“Sometimes a single last dot might upset the whole balance.
The difference between a master and a student is only one dot.”
Unknown
“Understand the white by managing the black”
Unknown
“The weakest ink is mightier than the strongest memory”
Chinese proverb
Please visit:
Chinese Brush Painters' Society (Yorkshire)
Chinese Brush Art Association of Canada
To see stamps that I use on my paintings go here
For a video of some of my Chinese Brush Paintings go here
For a video of greetings for Chinese New Year of Ox go here
Traditional Chinese Brush Painting (CBP) contains only enough detail in order to recognize the subject and it's character. It's not necessary to "fill up" the whole painting - white space is desirable.
The "Four Gentlemen" of CBP are the orchid (spring), bamboo (summer), chrysanthemum (fall) and plum blossom (winter).
"Four Gentlemen"
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A video of a 3D scroll Chinese brush painting that I found on the internet.
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"A Book holds a House of Gold"
Alternative translations:
"Wealth can be gained through diligent study/learning/knowledge"
"If you study hard, you can get what you want"
"Humble Home"
Shao Shi Ming
A deity makes a mountain, not its altitude. Water does not have to be deep. Si is a shabby room, but Wu Dexin. The moss marks are green up and the grass is green. Talk and laugh with ru, no contacts STOMATOLOGY. You can tune the piano and read the golden scriptures. There is no messy ears of silk and bamboo, no labor form of case reading, Zhuge Lu in Nanyang, Yunting in Xishu. Confucius: What kind of shame is there?
AN EPIGRAPH IN PRAISE OF MY HUMBLE HOME
A mountain need not be high;
It is famous so long as there is a deity on it.
A lake need not be deep;
It has supernatural power so long as there is dragon in it.
My home is humble,
But it enjoys the fame of virtue so long as I am living in it.
The green moss creeps onto the doorsteps,
The lush grass is reflected through the bamboo curtains.
Erudite scholars come in good spirit to talk with me,
Among my guests there is no unlearned common man.
"Curves"
Literal meaning: Paint dragon add eyes
Idiomatic meaning: a detail that makes all the difference; bring something to life; the finishing touch
An artist called Zhang Sengyao who lived in the early sixth century was commissioned to paint four dragons on the wall of a monastery. When he had finished, everyone admired the painting, saying how life-like the dragons looked. They noticed, however, that Zhang had not finished the eyes on any of the dragons. When they asked him why not, he replied that if he put in the eyes the dragons really would come to life. No one believed him, so he applied the final strokes to two of the dragons. There was an almighty peal of thunder and two dragons flew away, leaving behind only two with unfinished eyes.
"Dragon Ink"
"Year of Ox"
"I can't decide how to look at this painting"
"High Mountain"
"The lowly koi spends its life trying to swim up the Yellow River.
At the source of the river is a great roaring waterfall.
If the koi successfully swims up that waterfall.
It is transformed into a dragon."
Tall Mountain
"Who said that women can't park."
Bird on Bamboo
"Learning without thought is labour lost; thought without learning is perilous."
"Undecided" SOLD
"3 Cranes & Pine"
"Shining Light"
"A Traveller and Crane on the same Path"
"Year of the Rat, Chinese New Year"
"A Quiet Little Village"
(Inspired by Wu Guanzhong)
Lotus Flower
"A Waterfall in Autumn"
"Have a style of one's own"
"Charming Dragon"
"As Timid As A Mouse"
"Withered Tree"
"A withered tree, overlooking a solitary boat, close to a bridge, leading to a quiet house"
"Spring Blossoms"
"2 Pandas"
"Evening Breeze"
"In the cool evening breeze, the weary traveller seeks solace beneath the withered tree"
"Full of Energy
"Spring comes to the withered tree"
"Bridge & House"
"Old Man"
"Benedictine Abbey, Whitby UK"
"Dragon Fly and Lotus"
"Hotei - God of Fortune"
Hotei - God of Fortune, watching cock fighting (Originally painted by Miyamoto Musashi)
"Know Yourself"
There is a saying which soldiers have:
"I never use my force before my enemy uses his. I'd rather go back a foot than advance an inch."
This is called going forward without moving. Rolling up your sleeve without showing your arm and by not, you defeat him without apparently doing anything.
This is like being armed, but no one sees what you have.
Never think your enemy is feeble. That's disastrous.
If I do that, I'm bound to lose all I have!
So, you see, when the battle begins, it is the one who seems weaker that will win.
"Dragon Fish"
"If a koi successfully swims up the waterfall on the Yellow river the koi is transformed into a dragon."
"Ko Ken Chi Ai"
Exchange, Katana, Understand, Love
Koken-Chiai 交剣知愛＝A term referring to the desire to achieve mutual understanding and betterment of humanity through KENDO. Also, the desire to practice or have a match with an opponent one has practiced or competed with before. This term is also used as a teaching to encourage practitioners to engage in KEIKO and matches in such as way as to engender such desires.
