Capturing the Essence
 

Gazing out over the sound the water is an ever changing palette.  The mountains float over the water softened by trees and misty clouds from which high peaks emerge.  Mountains, water and sky merge, each one distinct yet one cannot be defined without the other. Nature and the Universe interplay, and the artist becomes part of the dance. 

In Chinese landscape painting it is about capturing the essence and feel of what the artist sees and not an actual representation. The artist paints from within, drawing from personal experience and the mind's eye, as well as from the spiritual influences of Buddhism and Taoism.  We see not only the personal  interaction of the artist with nature, but also sense the soul and mind of the artist.  The communication with the audience becomes an experience that transcends the surface to that mystical place that is a blending of the essence of nature and that of the artist. 

In Chinese, landscape paintings are called "mountain and water paintings".  The images of mountain and water are seen as the two poles of nature within the universe.  Mountains, which are characterized by yang, and water which is characterized by yin, both complement and contrast the other.  By leaving space, creating clouds, mists and washes there is flow and harmony between these natural elements. The artist creates these works with a spontaneous energy and a dancing brush, underneath which lies the master's cultivated technique and philosophical beliefs.  By adding ancient Chinese poetry to view with the work, the intention is to enrich the experience and to encourage mindfulness.

The natural beauty and spirit of the West Coast, and the images it invokes in paintings, complement the philosophical and spiritual approach of Chinese landscape painting.  By fusing elements from this ancient and evolving landscape painting tradition with elements from contemporary West Coast impressionist painting, I am exploring a dynamic creative experience of art.