Tang poet) 登樓
花近高樓傷客心
萬方多難此登臨
錦江春色來天地
玉壘浮雲變古今
....
It breaks my heart to see blooming trees near the tower.
The country torn apart, could I admire the flower?
Spring comes from sky on earth and greens River Brocade;
The world changes now as then whitle clouds o'er Mount Jade....
The Meaning of Rooster
1. Elegance: with red headpiece on top.
2. Warrior: with claws to fight.
3. Bravery: with fighting spirit to confront enemy.
4. Kindness: inviding other chikens to share food found.
5. Trustworthy: crowing early in the morning on time.
How beautiful the rooster is!
My Song of Four Gold Fish
With the painting done, I composed my "Song" to glorify them as they are gliding through water:
水底鱗波舞翩翩
上下迴旋意漣漣
借問誰家俊俏兒?
輕攏慢撚樂無眠
Under water they are dancing in shining ripples,
Some up, some down, circling and turning in graceful moves;
Whose handsome kids these are, I wonder?
With gentle and slow gestures, they are happy dancing without end.
One Catfish 鯰魚
A catfish, done with just a few simple strokes, trying to signify its movements in water. Surrounded on three fronts are some chosen calligraphy versions of fish--some ancient, some cursive, some standard, in addition to my given name "京" with my personal chop under it. A friend commented: "Your given name also looks like a fish". Does it?
P.S. On July 26, 2011 to our surprise we got a catfish in Lake Monroe, south of Bloomington, Indiana. I carefully checked the fish with my painting--exactly the same! Those whiskers tell. 漁家樂 漁人一字一字 織成一張張電子網， 趁滿天繁星閃爍， 向汪洋大海撒去！ 等上弦月將天狼射落， 太陽神由海平線衝起， 忽然！知心語 一尾， 一尾， 乘著 電光 與風， 飛傳 游回。 頓時， 海上彩霞飛舞， 一片金輝燦爛！
廬山之五 (Mt. Lu-5), completed with calligraphy narrative
The original painting by Jing Huao, by the way, was done on a piece of silk cloth dyed to the tint of dark orange color. Also, perhaps time (over one thousand years) has worked on it to make it appear so. Anyway, having finished the painting, I tried to dye the rice paper all over to orange color as close as possible to the original. Having done three times of dyeing, it turns out to be a bit too bright, as one of my friends commented. But, she added, given it one thousand years, perhaps it will tune down a little. Who knows?
I also added some calligraphy narrative about Jing Huao the painter, some social context and his artistic specialties in reference to other artists of his time.
Thus my self-imposed "assignment" of emulation is finished. Now your suggestions and comments will be greatly appreciated.
盧山之四 （Mt. Lu-4）
After I got back to Bloomington, Indiana, I worked on Mt. Lu painting for another 10 days or so before I "completed" it. In fact, I left the lower one-fifth of the original painting alone, which includes some more trees and a big mansion with walls around it, a fisherman paddling a boat, a man walking a cow, etc. I left those humanized touches alone because I want to give the impression of wild nature unspoiled by men.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
盧山之三 （Mt. Lu-3）
During my current visit to Nashville, Tennessee (May 30-June 9, 2011) I started a new project--to emulate Jing Huao 荊浩, one of the great masters of Chinese landscape painting of late Tang Period (後梁）. This landscape painting of his includes Mt. Lu in South China (盧山之五老峰，爐峰，三峽，左蠡等地的景致)。Working little by little on a daily basis from top to bottom for about ten days I have done this much, perhaps about half of the original painting... I still have a long way to go.
廬山之二 （Mt. Lu-2）
I have been gaining some ground in the lower right section of this second part of my emulation.
As I plot slowly on, I remember one story about Master Jing's learning process: It is said that he had drawn pictures from live pine trees for ten thousand times before he felt he could capture its spirit. Alas! What an effort and what a perseverance!
A new project in painting: 廬山之一 (Mt. Lu-1)
I don't remember how many days (perhaps three, I guess) of careful emulation of the original painting before I took this first picture to record my progress. Though trying to be very careful with eyes wide open and sometimes with the help of magnifying glass, I was amazed to find that my emulation came out somewhat "differently" from the original. After all, this is not a photo copy. I have to admit that in my concentrated efforts to emulate there are things in the original that seem to be tantalizing and are beyond my ability to put down in paper, however hard I tried. Then I realize why he has been regarded as one of the great masters of Chinese landscape painting....
Monday, May 2, 2011
Dao, Way of Life, in Extreme Cursive Style 狂草
老子第一章；
道可道非常（恆）道，名可名非常（恆）名。
Dao is beyond the power of words
To define:
Terms may be used
But are none of them absolute.
