Last daffodil of the day.

Time to clean my brushes. Time to start working on dinner. At least the sun is out.

Daffodils

I'm trying to feel spring. Most of our daffodils were covered with snow today. When I pick a subject, I work it over and over. It's the only way.

Tulips

Getting ready for National Arboretum
Bonsai Festival in Spring. Plus I just love tulips. They make me smile.

Spring

So where is it? Spring? I am looking at six inches of snow. I painted this in hopes that the sun would come out and my flowers would start to grow.

Cranes

I loved painting these cranes. I was lucky to see them in person many years ago in Japan. They were magnificent. They loved to dance.

Crane

Just something I have been working on.  This is one of a small group of cranes I have been painting.

The Poppy

Worked Ning Yeh lesson today. I got the idea to try when I saw Hsi-Mei's
Painting on my way out of class on Saturday. Maybe I'll do a field of them.

Robin /Spring

I had to laugh this morning when I ran to the store and there were rose bushes for sale and there is still 8 inches of snow outside. I am hoping to catch sight if this robin and know spring is coming.

Frog

This past week in Hsi-Mei's class we worked on frogs. There are 5 students in this class. A great group of people. Every frog that was painted was so different and unique. Like each person.

Out of The Darkness

This past month since Joan Lok's class I went back to working on Koi. I showed it to my teacher Hsi-Mei and worked on a few changes.
I will use this painting to try and get into my first juried show. I'm nervous but it's a good experince to try. Wish me luck !

Cherry Blossoms

This past Saturday in Hsi-Mei's class we worked on cherry blossoms. Soon our beautiful Washington DC Cherry Blossom festival will be upon us and we will forget all of this cold weather.

Wisteria and Swallows

Today I did my homework for Joan Lok's class.  What do you think of these swallows?  I love painting the wisteria.  I am trying to bring on an early spring.  In the Chinese culture the swallow and wisteria are seen in the springtime.

Joan Lok's class

I had the pleasure of taking a class with Joan Lok this past week. She studied the Lingnam School of Art in China.  We worked on wisteria and swallows and koi.  I learned so many great brush strokes and other tips to improve my understanding of Chinese Brush Art.  Thank you Joan !! 

Baby Blue Jay

Birds

I am still working on birds.  I will be taking a class this coming week with Joan Lok and I am quite nervous.  So, I decided to practice my birds.  Her style of art is called Lingnan Art.

"Lingnan' or 'South of the Ranges' refers to that part of China to the south of the 'Five Ranges' which are Tayu, Qitian, Dupang, Mengzhu, Yuecheng. These ranges separate the river basin of Changjiang, or the Yangzi River, in the central part of China fr'om that of Zhujiang or the Pearl River, in the south. In the Tang dynasty (618-906) Lingnan was the official name for the area covering the provinces of Guangdong and Guangxi as well as Annan. The region covered by the name Lingnan has changed with time. Today, 'Ling"'nan' aod 'Guangdong' can almost be treated as synonyms."

From the The Art of Lingnan School website HERE.

 

Blue Jay

 

The cold weather has trapped me in my studio and as I stare out the window, a Jay settled on a pine tree branch.  It wasn't snowing at the time but it seemed to fit (artistic license, you know).  It was a great excuse to work on birds.

Happy New Year !

I worked on Cardinals about a year ago in Darlene Kaplan's class and was so frustrated. Then I painted them again about 6 months ago in Hsi-Mei's class. Still Frustrated. This past Saturday Hsi-Mei covered them again. I believe I'm finally starting to get the hang of it. Doing the strokes over and over really does help. The best part about a blog is I control what I show you. All of my mistakes turn 

into wrapping paper. I have a lot of wrapping paper. 

Chinese Brush Art Christmas Card - Silent Night

I am back !!!   After a long sabbatical, I have returned to the studio - where I belong.  And, just in time for our first Winter's storm (maybe).  I finished our 2013 Christmas card just in time.  I hope you like it.  I call it "Silent Night".  I studied snow in Henry Wo Yue-Kee's class and it was the inspiration for the snow in this painting.  I studied the birds in Hsi-mei Yates' class.  It's a nice combination, don't you think?

This is my third Chinese Brush Art Christmas Card.  Last year's card was a cardinal.  The year before was a poinsettia.

October