Going back to Japan theme, these 2 paintings are inspired by lovely hikes on the Nakasendo Way, one on a path literally blooming, and puffing, with pink cherry blossoms, the other a serene walk through a beautiful green forest.
While the places are real, and I can still remember the smell of the crisp spring air and the soft sun rays filtering through the trees, my rendition is more emotion, at once pleasurable yet also full of anticipation of what lay beyond, memories from a year ago intertwining with surreal dreams of a fond place from a year ago.
Title: Blossoms Way 樱花道 (O130)
Description: Dreamy expressionist painting of pink cherry blossoms flower trees inspired by a spring village hike on Japan's Nakasendo Way from Kyoto to Tokyo. 2015.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 61 x 61cm.
Title: Forest Path 林子里 (O127)
Description: Serene green forest path painting of a beautiful nature hike through the mountains on Japan's Nakasendo Way from Kyoto to Tokyo. 2015.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 61 x 46cm.
Purchase at: yen.artfire.com
These 2 blue paintings came about after I realized I had one too many red art hanging in my room recently and needed to cool the balance ;p Unromantic initiative yet with surprising results as I never knew abstract art could be so exhilarating to do. Especially the smaller Winter Blooms where everything clicked in one relaxing session. It was also a return to my swishing brush strokes and organic movement, which others have remarked to me that this is my signature and they would love to see it again.
The art journey is an exploring one, never static at one particular style. And that is what makes it so interesting and keeps me going. I veer and experiment, if it works good, if it doesn't it's something learned. I do not regret the journey, in fact I relish the ups and downs. My Spanish journey for 2 years was about composition (most people thought it was architecture ;p), my Asian phase was about connection to my roots, and this Icelandic excursion was about paint, in abstract shapes and thick bright colors.
I may be ready to move on, to what I have no idea. But not knowing is what makes the painting journey so fun. I used to backpack around the world for the thrill of unexpectedness. Now my wanderlust is in art.
Title: Winter Blooms (O114)
Description: Beautiful blue floral abstract Iceland oil painting of flower blooms of nature on snow in the purple winter light, with swirling impressionistic strokes. Icelandic Series 2014.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 30 x 30cm.
Title: Wave (O115)
Description: Icelandic-inspired dramatic abstract expressionist oil painting of blue purple wave with bold energetic swirling movement of the sea waters in Japanese zen art style. Icelandic Series 2014.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 61 x 61cm.
Purchase at: yen.artfire.com
This little painting was inspired by a nature picture that I took on Japan's Nakasendo Way which has beautiful foliage and cherry blossoms falling like snow. I am told that the Nakasendo is stunning in autumn, and winter, and this is what I imagined it to be.
It's been a while since I last painted autumn and with nary a thought, the strokes flow and it was completed in one session. There are imperfections but the whimsical feel is just right so I decided to stop. Yes, that beautiful feeling of joy at white flakes a-falling is just magical. No overwork needed.
Title: Magic Fall 秋雪 (O107)
Description: Whimsical autumn forest impressionist painting with white bark trees against reds, orange and greens foliage, with falling snow drops inspired by travel scenery on Japan's Nakasendo Way 2014.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
I love these postboxes on the Jeju Olle Trail No. 7 for more reasons than one. In today's world of iphone/ipad and a plethora of gadgets for instant gratification and communication, whoever remembers the joy of waiting, of anticipation, of imagination, of surprise, of receiving a physical postcard in the letterbox, with a stamp implanted from lands faraway and wondering how far this little item has travelled to be delivered.. And with a preciously thought and penned message.
Most of all, I love that it stops time. That it rekindles the romance of travelling, of being away from it all, and just enjoying the little joys of wandering, of discovering, of appreciating, of savouring the moments, of remembering a distant friend, and of being at peace :)
Title: Postcard from Jeju 信的告白 (O100)
Description: Whimsical painting inspired by the joy of discovering a cluster of postboxes on the Jeju Olle Trail No. 7, a reminder of the romance of travelling and of sending a postcard home. Jeju Notes 2014.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 76 x 76cm.