Dao, Way of Life, in Standard Script 楷書
Dao means "Road", or "Way of Life" that people choose to follow. Its etymological sources come from 目 (eye) and 走 (stride). In other words, one strides along with eyes open in search of the right path to pursue.
What is your Dao? As you are striding along please keep your eyes wide open and you may find it.
My first Calligraphy Exhibition in Bloomington, Indiana
書展與我
More than 30 pieces of calligraphy works shown at then John waldron Arts Center in Bloomington, Indiana. I single-handedly finished all the procedures before the show, which includes writing, mounting, framing,....
Son of the Dragon
龍子與我 Dragon stands for the symbol of Chinese tradition. Each Chinese is regarded as the son of the Dragon. Here these two characters are written in Bronze Script (金鼎文)
Two Long horizontal calligraphy-painting pieces at my exhibition
The third exhibit in Bloomington, Indiana (February 2011).
My most favorite section in Lao Tzu (Section 33)
老子道德經三十三節
知人者智，自知者明，勝人者有力，自勝者強，知足者富，強行者有志，不失其所者久，死而不忘者壽。
Knowing others is wise; knowing yourself is bright; conquering others is powerful; surpassing oneself is strong; feeling contented is rich; pushing forward with force is ambitious; finding one's own center lasts long; being remembered after death is longevity.
Yuan-Min Tao's most famous line
陶淵明詩句；
採菊東籬下 Picking a sprig of chrysanthemum by the east hedge,
悠然見南山 I happily notice the South Mountain.
Stone Drum Script 石鼓文
靈禽鳴旭日
遊魚樂深淵
Spiritual bird chirps at the rising sun,
Swimming fish enjoys the deep water.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Saturday, April 30, 2011
What does MOTHER mean? (In Small Seal Script)
母 (Mother)（小篆）
寸草春暉 (An inch-long grass under Spring Sunshine)
飲水思源 (Think of the source when drinking water)
"Lotus Flower" in Cursive Style 草書
荷花出於淤泥而不染，清香四溢，為花中之潔者，人多好之。
Lotus flower grows out of the mud and emits a pleasant fragrant smell everywhere. It is the most pure one among all the flowers, favored by lots of people.
Two lines in Bronze Script
湖心微月至 (A faint moonlight reflects on the center of the pond)
牆東新柳斜 (To the east-side of the wall a new willow grows slanting)
Du Mu's Poem (a famous late-Tang poet)
杜牧 (803-852)
遠上寒山石徑斜 Up to the cold mountain along the slanting stone path,
白雲生處有人家 Houses are visible among the floating clouds;
停車坐愛楓林晚 Cart parked, I love to sit here among the maple trees,
霜葉紅於二月花 Frosty leaves look more fiery than February flowers.
Friday, April 29, 2011
“Divine Chi" 狂草
氣韻生動 Resonance of the spirit; Movement of life; rhythmic vitality; inspired and possesses life itself--One of six qualities in Chinese painting--the most important one.
Eight basic strokes in Chinese Calligraphy 楷書
Though there are more different strokes in Chinese Calligraphy, these eight strokes have been regarded as the most basic ones to learn. Would you like to try?
My imitation of Nature
牡丹 王維
唯有牡丹真國色 Tree peony, the only real beauty of the country,
花開時節動京城 Its booming stirs up the whole Capital City.
My poetic song trying to interact with the icy world
雪山樂居歌
冰封雪阻暮光寒 Ice-locked, snow-bound, the evening light appears chilly,
茅舍隱隱心自暖 Seeing the half-hidden hut warms up my heart;
休論山外忙碌事 Forget about the busy life beyond mountains,
且坐爐畔把杯乾 Let me sit by the fire-place and enjoy my cup.
My poetic song trying to interact with Seattle snow mountain scene
西雅圖雪山歌
俯眺雲山雪齊天 Overlooking this cloudy mountains, I see snow leveling up to the sky,
展翅欲飛去日邊 Wishing to spread my wings and flying to the edge of the sun;
茫茫峰轉巒迴苦 Endless are the peaks and valleys down there to make my flight tiring,
更下幽谷樂留連 Why not go down to enjoy myself in a beautiful vale.
Poetry and Painting
孟浩然 (689-740, famous Tang poet) “宿建德江“
移舟泊煙暏 My boat is moored near an isle in misty gray,
日暮客愁新 I'm grieved anew to see the parting day.
野曠天低樹 On boundless plain trees seem to touch the sky,
江清月近人 In water clear the moon appears so nigh.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)