"Xun"

6 x 8"

oil on panel

sold

For the letter X in my series ArtistZ,  I spent, I'm guessing, five or six hours researching and hunting an artist.  Google painters who's name begins with the letter X and you'll find hundreds of mostly Chinese artists, a small number of Greek and a handful of other nationalities.  At one point, I went to the New York Times archive, because I vaguely remembered the artist Sun Xun, written about several times in past few years and I found him.  Sun Xun lives and works in Beijing, he's around 36 years old, which is impressive given his wide range of mediums and amount of work.

Quite frankly, I don't respond to most of Xun's works, he has explored mixed media, animation, block printing, ink drawings and painting - and I zeroed in on an exhibit in 2012 titled 'These Years', a collection of mixed media oils that include still life, landscapes and figuratives, including my choice piece Waiting.   I just love the grey-green tones and the strong turquoise/aquas together.

"Qi"

6 x 8"

oil on panel

sold

A new addition to my series ArtistZ - and I will say, the hunt for an artist for the letter Q wasn't easy.  I narrowed it down to three painters and chose the one that spoke to me - Qi Baishi.

Qi Baishi, a Chinese artist, born in 1863, is one of the most famous contemporary Chinese painters who could paint nearly every subject matter and is best known for his flowers, birds, insects and fish.  It is said 'he mastered the ability of suggesting the essence of his subject with a few, brief strokes.'  Which is why it appeals to me - it is very Zen.

"Oriental Pearl"

5 x 7"

oil on masonite

sold

After I spent a couple of hours in the museum, I started to crave Chinese food. Good Chinese food. So I took Rachel Ray's suggestion and found the Oriental Pearl, tucked away in Chinatown. It was quiet and elegant and perfect.

This painting is one of my occasional homages to Wayne Thiebaud, one of my favorite living artists.