The journey for this work was as convoluted as the actual climb at Hallasan that I undertook last September, all 5603 feet up Korea's highest mountain, just hoping to catch a glimpse of autumn even though Jeju was unexpectedly as hot as Singa-land during my stay there. Well, that is "Singaporean madness" for you as we come from a land of eternal green.
It was a small peek at fall, literally. Some fallen red leaves on a small patch of the forever rocky path. But I was delirious nevertheless. Even more so than when I was to later reach the summit.
So I painted autumn again which I haven't in a long while. While the composition came easily enough, I struggled with the colour of the ground for a while before I finally got the feel that I wanted, intentionally stark contrast and all. Lyrical yet brittle. Yup, that pretty much sums it up.
Title: Autumn at Hallasan 汉拿山之秋 (O99)
Description: A lyrical fall painting of autumn leaves on a rocky path inspired by the artist's hike way up Mt Hallasan, Korea's highest mountain, just to catch that wee bit of fall. Jeju Notes 2014.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 61 x 61cm.
SOLD.
One major highlight of Jeju that see hordes of tourists milling the UNESCO World Heritage site everyday, is the 182-metre high Seongsan Ilchulbong, popularly known as ‘Sunrise Peak’. For me, however, the eastern part of Jeju is much more than that.
It took me more than an hour on a local bus that spouts many many little bus-stops in Korean, English, sometimes Chinese, before I arrived at Seongsan, or rather an obscure stop on a lonesome highway that I almost missed and then luckily got 'rescued' by the hotel owner who came to pick me up.
That was the start of my falling in love with this hospitable part of Jeju, which also marks the Jeju Olle Trail No. 1, the first of some 21 hiking routes encircling the island. And the most classic one. Unlike the other Olle Trails which feature the fantastical coastline of Jeju with almighty waves a-pounding, this route starts serenely inland with a little oreum (mountain in Jeju dialect) climb to a breathtaking view of the mountains, large fields and ocean. I love the walk through the forest, the beautiful trees and flora, even a bright green little snake that slithered across my path at one point. And the comradeship with fellow hikers at a delightful, and delicious, noodle shop just when I emerged from the hills, before going past bountiful farms with all kinds of vegetables and delectable produce, and arriving at the familiar coast once more. This trail had it all. Never mind the dramatic finish at Sunrise Peak. I just enjoyed the quiet, the peace, the simplicity, the smells, the sounds, and the innate beauty of the countryside. And that is what this simple painting is about.
Title: Seongsan 城山 (O96)
Description: Tree overlooking Seongsan's farmland with Sunrise Peak in the distance, a simple painting epitomising the simple joys of hill walking and enjoyment of countryside landscape, inspired by a hike on the Jeju Olle Trail No. 1. Jeju Notes 2014.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 76 x 76cm.
Purchase at: yen.artfire.com
Once in a while, my surrealistic tendencies overcome and it is with this experimental piece inspired by an inspiring sunset on Jeju island in Korea.
Realism or even impressionism was the last thing on my mind when I painted the image. Instead I saw shapes and symbols swirling in motion. I thought it wasn't going to work but I added the woman and it seemed to click. So I persevered until the colours gel, brought back from the realm of disunity by the movement.
And then I stopped. My emotional outburst was over. I am not even sure if I like it. It is certainly different from the other korean pieces done so far. But I think I will keep the piece.
Title: Sunset 夕阳 (O94)
Description: Shapes, movement and symbolism embody this bold soulful surrealistic landscape painting inspired by a beach sunset in Jeju, Korea, known for its haenyo sea diver women. Jeju Notes 2013.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 61 x 61cm.
Purchase at: yen.artfire.com
1 comment:
shelley whiting said... I love the wild and expressionistic style. Beautiul and lively work
One cannot miss the sound of waves in Jeju, ever constant, as you wander around the island.. Ever rhythmic, ever present, ever relentless, strong with the whistling winds.. sometimes pounding in all its fiercest majestic glory, evoking exhilaration and even fear at nature's power.. at other times quiet and contemplative.. yet still always unyielding and meditative.