"All of us in the world are brothers, even the man who comes past as a traveler"
"Dragon Fish"
For the story about this painting go to Dragon Fish
"Spring Orchid"
"When spring comes I do nothing but care for my flowers"
(Painted on Japanese paper)
"To see further, stand higher" SOLD
"Birds and Bamboo"
"Snack Time"
"Scholar Under Willow"
"A scholar under a willow tree next to a mountain lake"
"Lonely Boat"
"Near a bridge over a stream away from the village, no trace of people,
in the wilderness is a lonely boat all day"
"Bird and Bees"
"The fragrance of flowers and the singing of birds are my poems"
"Orange Orchid"
"A quiet mountain river"
"The land lies broad
The shore is clean
The sky rises high
The moon shines bright"
(Inspiration from Qu Leilei)
"The old horse lowers his head and pulls the wagon slowly forward.
His ambition is to journey a thousand miles"
(Inspiration from Qu Leilei)
"The land lies broad
The shore is clean
The sky rises high
The moon shines bright"
(Inspiration from Qu Leilei)
"There is a long, long way ahead.
I am going up and down to explore"
(Inspiration from Qu Leilei)
"Dragon Mountain"
"A solitary visitor contemplates nature
Men inhabit and travel to distant lands
Mighty mountains give way to tranquil waterfalls
Under the watchful eyes of the wondrous dragon"
"Winni" SOLD
"Love At First Sight"
"Mountain Moon"
"As the fresh breeze floats still in clear night air
In the East the moon glides up above the mountain peak"
"Create something new and original"
"Plum Blossoms"
5 x 8 inches on Japanese paper
"Midnight Dreams"
"High Mountain" SOLD
"Lonely Boat" SOLD
"Near a bridge over a stream away from the village, no trace of people,
in the wilderness is a lonely boat all day"
"The Intellectual" Private Collection
"A poem must be aged to become exciting.
Calligraphy, just like fine wine is better without being too sweet."
"Large Gold Dragon" NFS
"Morning Mist in the River Valley" NFS
"Plum Blossoms" SOLD
"Pick the blossom as it blooms; if you wait, you can only have the branch"
"Golden Sunrise at Mountainside" NFS
"Single Heartbeat" NFS
"Kuan Yu"
"Please do not laugh at the warrior laying drunk on the battlefield"
"East Moon" NFS
"As the fresh breeze floats still in clear night air
In the East the moon glides up above the mountain peak"
"Golden Dragon"
"Bring the Painted Dragon to Life by Painting in the Pupils of it's Eyes"
"Charming Dragon" SOLD
Stylized calligraphy for the word "Dragon"
"Run Freely" SOLD
"9 Horses"
"Solitary" NFS
"Orange Door" NFS
Inspired from a charcoal painting by Helen Dalton, Blue Rocks, Nova Scotia
www.bluehoggallery.com
"A Quiet Little Village"
"Hidden Dragon" NFS
"Crouching Tiger" NFS
"7 Cranes"
"Crossing Bridge"
"Take One's Time"
"Cranes and Waterfall"
"Sailboat"
"Courtesy Demands Respect" SOLD
"Hidden Dragon(fly), Crouching Tiger"
"Whispering Lotus" NFS
"Seeking Shelter"
"Moon and Bamboo" SOLD
"The Bamboo is already in my Heart.
The Movement of my Brush just follows the Spirit"
"Bamboo and Fishing Boat" SOLD
"Lady in Red"
"Chinese Lady"
"Charles" NFS
"Serene"
"Long Way Ahead"
"There is a long, long way ahead.
I am going up and down to explore"
Idea from "The Complete Guide to Chinese Calligraphy" by Qu Lei Lei
"Fishing Boat slowly drifting between the Shores in the Shadows of Willows"
"Love at First Sight"
"Hedgehog and Pin Cushion" SOLD
"2 Travelers" SOLD
"All of us in the world are brothers,
even the man who comes past as a traveler"
"Friends Meeting (on silk)"
"3 Dragonflies (on silk)"
"Old Man (on silk)"
"Spirit Blossoms" SOLD
"The blossom that appears from my brush will be transformed into spirit when the wind blows from the east"
"A Beautiful Butterfly and Lily" NFS
"Beautiful Gems Fill One's Eyes"
"Like Fish in Water"
"Full of Energy"
"Full of Energy" SOLD
"Tranquill Mist" SOLD
"High Mountain" SOLD
"Garden Buddha" SOLD
"Encounter with a Group of Cranes" NFS
"As Powerful as a Thunderbolt"
"Chickadee on Fence Post"
"Love At First Sight"
"Love At First Sight"
"Charming Dragon"
"Monkey King"
"Expanding the Body with the Mind at Peace" SOLD
"Hit the Target with Unfailing Accuracy" SOLD
"Everything on earth shines in the light.
Thousands of mountain peaks offer up their beauty"
"Fog"
"Fairy Artist"
"Be Content"
"Thinking"
"Wind Swept Mountains"
"Cracked Pot" SOLD
"3 Wild Cranes"
"Three wild cranes flying above pine tree"
"Charming Dragon" SOLD