The Bamboo Ensemble

The Bamboo score, much like an arrangement of musical notes, permeates the space through its silent music.

Bamboo in common and rare colors

The most common color of bamboo in nature is of course green. On the other hand, bamboo painted in black ink is necessarily in various shades of gray. But Vermillion bamboo, that ought to be a rarity (see second image below, which is patterned after one found in Book of the Bamboo by Johnson Su-Sing Chow in the series the Fundamentals of Chinese Floral Painting, Vol. 3, Art Book Co. Ltd., Taiwan, 2006, pg. 205, that Hubby purchased online here).

Then Hubby read the details, which state that this particular bamboo species does not exist in nature, but was initiated by Su Shih, the famous Chinese poet of the Sung Dynasty, as a form of bamboo art work.

The Soft side of the Peony and Birds

Hubby read that painting is “that wonderful state where nothing else exists but you and your ideas and the art flowing from your fingertips” (Luanne Rice, Last Kiss, Bantam Books, 2008, pg. 106). I would not say I have reached that stage yet but it's pretty close as I painted these two today.

In contrast to the usual bold colors evincing ebullience, I have elected to apply a somewhat subdued color tone that conveys a soothing impression.

One Stroke Painting of Flowers

Here's a one-stroke-style of flower painting, the Peony to be exact.

Food for the Mind via Chinese Calligraphy Class

In today's Chinese Calligraphy class, we continued practicing writing individual characters, ending with a home-cooked lunch provided by the attendees: food for the mind followed by for the body.

The Gong Pi Sets

We, the painting buddy twosome, continued with painting the Gong Pi style by first outlining several base sets in today's session, to be colored in later.

And she came bearing gifts, as usual, tomorrow being Valentine's Day: a vase of elegant tulips.


Ealier on she also gave me a beautiful vase that she has made in her pottery class. Thank you, Mrs. Kim.

The Bamboo is back!

After a relatively long and uninterrupted period of Chinese calligraphy, it feels good to paint again, revisiting some of the nature scenes that have been kept in the recesses of my mind, and loving every minute of it.