At the end of my stay in Jeju, I went to Udo Island and there, on Seobinbaeksa Beach with its white sands and turquoise waters and dramatic volcanic backdrop from the mainland, the surreality reaches an unusually calm beauty, eliciting much joy and happiness to the bystanders.
And which inspired this nostalgic piece, of the simple joys of marvelling at the beauty of nature, of the whimsical fun of waves, of the child in us who was once able to appreciate things instinctively.
Title: Wave Watch 看浪 (O93)
Description: A whimsical little painting of a couple on a beach before larger-than-life waves and an imposing conical mountain yonder, inspired by the whimsical nostalgic joy of wave watching at Udo Island. Jeju Notes 2013.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 61 x 61cm.
Purchase at: yen.artfire.com
I seldom paint flowers, not sure why. Maybe because they are ephemeral in nature and I just love to admire them when I see, perhaps capturing in film but not more. I also adore wild flowers much more than the planted ones, because they bloom despite, because they are a privilege to catch, because they seem so free-spirited..
One of the greatest joys trekking the Jeju Olle Trails was chancing upon these wild flowers that dot the varying nature landscape all over the island. They are a constant, like the waves and the black rocks. And they never fail to bring a smile to my face :)
So I am inspired to paint a piece on flowers again, however cliche the material ;p It's just a much treasured image of my memories of Jeju - the carefree feeling of simple joy that it brings me - that I'd like to capture as a momento beyond film.
Title: Wild Flowers 野花 (O92)
Description: A colourful floral painting inspired by the wild flowers in Jeju, which brought many a smile to a hiker's face on the Jeju Olle Trails. Jeju Notes 2013.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 76 x 76cm.
Purchase at: yen.artfire.com
I first visited China as a kid and loved Hangzhou then. Pleasant place, an amazing acrobatic performance, and a beautiful lake.
So it was that on this trip to Shanghai, I had to go Hangzhou again, even for a few hours. Gilded childhood memories aside, must say I was taken aback by the mad circus at the train station, the crazy cab ride to the nearest part of the lake in order to maximise my visit, and oh lord, I think the whole of China is here!!
Thankfully, the lake is incredibly big, more than I ever remember. Incredibly, there is space for everyone. And incredibly lucky was I to find a quiet garden section which was so beautiful I was reminded of Giverny. And oh the time flew by as I explored the little surprises at every nook and corner. Rarely has the harmony of man and nature been more intricate than in this heavenly place, which is the very essence of zen. And thus the tribute of this painting.
Title: West Lake 西湖 (O87)
Description: A quiet corner at the beautiful West Lake captures my heart, as Hangzhou once did many years ago. China 2013.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 61 x 61cm.
SOLD.
2 comments:
doreen said...Your painting exudes the energy that is not found in the photo. Well done! Love your painting!
timi said... This painting is beautiful and unique in its execution. I LOVE It.
After a hiatus, I am finally back to painting with a change of scenery, literally :) And lotsa inspiration from the surreal place called Iceland from my latest travels..
Where the elements strike stunningly close, where mother nature is omnipresent in its immense powers, and most of all, the fascinating Icelandic sun.. ever so close to earth, ever so bright, as if tempting one to touch its unseeable whiteness in the cold wintry air.
So it is that I started with painting the unforgettable Iceland sun. Which is strange as I rarely paint sunsets, a rather cliche subject to me. But the Land of Fire and Ice changed my mind. And this may be the start of many more, in hopefully the start of a series that explores the feelings that this indelible abstract harsh lands in the cold volcanic north stirred in the artist in me..
Title: Solace (A39)
Description: A soulful piece depicting the unforgettable Icelandic sunset at the surreal wetlands of the Skútustaðagígar pseudo craters in Mývatn, North Iceland. Icelandic Series 2013.
Medium: Acrylic on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 30 x 30cm.
Purchase at: yen.artfire.com
3 comments:
sag said... Wonderful....
jeffrey said... This is really nice! Makes one feel optimistic just looking at it
lu ky said... great! I like it! No wonder your talent here!
