Chinese Brush Art - American Style: 10,000 brush strokes in search of that 1 "perfect brush stroke": May 2014

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Sunflowers

Our subject in class last week was sunflowers. I was inspired by Lian Quen Zhen's painting and did my best to get close. Such a happy flower.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Two weeks ago, I took a a class from a wonderful teacher, Lian Quan Zhen. I started this watercolor during his class and I just finished it tonight. I am so pleased with the finished art. It just goes to show that when you have a wonderful, affirming teacher, learning is easy.

I am so happy with this one, I added it to my ETSY shop. It's available as a foldover note card.

Please visit https://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtByLynnLambert

Monday, May 12, 2014

ETSY Shop

Friends and visitors !

I am happy to announce that my ETSY shop is open and some of my artwork is available as notecards and prints.

Please visit https://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtByLynnLambert

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Lian Quan Zhen Workshop

Lian Quan Zhen signing his book for me.

What a delightful week this has been so far. I have been attending a workshop with Lian Quan Zhen along with members of the National Capital Sumi-e Society. What a wonderful teacher he is. His philosophy is "A beautiful painting depicts the harmony between nature and imagination." I agree!!

I've learned so much in just three days. It's intense and I love it.

I can't wait to show you what I've learned. I'll post some of my work from his workshop soon.

It's exciting.

Artist Statement

I have been a ‘learning artist’ since 2011. I believe what Malcolm Gladwell said about mastery of any subject – with a twist. He said it takes about 10,000 hours to master a skill. I believe it takes 10,000 strokes to truly master a Chinese brush stroke. And, with that philosophy in mind, I practice Chinese brush strokes every day, looking for that perfect stroke. I hope to produce paintings with at least one perfect brush stroke in each. The idea of perfection is elusive and I hope to be a ‘learning artist’ for the rest of my life. Stop learning – stop living.

Artist Biography

Lynn Lambert was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin. At 18, she began traveling the world. Her first stop was Misawa, Japan where she began her fascination with the Far Eastern cultures.

She was educated at Southern Illinois University, where she majored in Horticulture and minored in Art. She returned to Atsugi, Japan in the early 80s and renewed her love affair with the Asian culture studying Ikebana in Tokyo and was a florist upon returning to the United States. Her return to Asia in the late 90s found her teaching English at Sakamoto and Iriyamazu Junior High Schools in Yokosuka-shi, Japan.

In 2011, the love of the Asian culture finally manifested itself fully when Lynn took her first Sumi-e brush art class through the NOVA educational system with artist Arlita Kadar. She moved from there to art classes at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, Virginia.

Additionally, she studied with these fine artists: Darlene Kaplan – 2012; Charlene Fuhrman-Schulz – 2012; Hsi-mei Yates – 2013; Henry Wo Yue-Kee – 2013 and Joan Lok – 2014. She has also done self-study online with these artists: Henry Li – 2013; Ning Yeh – 2011; and Danny Chen – 2012.

She sold her first painting “Koi – Following the leader” to the President of the National Arboretum Bonzai Association at the National Arboretum’s 2011 Annual Bonzai Art Festival.

Her work "Kohaku and Sanke” (Kohaku-koi with red patches and Sanke-koi with red and black patches) was sold by Tiara Galleries and Gifts in Rockville, Maryland to support Fisher House – in honor of our Nation’s heroes who have been wounded in combat in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Her work has been displayed at The Smithsonian Institution and National Museum of Natural History in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of National Asian Pacific American Arts and Crafts Day in 2011.

Her artist philosophy is based on Malcolm Gladwell’s perspective on the mastery of any subject – with a twist. Gladwell said it takes about 10,000 hours to master a skill. Lynn believes it takes 10,000 practice strokes to truly master a Chinese brush stroke. With that philosophy in mind, she practices Chinese brush strokes every day, looking for that perfect stroke. She hopes to produce paintings with at least one perfect brush stroke in each. The idea of perfection is elusive and she hopes to be a ‘learning artist’ for the rest of her life.

Stop learning – stop living.

Chinese Brush Art - American Style: 10,000 brush strokes in search of that 1 "perfect brush stroke"

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