Artist’s Statement
I have been a visual artist for many years during which I had experimented with various materials and media, including oils, acrylics and Chinese painting. I had also spent numerous hours researching various media, however watercolours were always close to my heart. In a moment of creativity, my mind attains a state of peace and tranquility, resembling a watercolour painting, a natural extension of my character, an expression of who I am.
In my earlier watercolours, I often felt the inadequacy in my technique to allow me to express the light and shadows as well as the mood of the subject. I took to heart the advice of many accomplished artists in this field to use the nature to learn from about application of light and shadows. I diligently studied the works of many watercolour artists in the anticipation to improve my artistic expression. However, the history of watercolour is young, and the body of knowledge on true watercolours is scant, as many well-known artists in this field have adopted ways of perception and techniques from oil painting. Though the application of technique insights from oil painting to watercolour can produce outstanding effects, I longed for an approach uniquely original to watercolours, completely independent of other methods. The road to arrive at such an approach was long and winding, and often difficult. Yet along the way, I met with numerous joys and surprises.
In the process of watercolour creation, there can be many challenges: addressing overlapping colours, removing excess paint, and applying the proper level of dampness, to name a few. These are no easy feats. In overcoming such challenges, what at first appeared to be a mistake often revealed new and untried elements, allowing for fresh perceptions and the emergence of new techniques that raised the creative expression to a higher level. In labouring along the path of trial and error, I brought forth my vision in watercolour works.
Life has been easy and tranquil since I moved to Canada, allowing me the opportunity to focus on painting and creativity. Though it took me a long time to adjust to the new culture and environment, I regained my ability to observe things around me through my soul's eyes, freeing myself from external influences. Coming in contact with Western art allowed me to learn to appreciate its vividness and nature; yet my passion still lies with the grace and spirit of the Oriental art. My present creativity is solely to transform my thoughts into form, be it an abstract or realistic painting, in the pursuit of creating my own watercolour utopia, using the knowledge I gained from the Oriental and Western cultures.