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This abstract piece is inspired by one of the pictures I took while on a leisurely trip in Taiwan with a group of good friends and meeting other good friends there as well. As chance would have it, I got to visit Yangminshan National Park even though it was at the end of the day when we got there. We got a bit lost on a trail and were cold and hungry by the time we reached the Visitor's Centre, but all was forgotten when we got to witness beautiful dusk colours, like this forest scene, and a glorious sunset.
It is exactly this feeling that I want to capture with my colours and strokes on this green-themed piece - the feeling of beauty, the feeling of serenity, the feeling of unhurried leisure, the feeling of one at peace with nature, swaying with the soft winds and rays of gentle sunshine.
Title: Serenity (O30,SA35)
Description: Taiwan Series. An abstract piece of trees at the Yangmingshan National Park in Taipei, Taiwan. 2010. 台湾行阳明山之“緑息”。
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 60x45cm.
3 comments:
piety dsilva said...Nice composition.
ayan ghoshal said...Wonderful...!
maria rova said...This is beautiful, love the peaceful, inviting colours!
Autumn is a favourite season of mine, perhaps because I don't live in a place with four seasons and don't have to face the prospects of a bleak cold winter ahead with all the bothersome things associated with it. And coming from a country with tropical greens all-year round, the gloriousness of autumn colours never fails to amaze me.
So when I travel, this is usually the season I try to catch - not the hot hot summers where I have had more than 
enough in my home country, not the cold cold winters even though the sight of snow is exciting to me as well - although spring is a close second preference. But the autumn window is notoriously brief and hard to time, sometimes arriving too early sometimes too late.. but when I did have the privilege to witness the grandeur, it's such a blessing, sigh..
Yet this beautiful transient period is such a provocateur of conflicting emotions - stimulation at the visual treat of nature at its surreal best versus trepidation of what is to come after - so we angst over the beauty, the brevity, the fragility of life, the effluxion of time - even the chinese character for autumn ( 秋 ) with a heart ( 心 ) at the bottom means sorrow ( 愁 ).
When I decided to paint autumn landscapes, this becomes a natural theme for my experiment with expressionism - a season of change, a season that prompts many thoughts - a season for contemplation ( 静禅 ), solitude ( 独思 ) & decisions ( 抉择 ), the titles of my 3 pieces in this Autumn Thoughts series.
Title: Contemplation (O24,SA26)
Description: Autumn is a season of change, with nature seemingly determined to depart from spring with a climax of its most glorious colours before retreating to bitter winter. It is also a period that provokes the most conflicting emotions. Contemplation is the 1st work in my Autumn Thoughts series and exhibited at the inaugural alfresco art fair @ clifford square from 30 Oct~1 Nov 09. 2009.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 45 x 45cm.
Price: SOLD.
Title: Solitude (O25,SA27)
Description: The second work in my Autumn Thoughts series. Aloneness with one's thoughts is the theme of this piece. 2009.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 60 x 45cm.
Title: Decisions (O26,SA28)
Description: Autumn Thoughts series. The inevitable need to find meaning and resolution in our thoughts is the central theme behind this piece. 2009.Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 60 x 45cm.
Price: SOLD.
7 comments:
anna jasmin said...
This painting (Contemplation) attracts, and I am happy it does. It possess a certain awe. Love looking at it!
jeffrey said...
I like the lighter shades in Solitude - kind of resonates with the theme how the colours of life start fading away when autumn beckons, don't you think? =)
beibei said...
like Contemplation and Decisions. Stronger Autumn Colors for me. I love Autumn too..那多事的秋。
jiayi said...
I like Solitude as well. 喜欢比较细腻的画作。
allison said...
Beautiful painting (Contemplation miniwork) (I just got it framed and hung and love it) and a great seller. Thank you!
janet said...
Just wanted to let you know that I received your painting (Solitude miniwork) yesterday.. Safe and sound, I love it!!
melissa forcier said...
Really beautiful!! (Contemplation painting)
After using painting knife for a long spate, I suddenly missed my brushes and decided to try a new approach using short vertical strokes and simplifying the objects in the scene. In a sense, I was gravitating towards the abstract. I was never a realist anyway and more of an impressionist but I needed to establish an identity. Many have said that my colours are distinctive but something more is needed.
