Interested in purchasing art work? Please leave a comment with your email address. I'll contact you. Illustration work is available at ASA "Style File."

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

4 Wise Qs Check Your Life Option

4 questions to check your life option.
1) Are you happy?
2) Are you happier every year?
3) Do you make other people happy?
4) If you had your life again, would you choose the same life?

Sure, my answers were all "Yes!"
While I was having a treatment at hospital, a catholic nun--coincidence, who sat beside me-- told these wise Qs that
were originally from psychology. They are spot on.

As long as I'm working on drawing and painting, I'm so happy. Especially, m
usicians and buskers are my favorites. They bring us smiles, laugh and aah, ooooh! Their movements and atmosphers are so colorful.
Sketching and quick watercolors are products from my instinct and technically, "happy accidents." I play with colors and enjoy washes.

In the process of painting, I just obey to my feelings and put colors. I've hardly organized a plan to make a work. And I always keep smiling, while I'm sketching. Even I dance, sing with music players together. Poeple call me a "happy girl."

Joy must come first for my drawing and painting!


Often people ask, "Isn't it hard to catch models moving around?" No. Not at all. We, human beings are made in "3D." So, seeing models from different angles is essential such as from a side, a back, whatever. For me, an ideal model demonstrates movements.

In commissioned work, customers often show me photos facing a camera straight. It can be some help, but not much. My style needs more information, especially in order to make
a natural face expression and movement in work.

Even though musicians and buskers send me inspirations and happiness, financially, their lives are very tough. We, artists, too. But I'm sure none of musicians, buskers nor artists regrets life option. All these artists are mentally very rich.

I assume the happiest life is "Be faithful and honest to one's own dream."



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Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Sketching on Train : Face faces Face

I always sketch people in a train. A museum of faces. It's a great awe that each of us has a different life and a different direction to go. Only for a while, we share time and separate for an individual destination...

Face expressions are very different. Body language, too. They stimulate my imagination. I imagine each person's life.
Does this young man have a very long day? Where is that happy child going to go? The gentleman looks so sad, had a tough day? The woman might be on the way to see her love... These girls are having a cheerful chat.
The imagination makes me smile and I feel all of us closer.

Indeed, soon, most people talk to me. We become friends at once. Drawing brings strangers into nice chat friends. People love my sketches and begin to tell me their life stories. It's lovely that art opens anyone's heart to an artist.

Also, I'd like to add this fact that many people are so kind to me with a walking stick. I'm not good at balancing and sometimes I walk wabble wobble. In a peak hour, people happily give me a seat. I still recall the old gentleman who helped me walk safely on a long stair way out of a station.
I was so afraid of Central Station at the onset of the disability. The Station is too huge, a very long way to walk to platforms and lots of stair ways. Even though there are lifts, to reach at there is a challenging for people with disability. Nearly crying alone in a long underground pass way, I managed to walk to a platform. So, I'll never forget that gentleman and other nice people.

Only for a while, we share time and separate for an individual destination... A Japanese tea ceremony has beautiful philosophy in these words, " IchigoIchie, 一期一会," my favorite say. It means we only once meet each other in life, so do our best to host a guest at a tea ceremony. Looking at these so many people, I feel we may not see again. Our encounter is only for a moment like a comet in this big universe. Our meeting each other is a miracle. If so...

My ichigoichie. I'd assist anyone who needs help for a walk in a busy station and at anywhere. I'd promise to make people happy with my sketches in our encounter.




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Sunday, April 11, 2010

Sydney International Chess Open : Check Mate, Darrrrling!

My sketches and an article will come up in "Australian Chess" May=at the end of this month!!

I enjoyed sketching Sydney International Chess Tournament in Parramatta.

I often played chess at primary school but not these days. What sort of people play chess? I sneaked into the battle field, Parramatta Town Hall.

Hey....what a sight! The big hall was filled with so many
people : young and old, man and woman at the lines of tables. They just concentrated on chess boards in dead silence. Fascinating enough, some games were between very young children and seniors. In the air, each participant's extremely high tension stung me. I started sketching participants. Yes, a human figure is my most favourite subject.
Chess is a lonely game. A great brain exercise demands strong nerve and mental power. No one can help a player. So, he must save himself and counts on himself. Crashing an opponent is an ultimate goal in a tournament.

Each player's body language told me very well about what was going on and who was a winner or a loser. Especially, young children have no mercy on opponents--or I should say--they are not old enough to remember social norms. So, once a child player sniffed out a victory, a smiling child skipped around the Hall or even a child went out of the Hall. Youngsters tried hard to hide their big smile and held showing off as etiquette.

But for a loser, an ongoing game is a horrible steep way straight down into a hell. Dreadfully miserable. Like this proverb, "A drowning man will catch at a straw," a losing player tried everything to make a miracle or a sea-change happen. Losers do not want to toll a bell so soon. Their body language and face expressions were so gloomy and desperate, even though very much impressive. Probably, we cannot hide our emotions or perfectly under control. Our body language often reveals our genuine thoughts and feelings.