Flipping through my photos, I came across 2 pictures from my hiking trip in Tasmania on the Overland Track (some say Underwater Track) that gave me strong indescribable feelings. They both have this imposing mountain aptly called Cathedral Mountain, the 1st in the distance taken when we were hiking towards it, and the 2nd captured when we've reached our hut that has the mountain as a magnificient backdrop.
I did both paintings at the same time and they therefore have a common colour palette. They are an experiment and different from my past works. But I do think that they convey the feelings that the pics and my remembrance of the trek gave to me.
Title: Tree And Cathedral Mountain (O21,SA24)
Description: On the Overland Track in Tasmania with Cathedral Mountain in the distance. 2009.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 50 x 40cm.
The 2nd piece is based on a pic taken whilst I was in Bhutan doing the Druk Path Trek which is a 5-day trek from Paro to the capital Thimphu. Let's just say it was a very himalayan adventure ;p
I had a great time in Bhutan despite being ill initially and the nice feelings were to stay with me for a long time after. So when I did this piece, the pleasant feelings just translated into the peaceful pastels for the Paro Valley setting. I can't think of Bhutan without a smile on my face so even though this is an approaching storm scene, it emanates a message of peace and serenity.
This painting is also available at the 6 perspectEVEs exhibition on 4 ~ 28 August 2009 at The Art Loft @ Volvo.
Title: Approaching Storm II (O18,SA10)
Description: Peace and beauty prevails at Bhutan's Paro Valley even with creeping storm. 2009.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 60 x 45cm.
Price: SOLD.
Mini-Acrylic Work (with dark green cardboard frame) 25x21cm: SOLD.
To round off my cloud-themed series, I decided to do 2 works simultaneously that involved clouds in the backdrop. As it turned out, both reference pics I chose happened to have mountains.
The 1st is an opportune shot I took while descending on the plane to Capetown at the southern tip of South Africa. It shows the city's omnipresent Table Mountain which seemed to carry a beacon of hope at the top amidst a gathering storm over the sprawling city. Capetown is an exquisitely beautiful, sparkling city - exotic, colourful, exciting, even dangerous, full of contraditions, and somehow the wilderness is always nearby in Africa..
Suffice to say, my trip was a memorable one by all accounts. And somehow, the vibes of the place came through when I did the painting. My colours got stronger and stronger and I ended up with a colourfully drama piece which hopefully captures the unique essence of the place. This work will be displayed at the 6 perspectEVEs exhibition on 4 ~ 28 August 2009 at The Art Loft @ Volvo.
Title: Approaching Storm I (O18,SA9)
Description: Hope amidst an approaching storm at Capetown's Table Mountain. 2009.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 60 x 45cm.
Price: SOLD.
1 comment:
tt said...
Like the picture "The approaching storm 1". Good effort.
My 1st series!!! Well, at least I'm calling it so - zee Cloud Series. I've written about how this piece came about before (see current work post) so I will not repeat.
The reference pic was taken at my 2nd backpacking trip, and one of my best trips, to the Canadian Rockies which seemed like eons ago now. I was trudging around Tunnel Mountain at the Banff National Park in dramatic conditions (i.e. trying desperately not to be blown off) when I came across this fallen tree log and was dumbfounded by the scene, with the golden brush rustling against it up into the horizon where ominous clouds gather above the hint of the Voodoos glacial mountains in the distance. I had a wonderful adventure at the Rockies with stunning scenery aplenty but in terms of intensity, this pic best captures the tintillating wilderness of the elements of mother nature in this beautiful region. And it was with this intensity in mind that I laid the thick knife strokes and bold colours.
I'm proud to announce that this painting will be shown at the 6 perspectEVEs exhibition on 4 ~ 28 August 2009 at The Art Loft @ Volvo.
Title: Cloud Series ~ The Log (O15,SA6)
Description: Capturing the dramatic tension between the elements at the Canadian Rockies. 2008.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 50 x 40cm.
1 comment:
jeffrey said...
"The Log" is captivating!