I had an opportunity to have a chat with a chess lover. I thought the lady did her best at a game and celebrated her great job (*I never paid any attention to movements or a result. I purely looked at players in games. ) The unhappy lady said, "If I win, feel much better." She instantly eschewed my idealism and a
"let's-have-fun" attitude that weigh on a process more than a result. In turn, she said, "Sometimes, we need to set criterion and cut off those whom cannot clear it."

It seems in her eyes, only winning has the meaning and all. "Aren't you too tough on you?" I asked her.
"I am and I was," she said. 
Another chess player's humorous definition of chess was "Sit for an honorary exam."
Chess reminded me of an awfully competitive society. Winning a game is not bad. But I know I cannot always be a winner. "No side" was the most lovely sight that two parties exchanged smiles and shuck hands after a long battle. Often both began to talk over the game. Nice.

Last year, when I studied about market research for Art, I picked up this say.
"To live your life in your own way
To reach the goals you've set for yourself
To be the person you want to be
---that's success."
I do not need to be a champion at all competitions, but for my setting goal, I want to be a champ and work on my style.


In addition, other links devoted for chess lovers are...
NewzeaLand Chess Website
http://www.newzealandchess.co.nz/

Chess lovers make this website from all over the world.
Chess Expresshttp://chessexpress.blogspot.com/

Indeed, my blog article comes up on all the links above.


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Tuesday, April 6, 2010

BaldArchy2010 "Recipe for Success"

Wow, today, my dear friend and I enjoyed Bald Archy Prize 2010 at ABC Ultimo Centre next to UTS and TAFE in City.
Hey, it's free.
Sydneysiders
, go, dash!

1 April - 25 April: ABC Ultimo Centre
700 Harris St, Ultimo
Hours: Daily 10am – 4pm
Admission: Free
Tel: 02 8333 1500


Each work shows a very funny face and a clever statement. An artist's "have a say" is full of satire upon a subject. Especially, of politicians, artists have "no mercy." Artists poke fun at stupid politicians and ridicule them all.
Very smart. Oh, all the artists have a deep understanding of politics and social issues! Cool!!

But curious enough, I could not find any work on current Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. There was no caricature on Kevin! Is he a perfect politician? Well, I do not think so. In my personal opinion, technically, his face is not so fun for an art work. Yes, quite boring. On the contrary, Opposition leader Tony and Environment Protection Minister
Peter Garrett come up in many works. I'm sure Tony and Peter's faces have outstanding features and good for "play-up."


Some works are based on famous classic art works.

Hahahaha,
Warren Lane's "Doubting Tony" $3,500, is inspired by Caravaggio, "Doubting Thomas."
Jesus is replaced with Australian Greens leader, Bob Brown. Tony Abbott takes over St Thomas. Stephen Fielding and Kevin Andrews play other two disciples.
What Warren wants to
tell is how
stubborn Tony and the others are! They deny the responsibility of global warming and won't take a quick action for a solution.






Among cartoon-like-works, I like "Recipe for Success" on Matt Preston, done by Simon Schneider. $1,500.
Matt scoops up money, a $100 note from a stew pan full of cash. Dough! Money does not come from a heaven, unfortunately. Ah, me, too, I want to find a recipe for success or money...?!
Here's my work on money...


In a technical aspect, most work is done by oil or acrylics and huge like the work I saw at Archibald. Only 2 or 3 works are watercolor in A4. Again, a small watercolor work's entry would be a challenging...

Mmmm...also, for Bald Archy entry, an incessant check of politics and a good antenna to monitor social problems are vital. That's a quite demanding daily job, indeed.
Put aside I can get through a selection or not, it will be a great fun to make
a caricature and share it with my friends over wine.
It's worth trying.


Let's have fun!!






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Thursday, April 1, 2010

Archibald 2010 "Size is Matter:Small is Powerful and Sexy"

Today, I enjoyed Archibald. 2010 winner is Sam Leach. Sam made a record that the smallest work won the prize.
Many people looked at his work. The work-- small and based on a traditional style-- won it.

In the evening, the NSW Gallery had an interviewing of the winner. I was one of the crowd and sketched Sam. He confidently answered an interviewer's questions. I focused on his body language and quickly sketched my impression.
After the talk show, I met him in person. He got a bit surprised at my quick watercolor, but happily singed it. Other people, too, got impressed with my work. He cheered me up so much.

Apart from the first prize work, I felt, "The Previous Life" done by Apple Yin was very interesting among the finalists.
The work combined different religious worlds togehter. There were a few small works and most workds were so big.

To challenge it or not to challenge it-- that's the question.
I had a headache for years. When I thought of my tiny watercolor work, I did not have guts to submit it. Most of works are so huge. As big as a wall! (No kidding, Friends!) Oil or acrylics or mixed media is a main stream. Watercolor is hardly found. What it worse, Archibald requires to frame a watercolor work. (*Canvas work does not need it.) If I make a bigger work, framing costs my fortune.
But today, Sam's work inspired me and Sam encouraged me so much. I will keep trying it, even though I may not get through a selection forever. I will try it with my own style in watercolor.

Friends,
I keep what I am and will become what I can be.



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